THE MONKEY FAMILY. 



0 5 



although apes naturally possess uncommon powers 

 of mimicry; — and that, these powers can be 

 improved to a surprising degree, under the tute- 

 lary hand of man ; — nevertheless, neither time, nor 

 teaching, nor treatment, can ever raise apes even to 

 the shadow of an equality with the intellect of 

 rational man. All monkeys are infinitely below 

 us : aye infinitely indeed. Rude, shameless, and 

 uncalculating beasts they are, and beasts they 

 will remain to the very end of time ; unless some 

 unforeseen catastrophe, ordered by an all -wise 

 Providence, should root out their whole race from 

 the face of the earth ; as we imagine has already 

 been done with those ante-diluvian animals, the 

 fossil remains of which, have been so scientifically 

 lectured upon, and so cleverly pourtrayed by the 

 master-hand of Mr. Waterhouse Hawkins. 



Would that he had continued his representations 

 of them, in the beautiful gardens of the Crystal 

 Palace. But, 'tis said, that we are to have no 

 more. Possibly, some random blow in the dark, 

 from the hand of modern Vandalism, may have 

 smitten the rising plant, and scathed its opening 

 bud. 



To me, an inspection of these ante-diluvian 

 inhabitants of earth and sea, is always a treat of 

 the first order; and it is more agreeable to my 



