But if Erectness be popularly taken, and as it is largely opposed unto proneness, or the posture of animals looking downwards, carrying their venters or opposite part to the Spine, directly towards the Earth, it may admit of question. For though in _Serpents_ and _Lizards_ we may truly allow a proneness, yet _Galen_ acknowledgeth that perfect Quadrupeds, as _Horses_, _Oxen_ and _Camels_, are but partly prone, and have some part of Erectness. And _Birds_ or flying Animals, are so far from this kind of proneness, that they are almost Erect; advancing the Head and Breast in their progression, and only prone in the Act of volitation or flying. And if that be true which is delivered of the _Pengin_ or _Anser Magellanicus_, often described in Maps about those _Straits_, that they go Erect like _Men_, and with their Breast and Belly do make one line perpendicular unto the axis of the Earth; it will almost make up the exact Erectness of _Man_ [SN: _Observe also the_ Vrias Bellanii _and_ Mergus major.]. Nor will that Insect come very short which we have often beheld, that is, one kind of Locust which stands not prone, or a little inclining upward, but in a large Erectness, elevating alwaies the two fore Legs, and sustaining it self in the middle of the other four: by _Zoographers_ [SN: _Describers of animals._] called _Mantis_, and by the common people of _Provence_, _Prega_, _Dio_, the Prophet and praying Locust; as being generally found in the posture of supplication, or such as resembleth ours, when we lift up our hands to Heaven.
As for the end of this Erection; to look up toward Heaven; though confirmed by several testimonies, and the _Greek_ Etymology of _Man_, it is not so readily to be admitted; and as a popular and vain conceit was Anciently rejected by _Galen_; who in his third, _De usu partium_, determines, that _Man_ is Erect, because he was made with hands, and was therewith to exercise all Arts, which in any other figure he could not have performed; as he excellently declareth in that place, where he also proves that _Man_ could have been made neither Quadruped nor Centaur.
And for the accomplishment of this intention, that is, to look up and behold the Heavens, _Man_ hath a notable disadvantage in the Eye lid; whereof the upper is far greater than the lower, which abridgeth the sight upwards; contrary to those of _Birds_, who herein have the advantage of _Man_: Insomuch that the Learned _Plempius_[SN: Plemp. Ophthalmographia.] is bold to affirm, that if he had had the formation of the Eye-lids, he would have contrived them quite otherwise.