C ^45) 
knowing whither and how far they were carry'd* To 
this *t may be juftly excepted, that allowing the Cata- 
combs to be proper for the end for which they are pre- 
fam'd to be made, and that the Chriftians of that age 
were in a capacity of making that convenience, for 
themfelves to live and aflemble in below ground, at a 
time when 'twas fo very unfafe to appear above it 3 yet 
to fuppofe that a work of that vaftnefsaod importance 
cou'd be carry'd on without the knowledge of the Go- 
vernment, is to fuppofe the Government afleep, and 
that that was aftualiy done under its nofe, that muft 
neceffarily have alarnfd it, had it been attempted on 
the frontiers of the Empire^ 
The other fort of Authors give indeed a mighty Idea 
of the Catacombs, reprefent them as a work of that 
vaftn^fs, that the Chrirtians in the perfecuting times 
Jiad not number enough to carry it on ^ but then raoft 
unadvifedly with the fame breath they confound them 
with the Pfiticuli in FeJlmPompehs. wliQve^ at the fame 
time that the Ancient Romans us*d to burn the Bodies 
of their dead, the cuftom was, to avoid expence, to 
throw thofe of the Slaves to rot. 
This is not all, the Roman Chriftians, fay they, ob- 
ferving at length the great veneration that certain places 
gain'd by the prelence of Relids, refolv'd to provide a 
ftock for themfelves 5 entring therefore the Catacombs^ 
they made in fome of them what Cyphers, what In- 
fcriptions,what Painting they thought fit,and then (hut 
them up 5 intending to open them again upon a Dream 
or fome other important incident. The few_jhat were 
in the fecret of this Artifice either dying, or as the 
Monks, who were the only men that feem to have had 
Heads adapted to a thought of this quality, were fub- 
|eft to fo many removes, being tranfported to other 
places, the contrivance came to be forgot, and thofe 
Galleries continu'd (liut, til! Chance, the Parent, often 
H h h h h 2 (A 
