Anecdotes of the Habits and Instinct of Animals
R. Lee
Paperback
(Independently published, Feb. 26, 2020)
Formed like man, and practicing similar gestures, but with thumbs instead of great toesupon their feet, and with so narrow a heel-bone, that even those who constantly walkupright have not the firm and dignified step of human beings; the Quadrumana yetapproximate so closely to us, that they demand the first place in a book devotedprincipally to the intellectual (whether it be reason or instinct) history of animals. Thisapproximation is a matter of amusement to some; but to the larger portion of mankind, Ishould say, it is a source of disgust. "Rapoynda," I exclaimed, one day, to atroublesome, inquisitive, restless negro, pointing to a black monkey, which muchresembled him in character, "that is your brother." Never shall I forget the malignantscowl which passed over the man's features at my heedless comparison. No apology,no kindness, not even the gift of a smart waistcoat, which he greatly coveted, everrestored me to his good graces; and I was not sorry when his Chief summoned himfrom my vicinity, for I dreaded his revenge.A few years after, I stood lost in admiration before Sir Edwin Landseer's inimitablepicture of "the monkey who had seen the world," in which nature and truth lend theirtone and force to the highest efforts of art; when a voice exclaimed, "How can youwaste your time looking at that thing; such creatures ought never to have been painted;"and although the speaker was a religious man, he muttered to himself, "I am not surethey ought ever to have been made." The voice proceeded from one of the finestinstances of manly beauty; one famed also for talent and acquirement. Rapoyndastarted into my recollection; and as I slowly left the talented picture, I could not helpsmiling at the common feeling between the savage and the gentleman, thereby provingits universality