BURYING IN CHURCHES CENSURED. 409 the other to Sir Paul Ricaut, who, according to his epitaph, had a connexion with an embassy to Mahommed the Fourth, of Constantinople, in the reign of Charles the Second, and had travelled into various parts of the world, Upon the floor were two very ancient figures of brass, worked into the grave-stone of John Cosington, Esq. and Sarah his wife, 1416. They were so worn by the feet, that the principal lineaments were nearly obliterated. Underneath (the woman told us) were large vaults, full of coffins of recent date, the original inhabitants having long ago been converted into their native dust! To the roof were suspended flags, helmets, gloves, swords, and other trophies of war, in curious variety. Upon my asking the woman, to whom they belonged, she replied, she could not tell; and added, "Nor can any body tell, Sir, with certainty; some say one thing, others say the contrary!" This reply of the good country-woman is an epitome of most of our laborious researches into remote antiquity. Burying the dead in churches has been long practised, and is in some places continued to the present day. It is, however, now, I believe, pretty generally reprobated. The pious James Hervey commends the practice in a note to his Meditations among the Tombs. But it certainly would be better abandoned. No good effects can accrue from it, and evil consequences may be apprehended. Where so many persons meet every Sabbath under one roof, the air cannot be kept too pure for respiration. The Romans buried by the way T side; and hence the expressions, SISTE, VIATOR STOP, TRAVELLER-which are absurdly placed on some stones in modern church-yards. Indeed, all cemeteries should be secluded spots, remote from towns; this would be more favourable to the health of the living, and its solemnity would better suit the mysterious state of the dead! Bunhill Fields, that immense burying-ground in London, was, at the time of its opening, the year after the Plague, 1666, then at some distance from the city; the church-yards were so full, that some other place became necessary for the reception of the dead. And at PARIS the Catacombs are an immense repository of skulls and bones, gathered from its church-yards, to prevent infection and make room for others. The Jews dreaded contamination from a dead body; and CHRISTIANS should be careful to deposit their dead where they least incommode the living, and where they may rest in peace. But-what is THIS WORLD? What but a spacious Burial Field, unwall'd, And we that live must lend our carcasses To cover our own offspring-in their turns Men of all climes, that never met before, And of all creeds-the JEW, the TURK, the CHRISTIAN! BLAIR. IGNORANCE OF A COUNTRY LAD. 411 He Leaving THE CHURCH, we rambled into a shady lane, which brought us to the entrance of a farm-yard. Here stood A BOY, about thirteen years of age, with a round frock, gazing at us in listless idleness. was a decent looking lad, and had the appearance of great simplicity. He told me, upon my asking him who he was, that he was a poor man's son. I questioned him whether he went to school, and could read. He said, No. "Are you not sorry," said I, " that you cannot read?" He replied, "No; but Brother Tom and Jack can read a little." I told him it was a sad thing he could not read the Bible. He said, "I do not think so." I then added, 66 THE BIBLE was the best of Books; for it told him of God and Christ, of Heaven and Hell!" He answered, "I don't care for the Devil!" "Do you know what the Devil will do to you?" said I. "Burn me, I suppose," the Boy replied; "but I don't care for that, for he won't have me till I'm dead!" But you have a soul," said I; "and do you know what that is?" My body, I reckon," was his reply; and off he ran in an instant. This may be pronounced a gross instance of ignorance, indeed the grossest I ever met with in this enlightened and Christian country. My mind was instantly struck with the utility of the Lancasterian system of education, which is so happily calculated to realize the benevolent wish of his Majesty, that every one of his subjects should be able to read his Bible! The greatest encouragement should be given to these schools by every class of the community. The pious 66 412 UTILITY OF SCHOOLS FOR ALL. and generous mind must rejoice to think that this royal road to Knowledge-being the most easy of all methods for acquiring the elementary parts of Learning-should be so widely extending itself throughout the United Kingdom : All hail! benignant name, SWEET CHARITY! So prompt to pity-eager to supply- Friend of the World, and Parent of Mankind! It is a pleasing trait in the present age, that the education of the Poor has received so much attention, particularly from the higher ranks. For their exertions in this good cause, the Dukes of Kent and of Sussex deserve the best thanks of the public:-in my eye, the Star that decorates their persons, shines with a more vivid lustre on these occasions! It is not silver and gold, and precious stones, that impart a value to the character of men; but silver and gold, and precious stones, should be merely the outward indication of the interior worth by which the Man is distinguished. It ought to be the ambition of us all to leave the world better than we found it. And in what way can we better render our fellow-creatures a service than by instructing the ignorant? Error is of evil growth, and pernicious consequence. Blindness can be a recommendation to no man. He who knows his duty best will be most likely best to discharge it. And Churchmen and Dissenters do well by emulating each other in this divine cause. Evil deeds shun the light; whilst KNOWLEDGE, in all its branches, is IGNORANCE A MONSTER. 413 favourable to the spread of Virtue and to the increase of Piety. Ignorance is the hydra-headed monster threatening with destruction every civilized community. 66 We returned back, and descending a flight of broken stairs, seated ourselves in the BOAT, when we partook, with no small relish, of our cold collation. Then, re-ascending, we entered a small parlour of a public-house, where we had some excellent porter, by which, in addition to our repast, we were all much refreshed. The room was hung round with the usual homely embellishments, so well delineated by Goldsmith, in his Deserted Village. We particularly recognised" the ticking clock and the sanded floor." Finding we had still an hour to wait, I called for pen, ink and paper, and scratched down the above account, when, upon writing the last line which filled my paper, the man cried out, Sir, the tide is turned!" We instantly mustered, and descending our miserable stairs for the last time, ranked ourselves in our little aquatic vehicle and pushed off. The tide, by the aid of gentle rowing, bore us along with a pleasant rapidity. We met several barges, in succession, laden with lime-stone, timber, &c. A man with a pole at the head and another inan managing the helm, is the whole wanted to guide this heavy craft, perilously sunk down to the water's edge, and thus kept steady by its own tremendous gravity! We passed a good, but very ancient Mansion, on the right, close to the river, with gardens in front and buildings behind, which imparted to the whole an appearance of con |