On opening
the door they stood and listened.
Not a sound. Jack fired off a pistol, and the fraudulent occupier of
the room instantly started up on his feet. Fritz rushed forward, and
clasped him tightly round the body.
"Ho, ho, comrade," said he, "this time you do not get off so easily!"
CHAPTER IX.
THE CHIMPANZEE--IMPERFECT NEGRO, OR PERFECT APE--THE HARMONIES OF
NATURE--A HANDFUL OF PAWS--A STONE SKIN--SEVENTEEN THOUSAND SPECTACLES
ON ONE NOSE--ANIMALCULAE--PELION ON OSSA--PTOLEMY--COPERNICUS TO
GALILEO--METAPHYSICS AND COSMOGONIES--ISAIAH--A LIVE TIGER.
"The chimpanze or chimpanzee," says Buffon, the French naturalist, "is
much more sagacious than the _ourang outang_, with which it has been
inaccurately confounded; it likewise bears a more marked resemblance
to the human being; the height is the same, and it has the same
aspect, members, and strength; it always walks on two feet, with the
head erect, has no tail, has calves to its legs, hair on its head, a
beard on its chin, a face that Grimaldi would have envied, hands and
nails like those of men, whose manners and habits it is susceptible of
acquiring."
Buffon knew an individual of the species that sat demurely at table,
taking his place with the other guests; like them he would spread out
his napkin, and stick one corner of it into his button-hole just as
they did, and he was exceedingly dexterous in the use of his knife,
fork, and spoon.
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