Portland gazette and Maine advertiser. (Portland, Me.) 1805-1818, 1814-05-23
the .PrOaUlerN0. y.
Each in his marrow cell forerey laid"


THE forms and ceremonies observed among
me various nations in disposing Of their dead
nav suggest matter for curious speculation. In
daerent ages and progressive stages of ciyilza.
ton il is natural that changes should take place
r,o funeral ceremonies since all modes Of bu-
islseem TO have some connection with religious
sen.iment, or notions of future existence; and
these sentiments and opinions must change with
he progress Of knowledge and civilization.
Philosophers may tell us that all parade in hon
our Of the dead is irrational and absurd. That
the body when "the spirit is not there" is but q
msss Of animal matter, loathsome and disgust.
log that the sooner it is placed beyond the reach
Of our senses, TO undergo chemical deconposi-
sion, the better for survivors. Others. who can.
no, 90 readily separate ihes ideas Of matter .od
vi h every relique of departed friend. They
follow the shrouded body to It's las. abode. and
finger with fond recollec,ions at the sepulchrcs
oflamented worth.
Funeral solemnities. or respectful attentions 10
the remains Of departed friends, seem to be Of
great antiquity. The men Of Jabesh Cilesd we're
not unmindful Of this last testimony ofrespect to
their brave king and prince, who fell by the hands
cf,he Philistines in the Mountains Of Gilboa.
In the same ancient book in which we find this
account we are also informed that the daughters
Of Israel mourned. but in what manner, is not
sodis,inctly related. Sackclo,h and ashes was
mode then in use, but believe has not reached
our times.
The Romsn Catholick forms in this, as in al
their religious soiemnitles, are calculated to have
Few can view the awful pomp without emotions
ofseriousness and soiemni,y, If not reverential
dead Yer those who are not entirely denied the
power Of abstrscting parade and show from sub
stance and reality. will consider much Of this
y solemn mockety. calculated to bewilder the
pssslons and ria, urcn the senses without leaving
sylas,ing impression UPON the heart.
Wearing mourning appears to be the most
&nseless Of all testimonials Of affection for the
dasd. There seems 10 be no connection between
apiece Of black Grape, or indeed = full dress of
nble habilimcnts, and any sffcctions of he mind
W uCeINs AiSS 6ItSI - uOt buCaooICO uy FORMAL
xeps Or regulated BY mathematical calculation.
hseeks no external display snd must be of nied
~ the os.entation Of publick passde. Genuine
sensiby seeks to indulge itself in retirement,
md finds its sorrows alleviated in private COM
nunlon with wounded heart. But the present
rage for extending mourning dresses through
hye circle ofsurviying relatives, is so extensive
&mischievious a. to require pubiek xnimsdyer.
SION ltis not easy to convince those whom Gus.
tom has bound in the chains ofprejudice but il
he absurdi,y Of such modes could be fairly un
dets,ood, i, should seem that reformation, in
'one dsgree al least, would not be hopeless.
The folly, in itself. is innocent, if indeed folly
cn be innocent; but the effect upon those. who
sssubjec,s Off, is not Of trif,ng or momen.
h'y nature. In families Of the middle sne low.
erellsses, the mischefs resulting from an in
discriminate indulgence Of this disposition 10
wear mourning for every possible relation are
extensive and ruinous. Many families are en-
harassed with debts. to Crafty foolish vanity st
the funeral Of some distant connection, for whom,
when living they felt no regard. nor regret when
dead.
Aspecsator Il one Of our modern funersls
sho had previously seen no such forms would
probably find il no easy task to reconcile our prsc
ice with reason or common sense. To see
long train Of black becizened figures. persona
aagtte characters of mourners. called out in
p'fs and ranged in order Of rela, ionship IN regu
R succession from the corpse, and proportional
'eco'ding to the quantity Of grief. they are sup
Ped tofeel on the occasion, approaches too nea
We ludicrous tn make any serious impressions
Nfows thus measured out-Ike tape and buck
nm arc OF spurious order. and ought TO
osni'hed from such places An impatien,
~r Just stepping into the fortunes ofihe defunc,
sywe'i afford to display all these arslficisl
teAupon gaming the loss Of parent or patron
an most convenien, mode of conceaing his
Nna sudden acquisition of wealth.
we are no amateurs Of funerals, and would
peer almost any honest employment to tina
s'"'pp'ng habit Of hunting up every dark as
senoiase Of this nature. Solomon indeed informs
"matN Is better to 60 to the house of mourn
"s than feas,ing, since, by the sadness Of the
s'a"'snance the heart is made better. Bu', b,
Sooe" OF coun,enance the preacher mean