But why enumerate the greater and more splendid results of this faculty? For every one who is not unfriendly to truth can see for himself that all else that Time has discovered for the service and benefit of human life, has been discovered by no other instrumentality than that of conception. And it seems to me, that any one who should judge this faculty more precious than any other with the exercise of which we are gifted in this life by Divine Providence would not be far mistaken in his judgment. And in saying this I am supported by Job’s teaching, where he represents God as answering His servant by the tempest and the clouds, saying both other things meet for Him to say, and that it is He Who hath set man over the arts, and given to woman her skill in weaving and embroidery37    Job xxxviii. 36. LXX. Τίς δὲ ἔδωκε γυναιξὶν ὑφάσματος σοφίαν, ἢ ποικιλτικὴν ἐπιστήμην.

Καὶ τί μοι τὰ μείζω καὶ ὑψηλότερα τῶν τῆς ἐπινοίας κατορθωμάτων ἀπαριθμεῖσθαι; ἔξεστι γὰρ τῷ μὴ φιλονείκως ἔχοντι πρὸς τὴν ἀλήθειαν κατιδεῖν ὅτι καὶ τὰ ἄλλα πάντα, ὅσα βιωφελῆ τε καὶ χρήσιμα τῇ ζωῇ τῶν ἀνθρώπων ὁ χρόνος ἐφεῦρεν, οὐχ ἑτέρως ἀλλὰ διὰ τῆς ἐπινοίας ἐξηύρηται. καί μοι δοκεῖ πάντων τῶν κατὰ τὴν ζωὴν ταύτην ἐνεργουμένων ἐν ἡμῖν ἀγαθῶν τῶν ταῖς ψυχαῖς ἡμῶν παρὰ τῆς θείας προμηθείας ἐνυπαρχόντων τὴν ἐπίνοιάν τις προτιμοτέραν κρίνων μὴ ἂν τῆς πρεπούσης κρίσεως διαψευσθῆναι. λέγω δὲ ταῦτα παρὰ τοῦ Ἰὼβ διδαχθεὶς ἐν οἷς ὁ θεὸς τῷ λόγῳ πεποίηται διὰ λαίλαπος καὶ νεφῶν τῷ θεράποντι χρηματίζων, τά τε ἄλλα λέγων ὅσα θεῷ πρέπον ἦν λέγειν καὶ ὅτι αὐτὸς εἴη ὁ ταῖς τέχναις ἐπιστήσας τὸν ἄνθρωπον καὶ γυναιξὶ χαρισάμενος ὑφαντικήν τε καὶ ποικιλτικὴν ἐπιστήμην.