THE HUMAN FRA3IE. 3G9 



although the force with which they act may be somewhat 

 lessened, yet the velocity of the motion they produce is in- 

 creased in the same proportion. The fibula is here a bone 

 of more importance than in quadrupeds; for it performs a 

 motion of rotation round the tibia, analogous to that of the 

 radius upon the ulna, giving a great extent of action to the 

 foot, and converting the leg into an arm, as we have already 

 seen that the foot itself is transformed into a hand. A small 

 inclination is given to the articulation of the tarsus with these 

 last mentioned bones, which imparts a degree of twist to the 

 feet, throwing the sole inw^ards, and causing the monkey 

 while walking to rest chieflj^on its outer edge. This seem- 

 ing defect gives a slight appearance of awkwardness to the 

 gait; it is not, however, to be view^ed as an imperfection^ for 

 it is evidently designed to assist the animal in climbing trees, 

 which is its most usual action, the oblique position of the 

 foot enabling it most effectually to lay hold of the branches. 

 Monkeys are evidently not formed to excel in swiftness; for 

 the heel, in these animals, presents no large projection as in 

 other orders of mammalia; nor are the muscles that are in- 

 serted into the heel particularly powerful; they hardly, in^ 

 deed, can be said to compose a calf as in the human leg. 



§ 12. Man. 



The series of structures modelled on the characteristic 

 type of the Mammalia, after having exhibited the successive 

 development of all its elements, attains the highest perfec- 

 tion in the human fabric; for even independently of those 

 prerogatives of intellect and of sensibility, by which Man 

 is so far exalted above the level of the brute creation, both 

 his ph3^sical structure and his physiological constitution place 

 him incontestably at the summit of tlie scale of terrestrial 

 beings. Considered zoologically, indeed, the human species 

 must rank among the Mammalia, and it even makes a near ap- 

 proach to the Quadrumana; yet there exists many peculiari- 

 ties of structure, which entitle Man to be placed in a sepa- 



Vol. I. 47 



