The Sun.
London, England, 1824-05-19 00:00:00

BAKING OF DEAD BODIES.

A most extraordinary process, or operation, i 5
carried on in Sicily, in the view of preserving
tho dead. They are not committed to the dust,
from which they came, but allowed to remain
awful spectacles above ground, which are most
affecting to the feelings of "• the living who 'al
them to heart."

" At a short distance from the city there is a
church-yard called Campo Santo, which also pre'
sents affecting views of mortality. Part of this,
field is subterraneous, where the dead bodies 01
the lower orders are thrown in pele male, fr°lll,
an aperture above, covered with a stone to which
a ring is attached. Contiguous is a building set
apart for the reception of the bodies of those o',
a superior rank in life, some of whom previouslY
undergo a regular process, called baking or drr
ing in ovens. After this they are placed ill
niches in the walls like statues, with their bands
tied across, a rope round their neck, hanging in
front, which is crossed at the ends, a crown 01
thorns on their heads, and covered with the
clothes they wore during lifetime. On the An'
niversary of their death they are visited by
friends, who are said to ' speak to them.' In
another part are coffins under lock, and the keY
kept by relations, who, in a similar manner, 01'
the occasion of an anniversary, open these, awl
also 4 address them.' 1 was shewn the apart-
ment where the preparation had taken place,
where some children had been brought in bar'
rows, to undergo this extraordinary, and, useless
process."

In addition to this may be mentioned, another
mode which is adopted in the Convent of CaPO"
chins for preserving the bodies of the dead, where
they are publicly exposed.
In a subterranean space under the convent
there are a number of Chambers, where a passage
is formed for the accommodation of visitors
Hundreds of skeletons of capuchins, similar to
mummies, are placed in niches, after being dried/
or preserved in the manner I have already ex
plained, having the dress they used to wear/
during their lifetime, with long beards, like no'
gicians. Tickets are attached to each, bearing
their names, and the day of their death. ManY
of the monks, indeed, fix on the particular niche
they wish their bodies to occupy after their
dissolution. A number of coffins are also here,
containing human bodies secured with locks, the
keys of which are in the custody of their friends.
The Exhibition presented in this modern Gol-
gotha of so many skeletons of human beingo
who were bone of our hone and flesh of our
flesh, now clothed and standing in an uprigilit
position, is truly awful and most strikingly cat'
culated to humble the pride of man, and t°
call to recollection his own latter end.

SAFETY LAMP.—An important improvement
has been made in this valuable lamp, by Mr. r.
COXE, of Gateshead. In the original, the wiret
called the pricker, is introduced into the gauo
tube from the bottom, for the purpose of regulat"
ing the wick, to increase or diminish the quantity
of light, or to extinguish the wick on the ar''
proach of danger. Mr. CoxE's improvement con'
sists in the addition of a short tube, perforated
with a number of small holes, closed at the top,-
and introduced into the tube of the Davy, at the
upper part of the lamp, so as to prevent the
gation of the flame. To this tube a wire is alsu
fastened from the bottom, by which it is regu"
fated. It differs, however, essentially from the
pricker ; as by being drawn down it not only C%.'
tinguishes the flame of the wick, but also cool'
pletely puts out the blue flame of the inflammable
gas, which always fills the lamp just before au
explosion takes place. It answers, in a inoment
of great danger, prescribes the same purpose as
the extinguisher of a common candlestick.