MAN. 
stated. The broad expansion of the upper 
part of the ilia forms a firm basis for the 
trunk; the curvature of the sacrum, and 
the inclination of the os coccygis forwards, 
which is a circumstance altogether peculiar 
to the human pelvis, give to it a capacity 
exceeding that of any other animal. In the 
orang-outang the upper part of the ilium is 
narrow and elongated, stretching upwards 
in the direction of the spine ; the sacrum 
flat and contracted continues in a straight 
line with the vertebral column. 
The relation of the neighbouring soft 
parts to the pelvis, deserves also to be con- 
sidered. The posterior surface of the pel- 
vis gives origin to the glutasi muscles, the 
external of which, exceeding in size all 
others in the body, and covered by a large 
proportion of fat, form the buttocks. These 
fleshy and rounded prominences, between 
which the anus is deeply hidden, have al- 
ways been considered, both by the natural 
historian and the physiologist, as a peculiar 
characteristic of man, particularly distin- 
guishing him from the simi*, which have no 
buttocks at all. 
The curvature of the sacrum and os coc- 
cygis gives rise to the particular direction 
of the organs of generation, and especially 
of the vagina ; that canal, which, in the 
other female mammalia, nearly follows the 
axis of the pelvis, being placed almost at 
right angles to tliat axis in the woman ; and 
hence the process of parturition becomes 
more ditficult. In consequence of this di- 
rection of the vagina, the human female is 
not like that of brutes, retromingent : and 
the same circumstance will determine a 
point that has been often agitated, concern- 
ing the most natural position for the act of 
copulation : “ quibus ipsa modis tractetur 
blanda voluptas.” For although there are 
many ways in which this rite may be per- 
formed, the relation of the penis to the va- 
gina points out the ordinary method as the 
most natural# 
From the erect stature of man arises 
another very distinguishing prerogative ; the 
most unconstrained use of his very perfect 
hands. So greatly does the conformation 
of these parts excel that of other animals, 
that Anaxagoras was hence induced to 
make an observation, which Helvetius has 
again brought forwards in our times ; “ that 
man is the wisest of animals, because he 
possesses hands.” This indeed is too much ; 
yet Aristotle is well justified in observing, 
that man alone possesses hands really de- 
serving that name. The chief and most 
distinguishing part of the hand, eiz. the 
thumb, is short, slender, and weak, even in 
the most anthropo-morphous simiae ; so that 
no other hand, but that of the human sub- 
ject, deserves the name given to it by the 
Stagyrite, of the organ of all organs. (See 
the remarks on this subject in the article 
CofliPARATivE Anatomy.) 
The monkeys, apes, and other anthropo- 
morphous animals can, in fact, be called 
neither bipeds nor quadrupeds ; but they 
are quadrnmanous, or four-handed. Their 
posterior limbs are furnished with a thumb, 
instead of a gi'eat toe; which latter part 
belongs only to man, and arises from the 
manner in which his body is supported in 
the erect position. Hence the dispute con- 
cerning the mode of progression of the 
orang-outang and other simi® ; viz. whether 
they go on all fours, or are supported by 
the posterior limbs only, will be easily set- 
tled. Neither of these representations is 
correct. Since the hands of these animals 
are not formed for walking, but for seizing 
and holding objects, it is clear that nature 
has designed them to live chiefly in trees. 
They climb these, and seek their food in 
them ; and one pair of hands is employed 
in fixing and supporting the body, while 
the other gathers their food, or serves for 
other oifices. Hence some, who have less 
perfect hands, are furnished with a prehen- 
sile tail, by which they can be more se- 
curely supported in trees. 
It is hardly necessary to add, that when 
we see monkeys walking erect, it is to be 
ascribed to instruction and discipline. The 
delineations of the orang-outang, taken ac- 
curately from the life, shew how inconve- 
nient and unnatural the erect posture is to 
these animals: they are drawn with the 
front jiands leaning on a stick, while the 
posterior ones are gathered up into the ap- 
pearance of a fist. No instance has ever 
been produced of a monkey, nor of any 
other animal, except man, which could.pre- 
serve his body in a state of equilibrium, 
when standing on one foot only. Ail these 
considerations render it very clear, that the 
erect stature not only arises out of the 
structure and conformation of the human 
body, but also that it is peculiar to man : 
and that the differences in the form and ar- 
rangement of parts, derived from this source 
only, are abundantly sufficient to distin- 
guish man by a wide interval from other 
animals. 
The hymen, a part for which no rational 
use has been hitherto assigned, is peculiar 
