Man and the Monkey

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 188, 29 October 1927, Page 24 (Supplement)

Man and the Monkey

(Written for TI-IE SUN by FRANCIS YEW)

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about the big things of life —and just for the enjoyment of a dispute, there are many who would as lief argue that monkeys descended from men as that men descended from monkeys—and possibly with as much logic in their theory. Strange that man grows no more like the ape, or the ape no more like the man, in appearance during the passage of hundreds of years. Nor any

closer in their relationships. The dog and the horse are both good friends of man; they serve him well. The ape, though, is affirmed to possess the human brain. Perhaps that is why he does not love man—why he fears man. It has been said that monkeys could speak with man if they wotild, but that they do not wish to —they realise that man is always looking for cheap labour, and that if they were to speak they would be compelled to work.

It may interest man to learn that he is descended from the ape; it certainly cannot please him. He would feel far more proud of himself to know that he was specially, created “in the image of God.” It would give him a better ancestry to "ne’er disgrace.” So we are not pleased to be led w I : weak eyes into the blinding light of allegedly scientific truths.

What some doubters of the Darwinian theory wish to know is why the brain of man made such great progress, while that of the gorilla has retarded? The so-called man-apes have not yet produced an Edison or a Marconi. There is resemblance only in brain-formation; none in brainactivity. The ape jumps from tree to tree by physical ability; man has learned to fly by the use of his intelligence. Yet is man the more joyful?

In any case, why drag the monkey in and hail him as a man and a brother? He is quite a happy fellow out of the cages at the zoo—when in the forest he suits so particularly. He doesn’t want to be dragged in. Perhaps he Is as much ashamed of his relationship as are some of our own nouveaux riches—who forget that their grandfathers drove cabs and who have placed in institutions the aged parents who worked for their educaion and so gave them the opportunities which enabled them to grow rich and snobbish.

Monkeys do not pass across to the other side of the street when they see a poor relative approaching, for fear he might want to borrow a nut; nor do they refuse to associate with a former friend because she can’t afford a fur coat. They don’t seek to amass wealth; sufficient to the day are the nuts thereof. And every monkey has his or her own coat.

Let the monkey be! He pays neither rent nor income tax. He has no tailors’ bills. He does not have to dub up every month for instalments on a motor-car or a pianola. He is content not to have progressed as have his educated “descendants.” Let us to our houses and leave the monkey to his tree!