Independent Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1842-1844, 1842-11-19


public roads. Their monuments were de-
coraled with chIplets and garlands Of
flowers.
The tomb of Achilles was decorated with
amardnih; the grave of SOphoclos with
roses and ivy that of Anacreon with ivy
and tiowrets. Basket Of lilies, vioIets, and
roses, were placed in the graves of hns-
bands and wiz, s; white roses on those OF
Unmarried females. In Java, the inhabi-
tants scatter flowers over the bodies OF
their friends /: in China the custom OF
planting flowers on the graves of their
friends, Is of very ancient date and still
prevails. The natives of Surai, sirew
fresh flowers on the graves of their saints
every year.
In Tripoli, the tombs are decorated with
garands Of roses, of Arabian lessamine,
and orange and myrtle flowers.
In Schwytz, a village in Switzerland,
there is beautiful little church yard, in
which almost every grave is covered with
plnks. In the elegant church ward in
Wirfin, in the valley Of SaIza, in Germa-
ny, the graves are covered with little OBJ.
long boxes, which are pllnied with peren.
NAL shrubs, or renewed with annual flow.
ers; and others are so dressed on tete
days Suspended from The ornaments OF
recent graves, are little vases filed with
with water, in which The flowers are pre-.
served fresh. Children are often seen thus
dressing the graves Of their mOthers-and
mothers wrealhIng gIrlands for the graves
of their children.
A late traveller, on going early in the
morning into one of the church yards in
the village of Wirin, saw six or seven
persons decorating the graves of their
friends, and of some who had been buried
twenty years. What delightful and pro
fitahle sch Iol for the affections, would such
scenes afford the visitors Of the New Hr.
ven Cemetry? This custom also prevails
in Scotland, and in North and South Wales
An epiIaph there, says:
" The village maidens to her grave shall
bring
The fragran' garland, each returning
spring,
Selected sweets in emblem of the maid
Who underneath this hallowed turf is
laid"
In Wales, children have snow drops,
prim roses, vulets. hazel.bloom, and IL:
low blossoms on their graves. Persons Of
mature years, ha tansy, box, and rue
In South Wnies. no flowers are permitted
to be planted On graves but those which
are sweet-scented. Pink, polyanthus,
sweet williams, gililowers, carnations,
mignionette, thyme, hyssop, cam,mile,
and rosemary, are used. The red roses
are appropriated to the graves of good and
benevolent persons.
In Easter week, most graves are newly
dressed, anu mlnured, with fresh earth.-
Ia Whisunlide holy days, they are again
dressed, weeied, and Il necessary, replant-
ed. No person ever breaks or disturbs
flowers thus planted. 1t is considered sac
rilege. TO the shame OF some depraved
wretches, saw evidence that it is not so
in New-lflven. 80.
In Cabot, burylng grounds are held in
great veneration, and called Cities Of the
Silent. The Jews called them Houses of
the dead The Egyptians visited the
graves of their friends twice a week, and
strewed sweet BAIL IN them, and do TO this
day.
While the custom Of decorating graves
and grave-yards with flowers, AMI orna-
mental trees and shrubs, has prevailed so
long and extensively among ancient AMI
modern civilized nations, some of the
American aborignes will not permit a
weed or blade of grass, n1r any other vege-
able, to grow upon the graves of their
friends. With few exceptions, there has
hitherto been in our country, strange re-
nissness on this subject which would sur
rise the heather. Graves and Church
Yards are left to the course of gradual di.
apida,ion and decay, which ever follows
n the train If moral degradation !-New
Hdren Palladium
/