OF APES. 7-5 



tlon, or becaufe, without any exertion of the 

 will, he feels the capacity of doing it ? I appeal 

 to all thofe who have examined this animal with- 

 out prejudice, and I am convinced that they will 

 a"-ree with me, that there is nothing voluntary 

 in this imitation. The ape, having arms and 

 hands, ufes them, as we do, but without thinking 

 of us. The fimilarity of his members and or- 

 gans neceflarily produces movements, and fome- 

 times luccelTions of movements, which refemble 

 ours. Being endowed with the human ftruc- 

 ture, the ape muft move like man. But the 

 fame motions imply not that he a£ls from imi- 

 tation. Two bodies which receive the fame im- 

 pulfe, two fimilar pendulums or machines, wil! 

 move in the fime manner. But thefe bodies or 

 machines can never be faid to imitate each other 

 in their motions. The ape and the human body ^ 

 are two machines fimilarly conftruded, and ne- 

 ceflarily move nearly in the fame manner. But 

 parity is not imitation. The one depends on 

 matter, and the other on mind. Imitation pre- 

 fuppofcs the defign of imitating. The ape is in- 

 capable of forming this defign, which requires a 

 train of thinking ; and, confequently, man, if 

 he inclines, can imitate the ape ; but the ape 

 cannot even incline to imitate man. 



This parity is only the phyfical part of imita- 

 tion, and by no means fo complete as the fimi- 

 litude, from which, however, it proceeds as an 

 immediate effedl. The ape has a greater refem- 



blance 



