No part of the natural history of man has been 

 so disgraced by hyperbolical exaggeration as this 

 no authenticated instance being on record of a 

 man higher than eight or nine feet ; and, even 

 among the numerous instances of this kind, most 

 seem to have been the effects of disease ; in- 

 deed it is a general observation that very large 

 men are seldom distinguished by force or extent 

 of mental power. The size and dimensions of 

 the human figure, notwithstanding the fables of 

 antiquity, appear to have been much the same 

 in all ages of the world. That giants did for- 

 merly exist, is said by some to be proved by the 

 testimony of the Bible the book of truth the 

 holy word of God. But by the Hebrew words 

 nephilim, gibborum, enachim, rephayim, emim 

 and zumzuzim, which occur in Genesis, and 

 which in all versions have been rendered by the 

 term "giants," are probably meant in general, 

 persons of great knowledge, strength and courage, 

 and also wicked, savage and cruel men these 

 words having no relation to men of gigantic sta- 

 ture. 



Og, king of Bashan, and Goliath, who is said 

 in the Book of Samuel to have been six cubits and 

 a palm high, have also been brought forward on 

 this subject. But the latter text may be easily 

 explained ; for it has been calculated that six 

 cubits and a palm is equal to about nine of our 

 feet. If that be the case, by deducting the height 

 of the helmet which Goliath wore, we shall find 

 him to have been about eight feet high, and con- 



