Varieties: or, A surveigh of rare and excellent matters necessary and delectable for all sorts of persons. Wherein the principall heads of diverse sciences are illustrated, rare secrets of naturall things unfoulded, &c. Digested into five bookes, whose severall chapters with their contents are to be seene in the table after the epistle dedicatory. By David Person, of Loghlands in Scotland, Gentleman.

Sect. 7.

That the Mountaines and valleys dispersed over the earth, hindreth not the Compleatnesse of its round∣nesse: Of burning mountaines, and Caves within the earth.

BVt leaving the Sea,* 1.1 thus much may be demaunded concerning the earth, why it is said to be round? since there are so inaccessible high mountaines and such long tracts of plaine valleys scattered over it all?

Answ. These mountaines and valleys are no more in respect of the earth to hinder its roundnesse, then a little flie is upon a round bowll, or a naile upon a

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wheele to evince the rotunditie of it, for the protube∣rances of such knobs deface not the exact roundnesse of the whole Globe, as not having a comparable proportion with it.

But what signifie these burning mountaines so frightfull to men, which may be seene in severall pla∣ces of the earth; as that of Island called Hecla, in Si∣cilie called Aetna, besides the burning hills of Naples which I have seene, one in Mexico in our new found lands of America so formidable as is wonderfull: If the earth be cold as you give it forth to be; then how can these mountaines burne so excessively; or if they bee chimneys of hell venting the fire which burneth there in the center of the earth, or not?

Answ. No question, but as there are waters of di∣vers sorts,* 1.2 some sweet, others salt, and others sul∣phureous, according to the minerall veynes they run thorough; right so there be some partes of the earth more combustible then others, which once being en∣flamed and kindled either by the heate of the Sunnes beames, or by some other accident, and then fomen∣ted by a little water (which rather redoubleth the heate then extinguisheth it; as we see by experience in our farriers or smiths forges, where to make their coales or charco ales burne the bolder, they bedew or besprinkle them with water) they hold stil burning, the sulphureous ground ever subministrating fewell to the inflammation. But they and the like do not hinder the earths being cold, no more, than one or two Swal∣lowes make not the spring of the yeare.

But yet, if so be the earth be so solid and massie as you say it is, and that it admitteth no vacuitie; How

and whence proceede these terrible earth-quakes, tremblings, palpitations, to the overwhelming of Ci∣ties, shaking of Towers and steeples, &c.

Answ. No question but as these are commonly prodigies and fore-runners of Gods wrath to bee in∣flicted upon the Land where they happen,* 1.3 as may be seene in the second booke of the Kings chap. 22. Com∣mota est, & contremuit terra, & quoniamiratus est Do∣minus; So some way lacke not their owne naturall causes: and they be chiefly comprehended in one for all,* 1.4 and this is it, that the earth is not unfitly compa∣red unto a living mans body, the rocks and stones whereof are his bones, the brookes and rivers serpen∣ting thorough it, the veynes and sinewes conveying moistnesse from their fountaines unto all the mem∣bers; the hollow of our bowells and of the trunke of our bodies, to the vast and spacious cavernes and caves within the body of this earth (and yet these not hindering the massinesse of the earth, for where earth is, it is massie indeed) within the which hollow of our bodyes our vitious windes are enclosed, which if they have no vent, presently they beget in us Iliak passions, collicks, &c. whereby our whole body is cast into a distemper and disturbed; even as the windes enclosed in these cavernes, and hollow subterranean places, preassing to have vent, and not finding any, making way to themselves, do then beget these earth-quakes. And of this opinion is Aristotle lib. 2. Meteor. cap. 7.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Quest.
• * 1.2

  Reason for the burning hi••ls which are in divers Coun∣tries.
• * 1.3

  The true cause of earth-quakes.
• * 1.4

  The compari∣son of the earth and mans a bo∣dy.