CONCERNING THE HIGHER MAMMALIA. 1 69 



of proud, and seemingly inaccessible glory " which they occupy. We 

 naturally ask — what does he imply by drawing such an analogy ? Re- 

 garding the general tone and apparent aim of his essay, we can form 

 no other deduction from this simile, or analogy, or poetic sentiment, 

 than that Men, modified from Brutes, through the aid of inward forces 

 have raised themselves to their present preeminence. Such "inward 

 forces " as existing in the anthropoid Quadrumana are contrary to ex- 

 perience, within the records of man, and until some proof be adduced 

 of their ever having existed, we should richly merit the application 

 of Prof. Huxley's own neat expression, — '' shallow rhetoricians " — if 

 we advocated a theory so chimerical. 



To return to the question of Man's proper place in the animal 

 kingdom, on this subject we find a great diversity of opinion amongst 

 naturalists. Swainson, who carried out the Macleay system of classi- 

 fication, has gone to the very opposite extreme from Prof. Huxley, 

 and altogether denied him a place in that kingdom. He could not 

 .locate him in any of the various circles into which he had arranged 

 living creatures. There was no circle into which he could thrust him 

 where he could have affinities on each side of him. He therefore con- 

 cluded to thrust him out altogether, and regard him as a sort of demi- 

 god. But the author of the "Vestiges," with his "development" 

 instincts fully alive, though approving of Swainson's arrangement in 

 other respects, condemns this one. He proposes that the typical order 

 of mammalia should be designated Cheirotheria, the possession of 

 hands being their most prom-inent characteristic. In this order he 

 included Man, not very happily, considering the etymology of the 

 term, which would represent him as a wild and predatory beast. 



Regarding man as a compound animal, it is probable that Cuvier's 

 arrangement will be found to afi'ord the most general satisfaction. 

 The six leading marks of distinction between him and the other mam- 

 malia appear of sufficient value to entitle him to a solitary place iu 

 the highest order of animals — leaving out of consideration that posi- 

 tion which has been assigned to him by Revelation and confirmed by 

 human experience — the position of Lord and Governor and Subduer 

 of all other animals, however powerful and however fierce. Nor ought 

 we to consent to regard Apes and Monkeys as members of the highest 

 Order of living creatures till we find some well authenticated instance 

 of any such animal possessing sufficient mental power to make at least 

 an attempt at intelligible language — or manifesting some sense. 



Vol. IX. . m 



