CHARACTERS OF THE MONKEY TR[BE, 115 



These circumstances are so obvious, and so abundantly 

 sufficient to characterise man, that the doubts and hesita- 

 tion of LiNN^us, In assigning a specific distinction, appear 

 to us rather incomprehensible : — " Nullum characterem/' 

 he observes, " hactenus eruere potui, unde homo a simia 

 internoscatur*." And he again states, in the Systema 

 NaturcB f, " MIrum adeo parum dllFerre stultlssimam si- 

 miam a saplentlsslmo homine, ut iste geodaetes naturae 

 etiamnum quaerendus, qui hos llmltet." If these represen- 

 tations were correct, zoology would not deserve the rank 

 of a science. 



The remainder of this work will be divided into two 

 sections : tlie first, on the (corporeal and mental) differ- 

 ences between man and animals — or, in other words, on 

 the specific character of man — will contain a detailed ex- 

 planation of the particulars composing that character ; a 

 commentary on the short zoological statement which im- 

 mediately precedes, and an attempt to settle the question 

 whether man be a distinct species, or have a common origin 

 with, and specific affinity to, any other animals : the 

 second will be devoted to the different races of mankind, 

 will contain an enumeration and discussion of the characters 

 by which they are distinguished, and a full consideration of 

 the question, whether they ought to be regarded as origi- 

 nally distinct species, or as varieties of one single species. 



* Fauna Suecica, Praef, 

 t Ed. 12. p. 34. note. 



1 2 



