Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-04-26
OUR LONDON LETTER.
HHATCHINGS, DISPATCHINGS AND
MATCHINGS."
Law and Rites Concerning Young
Children-F'uneraI Customs
and Expenses-Etc.
LoNpoN. March d. 1884.

HatcnlngSj hdtcHluSS anu DiSpdtCI-
ings" are what the wags call them, but
the prosaic headings under which these
events are announced in the newspapers
are d" Births, Deaths and Marriages" In
the London press the shortest notice under
either of these heads costs 81 %, but in
most of the provincial papers they are
published gratis To advertise an increase
in the family is as common over here as to
announce occurrences of the other two
classes, the number of notices under the
three heads seeming to the casual news
paper reader to run about parallel with
each other. Still here, as amongst us, it is
only the few who rush into print in either
event. London has an average of 1900
births week, and the number of deaths is
not much less. OF each class the average
number advertised would probably be
about 800 Throughout the whole country
every birth must be registered within six
weeks, neglect to attend to this matter in
yolving the parent in serious penalties.
At the end of three months the law again
steps in and compels the parents or guard
ians to have the child vaccinated. Failure
to comply with this requirement entails
fine, and those who refuse to pay the fine,
and remain contumacious, are sent to
prison. A small but very respectable mi
noritv are opposed to this law, and by agi-
tation and other means are seeking its re-
peal. In the hope of arousing public SYM
pathy. not a few of these have allowed
II l. al
seems they are treated with no more con-
sideration than the most abandoned Grim
inals. Thus far, however, there are no
signs of weakening in regard to this COM
pulsory vaccination law on the part of
either Parliament or the general public.
GRATITUDE AND CHRISTENING.
The English mother, when able to leave
home, goes at once to some place of worship
to be "churched," as it is called; that is,
to have the minister publicly return
thanks for the providence extended to her
in the hour of peril. This custom is all
but universal both among dissenters and
church people There is indeed a preva-
lent superstition that if the woman went
into any other house before having made
this acknowledgment in the sanctuary, i'll
The next religious rite is baptism, observed
without exception by those adhering to
the Established Church. and almost as
generally by dissenters, if We exclude from
the reckoning the few sects who believe
only in adult baptism. The child seldom
goes beyond three months without having
been christened. After the service at the
church or chapel, the near relatives and
friends partake of tea, and enjoy together
what is known here as a christening
party" The tea, to be of the proper
strength for such occasions must have in
it a considerable admixture of rum, and
usually, later in the evening, the beer and
wine flow freely. | may add, for the in
formation of feminine readers, that the
English babies are shortened" at three
months, and that afterwards their dresses,
in both summer and winter are low in the
neck and have short sleeves this arrange
ment, together with the short sacks they
wear, causing an exposure of their tender
forms, which looks very odd to American
ewes, and which, in the American climate,
could not fail to be detrimental to the
health and comfort of the little ones. But
those who are judges of infantile beauty
say that the children look very pretty in
this style of dress.
ENGLISH FUNERAL CUSTOMS.
From the cradle to the grave is said to
be only a short step, and | will ask the
reader to kindly take this step-in mag
ination, that is-and note with me few
things in regard to the way in which fu-
nerals are carried on here. The remains
are kept sometimes as long as two weeks,
but taking the country through the aver
age space intervening between death and
interment is about one week. The under
taker is generally called the funeral di-
rector. | am glad TO observe that there is
no general practice here of preaching ser
mons or making addresses at funerals
The extra work this custom entails upon
American clergymen is exceedingly bur
densome. Moreover, it places great tempt
alton to dishonesty in the way of this
worthy class. 1t IS always expected that
the minister viii say something Of the life
and character of the departed. If the
whole truth were told the remarks at
many funerals would be anything but COM
plimentary to the dead or comforting to
the living. Usually, however, only the
good traits are alluded TO- the bad ones
being CLOSED over by silence. This course
is not good for either preachers or hear
ers, and no doubt, if a fair canvass of their
views could be had, the clergy of the
United States would vote by a large ma
jority to
DISPENSED WITH FUNERAL CREATIONS
Altogether Here, except in the very
rarest cases, as when the individual has
been particularly prominent in political,
religious or philanthropic circles, the Of
floating clergyman does nothing more
than simply offer prayer and read the
burial service In the country villages
of England the usual place of sepulchre is
the graveyard attached to the parish
church Formerly the dissenting minister
was excluded from this burying-ground,
all interments having to be performed by
the parish clergyman. A recent Act of
Parliament has corrected this injustice,
and now the minister aforesaid can bury
the dead of his own flock in his own way,
none daring to make him afraid. The
towns and cities have their large Gene
teries, much as we have, but the spirit of
religious exclusiveness shows itself in these
places in a manner anything but creditable
TO the cause of Christian charity. They
are divided usually INTO three sections.
The established church of the Roman
Catholics bury their dead in portions that
have been consecrated according to the
church rites. Another section, which is
unconsecrated, is for the exclusive use of
non-conformists and dissenters A suicide
Is never inferred in consecrated ground,
and the sense of adherence at this crime
is further marked by the omission of the
burial service. Funerals in England are
often made
OCCASIONS OF FEAsrING AND REvELRY.
A working man observed in my hearing
the other day that he had many time
had more fun at funerals than at we'd
dings." What do you mean by fun ?"
asked "Oh, a feed and fuddle, was the
reply in other words, plenty to eat and
drink. The custom of providing feast,
and of treating the bearers to beer and