OF THE MINERAL WORK.

one, holy scripture indicates; I leave that to the Theologians, so that they may frighten the impious multitude from throwing themselves into it in crowds and rashly. For the punishments of the impious will truly not delay, but at their own time will suddenly overwhelm the unthinking. Let no one scorn these threats, for God is just and does not wish to be mocked; when the lost world least believes it, He will come and put an end to things. But that this igneous lake, prepared of old for the punishment of the impious, if it is not the very Center of the earth, could not be far from it, is easily to be believed. The holy Doctors and Fathers of the Church seem always to have felt this, calling this place the Abyss, Hell, and the Cavern. It is certainly a cave, an Abyss, and an igneous lake, from which may God mercifully save us.

But because there is mention here of this hellish fire, I cannot help but examine the very weak opinions of certain imaginary doctors concerning it. Mountains are found everywhere, erupting a huge force of flames, smoke, ashes, and stones. In Europe, there is Etna in Sicily; in Iceland, Hecla near Norway; Vesuvius adjacent to Naples; and many others in other parts of the Earth, some of which burn and smoke incessantly, others at certain intervals. Many consider these to be the chimneys of Hell, or of that place into which Lucifer with his followers was cast by God because of pride, and where the damned are to be tormented. But this cannot be consistent, because these burning mountains have a natural origin and