SAUL, time first king of Israel, was the son of Kish, a wealthy chief of the t. the of Ben jamin. The circumstances that marked his election to the royal dignity are familiar to all the readers of Scripture, and need not be repeated here (see JEWS, SAMUEL). Gigantic in gtature, noble in mien. and imperious in character, he appeared admira bly fitted to accomplish the task of consolidating the dislocated tribes of Israel. his earlier achievements augmented hopefully for his future. The deliverance of the men of Jm/besh Gilead: above all, his victories over the Philistines, the Motthitos, Ammonites, Edomites, and Amalekites, were unmistakable proofs of his vigorous military capacity, but gradually there showed itself in the nature of the man it wild perversity—" an evil spirit of God," as it is calltd—culminating in paroxysms of insane rage, which led him to commit such frightful deeds as the massacre of the priests of Nob. Samuel, who had retired from the "court" of Saul, and had secretly anointed David as king, did not cease to "mourn" for the wayward monarch; but nothing availed to stay his dowuwanl career, not even the noble virtues of his son Jell:liken; and at last he fell in a disastrous and bloody battle with the Philistines on Mount Gilboa.
gAULCY, LOUIS FELICIEN JOSEPH CAIGNAUT DE, b. Lille, France, 1807; educated at the Paris polytechnic school, nod catered the artillery service. In 1636 lie was awarded the numismatic prize of the French iustitute, having before that obtained a high reputation as au antiquary. I-le was made conservator of the museum of :millet). at Paris. He devoted himself especially to oriental numismatics and antiquities; inede extensive explorations in Palestine, atal claimed to have discovered the ruins of Sodom. He has written many works on special antiquarian topics, is a member of a Large num ber of societies, and a commander of the legion of honor.