Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1860-05-04
THE GAZETTE.
SUMPTUOUS FOLLY.
FRIDAY MORNING, MAY 4, 1860.

4 wealthy lady died the other day in Phil
alelphia. 1t was determined that although
she departed from life like other people, yet
she should be buried in style far above the
vulgar prevalent one. So the coihn IN winch
her remains were encased was OF more than
ordinary magnifcence, being decorated with
handles Of pure gold. and powdered with
screw-caps of the same metal We are told
by the public journals that the sum OF SoOO
were expended in these and other ostenta-
tjous ornaments of the coffin, and the Phlla-
delpbians are consequently blest with
tomb that NAV vie with the Huacds OF Chaf1-
oui which a little time since attracted such
an admiring crowd of gold diggers.
Now, to our plebeian view, this wastetul
expenditure of money upon the lifeless body,
even Of an opulent old lady, is in wretched
taste. We never did and never can enter
tain the opinion that the dead rest any better
in iewelled cases or costly shrouds than they
would do if shrived and cothned in palmer
way. We think that inasmuch as after death
the flesh becomes food for worms, it should
not, in its descent to the grave be overload
ed with the pompous appendages OF worldly
vanity. The bones of the peasant are just
as we'll off under the sod which covers them,
as the bones of the millionaire In either
case a decent interment is all that is requlr-
ed. We object not to q moderate addition to
funeral expenses, in cases where 1t can be
afforded, because it gives reasonable gratlhca-
ton to relatives and friends. What we OBJ
iect to, is an excessive indulgence of extrava-
gance on such occasions which savors more
Of pageantry than sorrow There is no less
reason for using coffin of solid gold, If
the wealth Of the deceased Will admit of 50
priucely an outlay, than for ornamenting 1t
with golden handles, nails and inscription
plates. But is it not the supreme OF fol-
" thus to bury treasure which, whilst 1t can
not possibly profit the dead, could be made
vastly serviceable to the living? How much
human suffering might have been relieved
by the gold which was wasted on the phlla,
de,phia conn of which we are speaking !!
How much worldly good might it have done
ii it had been devoted to living and appro-
pirate uses
We might urge many arguments against
the practise of the rich, Of :avish!ng money IN
Superduous ways upon funerals. We can
make the most liberal allowances for the feel
ings which prompt the relatives and friends
OF deceased persons, to pay honors to the
mortal remains of the latter. 1t is an ama-
bic weakness thus to give way to the pres
sure of grief, even to On extent beyond tue
proper limits But still we contend that the
excuses we are condemnins ought to be
avoided, because they arc of no kind OF ben
eft
We recollect once seeing in the vault IN the
Congressional Burying Grounds, the coffin OF
az American Commodore. who had died u
lew months before. TWAS embelliShed with
about $500 worth Of silver appendages, which
attracted the eyes OF the curious. AS we
looked at these costly adornmentS, and then
Mt the face of the dead, which was visible
through glass and contemplated the paie
dccayjng features, that would never again
on earth be lighted up by smiles, or shadow
ed over by frowus, we could but regard the
silver gewgaws without, as in revolving con-
trast to the CHASTITY spectacle within that
sepulchral box We turned from the vault
with any other impressions than those arr
sing from the associations incident TO such
place Petersburg Erp.