31^ GOSSIP THE AFFINITY OF RACES. 



seven fold, truly Lamech seventy and seven fold." The world pro- 

 gresses in civilization, but faster in sin. This episode of Lamech and 

 his family is a rare study for the archaeologist. It is the sixth gene- 

 ration only from Adam, and yet marks an era of progress. The 

 nomadic or shepherd life is followed by Jabal the son of Adah, who 

 possesses domestic cattle — his brother Jubal has invented musical 

 instruments. Tubal-cain the son of Zillah has discovered the com- 

 position of bronze, and has made iron subservient to the uses of 

 man — which implies a previous discovery of the metals themselves. 

 The Jews have a tradition that his sister Naamah invented weaving. 

 These early instances of progress do not warrant a belief that the 

 primitive race of men were ever in that rude and savage condition, 

 to which long continued wanderings had afterwards reduced them, 

 and to which the remains of stone implements and the kjokkenmod- 

 dings of the north of Europe attest that they had at length arrived. 

 The story of Lamech is not tradition but actual occurrence. It 

 bears intrinsic evidence of having been written and handed down, 

 as do all the events recorded from the Creation to the Noachian 

 Deluge. Viewed in this light philology may have made progress 

 during that epoch, and if so we need not wonder at the perfection 

 of written lano^uao^e to which some of the most ancient nations 

 attained in a comparatively short period after the latter event. 

 Between Lamech and Noah there were many generations of this 

 primitive race, as is testified by their genealogy in a direct line ; 

 but it would be absurd to suppose that in all that long period from 

 Adam to Noah, the human family had not spread to every part of 

 the world — to this continent north and south on the one hand — to 

 Africa, Asia and Europe on the other. When their wickedness 

 had culminated at the primitive seat, and Noah had endeavored in 

 vain to restrain and reform them, he was commanded to build an 

 Ark, and the intelligence was communicated that man would be 

 destroyed from off the face of the earth. Portentous disturbances 

 must have given force to his warnings, and confirmed his belief — 

 volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, subsidences, overflowings of the 

 dry land — as in the West Indies and Central America at the pre- 

 sent day — their very frequency perhaps, short of general disaster, 

 inspiring confidence in personal safety. They went on, eating and 



