In ascending Aetna the following
question was proposed: "Explaina potius nobis quae petimus, ea incendia
unde oriantur et orta quomodo perdurent. In omni tellure nuspiam majores
fistulae aut meatus ampliores sunt quam in locis, quae vel mari vicina sunt,
vel a mari protinus alluntur: mare erodit illa facillime pergitque in
viscera terrae. Itaque cum in aliena regna sibi viam faciat, ventis etiam
facit; ex quo fit, ut loca quaeque maritima maxime terrae motibus subjecta
sint, parum mediterranea. Habes quum in sulfuris venas venti furentes
inciderint, unde incendia oriantur tn tuae. Vides, quae mare in radicibus
habeat, quae sulfurea sit, quae cavernosa, quae a mari aliquando perforata
ventos admiscrit Aestuantes, per quos idonea flammae materies incenderetur."
[footnote] **[Although extinct volcanoes seem by no means confined to the
neighborhood of the present seas, being often scattered over the most inland
portions of our existing continents, yet it will appear that, at the time at
which they were in an active state, the greater part were in the
neighborhood either of the sea, or of the extensive salt or fresh water
lakes, which existed at that period over much of what is now dry land. This
may be seen either by referring to Dr.
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