176 History of Nature. [BooK VII. 



besides : let us come to one only point, which to speak of 

 seemeth small, but being deeply weighed, is a matter of 

 exceeding great regard ; and that is, the Speech of so 

 many Nations ; so many Tongues ; so much Variety of 

 Utterance, that a Foreigner seems to be something different 

 from a Man. Then to view the variety that appeareth in 

 our Face and Countenance ; although there be not more 

 than Ten Members or a few more, among so many thousand 

 of these, not Two Persons are to be found who are not 

 distinct in Likeness : a thing which no Art can perform, in 

 a small number out of so many. And yet thus much must 

 I advertise my Readers, that I will not pawn my credit 

 for many things that I shall deliver; but I will rather 

 direct them to the Authors, who will answer them in 

 all doubtful points : only let them not think much to follow 

 the Greeks, whose Diligence hath been greater, and their 

 Attention of longer standing. 



CHAPTER II. 

 Of the Scythians, and the Diversity of other Nations. 1 



THAT there are Scythians, and even many kinds of 

 them, who feed ordinarily on Man's Flesh, we have shewn 



1 The belief of the ancients in the existence of many anomalous races 

 of mankind, was a portion of the science of the age ; and not to have 

 given it credit, and a place in his work, would have subjected the author 

 to as much reproach for scepticism, as the notice he has taken of them 

 has done for his alledged credulity. And so far as Greek authority ex- 

 tended, the degree of credit which Pliny assigned to these strange races, 

 appears to have heen well founded ; for except in one or two instances, 

 the errors appear to have sprung from misinterpretation, rather than 

 from a positive departure from truth. Aristotle is sufficient authority 

 for the existence of a race of pigmies, who are also mentioned by Hero- 

 dotus ; and in more modern times that excellent naturalist Belon is satis- 

 fied concerning them. Nor can we, even now, refuse to admit the possi- 

 bility of finding their representatives in the Bushmen still existing in 

 Southern Africa. On the other hand, the existence of men of enormous 

 stature, of which some stupendous instances are given by Pliny (b. vii. 

 c. xvi.), is attested by profane as well as by sacred history. Thus Pau- 



