^g6 MifielUne^Curiofa. Vol. II f; 



thefe Projcftions we have feen open, v^kh 

 pieces of the Vials in them; the Glafs in- 

 deed was tinfturM, and 'tis pretended that 

 in thefe Vials was conferved the Blood of 

 the Martyrs^ which was thus laid up nigh 

 their Bodies, towards the Head, to diftin- 

 guifli them from thofe of the others that 

 were not called to the Honour of laying 

 down their Lives for the Faith of the Gof- 

 pel. After the Labourers have furvey'd a 

 Gallery, they do up the entry that leads in- 

 to it; thus moll: of them are fhut^ nor are- 

 more left open than what is neceiTary to keep 

 up the Trade of fhewing them to Strangers, 

 which they fay is done to prevent what has 

 often happenM, I mean Peoples lofing them- 

 felves in thefe fubterraneous Labyrinths ^ by 

 this conduA depriving us of the means of 

 knowing whither and how far they were car- 

 ried. To this it may be juftly excepted, 

 that allowing the Catacombs to be proper 

 for the end for which they are prefum'd to 

 be made, and that the Chriftians of that 

 Age were in a capacity of making that con- 

 venience, for themfelves to live and aflemble 

 in below Ground, at a time when 'twas fo 

 very unfafe to appear above it ; yet to fup- 

 pofe that a work of that Vaftnefs and 

 Importance cou'd be carried on without the 

 knowledge of the Government, is to fuppofe 

 the Government aileep, and that that was 

 aftually done under its Nofe, that muft ne- 

 cellarily have alarm'd it, had it been attempt- 

 ed on the frontiers of the Empire. 



The other fort of Authors give indeed a 

 mighty. Idea of the Catacombs, reprefeat 



them 



