The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-01-12

frenzy. MorClHnrf NnOSf fdTui0ko au0
possessions were ~unboundcd. coidly ana
willingly renounccd their earthly goodA
They carried their treasures to monas-
teries and churches n laid them at tn
foot OF the altar; but gold had no charms
for tho monks. for 1t brought the0
death. They shut their gates; yet. sim
II was cast TO them over the convent
walls. People would brook no impedient
10 tho last plous work TO which they wero
driven by despair. When the plague
ceased men thought they were still wan
dering among the dad. so appalling was
the livid aspect OF the survivors. I'm con-
sequence OF tho anxiety they had under
gone. and the unavoidable Infection or
the air. Many other cities probably pre-
scented a similar appearance. and II ~
a%scertaincd that n great number OF smau
country towns and villages. which have
been estimated. and not too highly. at
10000, were bereft OF all their inhabi-
tants.
I'm many places IN France not moro
than two out of twenty OF the tnhahl-
tants were left alive. and tho capital felt
the fury OF the plague. alike In the pal
ace and the cot. Two Queens. one Bish-
OF. and great numbers Of other distin-
gulshed persons fell a sacrifice to IL.
and more than 800 a day died In tho Hotel
Dieu. under the faithful care OF the rcli-
gious women. whose disinterested cour-
age. in this age OF horror. displayed the
most beautiful traits OF human virtue.
For although they lost their lives. evil
IDENTIFY from contagion. and their num-
bers were several times renewed, there
was still no want OF fresh candidates.
who. strangers 10 the un-Chrtstian fear
Of death. piously devoted themselves 10
their holy calling.
THE churchyards were soon unable 10
contain the dead, and many houses, left
without inhabitants. fell 10 ruins. lie
Avignon. the Pope found II necessary TO
consecrate the Rhone. that bodies might
lie thrown into the river without delay.
as the c~hurchyards would no longer hold
them: so likewise I'm all populous cities.
extraordinary measures were adopted
I'm order TO speedily dispose OF the dead.
In Vienna. where for some time l2o IN
hahitants died daily. the interment or
corpses in the churchyard and within the
churches was forthwith prohibited, n
the dead were then arranged In layers. by
thousands. in six large pits outside tho
city. as had already been done In caro-
and Paris. Yet. still many were secretly
buried. for AZ all times the people are at
tachod 10 the consecrated cemeteries OF
their dead. and will not renounce tho
customary mode Of intcrment. In many
places IL was rumored that plague pa
tionts were buried alive. as may some
times happen through scnseless alarm
and indoscent tates. and b u the nor
ror OF the distressed people was every
where Increased. In Erfurt. after the
churchman's were filled, l2'~H cotps's
were thrown into eleven great PITS, ana
the Ike might. more or less exactly 20
stated with respect TO all the lars'r
cities. Funeral ceremonies, the last con-
- A.. .trptftnTE WnFp fNplN-
where impracticable.
ON all Germany. according 10 n prom
able calculation. there seems 10 hANo
died only l24i43t Inhabitants. This coun-
fry. however. was more spared thaii
others. Italy, on the contrary. was
most severely visited. II is said 10 have
lost half its inhabitants: and this ac-
count is rendered credible from the I'M
mense loss OF individual cities and pro-
vinccs. for I'm Sardinia and Corsica. ac-
cording to the account OF the distih-
cuished Florontine. John Ni'ani. VINO
was himself carried or by the Black
Plague. scarcely more than a third part
OF the population remained alive, ana IL
is related OF tho Nenotians that they en-
gagged ships at n high rate 10 retreat 10
the islands. so that after the plague mad
carried of threc-fourths Of her inhabi-
tants. that proud city was lett forlorf'
and dosolate.'
Two-thirds Of the population OF Padua
were missing at the cessation OF tho
Plague. says tho same authority ana III
Florence the publishing Of the mortality
figures, and the tolling OF bells AT iu-
nerals were prohibited. so that those
yet alive might not be driven TO despair.
Nine-tenths OF the population or EnE-
land were said 10 have gerished-an es-
innate which. although mnniicsuy 100
high. none the less indicates tho unpar-
allellcd mortality. 4 single burial-ground
I'm London contained $1,000 bodies, ar
ranged i'm layers i'm large pits. Scot
land WAS free from the Black Death
until the Scots awaited themselves OF
the misfortune Of the English 90 make
an invasion OF their territory. The scot
fish army was almost destroyed by the
plague and the sword. and the survivors
spread the pestilcnce throughout the rest
q. the country.
The cold of Greenland failed 70 OK
ompt il from tho Black Death. and tho
pestilence made mp for its tardy a9-
pearance in Russia boy being unusually
destructive.
Or. Hecker thinks the death of "a fourth
part of the population 90 be n moderate
estimate for the entire continent OF En-
rope. He estimates the population NJ
one hundred million, so that Europe
lost through the Black Death twenty
five million inhabitants.
The pestilouce was followed hy remark
able |focundity in women marriages were
almost without exception prolilc, ana
double and treble births were frequent.