OF THE MINERAL WORK.

They are called Pygmei pygmies or terrestrial mannikins; they are not called, nor are they, devils or infernal spirits, but terrestrial spirits, performing wonders under the earth. The former, however, inhabiting burning mountains, are known as Ignei spiritus fiery spirits, besides whom Aquei watery and Aërei Spiritus airy spirits are also reported. That evil spirits do not occasionally mix themselves with these elemental spirits and lay snares for the human race, no one would deny. Satan never rests; he wanders about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, whom one must confront with vigils and prayers according to the precept of Peter original: "Petri præscriptum". Let this be said in parentheses concerning the spirits dwelling around burning mountains or in the depths of the earth, visible to man in multiple forms. I return to the matter to demonstrate that these burning mountains have nothing in common with the central or infernal fire, but that they exhale a gross and material fire; which I approach thus.

First, mountains of this kind sometimes cease to burn, exhaling only smoke at intervals, and sometimes they die out and expire when the fuel for the fire is lacking. A central Vulcan, however, as long as the Sun shines, the stars twinkle, and they send their virtues into the Center of the earth, cannot be diminished or vanish. Just as the infernal fire, as Scripture testifies, will never expire; therefore, this fire of the mountains, however furious, cannot be either of these, but must be considered a mere material fire, suffering increases and decreases, and clearly expiring upon the lack of fuel.