, 1880-02-22

buried deep in the earth cannot afford much
to the surface soil, and that. rs a
matter Of fact, many of these bodies remain
even after fifty years i'll state of 'unpro-
eressive putrefaction.' This is the testimony
of Seymour Haden, whose searching and
extensive Investigations in English cemeteries
hovc made him authority upon this matter
But quite aside from this It must be owned
that Dr. Richardson has little reason to fear
that the world OF vege1ation can suffer any
for many years to come. The truth is, the
Sentiments which cluster around the ordinary
methods Of burial are tender and sacred, al
though they must be-. as Mr.. Haden justly
calls them, 'unreasonmg and we cannot
expect the world to escape from them all at
And vet it may not be impossible in time
that ttis new method, not Of burning the
body, but Of reducing it to ashes by the sci
entific application Of intense heat, may COM
mend itself to the ana thep a1a to the
bone at last the prevalent method among all
classes of society. We have reason to be-
lieve that within the year 1850 a crematory
will be erected in New York or its vicinity,
and il it. should BE- or Ss Mt nh,;a Su u
become familiar with the process, it may be
found that much Of the opposition which it
now encounters is tzaceable to ign orance Of
its real nature.
'.The fact is, as we are assured BY compe-
painful about the process from first to last.
No 0ne can help the instructive shrinking
from anything associated with the thought
of burning; but that need not remain If the
process is found In fact to Leave none Of the
tie imagination. And this, we are told, will
he tha case. There is nothing revolving about
It. The most refined tastes and the most
delicate sensibilities are not offended. On
the contrary, one who mas witnessed it says
concerned, it is in every way preferable to
The ordinary methods Of sepulture. This
Christian gentleman affirms that after wit
Messing the entire operation lie would much
rather see his dearest friend cremated than
buried either, in a grave or tomb. 1t is not
so distressing to the sensibilities. In fact, it
is not distressing at all. It is hesays, like
laying your friend rohed in white upon bed
'sThis may seem a, little extrayagant to
those who are accustomed to connect the
thought of flames or Goals or smoke with the
process of incineration. But we must bear
In mind that witnesses have repeatedly EN-
phasized the fact that there is nothing like
these in cremation. To be sure there is fire
beneath the apartment IN ny The tne ooay
in contact with the remains.
stThe process, briefly described, Is this: A
furnace fire is built and kept burning for
twenty or thirty hours before the cremation
is to take place. Immediately above this fire
is placed in a horizontal position cylinder
Of clay called the incinerator, three feet in
diameter BY seven feet long. This fire-clay
incinerator admits the Intense heat of the fire
below, but not the flames. The consequence
is that the body, when placed i'll the incinera-
burned. bur &C II is reduced to ashes by tie chem
ical application of intense heat Gases arc
driven off or absorbed, and, being carried
down into the fire from the inclnerator and
led back and forth twenty-five feet through
its flames, are utterly consumed. Even the
smoke Of the fire is consumed, and nothing
can be seen issuing from the chimney but the
ouiyer OF the heat. The process might be
called without offense the capitalization Of
the body, the Generalization or sublimatlon OF
its material parts.
AWhen the incinerator has been raised to
white heat it is ready for the reception OF the
remains. As the cover Is removed from It's
mouth, the in rushing air cools It from a
white to red heat, and the whole inner SUI
face is filled Win 2eaundul Pea f9sg g nEnlS ;le
the blush of dawn upon the sky, or like the
exouisit tints which sometimes flicker along
the Aurora Borealis. There is nothing re-
pulsive about it, and nothing, as has been
said, to suggest the idea OF lire except the
intense heat.
sThe body decently clad fol. burial, and
tenderly laid in the crib provided for the pur-
pose, is wholly covered with q clean white
Sheet, which has been dipped in solution OF
alum. The effect of this is entirely, to pre-,
vent smoke or fumes or flame, which would
otherwise arise from putting anything u N. !.
flammable into the midst Of such heat: But
under its protection even the extraordinary
heat Of the incinerator does not produce upon
the body the appearance OF scorcnng, or
smoking, or anything OF the sort. There is
no such impression as that Of burning: made
upon the eye. The sheet, saturated with
alum, retains its original position oyer tne
crib, and conceals the entire form unit! MOTH
ing but the bones are left; and when tne :f3 eJe
m 1i5 the 9ess rosy ght Of III cylinder it sees moth
ing but these bones gently crumbling away
into dust under the mystic touch Of an IN
visible agent whose only appearance to ne
eve is like the trenlor Of the Northern Lights
in~he sky, Or, more exactly the radiation Of o.
You have laid white-robed form within
the rosy cylinder, and have turned away TO
think With gratitude that all is well. You
have let your imagination dweA @ ltov1ingiy t,1aa
may be left beside the calcined bones. most
pure and clean, has gone to mingle with the
upper air and dwell with sunshine, birds,
and flowers. The darkness and the dampness
Of the e2t h have been sSfaped e Sc as
Of a possible dissecting-room, and the name
less horrors of putrefaction. You have pleas,
ant memories to cherish Of the last SAD
hour which, instead Of 'breathless DARK
and the nar1ow hons 3na cnn Ing area re
sents to the mind lovely bed Of rosy light,
and a peaceful form clad in virgin purity
resting within its soft embrace. 1t lily had
hee11 laid upon a bed Of plnks or roses in the
simmer, % and you had seen its fragrance and
o11 i, la amid thR G1in1TNcTt1p