The Virginia Gazette

An Account of a Dwarf, in a Letter from William Arderon, F. R. S. to Mr. Henry Baker, F. R. S. Taken from the Philosophical Transactions, just published.

JOHN Coan, a Dwarf, was born at Twitshall, in Norfolk, in the Year 1728. and has been shewn in this City for some Weeks past. I weighed him myself, April 3, 1750. and his Weight, with all his Cloaths. was no more than 34 Pounds. I likewise carefully measured him, and found his Height, with his Hat, Shoes and Wig on, to be 38 Inches. His Limbs are no bigger than a Child of three or four Years old ; his Body is perfectly strait: The Lineaments of his Face answerable to his Age; and his Brow has some Wrinkles in it, when he looks attentively at any Thing. He has a good Complexion, is of a sprightly Temper, discourses readily and pertinently, considering his Education, and reads and writes English well. His Speech is a little hollow, tho' not disagreeable ; he can sing tolerably. and amuses the Company that come to see him, with mimicking a Cock Crowing, which he imitates very exactly. In 1744. he was 36 Inches high, and weighed 27 Pounds and an Half. His Father says, when about a Year old, he was as large as Children of that Age usually are, but grew very little and slowly afterwards.

A Child of three Years and not nine Months old, Son of the late very worthy William Jones, Esq; F. R S. was measured and weighed, in order to make a Comparison between this little Man and him. This Boy, tho very lively and handsome, is no Way remarkable for his Size;and therefore his Dimensions and Weight, compared with the Dwarf's, may give a tolerable Idea of the real Smallness of the Dwarf.

The Weight of the Dwarf, with all his Cloaths on, was no more than 36 Pounds.

The Child's Weight. with its Cloaths likewise on, was 36 Pounds.

The Height of the Dwarf, with his Shoes, Hat and Wig on, was 38 5-10 Inches.

The Height of the Child, without anything on his Head

Inches.	Dwarf.	Child.
Round the Waist,	Inches.	Inches.
Round the Neck,	21	20 5-10
Round the Calf of the Leg,	9	9 7-10
Round the Ankle,	8	9
Round the Wrist,	6	6
	4	4.3-10
		Length

Length of the Arm, viz. from the Shoulder to the Wrist,	Dwarf. Inches. 15	Child. Inches. 13
From the Elbow to the End of the Middle Finger, 10 4-10	4	10 4
From the Wrist to the End of the Middle Finger, 10 4-10	6	10 7-10
From the Knee to the Bottom of the Heel	5	6 4-10
Length of the Foot with the Shoe on,	1 2-10	6 2-10
Length of the Face,	1 8-10	1 2-10
Length of the Nose,	2 5-10	1 8-10
Width of the Mouth,	2 5-10	2 5-10

As the Measures of the Dwarf were taken with his Cloaths on, those of the Child were also taken over his Cloaths; and they (being a tight Stay and Petticoat) probably lie closer to his Body, and therefore make less Difference in the measuring round his Waist, (the only Dimension wherein it could have any Effect) than the looser Coat or Waistcoat of the Dwarf.