Chap. V. A N T I E N T M E T A P H Y S I C S. 137 



been informed, that a French traveller has lately diicovered m Africa 

 a nation of Pigmies ; and it is no doubt from fome fiich information 

 that Linnaeus has related what he tells us of his Troglodyte, or ho7no 

 noaurnus, as he calls him, who walks upright, thinks and fpcaks, 

 but is not above half our fize *. 



The Patagonians are not fo much in the (late of Nature as the 

 Oran Outans ; but they are not far removed from it : for, thoup-h 

 they have the ufe of fpeech, of horfes, and of fome clothing of 

 fkins, they are a vagrant nation, without houfe or home f ; and 

 they feed very much upon raw vegetables, as 1 was told by a failor, 

 who was aboard Mr Byron's fhip, and having occafion to be feveral 

 times afliore upon watering parties, faw them frequently at their 

 meals. About their fize there have been great difputes. Thofe phi- 

 lofophers, who would make our height to be theftandard of God and 

 Nature for the fize of Men, were all in arms againft Mr Byron, who 

 made the Patagonians fo much taller; And I have been told, that he 

 was fo much run down on that account, as to mince the matter a 

 good deal, and to retrad not a little of the great fize that he had 

 given them at firil upon his arrival in England. But that he 

 did then fay that they were betwixt eight and nine feet, is certain ; 

 for I have bye me an account taken down in writing, from a (gentle- 

 man, who had it from the mouth of Mr Byron, which contains 

 many particulars concerning them, and that among others. And not 

 only did Mr Byron fay fo, upon whofe teftimony alone I could have 

 believed the fa6t, but all his officers gave the fame account of their 

 ftature : And there is to be feen in the Tranfadions of the Royal 

 Society, for the year 1767, a letter from Mr Chailes Clarke, an 

 Vol. 111. S ofiicer 



• Origin an' Progrefs of Langu.-'gc, Vol i. p. 304. 305- fecond edition. 

 f Hariis's Collt<Slion of Voyages, Vol. 1. p- 8. 



