MAMMALIA—MAN. 33 
able, like them, to convert these substances to the fluids which support his 
animal life; and his organs of sensation must necessarily be analogous, in 
some degree, to those of beings on whom the material world is destined to 
make similar impressions. But no material organs which man possesses, 
abstracted from the mind of which they are but the instruments, can account 
for this intellectual supremacy; and those hypotheses which would trace 
man’s intellectual and moral powers to the absolute or relative size of the 
brain or other material organs, have miserably failed in connecting mind 
with matter, or thought with organic structure. 
The structure of the human frame, however, is wonderfully adapted te 
the various purposes for which it is destined ; and even physically consider- 
ed, seems the worthy habitation of a being placed at the head, and with the 
control of animated nature. Man, indeed, considered as an animal, is the 
only one which walks erect in a vertical position ; the only one with hands 
at the anterior extremity, distinct from the organs of locomotion, and free 
for executing his purposes. Contrary to what is found in any other mam- 
miferous animal, the structure of his body demonstrates that man is destin- 
ed to walk erect. 
The foot is entirely different from the posterior hand of apes, and furnishes 
a larger and firmer base than that of any other animal. It would be impos- 
sible for man, even if he desired it, to walk on the four extremities, his feet 
being almost inflexible, and the great length of his thigh would bring his 
knee to the ground. His shoulders, also, being too much separated, and 
his arms too far extended from the central line, would produce a very 
ineffectual support for the upper part of the body. The arteries which 
supply the human brain, not being subdivided, as in most quadrupeds, the 
blood necessary for an organ of such volume, would be poured in too 
copiously and rapidly, if he should assume the horizontal position. 
According to Cuvier, no quadruped is comparable to man, for the magni- 
tude of the hemispheres of the brain in proportion to the size of the face. 
Though the external senses of man are less energetic than in some otter 
animals, they are, however, extremely delicate. His eyes are directed 
forwards, and thus, though he does not see to both sides of him at once, like 
most quadrupeds, there is a greater unity in the result of the visual opera- 
tion. Of all animals, he can best distinguish the various degrees of sound, 
and he appears to be the only creature whose sense of smell is sufficiently 
delicate to be affected by unpleasant odors. 
Fruits, roots, an¢ succulent vegetables, appear to be the natural food of 
man. His hands afford him facility in procuring these, and his short and 
comparatively weak jaws, his canine teeth, scarcely projecting beyond the 
.ine of the others, and his tuberculous molar teeth, are little calculated to 
Feed on herbage, or devour flesh, unless those aliments are previously pre- 
pared by fire. The organs of digestion in man, are in conformity with 
5 
