ANTHROPOPHAGI

Persons that devour human flesh. The ancient authors, but especially Hero dot us, have recorded instances both of individual and national addiction to this revolting practice, as in the case of Polyp hem us, the Ma age tae, and the Is sed ones: and though there is unquestionably a large portion of fable grafted on these traditional facts, it would be rash wholly to reject an account which the testimony of subsequent history so strongly corroborates. In the middle ages it was customary for parties engaged in hostilities to make mutual accusations of cannibalism; but there is sufficient ground for believing that such allegations originated more in a desire, natural, perhaps, to sworn enemies in those rude times, of fixing upon each other the most barbarous practices, than in any actual perpetration of this deed on either side. At the present day cannibalism is practised [s. 205]