to
the effecting of all things possible.

"The Preparations and Instruments are these. We have large and deep
caves of several depths: the deepest are sunk six hundred fathom: and
some of them are digged and made under great hills and mountains: so
that if you reckon together the depth of the hill and the depth of the
cave, they are (some of them) above three miles deep. For we find,
that the depth of a hill, and the depth of a cave from the flat, is the
same thing; both remote alike, from the sun and heaven's beams, and
from the open air. These caves we call the Lower Region; and we use
them for all coagulations, indurations, refrigerations, and
conservations of bodies. We use them likewise for the imitation of
natural mines; and the producing also of new artificial metals, by
compositions and materials which we use, and lay there for many years.
We use them also sometimes, (which may seem strange,) for curing of
some diseases, and for prolongation of life in some hermits that choose
to live there, well accommodated of all things necessary, and indeed
live very long; by whom also we learn many things.

"We have burials in several earths, where we put diverse cements, as
the Chineses do their porcellain. But we have them in greater variety,
and some of them more fine. We have also great variety of composts and
soils, for the making of the earth fruitful.

"We have high towers; the highest about half a mile in height; and some
of them likewise set upon high mountains; so that the vantage of the
hill with the tower is in the highest of them three miles at least. And
these places we call the Upper Region; accounting the air between the
high places and the low, as a Middle Region. We use these towers,
according to their several heights, and situations, for insolation,
refrigeration, conservation; and for the view of divers meteors; as
winds, rain, snow, hail; and some of the fiery meteors also. And upon
them, in some places, are dwellings of hermits, whom we visit
sometimes, and instruct what to observe.

"We have great lakes, both salt, and fresh; whereof we have use for the
fish and fowl. We use them also for burials of some natural bodies:
for we find a difference in things buried in earth or in air below the
earth, and things buried in water. We have also pools, of which some
do strain fresh water out of salt; and others by art do turn fresh
water into salt. We have also some rocks in the midst of the se