lgerfahrt, p. 129. For Masius,
see his De Uxore Lothi in Statuam Salis Conversa, Hafniae, 1720,
especially pages 29-31. For Dean Prideaux, see his Old and New Testament
connected in the History of the Jews, 1720, map at page 7. For Bachiene,
see his Historische und geographische Beschreibung von Palaestina,
Leipzig, 1766, vol. i, pp. 118-120, and notes.

But, from the middle of the eighteenth century, the new current sets
through Christendom with ever-increasing strength. Very interesting is
it to compare the great scriptural commentaries of the middle of this
century with those published a century earlier.

Of the earlier ones we may take Matthew Poole's Synopsis as a type:
as authorized by royal decree in 1667 it contains very substantial
arguments for the pious belief in the statue. Of the later ones we may
take the edition of the noted commentary of the Jesuit Tirinus seventy
years later: while he feels bound to present the authorities, he
evidently endeavours to get rid of the subject as speedily as possible
under cover of conventionalities; of the spirit of Quaresmio he shows no
trace.(440)

(440) For Poole (Polus) see his Synopsis, 1669, p. 179; and for Titinus,
the Lyons edition of his Commentary, 1736, p. 10.

About 1760 came a striking evidence of the strength of this new current.
The Abate Mariti then published his book upon the Holy Land; and of
this book, by an Italian ecclesiastic, the most eminent of German
bibliographers in this field says that it first broke a path for
critical study of the Holy Land. Mariti is entirely sceptical as to the
sinking of the valley of Siddim and the overwhelming of the cities. He
speaks kindly of a Capuchin Father who saw everywhere at the Dead Sea
traces of the divine malediction, while he himself could not see them,
and says, "It is because a Capuchin carries everywhere the five senses
of faith, while I only carry those of nature." He speaks of "the lies of
Josephus," and makes merry over "the rude and shapeless block" which the
guide assured him was the statue of Lot's wife, explaining the want
of human form in the salt pillar by telling him that this complete
metamorphosis was part of her punishment.

About twenty years later, another remarkable man, Volney, broaches the
subject in what was then known as the "philosophic" spirit. Between the
years 1783 and 1785 he made an extensive journey through the Holy Land
and published a volume of travels which by