Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1853-08-31

SINGULAR DIscovEy.-Thcre is MOTH
ing new under the sun. The American
coffin which attracted so much attention
at the Great Exhibition of 1851, and
which, by producing vacuum by means
Of the air.pump, was thought TO be m
entirely new method of preserving
corpses from decay, has been just prov
ed to have been known in the middle
ages. While demolishing, a short time
ago, the old church of the ancient WEIGH
college, at Helmstedt, near Brunswick,
coffin made of lead, the lid of which
was of glass of immense thickness, con-
laiued the body of young girl, appa.
rently about twelve years of age which
still preserved every appearance ofyoulh
and freshness, altho' the coffin bore date
Of l46l.
A private letter from bystander tells
us that the face and figure of the child
were perfect rs life, not a single sign Of
decay being visible on the whole person.
The cheek preserved its delicate rose
tint, the forehead its snowy Wilderness.
The hair, which was of u beautiful gold
color, was parted on the brow, and fell
in long ringlets over the bosom, crisp
and fresh rs though the child had lain
down to sleep the moment before. The
dress of white satin, embroidered in
gold flowers; the shoes of white velvet,
the lace apron, all seemed bright as if
newly purchased; and, more astonishing
still, the bunch of lilies held in tho hand
of the corpse still looked as fresh and
moist as though the dew still hung up
on it. The workmen engaged in the de-
molition of the building were struck
with awe, and Immediately went in quest
Of the chief magistrate of the place, who
soon arriveton the spot, accompanied
by several of the inhabitants. Unfortu-
nately, the worthy fanctionary having
recently been made the victim of prac-
teal joke in the town, and being half
suspicious that the same thing was in
tended, would not believe in the reality,
and selling spade from the hands of
one of the workmen who stood near,
dealt heavy blow upon the lid of the
coffin and smashed one or two of the
diamond-shaped panes of glass of which
it was composed. In a moment, and
while We yet gazed, a thin cloud Of dust
or vapor, like wreath of smoke, rose
up from the coffin and dimmed the sight,
yelling the corpse from our view. When
it had disappeared, we gazed downward
in awe nothing remained of what struck
us with so much interest and wonder
all had vanished, and left nought behind
but heap of discolored dust, few
rags of tinscl, and one or two of dried
bones.
The rage and despair of Herr W,
the great antiquary and sarant of the
place, knew no bounds. lie did his best
to collect the fragments that remained
and that same evening the coffin was con-
veycd to Brunswick, where it will no
doubt, form one Of the greatest orna-
ments of the museum. There appears
no doubt THAI the high preservation OF
the corpse had been produced by the alb
straction of all air from the coffin, and il
is supposed that the child belonged to
some great professor of the University
who had performed the experiment in
secret, as it is curious that, amid all this
pains and care concerning the body OF
the child, no means should have beer
taken to preserve her name from oblivi
on. No name is engraved upon the cof
fn--not even her initials-nothing but
the date of the year in which she dice
or was buried, (l46I)"
London Atlas.