[2] The existence of these _giants_ was long historical, and their real origin was in the fourth verse of the fifth chapter of Genesis, which no commentator shall ever explain. AYLET SAMMES in his "Britannia Antiqua Illustrata, or the Antiquities of Ancient Britain derived from the Phoenicians," has particularly noticed "two teeth of a certain giant, of such a huge bigness, that two hundred such teeth as men now-a-days have might be cut out of them." Becanus and Camden had however observed, that "_the bones of sea-fish_ had been taken for _giants' bones_;--but can it be rationally supposed that men ever entombed fishes?" triumphant in his arguments, exclaims Aylet Sammes. The revelations of geology had not yet been surmised, even by those who had discovered that giants were but sea-fish. So progressive is all human knowledge. [3] The miraculous event was perpetuated by the whole Teutonic people, "while it was fresh in their memories," as our honest Saxon asserts; hence to this day we in our Saxon _English_, and our Teutonic kinsmen and neighbours in their idiom, describe a confusion of idle talk by the term of _Babel_, now written from our harsh love of supernumerary consonants _Babble_; and any such workmen of Babel are still indicated as _Babblers_.--"A Restitution of Decayed Intelligence," 138, 4to. Antwerp, 1605. The erudite Menage offers a memorable evidence of the precarious condition of etymology when it connects things which have no other affinity than that which depends on _sounds_. See his "Dictionnaire Etymologique, ou Origines de la Langue Françoise," ad verbum BABIL. Not satisfied with the usual authorities deduced from _Babel_, this verbal sage appeals to us English to demonstrate the natural connexion between _Babbling and Childishness_; for thus he has shrewdly opined "The English in this manner have _Babble_ and _Baby_!" After all the convulsion of lips at Babel, and confusion among the etymologists, the word is Hebrew, which with a few more such are found in many languages. [4] Julia, the empress of Severus, once in raillery remonstrated with a British female against this singular custom, which annulled every connubial tie. The British woman, whose observation had evidently been enlarged during her visit to Rome, retorted by her disdain of the more polished corruption of the greater nation. "We British women greatly differ from the Roman ladies, for we follow in public the men whom we esteem the most worthy, while the Roman women yield themselves secretly to the vilest of men."