MONKEY KIND. 329 



longer than the rest of its whole body. The 

 bones of that part of the foot called the tarsus 

 are likewise so very long, that from thence the 

 animal has received its name : the tail is naked in 

 the middle, and hairy only at both extremities ; 

 its hair is woolly, soft, and of a deep ash colour. 

 As to the rest, it is unknown from what country 

 this animal was brought ; but the naturalist from 

 whom we have this description, supposes it to be 

 a native of America. 



From this general description of four-handed 

 animals, we perceive what few advantages the 

 brute creation derive from those organs that, in 

 man, are employed to so many great and useful 

 purposes. The being able to pluck their food 

 from the trees, the capacity of clinging among 

 the branches, and at most of converting one of 

 those branches into a weapon of defence, are the 

 highest stretches of their sagacity, and the only 

 use their hands have hitherto been employed in : 

 and yet some superficial men have asserted, that 

 the hands alone are sufficient to vindicate the 

 dominion of mankind over other animals ; and 

 that much of his boasted reason, is nothing more 

 than the result of his happier conformation : how- 

 ever, were this so, an ape or a monkey would in 

 some instances be more rational than we ; their 

 fingers are smaller, and, in some of them, more 

 finely formed than ours. To what a variety of 

 purposes might they not be employed, if their 

 powers were properly exerted ! Those works 

 which we, from the largeness of our fingers, are 

 obliged to go clumsily about, one of these could 



