A Thilological Ejfay concerning 



A. 



Philological Eflay 



Concerning the 



YNOCEPHALI 



OF THE 



ANCIENTS 



Of the Cynocephali of the Ancients, 



I S not that I think there are any at prefent fo miftaken, 

 as to believe the Cymcephali to be a Race of Me«, that I 

 write this EfTay : 'tis fo notorioufly known that they are 

 Monkeys, or rather Baboons^ that 'tis needlefs to go about 

 to prove it, 'tis what even the Ancients themfelves have 

 fufficiently confeffed. That which induces me to mention them, is to 

 ftiew how fond the Ancients were of inventing Fables 5 and Ctefm^ who 

 hath told us fuch fine Stories of the Vygmles^ whom he makes to be Ut- 

 ile Men, tho' indeed they are only a fort of Apes ^ when he comes to 

 difcourfe of the Cynocephali , which are a fort of Baboons, and far lefs 

 like Men than the Pygmies are, to perfwade us that thefe likewife are 

 a Race of Men ; he is obliged to exercife his Inventive Faculty with 

 more force, to ufe much bolder ftrokes, and by roundly aflerting fo ma- 

 ny incredible Things, to amufe our Imaginations, he hopes at leaft to 

 give the Reader Entertainment, tho' he miiTes his Defign of gaining our 

 belief. 



1 will give you Cte/ias's own vs^ords, that you may fee I do not abufe 



him. 



