Earth to earth : an answer to a pamphlet on "cremation" / by Francis Seymour Haden.

  • Haden, Francis Seymour, 1818-1910.
Date:
1875
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Earth to earth : an answer to a pamphlet on "cremation" / by Francis Seymour Haden. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    attention to the existence of a great self-created moral and material evil, and time may now perhaps with advantage be given for those reflections which cannot fail to bring about its remedy. Meanwhile, as a part of the subject with which I have no pretension to deal, let me submit to the consideration of that great middle class, to whose interests and sense of self-respect you address yourself more particularly to-day, the following extract from a Report on Intramural Interments presented to both Houses of Parlia- ment in 1843. Mr. Wild, an undertaker, is under examina- tion :— “ Question.—Are you aware that the array of funerals commonly made by undertakers is strictly the array of a baronial funeral—the two men who stand at the doors being supposed to be the two porters of the castle, with their staves, in black ; the man who heads the procession, wearing a scarf, being a representative of a herald-at-arms ; the man who carries a plume of feathers on his head being an esquire, who bears the shield and casque, with its plume of feathers ; the pall-bearers, with batons, being representatives of knighls-companions-at-arms ; the men walking with wands being supposed to represent gentleman-ushers, with their wands ; are you aware that this is said to be the origin and type of the common array usually provided by those who undertake to perform funerals ?