ANCIENT AND MEDIEVAL CONCEPTIONS . 11 



" old wives' fables," and an insult to Christian intelli- 

 gence. " For if two men, on opposite sides, placed the 

 soles of their feet against each, whether they chose to stand 

 on earth, on air, on fire, or any kind of body, how could 

 both be found standing upright ? The one would assuredly 

 be found in the natural upright position, and the other, 

 contrary to nature, head downwards. Such notions are 



THE UNIVERSE, ACCORDING TO COSMAS. 

 (From Beazley's The Dawn of Modern Geography.) 



opposed to reason, and alien to our nature and condition. 

 And how, again, when it rains upon both of them, is it 

 possible to say that the rain falls down upon the two, 

 and not that it falls down on the one, and falls up to the 

 other ? " And, once more, how could Antipodeans use the 

 power given by God to men to " tread upon serpents 

 and scorpions," when the serpents and scorpions would 

 be above them ? This is food for laughter. But more 

 serious matter remains. " For He made," saith the 

 Apostle, " of one the whole race of men to dwell upon 



