64 THE NOMENCLATURE 



cular frames, all the others feem to unite with 

 their neighbours, and to form groups of degra- 

 ded fimllarities, or genera, reprefented by our 

 nomenclators in a net-work of figures, fome of 

 which are fupported by the feet, others by the j 

 teeth, by the hair, and others by relations ftili 

 more minute ; And even the apes, whofe form 

 feems to be moft perfed, or approaches neareft 

 to that of man, prefent themfelves in a group, 

 and require the utmoft attention to be diftin- 

 guifhed from each other ; becaufe the privilege 

 of feparate fpecies depends lefs on figure than 

 magnitude ; and man himfelf, though a diftin<a 

 fpecies, and infinitely removed from that of all 

 other animals, bein only of a middle fize, has ' 

 a greater number of neighbouring fpecies than 

 the very large kinds. In the hiftory of the f 

 orang-outang, we ihall find, that, if figure alone 

 be regarded, we might confider tliis animal as 

 the firil of apes, or the moft imperfeft of men ; 

 becaufe, except the intelled^, the orang-outang 

 wants nothing that we poffefs, and, in his body, 

 difFeis lefs from man than from the other ani- 

 mals which receive the denomination of apes. 



Hence mind, refledion, and language depend 

 not on figure, or on the organization of the bo- 

 dy. Thcfe are endowments peculiar to man. 

 The orang-outang, though he neither thinks nor 

 fpeaks, has a body, members, fenfes, a brain, 

 and a tongue perfectly fimilar to thcfe of man : 

 He counterfeits every human movement ; but 



he 



I 



