But, with all these differences, they are so closely connected
in all the more important and fundamental characters of their
organization, and so distinctly separated by these same characters from
other animals, that zoologists find it necessary to group them together
as members of one order. And if any new animal were discovered, and
were found to present no greater difference from the Kangaroo and the
Opossum, for example, than these animals do from one another, the
zoologist would not only be logically compelled to rank it in the same
order with these, but he would not think of doing otherwise.
Bearing this obvious course of zoological reasoning in mind, let us
endeavour for a moment to disconnect our thinking selves from the mask
of humanity; let us imagine ourselves scientific Saturnians, if you
will, fairly acquainted with such animals as now inhabit the Earth, and
employed in discussing the relations they bear to a new and singular
'erect and featherless biped,' which some enterprising traveller,
overcoming the difficulties of space and gravitation, has brought from
that distant planet for our inspection, well preserved, may be, in a
cask of rum.
Pages:
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40