LETTER V. 
WE of the human fpecies are diftin- 
guifhed from what we call the brute 
creation, not by the internal or external for- 
mation of our bodies; for, in thefe, the dif- 
ference is found, by naturilifts, too infuffici- 
ent to entitle us even to afeparate Order -in the 
clafs of Quadrupeds. The celebrated Lin- 
naeus has placed Man in the CLASS Mamalia, 
which includes Quadrupeds and Whales; and 
in the ORDER Primates, which, according 
to his artificial fyftem, neceffarily compre- 
hends the genus Vefpertilio. He does not 
even compliment us with a generic diftinc- 
tion. Afpecific difference is all that we are 
allowed: thus, Homo rationales. I am forry 
to obferve, that even this trivial epithet is 
more than we generally deferve. 
I am compelled to be thus fevere on the 
human fpecies (for you obferve we have no 
pretenfion to a. generic diftinftion) becaufe 
mankind appears to me the leaft rational 
part of the creation: Therefore I would not 
tranflate the word rationalis rational -, but, 
capable of reafoning. 
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