The Expositor's Bible: The Book of GenesisDods, Marcus
Religion
The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Genesis
Dods, Marcus
Bible. Genesis -- Commentaries
The third brother again may be taken as the originator of the Useful
Arts--though not exclusively--for being the instructor of every
artificer in brass and iron, having something of his brother's genius
for invention and more than his brother's handiness and practical
faculty for embodying his ideas in material forms, he must have promoted
all arts which require tools for their culture.
Thus among these three brothers we find distributed the various kinds of
genius and faculty which ever since have enriched the world. Here in
germ was really all that the world can do. The great lines in which
individual and social activity have since run were then laid down.
This notable family circle was completed by Naamah, the sister of
Tubal-Cain. The strength of female influence began to be felt
contemporaneously with the cultivation of the arts. Very early in the
world's history it was perceived that although debarred from the rougher
activities of life, women have an empire of their own. Men have the
making of civilisation, but women have the making of men. It is they who
form the character of the individual and give its tone to the society in
which they live. It is natural to men to consider the feelings and
tastes of women and to adapt their manners and conversation to them; and
it is for women to exercise worthily the sway they thus possess.
Practically and to a large extent women settle what subjects shall be
spoken of, and in what tone, trifling or serious; and each ought
therefore to recognise her own burden of responsibility, and see to it
that the deference paid to her shall not lower him who pays it, and that
the respect shown to her shall help him who shows it to respect what is
pure and true, charitable, just, and worthy. Let women show that it is
worldly trifling or slanderous malignity or empty tittle-tattle that
delights them, then they act the part of Eve and tempt to sin; let them
show that they prize most highly the mirth that is innocent and the
conversation that is elevating and helpful, and while they win
admiration for themselves they win it also for what is healthy and
purifying. No woman can renounce her influence; helpful or hurtful she
certainly is and must be in proportion as she is pleasing and
attractive.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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