It may not be unprofitable to contrast the extracts which we have given from Galileo's letters on the same subject with the following passage, which appears one of the most subtle and argumentative which is to be found in Melchior's book. He _professes_ to be enumerating and refuting the principal arguments which the Copernicans adduced for the motion of the earth. "Fifth argument. Hell is in the centre of the earth, and in it is a fire tormenting the damned; therefore it is absolutely necessary that the earth is moveable. The antecedent is plain." (Inchoffer then quotes a number of texts of Scripture on which, according to him, the Copernicans relied in proof of this part of the argument.) "The consequent is proved: because fire is the cause of motion, for which reason Pythagoras, who, as Aristotle reports, puts the place of punishment in the centre, perceived that the earth is animate and endowed with action. I answer, even allowing that hell is in the centre of the earth, and a fire in it, I deny the consequence: and for proof I say, if the argument is worth any thing, it proves also that lime-kilns, ovens, and fire-grates are animated and spontaneously moveable. I say, _even allowing_ that hell is in the centre of the earth: for Gregory, book 4, dial. chap. 42, says, that he dare not decide rashly on this matter, although he thinks more probable the opinion of those who say that it is under the earth. St. Thomas, in Opusc. 10, art. 31, says: Where hell is, whether in the centre of the earth or at the surface, does not in my opinion, relate to any article of faith; and it is superfluous to be solicitous about such things, either in asserting or denying them. And Opusc. 11, art. 24, he says, that it seems to him that nothing should be rashly asserted on this matter, particularly as Augustin thinks that nobody knows where it is; but I do not, says he, think that it is in the centre of the earth. I should be loth, however, that it should be hence inferred by _some people_ that hell is in the earth, that we are ignorant where hell is, and therefore that the situation of the earth is also unknown, and, in conclusion, that it cannot therefore be the centre of the universe. The argument shall be retorted in another fashion: for if the place of the earth is unknown, it cannot be said to be in a great circle, so as to be moved round the sun. Finally I say that in fact it is known where the earth is."