taught
to walk on a narrow path between two pit-falls, which are covered with
turf, and then to go into the woods, and to seduce the wild elephants to
come that way, who fall into these wells, whilst he passes safe between
them: and it is universally observed, that those wild elephants that escape
the snare, pursue the traitor with the utmost vehemence, and if they can
overtake him, which sometimes happens, they always beat him to death.

The monkey has a hand well enough adapted for the sense of touch, which
contributes to his great facility of imitation; but in taking objects with
his hands, as a stick or an apple, he puts his thumb on the same side of
them with his fingers, instead of counteracting the pressure of his fingers
with it: from this neglect he is much slower in acquiring the figures of
objects, as he is less able to determine the distances or diameters of
their parts, or to distinguish their vis inertiae from their hardness.
Helvetius adds, that the shortness of his life, his being fugitive before
mankind, and his not inhabiting all climates, combine to prevent his
improvement. (De l'Esprit. T. 1. p.) There is however at this time an old
monkey shewn in Exeter Change, London, who having lost his teeth, when nuts
are given him, takes a stone into his hand, and cracks them with it one by
one; thus using tools to effect his purpose like mankind.

The beaver is another animal that makes much use of his hands, and if we
may credit the reports of travellers, is possessed of amazing ingenuity.
This however, M. Buffon affirms, is only where they exist in large numbers,
and in countries thinly peopled with men; while in France in their solitary
state they shew no uncommon ingenuity.

Indeed all the quadrupeds, that have collar-bones, (claviculae) use their
fore-limbs in some measure as we use our hands, as the cat, squirrel,
tyger, bear and lion; and as they exercise the sense of touch more
universally than other animals, so are they more sagacious in watching and
surprising their prey. All those birds, that use their claws for hands, as
the hawk, parrot, and cuckoo, appear to be more docile and intelligent;
though the gregarious tribes of birds have more acquired knowledge.

Now as the images, that are painted on the retina of the eye, are no other
than signs, which recall to our imaginations the objects we had before
examined by the organ of touch, as is fully demonstrated by Dr. Berkley in
his treatise on vis