Inthefifteenthcenturywondersincreased。In1418wehavetheLordofCaumont，whomakesapilgrimageandgivesusastatementwhichistheresultofthetheologicalreasoningofcenturies，andespeciallyinterestingasatypicalexampleofthetheologicalmethodincontrastwiththescientific。HecouldnotunderstandhowtheblessedwatersoftheJordancouldbeallowedtominglewiththeaccursedwatersoftheDeadSea。Inspite，then，oftheeyeofsense，hebeheldthewaterwiththeeyeoffaith，andcalmlyannouncedthattheJordanwaterpassesthroughthesea，butthatthetwomassesofwaterarenotmingled。AstothesaltstatueofLot’swife，hedeclaresittobestillexisting；and，copyingatableofindulgencesgrantedbytheChurchtopiouspilgrims，heputsdownthevisittothesaltstatueasgivinganindulgenceofsevenyears。
　　Towardtheendofthecenturywehaveanothertravelleryetmoreinfluential：BernardofBreydenbach，DeanofMainz。Hisbookoftravelswaspublishedin1486，atthefamouspressofSchoeffer，andinvarioustranslationsitwasspreadthroughEurope，exercisinganinfluencewideanddeep。HisfirstimportantnoticeoftheDeadSeaisasfollows：“Inthis，Tirustheserpentisfound，andfromhimtheTiriacmedicineismade。Heisblind，andsofullofvenomthatthereisnoremedyforhisbiteexceptcuttingoffthebittenpart。Hecanonlybetakenbystrikinghimandmakinghimangry；thenhisvenomfliesintohisheadandtail。”BreydenbachcallstheDeadSea“thechimneyofhell。”andrepeatstheoldstoryastothemiraculoussolventforitsbitumen。He，too，makesthestatementthattheholywateroftheJordandoesnotminglewiththeaccursedwateroftheinfernalsea，butincreasesthemiraclewhichCaumonthadannouncedbysayingthat，althoughthewatersappeartocometogether，theJordanisreallyabsorbedintheearthbeforeitreachesthesea。
　　AstoLot’swife，varioustravellersatthattimehadvariousfortunes。Some，likeCaumontandBreydenbach，tookhercontinuedexistenceforgranted；some，likeCountJohnofSolms，sawherandweregreatlyedified；some，likeHansWerli，triedtofindherandcouldnot，but，likeSt。Silvia，athousandyearsbefore，werenonethelessedifiedbytheideathat，forsomeinscrutablepurpose，theseahadbeenallowedtohideherfromthem；somefoundherlargerthantheyexpected，evenfortyfeethigh，aswasthesaltpillarwhichhappenedtobestandingatthevisitofCommanderLynchin1848；butthisonlyaddedanewprooftothemiracle，forthetextwasremembered，“Thereweregiantsinthosedays。”
　　OutofthemassofworksofpilgrimsduringthefifteenthcenturyIselectjustonemoreastypicalofthetheologicalviewthendominant，andthisisthenotedbookofFelixFabri，apreachingfriarofUlm。Iselecthim，becauseevensoeminentanauthorityinourowntimeasDr。EdwardRobinsondeclareshimtohavebeenthemostthorough，thoughtful，andenlightenedtravellerofthatcentury。
　　FabriisgreatlyimpressedbythewondersoftheDeadSea，andtypicalofhishonestyinfluencedbyfaithishisaccountoftheDeadSeafruit；hedescribesitwithalmostperfectaccuracy，butaddsthestatementthatwhenmatureitis“filledwithashesandcinders。”
　　Astothesaltstatue，hesays：“WesawtheplacebetweentheseaandMountSegor，butcouldnotseethestatueitselfbecauseweweretoofardistanttoseeanythingofhumansize；butwesawitwithfirmfaith，becausewebelievedScripture，whichspeaksofit；andwewerefilledwithwonder。”
　　Tosustainabsolutefaithinthestatueheremindshisreader’sthat“GodisableevenofthesestonestoraiseupseedtoAbraham。”andgoesintoalongargument，discussingsuchtransformationsasthoseofKingAtlasandPygmalion’sstatue，withamultitudeofothers，windingupwiththecase，giveninthemiraclesofSt。Jerome，ofahereticwhowaschangedintoalogofwood，whichwasthenburned。
　　HegivesastatementoftheHebrewsthatLot’swifereceivedherpeculiarpunishmentbecauseshehadrefusedtoaddsalttothefoodoftheangelswhentheyvisitedher，andhepreachesashortsermoninwhichhesaysthat，assaltisthecondimentoffood，sothesaltstatueofLot’swife“givesusacondimentofwisdom。”[433]
　　[433]ForBernardofBreydenbach，IhaveusedtheLatinedition，Mentz，1486，intheWhitecollection，CornellUniversity，alsotheGermaneditionintheReyssbuch。ForJohnofSolms，Werli，andthelike，seetheReyssbuch，whichgivesafulltextoftheirtravels。ForFabriSchmid，see，forhisvalue，Robinson；alsoTobler，Bibliographia，pp。53etseq。；andfortexts，seeReyssbuch，pp。122betseq。，butbesttheFratrisFel。FabriEvagatorium，ed。Hassler，Stuttgart，1843，vol。iii，pp。172etseq。HisbooknowhasbeentranslatedintoEnglishbythePalestinePilgrims’TextSociety。
　　Therewere，indeed，manydiscrepanciesinthetestimonyoftravellersregardingthesaltpillar——somany，infact，thatatalaterperiodthelearnedDomCalmetacknowledgedthattheyshookhisbeliefinthewholematter；but，duringthisearliertime，underthecompleteswayofthetheologicalspirit，thesedifficultiesonlygavenewandmoregloriousopportunitiesforfaith。
　　For，ifaconsiderableintervaloccurredbetweenthewashingofonesaltpillaroutofexistenceandthewashingofanotherintoexistence，theideaarosethatthestatue，byvirtueofthesoulwhichstillremainedinit，haddepartedonsomemysteriousexcursion。Didithappenthatonestatuewaswashedoutoneyearinoneplaceandanotherstatueanotheryearinanotherplace，thisdifficultywassurmountedbybelievingthatLot’swifestillwalkedabout。Didithappenthatasaltcolumnwasunderminedbytherainsandfell，thiswasbelievedtobebutanothersignoflife。Didapillarhappentobecoveredinpartbythesea，thiswasenoughtoarousethebeliefthatthestatuefromtimetotimedescendedintotheDeadSeadepths——possiblytosatisfythatoldfatalcuriosityregardingherformerneighbours。
　　Didsomesmallerblockofsalthappentobewashedoutnearthestatue，itwasbelievedthatahouseholddog，alsotransformedintosalt，hadfollowedherbackfrombeneaththedeep。Didmorestatuesthanoneappearatonetime，thatsimplymadethemysterymoreimpressive。
　　Infactsnowsoeasyofscientificexplanationthetheologiansfoundwonderfulmatterforargument。
　　OnegreatquestionamongthemwaswhetherthesoulofLot’swifedidreallyremaininthestatue。Ononesideitwasinsistedthat，asHolyScripturedeclaresthatLot’swifewaschangedintoapillarofsalt，andasshewasnecessarilymadeupofasoulandabody，thesoulmusthavebecomepartofthestatue。ThisargumentwasclinchedbycitingthatpassageintheBookofWisdominwhichthesaltpillarisdeclaredtobestillstandingas“themonumentofanunbelievingSOUL。”Ontheotherhand，itwasinsistedthatthesoulofthewomanmusthavebeenincorporealandimmortal，andhencecouldnothavebeenchangedintoasubstancecorporealandmortal。Naturally，tothisitwouldbeansweredthatthesaltpillarwasnomorecorporealthantheordinarymaterialsofthehumanbody，andthatithadbeenmademiraculouslyimmortal，and“withGodallthingsarepossible。”Thuswereopenedlongvistasoftheologicaldiscussion。[434]
　　[434]ForabriefstatementofthemainargumentsforandagainsttheideathatthesoulofLot’swiferemainedwithinthesaltstatue，seeCorneliusaLapide，CommentariusinPentateuchum，Antwerp，1697，chap。xix。
　　AsweenterthesixteenthcenturytheDeadSeamyths，andespeciallythelegendsofLot’swife，arestillgrowing。In1507FatherAnselmoftheMinoritesdeclaresthattheseasometimescoversthefeetofthestatue，sometimesthelegs，sometimesthewholebody。
　　In1555，GabrielGiraudet，priestatPuy，journeyedthroughPalestine。Hisfaithwasrobust，andhisattitudetowardthemythsoftheDeadSeaisseenbyhisdeclarationthatitswatersaresofoulthatonecansmellthematadistanceofthreeleagues；thatstraw，hay，orfeathersthrownintothemwillsink，butthatironandothermetalswillfloat；thatcriminalshavebeenkeptinthemthreeorfourdaysandcouldnotdrown。
　　AstoLot’swife，hesaysthathefoundher“lyingthere，herbacktowardheaven，convertedintosaltstone；forItouchedher，scratchedher，andputapieceofherintomymouth，andshetastedsalt。”
　　Atthecentreofalltheselegendswesee，then，theideathat，thoughtherewerenolivingbeastsintheDeadSea，thepeopleoftheoverwhelmedcitieswerestilllivingbeneathitswaters，probablyinhell；thattherewaslifeinthesaltstatue；andthatitwasstillcuriousregardingitsoldneighbours。
　　HencesuchtravellersinthelatteryearsofthecenturyasCountAlbertofLowensteinandPrinceNicolasRadziwillarenotatallweakenedinfaithbyfailingtofindthestatue。WhattheformeriscapableofbelievingisseenbyhisstatementthatinacertaincemeteryatCairoduringonenightintheyearthedeadthrustforththeirfeet，hands，limbs，andevenrisewhollyfromtheirgraves。
　　Thereseemed，then，nolimittothesepiousbeliefs。Theideathatthereismeritincredulity，withtheloveofmyth-makingandmiracle-mongering，constantlymadethemlarger。NordidtheProtestantReformationdiminishthematfirst；itratherstrengthenedthemandfixedthemmorefirmlyinthepopularmind。
　　Theyseemeddestinedtolastforever。Howtheywerethusstrengthenedatfirst，underProtestantism，andhowtheywerefinallydissolvedawayintheatmosphereofscientificthought，willnowbeshown。[435]
　　[435]ForFatherAnselm，seehisDescriptioTerraeSanctae，inH。
　　Canisius，ThesaurusMonumentEccles。，Basnageedition，Amsterdam，1725，vol。iv，p。788。ForGiraudet，seehisDiscoursduVoyaged’Outre-Mer，Paris，1585，p。56a。ForRadziwillandLowenstein，seetheReyssbuch，especiallyp。198a。
　　III。POST-REFORMATIONCULMINATIONOFTHEDEADSEA
　　LEGENDS——BEGINNINGSOFAHEALTHFULSCEPTICISM。
　　ThefirsteffectoftheProtestantReformationwastopopularizetheolderDeadSealegends，andtomakethepublicmindstillmorereceptiveforthenewerones。
　　Luther’sgreatpictorialBible，sopowerfulinfixingtheideasoftheGermanpeople，showedbyverystrikingengravingsallthreeoftheseearliermyths——thedestructionofthecitiesbyfirefromheaven，thetransformationofLot’swife，andthevileoriginofthehatedMoabitesandAmmonites；andwefindthesaltstatue，especially，inthisandotherpictorialBibles，duringgenerationaftergeneration。
　　Catholicpeoplesalsoheldtheirowninthisdisplayoffaith。
　　About1517FrancoisRegnaultpublishedatParisacompilationonPalestineenrichedwithwoodcuts：inthistheoldDeadSealegendofthe“serpentTyrus“reappearsembellished，andwithitvariousothernewversionsofoldstories。FiveyearslaterBartholomewdeSalignactravelsintheHolyLand，vouchesforthecontinuedexistenceoftheLot’swifestatue，andgivesnewlifetoanoldmarvelbyinsistingthatthesacredwatersoftheJordanarenotreallypouredintotheinfernalbasinoftheDeadSea，butthattheyaremiraculouslyabsorbedbytheearth。
　　Theseideaswerenotconfinedtothepeopleatlarge；wetracethemamongscholars。
　　In1581，Bunting，aNorthGermanprofessorandtheologian，publishedhisItineraryofHolyScripture，andinthistheDeadSeaandLotlegendscontinuetoincrease。Hetellsusthatthewaterofthesea“changesthreetimeseveryday“；thatit“spitsforthfire“thatitthrowsup“onhigh“greatfoulmasseswhich“burnlikepitch“and“swimaboutlikehugeoxen“；thatthestatueofLot’swifeisstillthere，andthatitshineslikesalt。
　　In1590，ChristianAdrichom，aDutchtheologian，publishedhisfamousworkonsacredgeography。HedoesnotinsistupontheDeadSealegendsgenerally，butdeclaresthatthestatueofLot’swifeisstillinexistence，andonhismaphegivesapictureofherstandingatUsdum。
　　Norwasitaltogethersafetodissentfromsuchbeliefs。Justas，underthepapalsway，menofsciencewereseverelypunishedforwrongviewsofthephysicalgeographyoftheearthingeneral，so，whenCalvindecidedtoburnServetus，heincludedinhisindictmentforheresyachargethatServetus，inhiseditionofPtolemy，hadmadeunorthodoxstatementsregardingthephysicalgeographyofPalestine。[436]
　　[436]ForbiblicalengravingsshowingLot’swifetransformedintoasaltstatue，etc。，seeLuther’sBible，1534，p。xi；alsothepictorialElectoralBible；alsoMerian’sIconesBiblicaeof1625；
　　alsothefrontpieceoftheLutherBiblepublishedatNurembergin1708；alsoScheuchzer’sKupfer-Bibel，Augsburg，1731，Tab。lxxx。
　　FortheaccountoftheDeadSeaserpent“Tyrus。”etc。，seeLaGrandeVoyagedeHierusalem，Paris1517？，p。xxi。ForDeSalignac’sassertionregardingthesaltpillarandsuggestionregardingtheabsorptionoftheJordanbeforereachingtheDeadSea，seehisItinerariumSacraeScripturae，Magdeburg，1593，SS
　　34and35。ForBunting，seehisItinerariumSacraeScripturae，Magdeburg，1589，pp。78，79。ForAndrichom’spictureofthesaltstatue，seemap，p。38，andtext，p。205，ofhisTheatrumTerraeSanctae，1613。ForCalvinandServetus，seeWillis，ServetusandCalvin，pp。96，307；alsotheServetuseditionofPtolemy。
　　ProtestantsandCatholicsviedwitheachotherinthemakingofnewmyths。Thus，inhisMostDevoutJourney，publishedin1608，JeanZvallart，MayorofAthinHainault，confesseshimselftroubledbyconflictingstoriesaboutthesaltstatue，butdeclareshimselfsoundinthefaiththat“somevestigeofitstillremains。”andmakesupforhisbitoffreethinkingbyaddinganewmythicalhorrortotheregion——“crocodiles。”which，withtheserpentsandthe“foulodourofthesea。”preventedhisvisittothesaltmountains。