man. (which is consolatory to our self-love) them to be in this respect the same as it may be perceived that the total form of man does not exist at once in any of these animals in particular, though it appears certain that the human attributes have been in part appropriated to some apes, and even in some manner distributed among many. Thus the orang outang (simia satyrus) has the head nearly similar to that of the negro; his forehead is also convex, a character of great importance, since it modifies the skull, and appears for this reason to give more energy to the intelligence of their species; its muzzle is not much elongated in front, since in this respect there is less difference between the orang outang and the negro, than between this last and a European. In elevating to a similitude with us, so great a number of animals nature has doubtless intended to inform us, that our form was not the most eminent, nor the most essential attribute that we enjoyed: and that we can only feel a just pride from the exercise of that intelligence which establishes between us and the brutes an immense interval. The details into which I have entered prove, in my opinion, that we ought not to neglect any facts in the history of apes, and that we cannot too much nor too attentively examine every species, and bring forward those which have escaped the notice of naturalists, since it is the only method of attaining to appreciate justly the differences between the human form and that of animals. Camper, who has strictly defined the degree of elongation in the mouth of this species, was convinced that I shall now present a description of the facial angle, or that angle which a very uncommon ape, which forms comprehends the face and the palate, a part of my collection, and which I was in the orang outang 65 degrees; do not remember to have seen any that this same angle was 70 in the where described. negro and 80 in the European. I shall denominate and particularize But nature has not permitted that it as follows: this orang outang should be exactly Simia entellus.* Habitat in Bengala. similar to us: his hind legs are exces- Candâ elongatâ, corpore obscurè strasively long; his os calcis does not mineo, palmis plantisque nigris, natitouch the ground in all its parts; he bus calvis; walks or rather runs upon the inward edge of his feet. However, let us look upon other species of apes, we shall find that what is wanting in this one to render it perfectly similar to man is to be found in others. The orang outang of Buffon, or the jocko (simia traglodites) has the air of man, the arms of the same proportion; he walks the same on the sole of his feet but his forehead is much more depressed and falling more behind. The orang outang, or pongo of Wurmb, which professor Geoffroy considers as a new species, has the as calcis, &c. as a man. For some time anatomists have thought that the human species alone had a vermicular appendage to the cæcum; the examination of orang outangs has proved * This is the heelbone, or bone of the Tarsus, lying under the Astralagi, and is united to them by the jointing called Gynglymus. "A very long tail, the body a dull white or dirty straw-colour; the hands and the feet black; callosities on the rump. It comes from Bengal." The Entellus belongs to that generic division which professors Geoffroy and Cuvier acknowledge under the name of monkeys, and to which ascribe as characteristic; a short muzzle; facial angle 50 degrees and more; the head a little flat, a little prominent, five dentes molares, &c. It is with the Douc (simia nemæus) that the entellus appears to have the greatest affinity, and it is after this that it should be placed in systematic works. This ape is very much like an old athlete, on account of his white hair and his black hands, as it were covered with his leaden girdle. Entellus was a hero in single combat, whom Virgil has much praised in the 5th book of his Eneid. The parts without hair are the face, the throat, the ears, the inside of the hands, the rump, &c. He is about three feet and a half upon the extremities, and especially high, and two feet six inches long upon the hands. from the end of the muzzle to the insertion of the tail. His head is rounded, and made like that of the douc; his muzzle is neither more nor The colours are uniform; the face less prominent; the nose is very flat; is blackish as well as the hands; the the nostrils are often beneath, but at colour of the haunches appears to be the same time so disposed that the ex- less deep; and in all other parts the ternal angle is more elevated than the entellus is in general the colour of internal one: the eyes separated by dirty straw, a little darker on the an interval of an inch are tolerably back, more lively on the belly, almost prominent; the ears resemble very white at the extremities; and passing much those of man, but somewhat to a clear brown on the tail: the hair larger in their upper part. upon the hands and feet is entirely The extremities offer nothing re- black. markable; the length of the fore ones The entellus was brought from is eighteen inches, those behind are Bengal. I know nothing of its mode only one inch more; the difference of living. in the length of the hands is rather greater; the anterior are six inches Long, the posterior eight. Each hand is composed of four fingers and a thumb, capable of abduction and adduction. The fingers of the anterior feet form only the fourth part of the hand; the third and fourth are twenty-one lines long; the first and the second twelve lines only; and the thumb has only six lines: it is very much drawn back towards the wrist, and does not even exceed the meta carpus. The nails are long, strait, and black ish; those of the thumbs are flat ter. The individual which I have described I believe to be the only one in Europe. It is now placed with the numerous species of apes which form a part of the collection of the Mu seum Francais. My zeal to enlarge and embellish it, the respectful esteem which I feel towards its administrators rendered it a duty with me to enrich this collection with the rare individual that I possessed. A Brief Account of that part of the French Commerce, called The Northern Commerce. UNDER this head is classed the carried on between The tail exceeds a great deal the France and the Hanse towns of Hamlength of the body; it is three feet burgh, Bremen, Lubec, and Dantzic, one inch long; it becomes thinner to- as also with Denmark, Sweden, and wards the extremities; it is covered Russia. The French, who have been with hair about an inch long, and a outstripped with regard to process little tufted; its extremity is ter- and discoveries in navigation by most minated by a bunch of hair much longer. part an of the maritime nations of Europe, have never trafficked largely with the The basis on the occiput seems to Northern countries. Several of the from a common centre; they are ports of France classed themselves in long, thick, and red round the face, the course of the 15th century with and more long and tufted about the the Teutonic Hanse formed during eyes; a little yellowish beard, about the 12th century. But this associainch long and pointed termi- tion on the part of France was rather nates the visage; pretty long hairs a sort of solicited protection from of the same colour accompany the powerful allies, for an infantile comcheeks; the longest are on the back, merce than a proof the extensiveness the shortest on the belly and arms, of French navigation. The attempts where they become shorter and to found a substantial intercourse beshorter as they approach towards the tween France and the North have fingers. been many. Cardinal Richelieu in In general, the hair of the entellus 1626, entered into a negotiation with appears dry and thick, somewhat sof- the Czar Michael, in order to bring ter upon the belly but very coarse about a commerce with Russia. Col bert, in 1669, created a NorthernCom- The purchase of Ukranian tobacco pany, which was for the space of 20 was the first step taken for establishyears to engross the commerce of Zea- ing the anxiously looked-for commerland, Holland, the coasts of Germany, 'cial intercourse, which the English of Denmark, the Baltic, Sweden, Nor- redoubled their efforts to counteract. way, and Muscovy, but which, not- With this intent they offered to par withstanding the countenance of go- chase a species of merchandize which vernment, had no success. The they could not possibly consume. So commercial ties, which were formed many obstacles added to the demise and strengthened between France and of Elizabeth, compelled the French the Hanse Towns during the suspen- to abandon a commerce which they sion of the Dutch navigation to the saw it would never be in their power ports of France, tended to encourage even to share with the active and jea the intercourse which was moreover lous English. Nevertheless France aided by the treaty of commerce and and Russia formed a sort of commernavigation entered into between his cial alliance to endure for twelve most christian majesty and the towns years, in 1787. The fluctuations exof Bremen, Lubec, and Hamburgh. perienced by the merchants of both In 1769, this treaty was renewed for France and Russia since are too well twenty years. The advances made known to need recapitulation; and by France, and the obstacles with the recent breach between this counwhich she met in attempting to found try and the latter exhibits the conse a direct intercourse with Russia, pro- quences likely to ensue in a very glarduced innumerable negociations for a ing manner. considerable time utterly fruitless. France has not been very fortunate The English, who had discovered the in regard to her commercial interport of Archangel towards the middle course with Denmark. In spite of of the 16th century, were already the treaty of August 1742, this power masters of the whole commerce of by its regulation of customs in 1768, the Russian empire, when the Czar and additional regulations in 1783, Michael and Cardinal Richelieu at- has prohibited the greater part of tempted to establish maritime connec- French productions from entering its tions between two people who had no ports. exterior navigation.. The English at As to Sweden, notwithstanding the first ridiculed these vain attempts; good understanding which formerly but not so when they saw Peter the subsisted between the two empires, first make overtures to the regent of the direct commercial intercourse beFrance to establish a direct communi- tween it and France is almost as uncation between the two countries. important as that with Denmark. This caused the English to feel a vast There exists between the two powers deal of uneasiness, which, together a treaty of commerce, dated April with the sanguine expectations of the 1741, and a confirmatory contract French, vanished upon the death of July 1784, granting Gothenburgh to the said prince. Still the French mi- France as the centre of its northern nister did not entirely abandon the commerce: in return for which, project till 1733, when the war forced him so to do. On Elizabeth's ascending the throne in 1741, a fair occasion seemed to offer for the revival of the old subject, but Count Be- The regulation of council, of Sept. stuchef, who was at the head of the 1784, exempts from all duties eatables administration and secretly leagued and naval equipments destined for with the courts of Vienna and Lon- the northern commerce, and admits don, succeeded in stifling the natural for the space of six months, as staple predilection of this princess in regard commodities, all the merchandises of to the French nation. The disgrace the north which shall be brought to of the minister effected a revolution France in French vessels, with leave in the state of politics, profiting by for their being re-exported free of which the court of France inmedi- duty: finally, it regulates the preately sent a consul to Petersburgh. 'miums payable for four years upon France grants Sweden a similar fa vour, in respect to its West India commerce, by means of the island of St. Bartholomew. the tonnage of vessels bound for the On the Evil of the late INCLOSURES. Baltic, the German Ocean, or the North Sea. SIR, What success, then, resulted from the course of frequent rambles over the district of green-sward so many attempts to found a northern waste between Windsor and Reading, commerce? At the end of Louis I have felt convinced that I was tra XIVth's reign, the imports from all velling amidst the nursery of patriotthe northern powers only amounted ism and national valour. Here I saw to the sum of 2,300,000 francs, the hardy Englishman learning to principally for wood, hemp, and ne appreciate duly the value of the Contals. At the time of the revolution, stitution which protected his little they amounted to 31,600,000 francs; privileges. Not.driven to the conviz. 1st, Manufactured articles, such fines of his scanty hut, he trod boldly as hempen cloths, and those called over the common that lay spread be platilles, brought via the Hanse fore his home, and felt that he was a Towns; and East-India goods, the Briton, and one whose blood would produce of Sweden's commerce with be cheaply spilt in the defence of his Asia, to the value of 5,700,000 francs parent Island. In fact, he had a stake 2dly, Copper and lead from the Hanse in the general cause; he was possessTowns; wood from Denmark and ed of property dependent on the pubRussia; iron, pitch, and tar from lic welfare; and all those generous Sweden; hemp and tobacco from feelings which have rendered EnglishRussia, 24,000,000 francs. 3dly, Fish man and Patriot synonimous terms, (chiefly Danish and Swedish) and were the produce of this participation other provisions, 1,800,000 francs.- in the advantages of his more affluent The exports of France to all the nor- fellow-countrymen. thern powers, at the end of Louis Take away the little tracts of comXIVth's reign, amounted to about mon land which border on his dwel6,060,000 francs; at the epoch of ling; snatch from his children their the revolution they amounted to humble inheritance of a free range 80,000,000 francs, consisting chiefly over the turf before their door; and, of indigo, drugs, cotton, wine, bran- where is the link that unites the heart dy, vinegar, minerals, sugar, and of the poor man to the Constitution coffee. The immense and continually of his Country? progressive consumption in these I trust, you will not deem me countries of the sugar and coffee of speaking the language of romance the French West Indies, generally when I affirm that the general inclo renders them debtors to France. This sure of Common Lands wipes away is principally owing to the circum- the last trait of the genuine old Eng-. stance of the Hanse Towns being in lish character. Those men who rangthe habit of supplying a great part of ed under the banners of an Edward, Germany with those commodities.- or a Henry, had a pledge, however The balance of commerce is annually humble, in the independence of their about 48,000,000 francs. country. Tired, I presume, of the The actual state of northern com- ancient character of our Islanders, we merce certainly presents France with are bent on trying whether a novel great advantages; since the latter, in species of patriotism may not be eliexchange for her native productions, cited from the feelings of the man, receives such raw materials as every who is told that even the "bare worn maritime power must stand in absolute common" is too luxurious a field for need of; it would, however, be still his cattle to pasture on! ❝ survey "The rich man's joys increase, the poor's more lucrative to the French if they "Ye friends to truth, ye statesmen! who could but find means to carry their own merchandises to the northern ports, whose vessels, as it is, come to fetch them, and thus save the freight which they should otherwise be obliged to pay to France. UNIVERSAL MAG. VOL. VIII. "Tis your's to judge how wide the limits "Between a splendid and a happy land!" -All may wear a gay face, and the resources of the country be the boast 3 R of each arithmetical Minister of the at present, far from unprofitable to day; but I never can imagine the real the public at large. To instance one strength, or prosperity, of a nation ad- neighbourhood, I should conceive the vanced by those acts which threaten commons in the immediate vicinity of to reduce society to two classes; and Hurst, breed and support not less which crush, with a rude and pitiless than 2000 sheep, of which perhaps hand, each lingering relic of the Bri- 500 are annually slaughtered. Should tish Yeomanry. an Inclosure of this land take place, I However small the claim, each think it may be safely asserted, that person possessed of common right re- not more than 400 sheep could be ceives, it will be said, an indemnity maintained on the same ground; of in the equable division, which takes which it is highly improbable that place on an inclosure. But the class more than one fourth would come of men, whose cause I would wish to annually to market. The Wool of advocate, stand claimants of so small the green-sward sheep is, likewise, a portion in the ratio of their tenure, well known to be of a highly estimathat their allotments would never re- ble quality; so that not only would pay them the trouble and expense of less wool be produced in that district, cultivation. The span of land appro- but the diminutive quantity which priated to the small Copyholder is, did come to hand, would be grievously accordingly purchased, nine times lowered in value-An argument sureout of ten, by some more affluent ly of some weight, while the Chancelneighbour; and the trifle advanced lor wishes his cushion to contain a by the wealthy speculator is truly too prime sample of English Wool! small to afford the cottager a compen- But, above all, (to recur, in conclusation for the valuable privileges, sion to the complaint with which which enabled him to maintain his I commenced) I must believe the family, only one step above poverty Country will ultimately suffer from that alienation of character, which must be expected to follow a resumption of the long accustomed privi leges of the English Peasant. Our Poet has wisely asserted, that but a world above discontent. If what aggrieved a separate class of society benefited the remainder, each individual murmur must, of course, be treated with disregard, or, at best, listened to with inefficient « A free-born Peasantry, its Country's pity. But it would appear highly "Pride, "supplied." doubtful whether the great purposes "When once destroy'd, can never be of the common weal will be assisted by enclosures so generally adopted as Let us ponder over this assertion is the case in this part of the country. (which will well bear reducing to According to the ideas of Mr. Malthus (which have been received as guides rendering home, and his Native Land, prose) before we incur the risk of by the leading characters in our House less dear to that order of Britons of Commons), I should conjecture which fights our battles, maintains that the cultivating of waste land our glory, and on whom we may would by no means tend to promote a eventually rest for the defence of the reduction in the price of grain? If population perpetually incline, as that very land he cultivates! writer asserts, to a morbid redundancy, we are merely, by ploughing fresh land (if the accustomed order of political economy remain in practice,) extending the evils of epidemy and want. As some sort of corroboration of this conjecture, it must be remembered that an Inclosure seldom, or never, fails to affect prejudicially the poor rates of the district in which it occurs. The Common Land, in the part of Berkshire to which I am alluding, is, I can easily, Sir, conceive that the expensive landholder may be a gainer by an act of inclosure, but except in partial instances, I cannot easily ascertain that any other class (much less the public at large, admitting the correctness of Mr. Malthus' System), is in any essential degree benefited; while I am certain that the man of small property is, in every respect, a great sufferer. I remain, &c. A CONTRIBUtor. |