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96 



GIANTS AND PIGMIES. 



In Dent. 2 : 11, we have '* Og, king of Bashan, of the remnant 

 of the Rephaim.' Some old authors have connected the last 

 with the Titans of Greek and Roman mythology. The pre- 

 diluvial Nepliilim may have frequented the caves of Europe in 

 which the last of the niammotlis are found, and they may 

 have been the " mound-builders " of America. We are farther 

 informed that " there are none of the 'anakim left only in Gaza, 

 Gath, Ashdod," of Philistia. From Gath stalks forth Goliath, 

 the champion of the army of the Philistines. He is the first 

 whose height is given, six cubits and a span, i. e., about 9 feet 

 9 inches, lie had two sons and a brother, who were also 

 "men of stature." In later history we notice other giants. 

 Pliny says : " The tallest man that hath been seen in our days 

 was one named Gabara who, in the days of Clavidius the late 

 Emperor, was brought out of Arabia. He was 9 feet 9 inches" 

 Josephus mentions a Jew Eleazar whom the Emperor Vitellius 

 sent to Rome. He was 10 feet 2 inches. Becanus saw a man 

 nearly 10 feet in height. In the reign of James the First, 

 there was a man named John Middleton, who was over 9 feet 

 high. Dr. Plot, in his History of Staffordshire, tells of a man 

 whose heiglit was 9 feet 3 inches. His hand Irom the carjnis 

 to the end of the middle finger was 17 inches in length, and 

 the breadth of his palms 8| inches. At I'Exposition de Paris, 

 1867, we saw Chang, the Chinese giant, walking about in the 

 Champ de Mars. He towered head and shoulders above the 

 surrounding multitude. Many others might be named. We 

 would end the list with the stalwart Cape liretoner, Angus 

 McAskill, whose height is said to have been 7 feet 9 inches, 

 and his strength very great. One of his feats caused decrepitude 

 and a premature end. 



FICTION. 



60. The term Giant is of Greek origin. In the mythology 

 of Greece and Rome we read of the Titans (Rephaim ?) making 

 war with the Gods, suffering defeat and condign punishment. 

 Their relations, the gigantes (giants) incensed thereat, in turn 

 made war with Jupiter in order to dethrone him. In alarm he 

 called the other gods to his assistance. The giants in their 



