Whether those [Greek:  andras mikrous metrion elassonas andron] which the Nasamones met with (as Herodotus[A] relates) in their Travels to discover Libya, were the Pygmies; I will not determine:  It seems that Nasamones neither understood their Language, nor they that of the Nasamones.  However, they were so kind to the Nasamones as to be their Guides along the Lakes, and afterwards brought them to a City, [Greek:  en taei pantas einai toisi agousi to megethos isous, chroma de melanas], i.e. in which all were of the same stature with the Guides, and black.  Now since they were all little black Men, and their Language could not be understood, I do suspect they may be a Colony of the Pygmies:  And that they were no farther Guides to the Nasamones, than that being frighted at the sight of them, they ran home, and the Nasamones followed them.

[Footnote A:  Herodotus in Euterpe seu lib. 2. p.m. 102.]

I do not find therefore any good Authority, unless you will reckon Ctesias as such, that the Pygmies ever used a Language or Speech, any more than other Brutes of the same Species do among themselves, and that we know nothing of, whatever Democritus and Melampodes in Pliny,[A] or Apollonius Tyanaeus in Porphyry[B] might formerly have done.  Had the Pygmies ever spoke any Language intelligible by Mankind, this might have furnished our Historians with notable Subjects for their Novels; and no doubt but we should have had plenty of them.

[Footnote A:  Plinij Nat.  Hist. lib. 10. cap. 49.]

[Footnote B:  Porphyrius de Abstinentia, lib. 3. pag. m. 103.]

But Albertus Magnus, who was so lucky as to guess that the Pygmies were a sort of Apes; that he should afterwards make these Apes to speak, was very unfortunate, and spoiled all; and he do’s it, methinks, so very awkwardly, that it is as difficult almost to understand his Language as his Apes; if the Reader has a mind to attempt it, he will find it in the Margin.[A]

[Footnote A:  Si qui Homines sunt Silvestres, sicut Pygmeus, non secundum unam rationem nobiscum dicti sunt Homines, sed aliquod habent Hominis in quadam deliberatione & Loquela, &c. A little after adds, Voces quaedam (sc.  Animalia) formant ad diversos conceptus quos habent, sicut Homo & Pygmaeus; & quaedam non faciunt hoc, sicut multitudo fere tota aliorum Animalium.  Adhuc autem eorum quae ex ratione cogitativa formant voces, quaedam sunt succumbentia, quaedam autem non succumbentia.  Dico autem succumbentia, a conceptu Animae cadentia & mota ad Naturae Instinctum, sicut Pygmeus, qui non, sequitur rationem Loquelae sed Naturae Instinctum; Homo autem non succumbit sed sequitur rationem. Albert.  Magn. de Animal. lib. 1. cap. 3. p.m. 3.]