The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1829-01-14
MOURNING.

Rabelsis, because it 10 the color of dark
ness, which is melancholy, and the opposite
I" white, whirh is the color Of light Of Joy,
aud of happiness"
The early poets asserted tibet souls, after
death, went into dark and gloomy empire.
Probably it is in consonance with this idea
that they imagined black was the most con-
genial r'lor for mourning. The Chinese
and the Slamese choose white, tanceiVnr
that lh" dead become benefirent genii.
In Turkey. mourning is composed of blue
or violet; i'll Ethiopia. Of grev and. at the
time OF the invasion of Peru hy the Span
Yards. the inhabitants of that country wore
1t OF mouse color. Amongst the japanese,
white is the sign of mourning, Gnh black of
rejoicing. In CASTLE, mourning ves;ments
were formerly of white serge. The Per-
SANS clothed themselves in hiown, and
they, their whole family, and ell their ami
mails, were shaved. In Lycia, the men
wore female habilimentS during the time Of
their mourning.
At Argos, people dressed themselves in
white, and prepared large feasts and enter
tainmen:s.
At Delos, the people cut off their hair,
which was deposited upon the sepulchre of
the dead. The Egyptians tore their bo-
sons, and covered their faces with mud,
wearing clothes Of the color of yellow, or
of dead leaves.
! Amongst the Romans, the wives were
obliged to weep the death of their hus-
bands, and children that of their father dur
ing a whole year. Husbands did not
NOUN tor their wives, nor fathers for their
children, unless they were upwards of three
! years old.
la full # .
for year, and takes place upon the death
of parents. The childIen do not put on
black, but are obliged to wear, during the
whole year, the clothes which they lad on
at the death Of their father, without being
allowed 10 change then let them lie ever
so t"ttered. They fast OH the anniversary
of his death every year. Second mourning
lasts month, anu takes place OH the de-
rmise of hilIieH, unrlcs and aunts. Dur
ing that period, they dare neither wash
themselves, shave, MOI perfume fhemselsts
nor even cut their nails. They dc not eat
III common with the family, and the hus-
band and wife live separately. Slight
mourning continues only for week, and
Is worn on the decrease of husband or Of IL
vie. On returning from the funeral ohse-
quIes, the husband, wearing his mourning
haiiIIS, washes hIS hands, uncoverS his feet,
and seats himself on the ground, remains
III the same posture, and continues to GrOan
ana weep, without paying attention to anF
w "P"tiou, until thR seventh cav
The Chinese, when they are in mourning.
wear CoaISe white cloth, and Heep three
years for tie loss Of the departed. Tn.
magistrate no longer exercise. his functions
the counsellor suspends his suits, and bus
h"h9s ana wives, as with the Jews, live
apart from each other. Young people 1--we
IN seclusIpn. and cannot marry till the end
OF The three years.
The mourning Of the CaIibbees consists
IN cutting of their hair. and in fasting riq-
or"uSly until the body purify; after which
they indulge i'll debanches, 10 drive all sad
ness away from then minds.
MOTION OF ANIMALS. Animal motion
is wonderful. though from its perpetualIy
meeting the eye, We take little account OF
! 1t. The pholus IA shell fish, has the power
OF peri0ratIng the hardest marble hy means
OF neshy substance, apparently no way
suited to so iahorious an employment. 1t
increases It's cell Hs it increases its sizs {:
ana constitutes perfect example of the
FIRST rudmentS of animal motion. The only
impulse an oyster possesses, arises out of its
power OF opening and shutting its shell.
| The muscle move by means ofS muscular
Substance, resembling tongue. The crab
moves sideways, and the waterfy swims
upon its back. The serpent uniulates, and
TIE llon-ant moves backwards; it has no
lower to make the smallest Inclination for
waltls. Marine birds can walk, run, fly and
SWIM Some animals can only walk, others
galiop; the horse performs all these motions.
The tiger and the crocodile dart; the
reindeer runs, but never Esllops, the arma-
'Iillo walks swiftly. hut can neither run nor
leap; while the great anteater climbs much
better than. it can walk. The sioth is a
large animal, and yet can travel only fifty
PAGES in day an elk will run mile and
half in seven minutes; an antelope a mile
Il minute the wild mule of Tartary has a
speed even greater than that an eagle
can fly 16 Leagues in an hour; and Cana
nv falton can even reach $50 leagues in the
short space Of Is hours. Man has the pow
err of initiating almost every motion but that
of fight. TO effect these, he has, in matu-
rity and health 60 bones in his legs and
thighs, 62 in his arms and hands, 60 in his
head, and 81 in his trunk. He has also 434
muscles in the structure Of his body, and his
heart has 3,S40 pulsations in the space of
an hour bucks Harmonies Of .Ndtlrs.
THE HANGING JuDGE. Counsellor Grady, on
a late trial in Ireland, Ssid ne recollected to
have heard ola relentless Judge who was known
bv the name of the Hanging Judge, and was
never known to shed tear but once, and that
was during the representation of the B.ggar's
Opera, when Mackheath got a rspreve! 1t
was the same Judge, between whom and Mr.
Cnrrnn. the following pass Of wit took place
at table" Pray Mr.. Curron." said the Judge
ais that hung beef, beside you '--ifiti is, will
) try it," Ii you try it, my Lord" "rsplied
Mr. Curran, "it 10 sure TO to hung"