Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Historical Enquiry Into The Funereal Ceremonies Of The Various Nations Of The World*
HISTORICAL ENQUIRY INTO THE FUNEREAL CEREMONIES OF THE VARIOUS NATIONS OF THE WORLD *
BY BROTHER BLANC DE MAKCONAY . "Humane feelings are due towards all ranks . But we reserve our esteem for virtue and talent . The homage which we render to the merit of another
Docs honour to ourselves , and supposes it to be likewise ours . ' ' TJUEKE is a degree of homage paid to the dead by all nations , and all religions : love , gratitude , and occasionally vanity , have sought to elevate and consecrate this duty by the most imposing ceremonies . The Greek consumed his dead on the funeral pyre , the Persian and the Christian commit the body to its parent dust . The Indian plasters it Avith greaseAvhile the African devours his relatives Avhen dead ; and
, the Egyptian embalmed them . The one seated the corpse of his father at his table as his guest , drinking and eating ivith him as if he ivere still in possession of all his faculties ; the other employed him upon occasions as security for a loan , and alloAved himself no rest till he had reclaimed the precious deposit ; another conversed ivith him , as if he ivere able to reply , or probably fled from him , as if he had the plague . Pyramids , columnstombsinscriptions , gamesdevicesfuneral orationstears
, , , , , , and festivals , have been only so many forms adopted by nations to signalise their funeral ceremonies , and each nation has succeeded in alledging good reasons in justification of these various modes of giving utterance to their regrets . Among some nations , the tears of the parents , relatives and friends of the defunct have not seemed to be sufficient , but they have hired men and women , Avho for a gratuity were Avilling to
increase the number of mourners . Others have enrolled dancers and musicians in their service , in order to distract their natural sorroiv b y the attraction of the graceful movements of the former , or to inspire mirth in their sad hearts by the charms of harmony . Others again in the deepest solitude , and by withdrawing from all society , sought to heighten the impression of these solemn moments . The ministers of the different forms of ivorship have each their sacramental Avords , or
particular liturgy for these mournful ceremonies . In short , the inhabitants of the different countries of the earth have varied , ad infinitum , the customs observed on the sad occasion ; but they have all agreed in celebrating the instant which terminates the journey of life . In Egypt the priests cast sand thrice upon the opening of the cave wherein the corpse was enclosed , at the same time thrice repeating their fareivell . At Rome ( Ancient Rome ) they pronounced the ivords
I LICET , i . e ., " you are permitted to depart ; " after Avhich all present uttered their last adieux , promising to rejoin the departed ivhenever destiny should have marked the appointed hour for each . The Jews recite from the 16 ' v . of Psalm Ixxij ., the words " They of the city shall flourish , like the grass on the earth . " They then wash their hands , seat themselves , and rise nine times whilst repeating Psalm xciv .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Historical Enquiry Into The Funereal Ceremonies Of The Various Nations Of The World*
HISTORICAL ENQUIRY INTO THE FUNEREAL CEREMONIES OF THE VARIOUS NATIONS OF THE WORLD *
BY BROTHER BLANC DE MAKCONAY . "Humane feelings are due towards all ranks . But we reserve our esteem for virtue and talent . The homage which we render to the merit of another
Docs honour to ourselves , and supposes it to be likewise ours . ' ' TJUEKE is a degree of homage paid to the dead by all nations , and all religions : love , gratitude , and occasionally vanity , have sought to elevate and consecrate this duty by the most imposing ceremonies . The Greek consumed his dead on the funeral pyre , the Persian and the Christian commit the body to its parent dust . The Indian plasters it Avith greaseAvhile the African devours his relatives Avhen dead ; and
, the Egyptian embalmed them . The one seated the corpse of his father at his table as his guest , drinking and eating ivith him as if he ivere still in possession of all his faculties ; the other employed him upon occasions as security for a loan , and alloAved himself no rest till he had reclaimed the precious deposit ; another conversed ivith him , as if he ivere able to reply , or probably fled from him , as if he had the plague . Pyramids , columnstombsinscriptions , gamesdevicesfuneral orationstears
, , , , , , and festivals , have been only so many forms adopted by nations to signalise their funeral ceremonies , and each nation has succeeded in alledging good reasons in justification of these various modes of giving utterance to their regrets . Among some nations , the tears of the parents , relatives and friends of the defunct have not seemed to be sufficient , but they have hired men and women , Avho for a gratuity were Avilling to
increase the number of mourners . Others have enrolled dancers and musicians in their service , in order to distract their natural sorroiv b y the attraction of the graceful movements of the former , or to inspire mirth in their sad hearts by the charms of harmony . Others again in the deepest solitude , and by withdrawing from all society , sought to heighten the impression of these solemn moments . The ministers of the different forms of ivorship have each their sacramental Avords , or
particular liturgy for these mournful ceremonies . In short , the inhabitants of the different countries of the earth have varied , ad infinitum , the customs observed on the sad occasion ; but they have all agreed in celebrating the instant which terminates the journey of life . In Egypt the priests cast sand thrice upon the opening of the cave wherein the corpse was enclosed , at the same time thrice repeating their fareivell . At Rome ( Ancient Rome ) they pronounced the ivords
I LICET , i . e ., " you are permitted to depart ; " after Avhich all present uttered their last adieux , promising to rejoin the departed ivhenever destiny should have marked the appointed hour for each . The Jews recite from the 16 ' v . of Psalm Ixxij ., the words " They of the city shall flourish , like the grass on the earth . " They then wash their hands , seat themselves , and rise nine times whilst repeating Psalm xciv .