THE SPEECH OF MONKEYS. 2§ 



And the fact that they are attracted in a slight 

 degree by musical sounds shows that they pos- 

 sess the germ from which music itself is born. 

 I must not be understood to claim that they possess 

 anything more than the mere germ from which 

 such faculties might have been evolved. I do 

 not think that they have any names for numbers. 

 colors, or quantities, nor do I think that they pos- 

 sess an abstract idea of these things, except in 

 the feeblest degree ; but as the concrete must 

 have preceded the abstract idea in the devel- 

 opment of human reason, it impresses me that 

 these creatures are now in a condition such as 

 man has once passed through in the course of 

 his evolution, and it is not difficult to understand 

 how such feeble faculties may develop into the 

 very highest degree of strength and usefulness 

 by constant use and culture. 



We find in them the rudiments from which all 

 the faculties possessed by man could easily de- 

 velop, including thought, reason, speech, and 

 the moral and social traits of man. In brief, 

 they appear to have at least the raw material out 

 of which is made the most exalted attributes of 

 man ; and I shall not contest with them the right 

 of such possession. 



