Cremation of the Dead

It is impossible to prophesy in what direction the taste of the future may wander as regards the shape of cinerary vessels, but there can be no doubt whatever that in many instances they will assume a distinctly ecclesiastical character. The classic patterns of vases and urns would be in excellent keeping with the architecture of churches built after Greek and Roman models; whilst they might appear otherwise if exposed to view in the niches of the walls of a Gothic fane. But it may fairly be predicted that the architectural style of the church will have to bow to the varying tastes of the worshippers, and just as we see in Westminster Abbey – that beautiful example of the Early Pointed style – the utmost diversity of taste in the monuments which cluster upon its walls, so the walls and vaults of our churches must necessarily accommodate every type of fancy whenever cremation resumes its sway. Cinerary vessels, in accordance with revived mediæval taste, will probably predominate. Some, it may be, will even assume the shapes of ancient reliquaries.213 There is no reason why these vessels should not vary, in material and design, with the taste or means of the relatives. Glass, precious metals, and even gems, might with propriety be introduced. Urns of gold and silver were not uncommon in ancient times, and are even yet used in Siam.

With reference to the material of which cinerary urns were formerly made, pottery was chiefly chosen on account of the facility of manufacture, but they were frequently constructed of marble, alabaster, and glass. Perhaps the most beautiful cinerary urn in the world was the Barberini or Portland vase, now in the British Museum, and which contained the ashes of the Emperor Alexander Severus. It was made of blue glass upon which a coating of white glass was overlaid, and the latter cut cameo fashion into a number of emblematical figures. Glass was frequently adopted in Italy for cinerary urns, and will probably be the favourite material once more.

Besides the placing of the ashes of the dead in urns, use was frequently made of small stone sarcophagi, and these latter are found in several of the ancient Greek burial-grounds in Anatolia. This will possibly be the form adopted in the future, should an interment of the ashes be chosen in preference to their ennichement. But this is not to say that urns are not equally suitable for laying in the earth if constructed with that view. Probably both forms of containing vessels will be patronised, just as was the case in olden times. In ancient Dardanus stone sarcophagi are commonly found, whilst at Batak, nearer the supposed site of Troy, urns only were discoverable; and yet the ornaments upon the smaller articles of pottery, found in both sarcophagi and urns, were identical in pattern, as far as I can recollect.214

The cinerary urns of the Romans were for the most part at one time placed in underground vaults, the walls of which were pierced with arched recesses for their reception, and, from the resemblance of the numerous niches to a collection of pigeon-holes, the place was called a columbarium. Two fine columbaria can be seen at Rome, one in the Vigna Codini and another in the Villa Doria. Should this system of storing away the cinerary urns be adopted in our churches, the crypts would for the most part resemble the sketch given in Plate VI., which is an enlargement and rearrangement of the columbarium given in Westropp's 'Handbook of Archæology.' There can be no doubt that this will prove the most popular method of disposing of the urns in modern cities where cremation is about to be practised. The catacombs in our cemeteries, or what pass as such, will also admirably enshrine the urns. It is not at all unlikely that in some instances the walls of the churches themselves will in future be constructed so as to receive the remains, and bear some sort of resemblance to the famous church at Cologne where the osteological relics are placed around the fane.215 But in the case of urn sepulture the appearance would be far more æsthetical. In all probability the wall spaces would be apportioned out into family receptacles, and the orifices closed with suitable metal gratings ornamentally treated. I have furnished an imaginary view of this kind of treatment at the upper part of Plate VI.

My task is now completed; but before I lay down the pen I would say to those who are desirous of promoting the cause of cremation, Do so, within due bounds, fearlessly. Do not believe that the practice is in any way opposed to religion, for such a belief has no anchorage in truth. And in order to practically bring nearer to us the time when our much-enduring mother earth shall no longer be systematically poisoned, all those who are favourable to the institution of cremation should forthwith put into writing their desire that their remains shall not be buried, but shall be consumed according to the method of cremation best attainable.

If every individual promoter, male or female, of fifteen years old and upwards – without reference to the possession of property in any way – would, in view of the uncertainty of life, place such a request in his or her writing-desk, cremation would speedily prevail. The change from burial will otherwise be a protracted one, since few persons have enough strength of mind to run counter to the general custom, fearing the indignation of other relatives of the deceased. The weakest persons, however, have still a greater repugnance to doing anything contrary to the expressed wishes of the dead. If, therefore, such a wish can be exhibited, it will not only, as a rule, be religiously complied with, but all friends, whatever their own opinions, will be amply satisfied.216

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF CREMATION

Sir Thomas Browne —Hydriotaphia, or Urn-Burial. 1658.

Dr. J. Jamieson —Origin of Cremation. Proc. R. S. of Ed., 1817.

Grimm —Ueber das Verbrennen der Leichen. Berlin Acad. Sc., 1849.

Dr. J. P. Trusen —Die Leichenverbrennung. Breslau, 1855.

Hermann Richter – Article in the Gartenlaube, No. 49. 1856.

Member of the Royal College of Surgeons (C. Cobbe) —Burning the Dead, or Urn-sepulture Religiously, Socially, and Generally considered. 1857.

Col. T. Martin —Specification of a Cinerator, for use of Brahmins and other Hindoo Castes, &c. Poonah, 1864.

Professor Coletti —Memoria sulla Incinerazione dei Cadaveri. 'Memoria letta all' Accademia di Scienze e Lettere di Padova,' January 11, 1857. Reproduced in the Gazetta Medica Prov. Venete, 1866.

Dr. J. P. Trusen —Denkschrift zur Leichenverbrennung. Namslau, 1860.

Dr. Giro – 'Sull' Incinerazione dei Cadaveri.' Padova: Gazetta Medica Prov. Venete. 1866.

The Rev. A. K. H. B. —Recreations of a Country Parson. 2nd Series. 'Essay concerning Churchyards.' London, 1866.

Dr. Du Jardin – 'Studii e Proposte sulla Cremazione.' La Salute. Genoa, 1867.

Lieball —Der Welt Verderben durch Leichenbeerdigung und das neue Paradies durch Leichenverbrennung. München, 1868.

Professor Castiglioni —Sulla Cremazione dei Cadaveri. Firenze, 1870.

Dr. Du Jardin – 'La Guerra e le sue Vittime; l'Incinerazione ed il Seppellimento dei Cadaveri.' La Salute. 1870.

H. W. Hemsworth – 'Incremation by State Regulation.' Rectangular Review. October, 1870.

J. Lefort – 'Remarques sur l'Altération des Eaux de Puits par le Voisinage des Cimetières.' Bull. de l'Académie de Médecine, t. 36. 1871.

Professor Golfarelli —Discorso sullo stesso Argomento. Firenze, April 1871.

Professor Gorini —I Vulcani sperimentali. 1872.

Professor Polli —Sulla Incinerazione dei Cadaveri. Letta al Reale Instituto Lombardo. Reproduced in French by Dr. Janssens, in the Presse Médicale Belge.

Dr. G. Pini – 'La-Cremazione dei Cadaveri.' Gazetta di Milano of September 26 and 27, and December 29, 1872; also of November 17 and 23, 1873; also separate publication: same title. Milano, 1873.

Dr. Rota —L'Incinerazione dei Cadaveri è ammissibile? Chiari, 1872.

Dr. G. B. Ayr – 'La Cremazione e l'Igiene.' Annali di Chemica di Milano. December 1872 and January 1873.

Dr. A. Moretti – 'Nota Poetica.' Annali di Chemica. Milan, December 1872.

Dr. O. Grandesso-Silvestri – 'Sull' Incinerazione dei Cadaveri umani.' Annali di Medicina Pubblica, No. 29, 1872; and Gazetta Medica Prov. Venete. October 1872.

Dr. F. Valerani – Articles in the Opinione di Firenze, December 1872, and in the Emporio Pittoresco di Milano, No. 442. 1873. Reproduced in the Schweiz Grenzpost, January 18, 1873.

Professor Polizzi —Carme dedicato alla Signora Emilia Salsi. Girgente, 1873.

P. Fornari – 'Humatio vel crematio,' in the Journal La Guida del Maestro elementare Italiano. Torino, March 1873.

Dr. J. E. Neild —On the Advantages of Burning the Dead. Melbourne, 1873.

Professor E. A. Parkes —Practical Hygiene, Articles on Disposal of the Dead, &c. London, 1873.

Dr. C. Musatti – 'Intorno alla Incinerazione dei Cadaveri.' Giornale Veneto di Scienze Mediche. Venezia, February 1873. Also Gaz. Med. Prov. Ven. Padova, 1874.

Dr. F. Anelli – 'La Cremazione dei Cadaveri.' Ann. di Chim. Milano, April 1873.

Dr. O. Giacchi – 'La Cremazione dei Cadaveri.' Gazetta Medica-Lombardia. Milano, 1873.

Professor Brunetti —La Cremazione dei Cadaveri. Padova, 1873. Also in L'Opinione. March 11, 1874.

An Article, entitled 'Brûlez les Corps et ne les ensevelissez pas,' in the Gazette de Bruxelles. March 30, 1873.

Dr. De Pietra Santa – 'La Crémation des Morts en Italie.' Union Médicale, September 1873. Afterwards published separately.

Professor Amato Amati – 'Sulla Cremazione dei Cadaveri.' Annali di Chimica. Milano, October 1873.

Dr. Caffe – Numerous Articles in his Journal des Connaissances Médicales. Paris, 1873 &c.

Articles on 'Beerdigung und Verbrennung der Leichen,' in the Volksblatt des Bezirkes. Zürich, October 25, 28, and 30, 1873.

Professor Zinno – 'Sulla Inumazione, Imbalsamazione e Cremazione dei Cadaveri,' in Piria: Giornale di Chimica. June 30, July 13 and 15, and August 15, 1873. 'Ancora sulla Cremazione dei Cadaveri,' in Piria. Palermo, October 1873.

Professor Gorini —La Conservazione della Salma di Mazzini, p. 45. Genova, 1873.

Article in L'Osservatore Cattolico Milano. 1873.

Sir Henry Thompson – 'Our Treatment of the Dead.' Contemporary Review. January 1874. 'Cremation,' March 1874. Republished together under the title of Cremation: the Treatment of the Body after Death. 2nd ed. King and Co., London, 1874.

Cajo Peyrani – Article in Il Presente. Parma, 1874.

Dr. Carlo Foldi – 'La Cremazione,' in Il Sole. Milano, 1874.

Article on 'La Cremazione dei Cadaveri,' in Il Popolo Cattolico. Milano, 1874.

Vegmann-Ercolani —Bericht über die offentlichen Versammlungen zur Besprechung der Leichenverbrennungsfrage in Zürich. Zürich, 1874. Also Ueber Leichenverbrennung als rationellste Bestattungsart. 4th ed. Zürich, 1874.

M. A. Prins – Conference at Brussels; reported in an Article, 'La Crémation des Morts,' in L'Indépendance Belge. April 12, 1874.

Professor Reclam – Articles in the Allg. Augsburger Zeitung. March 6, 1874. 'Die Feuerbestattung,' in the Gartenlaube, No. 19. 1874. With drawing of furnace. The latter Article was reproduced, with the plate, in the Saturday Journal, September 1874.

Dr. F. Küchenmeister —Ueber Leichenverbrennung. Erlangen, 1874.

Professor Unger – Article in the Göttinger Anthropologischen Vereins, Part I. 1874.

Three Articles, 'Begraben oder Verbrennen,' in the Siesta. Frankfort, May 1874.

Articles on 'Cremation' in Iron. January 3 and June 13, 1874.

Professor P. Frazer. – 'The Merits of Cremation.' Penn Monthly, June 1874; Transatlantic, August 1874. Since printed separately.

A work entitled Brúlons nos Morts. La Crémation. Paris, 1874. Reviewed by M. F. Sarcey in the XIX. Siècle, June 5, 1874.

The Bishop of Lincoln —Sermon delivered at Westminster Abbey, July 5, 1874, and since published.

Feuilleton in L'Abeille Médicale, 'De la Crémation des Cadavres.' July 13, 1874.

Dr. A. Baginsky —Die Leichenverbrennung vom Standpunkt der Hygieine.

Dr. S. Bernstein —Ueber Pietät gegen die Todten. These two latter Papers were delivered before the Cremation Society of Berlin. Berlin, 1874.

Bernardino Biondelli —La Cremazione dei Cadaveri umani esaminata. Milano, 1874.

Dr. Felice dell' Acqua —La Cremazione dei Cadaveri. Milano, April 1874.

Dr. D. Pietra Santa —La Crémation des Morts en France et à l'Étranger.

Dr. Mantegazza – 'Cremazione dei Cadaveri,' in the Nuova Antologia. Firenze, September 1874.

Rev. H. R. Haweis —Ashes to Ashes. A Cremation Prelude. London, 1874.

1

The original proposer of this scheme was M. Rudler, who proposed it to Dr. Caffe, of Paris, in 1857.

2

Jamieson.

3

Ibid.

4

Herodotus.

5

Cicero.

6

Pliny.

7

Canon Greenwell.

8

Jamieson.

9

Cremation is not opposed to Jewish doctrines. – 'Jewish Chronicle,' April 10, 1874.

10

Frazer.

11

'Iliad.'

12

'On the Causes of some Epidemics.' Glasgow, 1874.

13

'The plague-pit,' says the 'Lancet' of September 16, 1854, 'is situated within the area bounded by Argyll Place, King Street, Tyler Street, Little Marlborough Street being directly over the pit.'

14

H. W. Hemsworth.

15

Rolleston.

16

Tertullian.

17

Jamieson.

18

'Lancet.'

19

St. A. St. John.

20

Rev. J. Edkins.

21

The Earl of Shaftesbury once remarked to an eminent promoter of the present cremation movement, with regard to this very prevalent and erroneous notion, that it was altogether unreasonable. 'What,' said he, 'would in such a case become of the blessed martyrs?'

22

'I presume that it has been shown beyond doubt that the material particles which make up our bodies are in a constant state of flux, the entire physical nature being changed every seven years; so that if all the particles which once entered into the structure of a man of fourscore were reassembled, they would suffice to make seven or eight bodies.' – Rev. A. K. H. B.

23

Dean Stanley.

24

Ibid.

25

I. O. in 'Church Review.'

26

Cremation has already been made the subject of verse upon the Continent. Dr. Moretti, of Cannero, in the 'Annali di Chimica,' 1872, has given to the world some excellent verses; and Professor Polizzi, in a poem published at Girgenti, 1873, and dedicated to the memory of Dr. Salsi, has also eloquently apostrophised the subject. Some two-and-twenty stanzas in the Milanese dialect were published in 1874, by Civelli of Milan. I have also seen some German verses, signed 'Dranmor,' and a short but charming poem in the same language by Justinius Kerner. It is a matter of regret that those of our own poets who have been in favour of burning the dead did not enshrine their proclivities in verse. Southey, for instance, wrote that the custom of interment 'makes the idea of a dead friend more unpleasant. We think of the grave, corruption, and worms: burning would be better.' But he left us no poetry on the subject.

27

It forms no part of my purpose to defend cremation against those who consider that its practice might lead to the commission of crime owing to the entire destruction of the body. This and other objections have been suitably dealt with in the work of Sir Henry Thompson.

28

Crawfurd.

29

See Plate VI.

30

'Building News,' April 18, 1874.

31

Or All Souls' day. Some most touching scenes are witnessed in continental cemeteries on this occasion, more particularly in France and North Germany.

32

Potter.

33

See Plate V.

34

Jamieson.

35

Mr. Hemsworth has suggested an apparatus for the purpose.

36

Dr. Parkes, 'Practical Hygiene,' 4th edit. 1874.

37

'J. Arch. Soc.' vol. xvi.

38

The commissioners sent to report upon the state of the English graveyards in the year 1872 found no less than 130 cemeteries occupied by our dead. Forty-five of them contained no monuments, and 65 only headstones of the commonest kind. The French had gathered together some 28,000 of their dead, and formed one large campo santo. The English commission reported that it would require 5,000l. to put the graveyards in seemly order, and an annual expenditure of some 200l. more. It appears that the graves have been frequently rifled by the Tartar peasantry in search of rings and other valuables. See 'Daily Telegraph,' Oct. 30, 1874.

39

'Iliad.'

40

Dr. Parkes.

41

Gamgee on the 'Cattle Plague.'

42

Frazer.

43

The last public utterance was made by Dr. Wheelhouse, of Leeds, in his address of October in the present year. He says: —

'Do we not shun, and that most wisely, the presence of those afflicted with infectious diseases so long as they remain amongst us; and yet, no sooner are they removed by death, than we are content, with tender sympathy indeed, and most loving care it is true (but with how much wisdom?), to lay them in the ground that they may slowly dissipate their terribly infectious gases through the soil, and saturating that, may thereby recharge the rains of heaven, as they filter through it, with all their virulence and terrible power of reproduction in the systems of the living. I am not the thorough and entire believer in the disinfecting and depurating power of the soil that I once was; for terrible examples of its failure have, in my judgment, come under my notice.

'Sir Henry Thompson has lately sounded a note of alarm on this subject; and though, for the present, it may fall upon ears unheeding or unsympathetic, I yet venture to think that, in time to come, his warning will be enforced by stern necessity, and that some better method of disposing of our dead will take the place of the burial so honoured and revered by us.'

44

Frazer.

45

Spondanus.

46

Frazer.

47

'Iron.'

48

Veritz.

49

Welch and Davis.

50

Dr. Parkes, in the chapter upon the Disposal of the Dead, in 'Practical Hygiene,' evidently leans to the opinion that burial in the sea might suit maritime nations.

51

Dr. von Steinbeis.

52

Mr. H. J. Hutchinson.

53

Buckland.

54

Frazer.

55

Lieut. Oliver.

56

Howarth.

57

This word conveys the meaning of burial in the actual earth better perhaps than any other.

58

Wylie.

59

Dr. Eatwell.

60

Lockhart.

61

By Mr. McCullum in 1873.

62

Rossellini.

63

By Professor Gennarelli.

64

See the body of Mrs. Van Butchell, embalmed by Dr. Hunter and Mr. Carpenter in 1775.

65

Walker.

66

What a majority this must be, if the human skeleton from the Florida Reef is rightly estimated by Agassiz at 10,000 years old, the Egyptian relics from the Limant Bay borings by Rosière at 30,000, the remains from the New Orleans forest by Dowler at 50,000 years, and if the human bones found at the Illinois river, at Natchez, at Calaveras, at Anguilla Island, and in the Ashley river, are correctly stated by Schmidt, Dickeson, Whitney, Rijgersma, Holmes, Lubbock, and others, as contemporaneous with the mammoth and mastodon!

67

Hutchinson.

68

Bradley.

69

Hutchinson.

70

St. John.

71

Dr. A. Campbell.

72

Tacitus.

73

Bogouschefsky.

74

Crawfurd, &c.

75

Feudge.

76

Elliot.

77

Major Godwin-Austen.

78

St. A. St. John.

79

Professor Le Conte.

80

Chapman.

81

Griffiths.

82

Vitruvius.

83

Dr. Oliver.

84

Herodotus.

85

Journal Anth. Inst.

86

St. A. St. John.

87

In ancient Greece, unteethed infants, suicides, and lightning-stricken people, were forbidden the privileges of cremation.

88

The first devised cinerator was that of Col. Thos. Martin, and in it any number of bodies could be calcined at a time, and still allow of a separate collection of the ashes. This cinerator was in the shape of a pentagon, to accommodate the various castes, and had a separate place allotted to the Brahmins.

89

'Iron.'

90

Liadov.

91

Godwin-Austen.

92

Frazer.

93

Professor P. Gorini, author of 'I vulcani sperimentali,' is said to have made some experiments in his laboratory at Lodi during the month of September 1873, with a liquid composition of which he preserves the secret, and which envelopes in flames and completely destroys without noise or odour whatever animal substance is immersed in it. But some doubts have been raised as to its practicability.

94

'Jewish Chronicle.'

95

See p. 64.

96

In the 'Gartenlaube,' No. 19, 1874.

97