Sainte，Paris，1670，pp。338，339；alsoToblerandGage’sRitter。
ForGoujon，seehisHistoireetVoyagedelaTerreSaincte，Lyons，1670，p。230，etc。ForMorison，seehisVoyage，bookii，pp。516，517。ForMaundrell，seeinWright’sCollection，pp。383
etseq。ForClericus，seehisDissertationdeSalisStatua，inhisPentateuch，editionof1696，pp。327etseq。ForFatherBeaugrand，seehisVoyage，Paris，1701，pp。137etseq。ForReland，seehisPalaestina，Utrecht，1714，vol。i，pp。61-254，passim。
Yettosuperficialobserverstheoldcurrentofmythandmarvelseemedtoflowintotheeighteenthcenturyasstrongasever，andofthiswemaytaketwotypicalevidences。ThefirstoftheseisthePiousPilgrimageofVincentBriemle。Hisjourneywasmadeabout171O；andhiswork，broughtoutundertheauspicesofahighpapalfunctionarysomeyearslater，inaheavyquarto，gavenewlifetothestoriesofthehellishcharacteroftheDeadSea，andespeciallytothemiraculousrenewalofthesaltstatue。
In172OcameastillmorestrikingefforttomaintaintheoldbeliefinthenorthofEurope，forinthatyeartheeminenttheologianMasiuspublishedhisgreattreatiseonTheConversionofLot’sWifeintoaStatueofSalt。
EvidentlyintendingthatthisworkshouldbethelastwordonthissubjectinGermany，asQuaresmiohadimaginedthathisworkwouldbethelastinItaly，hedevelopshissubjectafterthehighscholasticandtheologicmanner。CallingattentionfirsttothedivinecommandintheNewTestament，“RememberLot’swife。”hearguesthroughalongseriesofchapters。Intheninthofthesehediscusses“theimpellingcause“ofherlookingback，andintroducesustothequestion，formerlysooftentreatedbytheologians，whetherthesoulofLot’swifewasfinallysaved。
Herewearegladtolearnthatthebig，warmheartofLutherliftedhimabovethecommonherdoftheologians，andledhimtodeclarethatshewas“afaithfulandsaintlywoman。”andthatshecertainlywasnoteternallydamned。InjusticetotheRomanChurchalsoitshouldbesaidthatseveralofhermosteminentcommentatorstookasimilarview，andinsistedthatthesinofLot’swifewasvenial，andtherefore，attheworst，couldonlysubjecthertothefiresofpurgatory。
TheeleventhchapterdiscussesatlengththequestionHOWshewasconvertedintosalt，and，mentioningmanytheologicalopinions，dwellsespeciallyupontheviewofRivetus，thatathunderbolt，madeupapparentlyoffire，sulphur，andsalt，wroughthertransformationatthesametimethatitblastedtheland；andhebasesthisopinionuponthetwenty-ninthchapterofDeuteronomyandtheonehundredandseventhPsalm。
Later，Masiuspresentsasacredscientifictheorythat“salineparticlesenteredintoheruntilherwholebodywasinfected“；
andwiththisheconnectsanotherpieceofsanctifiedscience，totheeffectthat“stagnantbile“mayhaverenderedthesurfaceofherbody“entirelyshining，bitter，dry，anddeformed。”
Finally，hecomestothegreatquestionwhetherthesaltpillarisstillinexistence。Onthisheisfullandfair。OnonehandheallowsthatLutherthoughtthatitwasinvolvedinthegeneraldestructionofSodomandGomorrah，andhecitesvarioustravellerswhohadfailedtofindit；but，ontheotherhand，hegivesalongchainofevidencetoshowthatitcontinuedtoexist：verywiselyheremindsthereaderthatthepositivetestimonyofthosewhohaveseenitmustoutweighthenegativetestimonyofthosewhohavenot，andhefinallydecidesthatthesaltstatueisstillinbeing。
NodoubtaworklikethisproducedaconsiderableeffectinProtestantcountries；indeed，thiseffectseemsevidentasfaroffasEngland，for，in172O，wefindinDeanPrideaux’sOldandNewTestamentconnectedamaponwhichthestatueofsaltiscarefullyindicated。So，too，inHolland，intheSacredGeographypublishedatUtrechtin1758bythetheologianBachiene，wefindhim，whileshowingmanysignsofrationalism，evidentlyinclinedtotheoldviewsastotheexistenceofthesaltpillar；butjustherecomesacuriousevidenceoftherealdirectionofthecurrentofthoughtthroughthecentury，for，nineyearslater，intheGermantranslationofBachiene’sworkwefindcopiousnotesbythetranslatorinafarmorerationalisticspirit；indeed，weseethedawnoftheinevitabledayofcompromise，forwenowhave，insteadoftheoldargumentthatthedivinepowerbyonemiraculousactchangedLot’swifeintoasaltpillar，thesuggestionthatshewascaughtinashowerofsulphurandsaltpetre，coveredbyit，andthattheresultwasalump，whichinageneralwayISCALLEDinoursacredbooks“apillarofsalt。”[439]
[439]ForBriemle，seehisAndachtigePilgerfahrt，p。129。ForMasius，seehisDeUxoreLothiinStatuamSalisConversa，Hafniae，1720，especiallypages29-31。ForDeanPrideaux，seehisOldandNewTestamentconnectedintheHistoryoftheJews，1720，mapatpage7。ForBachiene，seehisHistorischeundgeographischeBeschreibungvonPalaestina，Leipzig，1766，vol。i，pp。118-120，andnotes。
But，fromthemiddleoftheeighteenthcentury，thenewcurrentsetsthroughChristendomwithever-increasingstrength。Veryinterestingisittocomparethegreatscripturalcommentariesofthemiddleofthiscenturywiththosepublishedacenturyearlier。
OftheearlieroneswemaytakeMatthewPoole’sSynopsisasatype：asauthorizedbyroyaldecreein1667itcontainsverysubstantialargumentsforthepiousbeliefinthestatue。OfthelateroneswemaytaketheeditionofthenotedcommentaryoftheJesuitTirinusseventyyearslater：whilehefeelsboundtopresenttheauthorities，heevidentlyendeavourstogetridofthesubjectasspeedilyaspossibleundercoverofconventionalities；ofthespiritofQuaresmioheshowsnotrace。[440]
[440]ForPoolePolusseehisSynopsis，1669，p。179；andforTitinus，theLyonseditionofhisCommentary，1736，p。10。
About1760cameastrikingevidenceofthestrengthofthisnewcurrent。TheAbateMaritithenpublishedhisbookupontheHolyLand；andofthisbook，byanItalianecclesiastic，themosteminentofGermanbibliographersinthisfieldsaysthatitfirstbrokeapathforcriticalstudyoftheHolyLand。MaritiisentirelyscepticalastothesinkingofthevalleyofSiddimandtheoverwhelmingofthecities。HespeakskindlyofaCapuchinFatherwhosaweverywhereattheDeadSeatracesofthedivinemalediction，whilehehimselfcouldnotseethem，andsays，“ItisbecauseaCapuchincarrieseverywherethefivesensesoffaith，whileIonlycarrythoseofnature。”Hespeaksof“theliesofJosephus。”andmakesmerryover“therudeandshapelessblock“whichtheguideassuredhimwasthestatueofLot’swife，explainingthewantofhumanforminthesaltpillarbytellinghimthatthiscompletemetamorphosiswaspartofherpunishment。
Abouttwentyyearslater，anotherremarkableman，Volney，broachesthesubjectinwhatwasthenknownasthe“philosophic“
spirit。Betweentheyears1783and1785hemadeanextensivejourneythroughtheHolyLandandpublishedavolumeoftravelswhichbyacutenessofthoughtandvigourofstylesecuredgeneralattention。Inthese，mythandlegendwerethrownaside，andwehaveanaccountsimplydictatedbytheloveoftruthastruth。
He，too，keepsthetorchofscienceburningbyapplyinghisgeologicalknowledgetotheregionswhichhetraverses。
Aswelookbackovertheeighteenthcenturyweseemingledwiththenewcurrentofthought，andstrengtheningit，aconstantlyincreasingstreamofmorestrictlyscientificobservationandreflection。
Toreviewitbriefly：intheveryfirstyearsofthecenturyMaraldishowedtheParisAcademyofSciencesfossilfishesfoundintheLebanonregion；alittlelater，CorneliusBruyn，intheFrencheditionofhisEasterntravels，gavewell-drawnrepresentationsoffossilfishesandshells，someofthemfromtheregionoftheDeadSea；aboutthemiddleofthecenturyRichardPococke，BishopofMeath，andKorteofAltonamademorestatementsofthesamesort；andtowardthecloseofthecentury，aswehaveseen，Volneygavestillmoreoftheseresearches，withphilosophicaldeductionsfromthem。
Theresultofallthiswasthattheregraduallydawneduponthinkingmentheconvictionthat，foragesbeforetheappearanceofmanontheplanet，andduringalltheperiodsincehisappearance，naturallawshavebeensteadilyinforceinPalestineaselsewhere；thisconvictionobligedmentoconsiderotherthansupernaturalcausesforthephenomenaoftheDeadSea，andmythandmarvelsteadilyshrankinvalue。
ButattheverythresholdofthenineteenthcenturyChateaubriandcameintothefield，andheseemedtobanishthescientificspirit，thoughwhathereallydidwastoconcealittemporarilybehindthevapoursofhisrhetoric。Thetimewaspropitiousforhim。ItwastheperiodofreactionaftertheFrenchRevolution，whenwhatwascalledreligionwasagaininfashion，andwhenevenatheistssupporteditasagoodthingforcommonpeople：ofsuchanepochChateaubriand，withhissuperficialinformation，thinsentiment，andshowyverbiage，wastheforeordainedprophet。
HisenemieswerewonttodenythatheeversawtheHolyLand；
whetherhedidornot，headdednothingtorealknowledge，butsimplythrewamomentaryglamourovertheregionshedescribed，andespeciallyovertheDeadSea。ThelegendofLot’swifehecarefullyavoided，forheknewtoowellthedangerofridiculeinFrance。
AslongastheNapoleonicandBourbonreignslasted，andindeedforsometimeafterward，thiskindofdealingwiththeHolyLandwasfashionable，andwehavealongseriesofmen，especiallyofFrenchmen，whoevidentlyreceivedtheirimpulsefromChateaubriand。
About1831DeGeramb，AbbotofLaTrappe，evidentlyaverynobleanddevoutspirit，seesvapourabovetheDeadSea，butstretchesthetruthalittle——speakingofitas“vapourorsmoke。”Hecouldnotfindthesaltstatue，andcomplainsofthe“diversityofstoriesregardingit。”Thesimplephysicalcauseofthisdiversity——thewashingoutofdifferentstatuesindifferentyears——neveroccurstohim；buthecomfortshimselfwiththescripturalwarrantforthemetamorphosis。[441]
[441]ForMariti，seehisVoyage，etc。，vol。ii，pp。352-356。
ForTobler’shighopinionofhim，seetheBibliographia，pp。132，133。ForVolney，seehisVoyageenSyrieetEgypte，Paris，1807，vol。i，pp。308etseq。；also，forastatementofcontributionsoftheeighteenthcenturytogeology，LartetinDeLuynes’sMerMorte，vol。iii，p。12。ForCorneliusBruyn，seeFrencheditionofhisworks，1714inwhichhisnameisgivenas“LeBrun“，especiallyforrepresentationsoffossils，pp。309，375。ForChateaubriand，seehisVoyage，etc。，vol。ii，partiii。ForDeGeramb，seehisVoyage，vol。ii，pp。45-47。
ButtothehonourofscientificmenandscientifictruthitshouldbesaidthatevenunderNapoleonandtheBourbonsthereweremenwhocontinuedtoexplore，observe，anddescribewiththesimpleloveoftruthastruth，andinspiteoftheprobabilitythattheirresearcheswouldbereceivedduringtheirlifetimewithcontemptandevenhostility，bothinchurchandstate。
ThepioneerinthisworkofthenineteenthcenturywastheGermannaturalistUlrichSeetzen。Hebeganhismaininvestigationin1806，andsoonhislearning，courage，andhonestythrewafloodofnewlightintotheDeadSeaquestions。
Inthislight，mythandlegendfadedmorerapidlythanever。
TypicalofhismethodishisexaminationoftheDeadSeafruit。
Hefound，onreachingPalestine，thatJosephus’sstoryregardingit，whichhadbeenacceptedfornearlytwothousandyears，wasbelievedonallsides；morethanthis，hefoundthattheoriginalmythhadsogrownthatamultitudeofrespectablepeopleatBethlehemandelsewhereassuredhimthatnotonlyapples，butpears，pomegranates，figs，lemons，andmanyotherfruitswhichgrowupontheshoresoftheDeadSea，thoughbeautifultolookupon，werefilledwithashes。ThesegoodpeopledeclaredtoSeetzenthattheyhadseenthesefruits，andthat，notlongbefore，abasketfulofthemwhichhadbeensenttoamerchantofJaffahadturnedtoashes。
Seetzenwasevidentlyperplexedbythismassoftestimonyandnaturallyanxioustoexaminethesefruits。Onarrivingattheseahebegantolookforthem，andtheguidesoonshowedhimthe“apples。”Thesehefoundtobesimplyanasclepia，whichhadbeendescribedbyLinnaeus，andwhichisfoundintheEastIndies，Arabia，Egypt，Jamaica，andelsewhere——the“ashes“beingsimplyseeds。Helookednextfortheotherfruits，andtheguidesoonfoundforhimthe“lemons“：thesehediscoveredtobeaspeciesofsolanumfoundinotherpartsofPalestineandelsewhere，andtheseedsinthesewerethefamous“cinders。”Helookednextforthepears，figs，andotheraccursedfruits；but，insteadoffindingthemfilledwithashesandcinders，hefoundthemlikethesamefruitsinotherlands，andhetellsusthatheatethefigswithmuchpleasure。
Soperishedamythwhichhadbeenkeptalivetwothousandyears，——partlybymodesofthoughtnaturaltotheologians，partlybytheself-interestofguides，andpartlybytheloveofmarvel-mongeringamongtravellers。
Theothermythsfarednobetter。Astotheappearanceofthesea，hefounditswatersnot“blackandsticky。”butblueandtransparent；hefoundnosmokerisingfromtheabyss，buttellsusthatsunlightandcloudandshorewerepleasantlyreflectedfromthesurface。AstoLot’swife，hefoundnosaltpillarwhichhadbeenacarelesswoman，buttheArabsshowedhimmanyboulderswhichhadoncebeenwickedmen。
Hisworkwasworthilycontinuedbyalongsuccessionoftrueinvestigators，——amongthemsuchtravellersorgeographersasBurckhardt，Irby，Mangles，Fallmerayer，andCarlvonRaumer：bymenlikethesetheatmosphereofmythandlegendwassteadilyclearedaway；asarule，theysimplyforgotLot’swifealtogether。