In 1616, therefore, he began his ponderous
work entitled _The Historical, Theological, and Moral Explanation
of the Holy Land_. He laboured upon it for nine years, gave nine
years more to perfecting it, and then put it into the hands of the
great publishing house of Plantin at Antwerp: they were four years
in printing and correcting it, and when it at last appeared it
seemed certain to establish the theological view of the Holy Land
for all time. While taking abundant care of other myths which he
believed sanctified by Holy Scripture, Quaresmio devoted himself at
great length to the Dead Sea, but above all to the salt statue; and
he divides his chapter on it into three parts, each headed by a
question: First, "_How_ was Lot's wife changed into a statue of
salt?" secondly, "_Where_ was she thus transformed?" and, thirdly,
"D_oes that statue still exist_?" Through each of these divisions he
fights to the end all who are inclined to swerve in the slightest
degree from the orthodox opinion.
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