Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1859-08-26
HAGE = DELL .
euncoRArzNc TEE GRAVE.

There is n kind of pafhos touching tender.
ness Of expression in these sweet and fIaerant
er1blems of affection, which is calculated to
perpetuate a kind of soothing sympathy be-
tween the living and the dead. They speak OF
cords of life too strong for even the grave to
break ass1Bder. The practice, no doubt, gave
rise to the ancient custom which prevailed in
the East of burying in gardens, and is one
which conduees to the gratifcatioa of the best
feelings of our nature 1t prevailed generally
in and about the Holy City, and also among
the Medes, Persians, Greeks and Romans
The Persians adopted it from the Medes, the
Grecians from the Persians. In Rome, persons
of distinction were buried in gardens or fields
near the public roads. Their monuments were
decorated with chaplets and balms, and gar
lands of Gov ers. The tomb of Achilles was
decorated with amaranth the urn of Philo-
poem was covered with chaplets; The grave of
Sophocels with roses and ivy ;-liies, violets
and roses. were placed IN the graves of
husbands and wives--whitc roses on the graves
of unmarried females. IN Java the Inhabitants
scatter flowers over the bodies of their friends ;
in China, the custom of planting flowers on
the graves of their friends is of a very ancient
GATE, ana Sfta prevails
Il. Trivoli the tohiiss are decorated with
garlands of roses of Arabia, jasmine, and or
ange and myrtle flowers. In Schwytz vii
iage in Switzerland, there is a israutiful little
church in which almost every grave is covered
with pinks. In the elegant church yard in
Wirfn, in the valley of Salza in Germany, the
graves are covered with oblong boxes. which
are planted with perennial shrubs, or so dres-
sed on ffe days. Suspended from the orna-
ments of recent graves are little vases filed
with water, in which the flowers preserved
fresh Children are often seen thus dressing
the graves of their mothers and mothers
wreatisiag garlsnds fer their children. A late
Traveller, on going early in the morning into
one of the grave-yards in the village of Wirfn,
Saw six or seven persons decorating the graves
of their friends, and Of some who had been
buried twen ty years. This custom also pre-
walls in Scotland and in North and South
Wales. An epitaph there says
g The village maiden to her grave shall bring
The fragrant garland, each returning spring.
rs Who underneath this iG.ii"wed ti:rf Is laid"
In Wales, children have snow-drops, prim-
roses, riolets. hazel bloom, and swallow bios
CONS on their graves. Persons of mature
years hare tanzy, box, ivy and rue. In South
Wales, no flowers or erergrecns are permitted
to be planted on graves but those which are
sweet scented. Pinks, polyanthus, sweet-wil-
liams, gilly flowers carnations, n,ignonette
thyme, hyssop, eamomile and rosemary, are
used Iaaua iiie lizaait
In Capul, burying grounds are held in vene-
ration, and were called cities Of tie silent. The
Jews called them houses Of the dead The
Egyptians visited the graves of their friends
twice week, and strewed sweet basil on theu
and do to this day.
aa1i While the custom of decorating graves ant
grave-yards with flowers and ornamental tree:
and shrubs has prevailed so long and extea
sixely among ancient and civilized nations
some of the American aboriginals will not per
init weed or blade of grass, nor any Other
vegetable to grow upon the grave of thei
friends.