This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III THE ORIGINS OF GODS The next task is to discover to which of the gods may be assigned the representation of the several estates of human life emunerated in the last chapter. In order to accomplish this, certain tests must be formulated, and the deities classified in accordance with the ...
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This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1906 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER III THE ORIGINS OF GODS The next task is to discover to which of the gods may be assigned the representation of the several estates of human life emunerated in the last chapter. In order to accomplish this, certain tests must be formulated, and the deities classified in accordance with the principles embodied in those tests. As it has been laid down that the divine family is formed by analogy with the human, We shall call father-gods, those gods whose position most nearly approaches that of the human father, and by a corresponding process we shall discover the mother-, son-, and daughter-deities. Maturity and capability to govern and direct, and to impose laws, are the proper characteristics of the human father. The province of the mother lies in the regulation of the household, the care of children, and the upholding of the sanctity of marriage. The son will follow those pursuits, active or skilful, which the father has left behind with his youth, and the daughter will find occupation in the womanly handicrafts. Briefly, the province of the more mature estate lies in being, that of the younger, in doing. Thus the gods whose mere existence is their patent of authority--who rule the world without especial reference to man--will be the parent-gods, while those who direct the arts of mankind will be the sons and daughters of the divine family. It is not to be expected that these tests Bhould exactly fit every conceivable case, for there are son-deities whose powers verge very closely upon those of the father gods, while on the other hand the irresistible reaction towards monotheism tends to concentrate the power in the hands of one god, to the detriment of others whose claim to the parental estate is perhaps of greater antiquity....
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Seller's Description:
First Edition. Hardback. No Dust Jacket. 8vo. pp vi, 154. Original publisher's blue cloth, lettered gilt at spine. Neat name on the front endpaper with slight foxing to endpapers and faint creasing on the front cover, otherwise sound, clean, close very good.