St. Mary's beacon., 1858-08-12

~ MORNING, August
nsce. AZ shen NJ B,mneau--Fstnchnan all |
er-xssels that tie ashes of gur friends |
might = preserved ~ 4 tasteful manner: che
funeral ofa eantaining these ashes, replacing |
on or ee1saIes and n,anteipleces the orna-
menfs nf 1zsTsze cIDsks and china vAses now
found theF< 0ur author. having shwon that
burning 9sssI sAxe us ffpm tie dangers al
huFying, = 13ss bis tnoatses by q careful
deseripIisn8 <le insurer q which % usuil
bls plan szeksinT = liltIe q beck one = insy
.'ilAn, n ...'.'. ..'<-
Jug ike fl:s septIsi seness al ihe IfDloo 6uru-1
ng, only half carried cut, or of Mr.. Trelaw-
ney's furnace for burning poor Shelley. lido
not remember, to have lately read anything
more CHASTITY and Fevolting than the entire
account of Sheiley's cremation. IL says much
cor Mr. Trelawuey's nerves, that be was able
to lo..k On at it; and IL was no wonder that Il
turned Byron sick and that Mr.. Leigh Hunt
kefk beyond the sight Of il. / intended to
have quJted the passage from Mr. Treiawpey's
hOlk, but really cannot venture % do %.
But it il right t0 say thai there were very good
reasons for resnrsihg to that melancholy mode
of dspnsing of the poets remains, and that
Mr.. Trvlawney did all he could to accomplish
the burning with efficiency and decency; though
the whole st,sry makes one feel the great
physi III difficulties that stand in the way of
carrying ont cremation successfully. The ad-
| vocate of furn-sepulture, however is quite aware
Lof this, and he proposes to use an apparatus
| by VIII tley ws'ud he entirely overcome. 1t
is only fair to let him speak for himself
and think the following passage will be
read with interest:
| '-On gentle eminence, surroastied by plea
| saut grounds, stands a convenient, we'll ven
tilatcd chapel, with high slire or steeple. AT
the entrance, where some Of the m"urners
might prefer tn take leave of the body, are
chambers for their accommodation. Within
1 the edifice are seats for those who follow the
remains to the last; there il alspan organ, and
a gallery for choristers. In the centre Of The
chapel, embellished with appropriate emblem.
and devices, is erectel shrine of marble
somewhat like those which cover the ashts
Of the great and mighty in our old cattle
,lrals, the openings being filed with prepared
plate glass. Within this-a sufficient spac. in
tcrvening-is an inner shrine, covered eitll
bright non-radiating metal, and within this
again is a covered sarcophagus Of tempered fire
clay, with one or more longitudinal slit neal
the top, extending It's whole length. As soor
as the boly is deposited therein, sheets Of flame
at an immensely high temperature rush
. through the long apertnres from end TO end
and acting IA combination of modified oxy'
hydrogen bsowpipe, with the reverbes;.tr,
J IuFnNce, utterly aud ccnspietely conssimS asss
dec,pinpose the blsdy IN an incredibly shor
space of time. Even the large quantity o
l -
heat, aud Is elements, instead Of retarding, aiC
colnbustiOn as is the case in fierce confiagra
tions. The gaseous products of combustion
. are conveyed away by flurs; and. means being
adopted 70 consume anything like smoke, al
. that is observed from the outside is occasional
~ quivering transparent ether fnating ava,
from the high steeple to mingle with the ut
moSphere.
At either end Of the sarcophagus is closely
fitting fire-prouf dhor, that fartheSt from tn,
, chapel entrance communicating with a cham
!; Der which projects into the chapel and adjn
the end Of the shrine. Here are the attendant
who, unseen, conduct the operation. t.,
dotF at the other end Of the sarcophagus, viii
a corresponding opening in the inner and out
er shrine, is exactly opposite slab Of mar
. BILE on which the coffin is deposited wheI
brought into the chapel The funeral servic,
then commences according IN any form de
cided On. At an appointed signal the enc
Of the coffin, which is placed jus: Within tn
opening in the shrine, is removed, and th,
bOiy il drawn rapidly but gently and with
. out exposure Into the sarcophagus; the side
of the coffin, constructed for the purpos,
collapse, and the wooden box is removed &
be burned elsewhere.
). Meantime the body in committed to d.,
flames to be consumed, and the words 'asbe.
tD ashes, dust 10 DUST may be sppropratcl,
used. The organ peals forth solemn strain
and hymn or requiem for the dead is sung
Ia = few minutes, or even seconds, and with
out any psrceptible noise or commotion, ai
is over, and nnlhing but few pounds ii
ounces of light ash remains. This il careful
ly collected by the attendants Of the adioin
ing chamber; door communicating with Oh,
chapel j. thrown open; and the relic, en-.
closed in vase Of glass or ether material, j,
brought In and placed before the n,ourner.
&, be finally enshrined i'm the funeral urn o.
marble, alabaster, stone, or metal"
i Speaking for myself, must say that
think il would cause q strange feeling II
most people to part at the chapel-dtor v:ti
the corpse Of que who hasi been very dear
and, after few minutes ofhorrible suspense
during which they should know that It was
burning in fierce furnace. b see the vessel
VI white ashes brought back, and be told
that Mere was all that was mortal OF che
departed friend. M doubt il may be weak
ness and prejudice. but think that few could
divess themselves ri the feeling Of sacrilegious
violence. Better Ear 30 lay the brother ur
SISTER. tensleriy as though still they felt, in
the last resting-place, 90 soft and trim. II
sOotbes us. IL it does no good to hem, and
the sad change which we know is sonn
70 follow i wrought only by the gentle hand
Of Nature. And only think Of Q man point
Ing to half-a-dozen vases on his unGntelpiece,
and as many more on his chedcnier, and zsy.
ing There the wicked cease from troubling,
and there the weary are az rest ls
No no; the thing will never dol