Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1842-12-12
miscellaneous.
DECORATING THE GRAVE WITH FLOWERS.

| DECORATING THE GRAVE WITH FLOWERS
ee sind Of paihos and touching tenderness OF
preston m the sweet and fragrant embems OF affection
wira language reach, and which is cacuated ~
pep-iate k'id OF soothing sympathy brtveen the living
and the dead They speak o rs OF lose 10 strong for
even the grave to break asinder The Practice no doubt
gave rise u the ancient which prevailed in the
oi ouryng IN gardens and which conduces the graft
heaiion oil the best feelings Of nature IL pre vailed gen
orally IN and about the Holy City, and among the Med.s
fersians reeans and Romans The Persians adopted il
rom inc hede- the Grecans from the Percans In Rome
persons oil distinction buried gardens or fields near
the public roads. Their monnie nts were decorated vii,
ciaplets and garsnds of flowers
The tomb q; Achilles decorated with amsrantb The
oi S'phoces win roses and ivy; that of Anacreoo
with ivy and fowets. Baskets Of lilies viole- and rose.
were placed IN the graves of husbands and wives white
roses on those of unmarried females In Java the inh,b;
tants scatter flowers the bodies of their friends In
Cinn, the custom planting flowers ON the graves of ,s
OF very ancient date and still prevails The narves
o Surat suew fresh flowers graves Of th.r ..in
every year. ~
In InPo the tombs decorated with gariands of roses,
oil Arabian 'ssaInne, aud orange and myrtle flowers.
In SchwyU, village in Switzerland there il be,p,
little church yard in which almost every grave i covered
WIN pinks In the elegant church yard in Wirn in the
valley OF Salza Germany graves ARE covered iii
little oblong boxes. which planted with perennial b,rb
"rrenewed with annual flowers and others are "a reseJ
Oh Ie'e days. Suspended from the ornaments of recent
graves, are little filled with water in which the aou
es are preserved fresh Children often seen thus dss
ing ie graves OF their mothers-and mothers wreathing
garlands for the graves of their children
late traveller, going early in the morning ;,,o IN.
OF Tue churc-yards in the village of Wirn six or Sc
persons decorating the graves of their friends md of
some who had been buried twenty wears What delob
in and profitable schoofor the affections would
AFFORD the vislters of the New Haven Cemeiery This cs
tom also prevails in Scotland and North and South Wales
An epitaph there, says:-
" Inc village maidens to her grave shall bring
4 ne fragrant garland, each returning spring
Selected sweets. in emblem of the maid
VINO underneath this hallowed turf is laid
In wales, children have drops prin1roses violes
hazcl bloom, and saow blossoms on their prayes Per
IONS oil mature have ansy box and me In Sop,b
" ale no howers permitted TO be planted ON gr,ves
Dnt uose which are sweet scented. Pink polvanthus
sweetwlias glIifowers, carnations iagnionctte thyme
hyssop, camomile and rosemary are used The red ro
are appropriated to the of good and benevolent
'''' per-
In Easter week. graves are newly dressed anil
hnfed win fresh earth. In Whtsuntde holydavs ,hcv
are again dressed weeded, and if necessary renlan,ed
NO person ever breaks dsturbs flowers thus planted II
Is CONSIDERED sacuege To the shame of some depraved
wretches, saw that II Is in New Haven
In Cabul burying grounds held in great vener.ton
ana called Cities Of the Silent. The Jews called them
Houses Of the Dead. The Egyptians visited the ,r.
OF their friends twice week. and strewed svee, Rs, S
/ them and do this day. $3.50 "
ine the custom of decorating graves and grave
with iowors onamented and shrubs. has prevsl
ed so long and extensively among ancient and modern CIV
lzed nations, of the American aboripines will no,
permit weed or blade of grass nor any other vegetable
grow upon the Of their friends With few evc.
tons, there has hitherto been in our country STRANGE -
ssness this subject which would SUNRISE the besber
Graves and Church yards left to the course Of Gradual
dliapdenon and decay, which follow in the train of
| moral degredauon.-Neto HdreH Palladium