New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-05-09
CLASSICAL ACCOUNTS OF THE PIGNIEs

CLASSICAL ACCOUNTS OF THE PIGMIRs
MIR. BAYARD TAYLOR's GOOD FORrUNE-MESrioS o,
TIE PIGMIEs IN HERoDOTUs, sTRABO, ARISTOTLE
AND HOMER.
TO the Edttor Of The Trtbons
SIR: To criticise in any way the admirable
letters with which Mr. Bayard Taylor has recently DE-.
lighted readers Of THE TRIBUNE may appear an IN
gracious act but TO supplement and correct one two
points Of their contents It ia hoped be pardoned in
a case where he has touched upon q matter Of such
literary interest that OF the existence OF pgmy rao
Mr. Taylor says the Of his letter published tha
morning. CDR. Schwenfurh supposes them 20 be the pig
mics mentioned by Herodotus" One would naturally be
led TO Imagine by this statement that HerOfotus had
given some account OF this But that Il not the fact
The only mention OF TO be found in that writ Ia By
way OF simle, which, curiOusly enough, recalls Mr.
TayloI's description Of prominent feature OF
tho flesh and blood creatures no saw. Hero
detus In speaking of the sacregous aeu
committed by Cambyses 10 Egypt. mentions
his entering tho temple OF the god Phtha. and mockins
dervey at the statue Of the god which he found there
This statue like those images which the Phnnicans
carried the prows Of their triremes; and, CONTINUES
the Father OF History in his quaint lahSuage, who
are the representation OF pigmy man. Now, many
OF these images Of the god Phha or vulcan have como
teristo which first strikes HIS attention IL that Inward
curvature Of the spine and remarkable prorusion %
the abdomen witch Mr.. Taylor observed the chief
deformty OF tue plgmes he saw.
Another fdct winch no lncutlOns IL .lugulhTy cor
rObOratiye OF a statement % StraDOs which has hereto
fore reegated 10 the domain Of hctiOn There are
OF five spans as inches; IuODu u 90 inchesl,
three spans al inches), ana some OF these ara
destitute Of the nose, having above the mouth merely
orhces for breathing" Mr.. TaylOrs description !.
nose so nittened that In looking dOwl the forehead
from above one saw only the lips prOtrndng."
The mighty AIistOtle's answering BELIEF and calm
defiance OF the critics that Ia hs day too, thought
Homer only rOmancer, are pleasant TO read IN mo
light Of these years. "yhe cranes he declares MI
crate from the regions o; Scyha % the marske lakes
which are above Egypt whence the Nile nows lios
ike Bakers description OF the Albert NYdnza AZ ~
outlet into the NeD And that Il the place IN tue Vc1-
ty OF which the pignles dwell For that Is not nyh.
but there Is really quite as dimnutlVc rs me
story relates both them and their hOrses ana they
are cave-dweers" 1t would be hazardous TO prcss
this statement touching their horses even When placed
SIDE by side with the other which mas received suco
wonderful conhrmation; but when we turn 70
the fascinating tribute to Prot Marshs
discoveries of pigmy horses laid to rest IN
those far-Of pliOcene ages 20 walt his pryng pes no
smiitude is at least striking Another pom. OF dedy
small importance may be dispatched briefly MT Iaylor
closes with these words: Il am not aware tnat any
America" Mr.. Gladstone IN his Jurentus Mund, nag
the following remark: Though Homer knew htIe VI
Egyut. he had infOrmlnts VINO told MIN OF WhaI idy
beyond IT, Most strange 1t - to fnd that ne VI
the pigmies long regarded as pure lapls, ia Do
found according recent traveers 70 De counter upon
fact See Rerte DIES Delu MOndes for october, 800
But such statements vagueness itseu D Tue 500
OF The ucdlty and certainty OF Mr. Taylor He mas seen
We can no longer question. His good fortune y only
enuaed by hi, genius To have been able 10 set before
within the interval OF few months the results OF tso
discoveries so important to literature as those Oh tha
Site of Troy and the Pigny race, is fortune indeed
NeD-lork, May 4, 1874 q N.