The way in which men cling to old institutions after the life has departed out of them, and out of themselves, reminds me of those monkeys which cling by their tails -- aye, whose tails contract about the limbs, even the dead limbs, of the forest, and they hang suspended beyond the hunter's reach long after they are dead. It is of no use to argue with such men. They have not an apprehensive intellect, but merely, as it were a prehensile tail.

Summary

The quote expresses a comparison between people who rigidly adhere to outdated traditions and monkeys hanging onto dead forest limbs. It highlights how some individuals cling to old ideas or institutions even when they have lost their vitality and relevance. The quote further suggests that engaging in rational argument with such individuals is futile, as they lack the capacity for intellectual comprehension and are instead driven by a blind and tenacious attachment akin to the tail-like grasp of a monkey.

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