290 LIFE OF BENJAMIN SILLIMAN. 



so true, that it cannot fail to heal the sorrow of every 

 Christian who has faith in the words of our Saviour. I 

 cannot here forbear to mention to you the customs of my 

 native land Portugal. in regard to the death of little 

 children under seven years old. If you ask a mother how 

 many children she has, it is usual that she should answer : 

 " I have two with me, and three in Heaven." Or, if she has 

 lost them all, she will say, without hesitation : " I have so 

 many in Heaven." The funerals of little children in that 

 country are accompanied by every emblem of joy instead 

 of sorrow ; the coffin, or rather cradle, is of pink and sil 

 ver ; roses and myrtles and jasmine are thrown upon the 

 corpse, which is only covered with a transparent silver 

 gauze. A band of fine music accompanies it. After the 

 funeral, all the friends and acquaintance return to the 

 house to congratulate the mother (who is smiling through 

 her tears) on having an angel in heaven and another advo 

 cate in her favor. Such are the singular customs in 

 Lisbon. 



I pray you to make my best regards to Mrs. Silliman, 

 and believe me to be, 



Yours with esteem and friendship, 



A. F. HUMPHREYS. 



A portion of the journey to Canada is briefly 

 described in the following letter : 



TO PROFESSOR J. L. KFNGSLEY. 



QUEBEC, October 8, 1819. 



MY DEAR SIR, In compliance with your request and 

 with my own promise, I now write you from the capital of 

 the Canadas. Our journey has been thus far prosperous. 

 We left Hartford in the equinoctial gale, September 22, 

 Wednesday ; on Friday reached Albany ; dined and spent 

 most of a day with Judge Kent, in whose fine library of 

 between two and three thousand volumes you would revel: 



