OF NATURAL HISTORY. 71 



body. His hands tread not the earth ; neither do they lofe, 

 by friclion and prefllire, that exquifite deUcacy of feeling for 

 which Nature had originally intended them. His arms and 

 hands, on the contrary, are formed for purpofes of a more 

 noble kind. They are deftined for executing the commands 

 of his will, for laying hold of bodies, for removing obftacles, 

 for defending him from injuries, and for feizing and retain- 

 ing objeds of pleafure. The features of this pi(Slure are 

 exacl delineations ; but they are not the exclufive privilege 

 of man. The orang outang walks ered:, and he derives 

 equal advantages from his hands and arms as the human 

 fpecies. Some apes have likewife the power of walking 

 ere£t, with the additional faculty of employing their hands 

 and arms as legs. They can walk, run, or leap, by the in- 

 ftrumentality either of two or of four extremities, as their 

 Situation or neceflities may require. It is not, therefore, 

 the fabric of man's body that entitles him to claim a fuperio- 

 rity over the other animals. The formation of their bodies 

 is adjufled with equal fymmetry and perfection to the rank 

 they hold in the general fyflem of animation. Many of 

 them excel us in magnitude, ftrength, fwiftnefs, and dexteri- 

 ty in particular movements. Their fenfes are often more 

 acute ; they feize their prey, or procure herbage, fruits, and 

 feeds of trees, with more facility than man, when limited to 

 the powers of his animal nature. Hence the great fource of 

 man's fuperiority over the brute creation mufl be derived 

 from his mental faculties alone. Brutes enjoy the fame in- 

 flindts, the fame appetites, and the fame propenfities, as ap- 

 pear in the conftitation of the human mind. But the in- 

 ftintSls of brutes, though they are exerted with great certain- 

 ty and precilion, are much circumfcribed with regard to ex- 

 tenfion and improvement. Like man, they dcri-L advan- 

 tages from experience. But the conclun^?n3 they draw from 

 this fource are always feeble and extr€.*iely limited. Neither 



