on futuros centies mille milliones damnandorum._ But if
it be no material fire (as Sco. Thomas, Bonaventure, Soncinas, Voscius, and
others argue) it may be there or elsewhere, as Keckerman disputes _System.
Theol._ for sure somewhere it is, _certum est alicubi, etsi definitus
circulus non assignetur._ I will end the controversy in [3047]Austin's
words, "Better doubt of things concealed, than to contend about
uncertainties, where Abraham's bosom is, and hell fire:" [3048]_Vix a
mansuetis, a contentiosis nunquam invenitur_; scarce the meek, the
contentious shall never find. If it be solid earth, 'tis the fountain of
metals, waters, which by his innate temper turns air into water, which
springs up in several chinks, to moisten the earth's _superficies_, and
that in a tenfold proportion (as Aristotle holds) or else these fountains
come directly from the sea, by [3049]secret passages, and so made fresh
again, by running through the bowels of the earth; and are either thick,
thin, hot, cold, as the matter or minerals are by which they pass; or as
Peter Martyr _Ocean. Decad. lib. 9._ and some others hold, from [3050]
abundance of rain that falls, or from that ambient heat and cold, which
alters that inward heat, and so _per consequens_ the generation of waters.
Or else it may be full of wind, or a sulphureous innate fire, as our
meteorologists inform us, which sometimes breaking out, causeth those
horrible earthquakes, which are so frequent in these days in Japan, China,
and oftentimes swallow up whole cities. Let Lucian's Menippus consult with
or ask of Tiresias, if you will not believe philosophers, he shall clear
all your doubts when he makes a second voyage.

In the mean time let us consider of that which is _sub dio_, and find out a
true cause, if it be possible, of such accidents, meteors, alterations, as
happen above ground. Whence proceed that variety of manners, and a distinct
character (as it were) to several nations? Some are wise, subtile, witty;
others dull, sad and heavy; some big, some little, as Tully de Fato, Plato
in Timaeo, Vegetius and Bodine prove at large, _method. cap. 5._ some soft,
and some hardy, barbarous, civil, black, dun, white, is it from the air,
from the soil, influence of stars, or some other secret cause? Why doth
Africa breed so many venomous beasts, Ireland none? Athens owls, Crete
none? [3051]Why hath Daulis and Thebes no swallows (so Pausanius informeth
us) as well as the rest of Greece, [3