The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-02-23 00:00:00

Ft...MI.ILS OF THE ANCIENTS'.

The Egyptians and ancient Uneks occasionally buried
in their eon houses, of which there are some few in-
stances in Scripture, among which that of Joab may be
..ted. In other respects it was much more general to
inter in eaves, hills, reeks, and where the primary race
of those respective people occasionally were compelled
to reside, whilst in a state of nature. Such, at least,
ti as the case with the ancient inhabitants of Crete',
many parts of Asia, and in Persia, to the pre-
at tit day ; and also of the Chinese. For, to instance
only the ease of Naxi Kasten, a Persian prince, who
aas buried among the mountains in the district of De-
jnees, to the best of our memory. An anecdote is also
related of the interment of a Chinese prince in a mountain,
where be was buried with about WO of his courtiers.
another anecdote is related of Cyrus, a hieh appears to re-
eyrie the general disposition of nature; fur he desired to
be so disposed of,tiat hie remains might be most beueficial
to his country, and accordingly wished for his body to be
converted into 110.111tItt for the land. The most singular
practice was observed by the Ethiopians in the disposi-
tion of their dead, as related Say the spies of Caanhy-es.
.tilter all the moisture is extracted from the body, they
cover it totally with a kind of plaster, which they make
to resemble tie original as near as possible ; they then
tn...lose it in a very hollow column of crvstal, of which
they have great plenty, sad easy to work, through which
the contents ate clearly seen, without any disagreeable
sated, or any thing which is offensive. This coin the
oesrest relative keeps in his ewn house for full twelve
irtonths, olefin I. is different kiosk of victim, wed the
first fruits of the earth. Afterwards these are removed,
and set up round the city.
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The funeral ceremonies attending Scythian princes
were very singular: they were first enibelined, after-
Wards ca fed through various provinces of their king-'
Blom, till, at last, they were brought to the lierchi, in
the most remote parts of Scythia, where the corpse was
played upon a conch, round which, at various distances,
were placed degrees, sad, upon the whole, pieces of
stood covered with willow, in a trench near the spot
where the Borysthenes becomes navigable. In some
other parts of the trench, one of the concubines of the
deceased, baring been previously strangled, with his
Laker, cook, groom, and most confidential of.,
horses, and choicest effects, were burned, and a mound
as high as possible raised over the whole.
It woui3 seem, from what little has been shown, that
the Jews, as well as others, usually buried their dead
without the city ; such was, also, the case with the
Athenians, the Smyrneans, Sicyoniano, Corinthians,
sn..! Syracusians. Examples are not wanting that si-
milar customs were then observed by the ancient Ro-
mans, or at least previous to the existence of the twelve
tables, before which, and even subsequent thereto, if
say were buried within the city, it Is as not without a
special permission from the senators. This mode of in.
irritant was usual in Jades, as passages in their latter
history will flint*. The only people we remember wha
disregarded this custom were the Lacetheinanians; the
manly spirit, and heroic policy of their legislator, Ly-
rurgus, desirous to eradicate every species of stupid su-
perstition from the mind of his people, among other in-
stitntions, directed they should often come near the
deal, end hail them loitered le and near the temples;
where monuments to petpetnate their virtues were
erected, that the youth might be led from their infancy
to behold such objects, nor dread the spectacle of death ;
and, likewise, that the oseswinsses of their memorial might
be often viewed, and that the young might emulate the
11.101 C virtues of their prelim:ewers.
The Athenian practice, lawever. with regard to those
who died in defence of their country, was at once so pa-
triotic aid affectionate, that it cannot but deserve parti-
cular attention ' • it affords an elevated ides of that po-
lished people. About three days before the funeral, the
bones of the slain were placed in a tent, raised on pur-
pose, so that every person might have an opportunity to
frequent them, and pay the last tribute of a tear. All
sorts of odoriferous herbs and Sowers were strewed
around the tent, sell ear► man brought sonic in his
heed, that he alight consecrate them to the manes of
his favourite friend. On the fourth day a coffin of Cy-
press was seat from every tribe to carry off the bones of
'their owe members; after which went an empty covered
hearse, in memory of these who weld not be found.
The procession was carried on with a peculiar decency
of sorrow, whilst great astaben of inhabitants, heti,
strangers aid citizens, assisted in the train of mourners.
The parents of the deemed attended at the sepulchre
to weep. No eye timid refrain from tears, and the tne-
linclsoly distress übieb appeared is the faces of the
assembly, seemed a true espy of the sentiments of all.
Tl.e hoses Isere accompanied in this manner to the pub-
lie place of burial, situated is a pleasant spot without
OP city, called Cetnismlosea, sod reaunistrd to the
ground. The ober asserit erected to be honour of these
cit!sens was Wet aed with pillars, trophies. and lescrip-
teems, such as were used about the tombs of the mom ho-
• operable persona, and the esreareery reaeleued with a
'speech is praise of three all, the irata.soope of which was
to animate the Swim* with' resoiatienOw tomtnendieg
a-. courage of the dead ;to i er w teirii of patriotism