explanation in two small verses for each
metal or stone. On the outside are marked all the seas, rivers, lakes
and streams which are on the face of the earth; as are also the wines
and the oils and the different liquids, with the sources from which the
last are extracted, their qualities and strength. There are also vessels
built into the wall above the arches, and these are full of liquids from
one to three hundred years old, which cure all diseases. Hail and snow,
storms and thunder, and whatever else takes place in the air, are
represented with suitable figures and little verses. The inhabitants
even have the art of representing in stone all the phenomena of the air,
such as the wind, rain, thunder, the rainbow, &c.

On the interior of the third circuit all the different families of trees
and herbs are depicted, and there is a live specimen of each plant in
earthenware vessels placed upon the outer partition of the arches. With
the specimens there are explanations as to where they were first found,
what are their powers and natures, and resemblances to celestial things
and to metals: to parts of the human body and to things in the sea, and
also as to their uses in medicine, &c. On the exterior wall are all the
races of fish, found in rivers, lakes and seas, and their habits and
values, and ways of breeding, training and living, the purposes for
which they exist in the world, and their uses to man. Further, their
resemblances to celestial and terrestrial things, produced both by
nature and art, are so given that I was astonished when I saw a fish
which was like a bishop, one like a chain, another like a garment, a
fourth like a nail, a fifth like a star, and others like images of those
things existing among us, the relation in each case being completely
manifest. There are sea-urchins to be seen, and the purple shell-fish
and mussels; and whatever the watery world possesses worthy of being
known is there fully shown in marvellous characters of painting and
drawing.

On the fourth interior wall all the different kinds of birds are
painted, with their natures, sizes, customs, colours, manner of living,
&c.; and the only real phoenix is possessed by the inhabitants of this
city. On the exterior are shown all the races of creeping animals,
serpents, dragons and worms; the insects, the flies, gnats, beetles,
&c., in their different states, strength, venoms and uses, and a great
deal more than you or I can think of.

On