the realistic point of view. In addition to these, there is his
well-known treatise "On the Fairies of Popular Superstition," prefaced
to "The Tale of Tamlane," wherein he states that "the most distinct
account of the duergar [_i.e._ dwergs, or dwarfs], or elves, and their
attributes, is to be found in a preface of Torfæus to the history of
Hrolf Kraka [Copenhagen, 1715], who cites a dissertation by Einar
Gudmund, a learned native of Iceland. 'I am firmly of opinion,' says the
Icelander, 'that these beings are creatures of God, consisting, like
human beings, of a body and rational soul; that they are of different
sexes, and capable of producing children, and subject to all human
affections, as sleeping and waking, laughing and crying, poverty and
wealth; and that they possess cattle and other effects, and are
obnoxious to death, like other mortals.' He proceeds to state that the
females of this race are capable of procreating with mankind;[8] and
gives an account of one who bore a child to an inhabitant of Iceland,
for whom she claimed the privilege of baptism; depositing the infant for
that purpose at the gate of the churchyard, together with a goblet of
gold as an offering."[9] Scott further cites from Jessen's _De
Lapponibus_ similar matter-of-fact details obtained on this subject from
the Lapps; who, on their own showing, are inferentially the half-bred
descendants of dwarfs.

"That some of the myths of giants and dwarfs are connected with
traditions of real indigenous or hostile tribes is settled beyond
question by the evidence brought forward by Grimm, Nilsson, and
Hanusch," observes Dr. E.B. Tylor.[10] And although that eminent
anthropologist sees a different meaning in many kindred traditions, yet
his observations, and the great mass of references which he gives in
connection with this single detail, are of much interest to euhemerists
pure and simple. The late Sir Daniel Wilson's "Caliban"[11] teems with