TOUCH. 189 



their vis inertias from their hardness. Helvetius 

 adds, that the shortness of his life, his being fugitive 

 before mankind, and his not inhabiting all climates, 

 combine to prevent his improvement*. There is, 

 however, at this time, an old monkey shown in 

 Exeter Change, London, who, having lost his teeth, 

 when nuts are given him, takes a stone into his 

 hand, and cracks them with it one by one ; thus 

 using tools to effect his purpose like mankind. 



" The beaver is another animal that makes much 

 use of his hands ; and, if we may credit the reports 

 of travellers, is possessed of amazing ingenuity. 

 This, however, M. Buffon affirms, is only where they 

 exist in large numbers, and in countries thinly peo- 

 pled with men ; while in France, in their solitary 

 state, they show no uncommon ingenuity. 



" Indeed all the quadrupeds that have collar- 

 bones (clavicular) use their fore limbs in some mea- 

 sure as we use our hands as the cat, squirrel, tiger, 

 bear, and lion ; and as they exercise the sense of 

 touch more universally than other animals, so are 

 they more sagacious in watching and surprising their 

 prey. All those birds that use their claws for hands, 

 as the hawk, parrot, and cuckoo, appear to be more 

 docile and intelligent; though the gregarious tribes 

 of birds have more acquired knowledge t." 



The hand of man, again, considered in this point 

 of view, is most exquisitely contrived. The fingers, 

 though composed of bones and strong ligaments to 

 give them vigour, are, at the same time, finely 

 adapted for bending round objects, and ascertaining 

 their shape and their inequalities or their smooth- 

 ness. The mechanism, also, by which these several 

 parts are moved, furnishes a striking illustration of 

 the wisdom of Providence. To give the fingers 



* De 1'Esprit, torn. i. t Zoonomia, i. 199. 



