Necropolis at Glasgow. 53 



surface shows rock protruding through it in many places, and 

 rock appears almost at every turn of the road, so that we never 

 for a moment forget that every tombstone has a solid founda- 

 tion. In consequence of this, every one of the monuments, 

 large and small, as far as we could observe, is perfectly erect; 

 and not like great numbers of those in Pere la Chaise and 

 Kensal Green, leaning to one side; and, consequently, when 

 composed of several pieces, with the joints opening to admit the 

 rain and frost, and insure speedy ruin. The design, also, of 

 the monuments is of a very superior kind, there being scarcely 

 one in the whole cemetery bf those chair-back-like forms so 

 common in all churchyards; and which, having no base or 

 plinth below to support what is above, appear to have been 

 forced into soft ground, instead of being built up from a solid 

 foundation. All the monuments in the Glasgow cemetery con- 

 vey the dignified idea of being built, and have not the mean 

 appearance of being thrust in like stakes, or laid down like 

 pavement. Even the lettering is, in many cases, cut in the 

 stone, or raised in metallic forms; modes which, as we have 

 above observed, ought never to be neglected when an archi- 

 tectural character is to be maintained. The family burying- 

 places are bounded in general by low architectural parapets, 

 and not, as is frequently the case, with high iron railings; 

 which seem to us to derogate from the sacredness of the scene, 

 by supposing it possible that the cemetery would be visited by 

 persons incapable of conducting themselves properly. 



Many of the monuments are magnificent combinations of 

 architecture and sculpture ; others are simple and grand forms, 

 such as pyramids, obelisks, columns, arches, &c. ; but perhaps 

 the most instructive of these architectural memorials are those 

 of the commonest kind, which may be considered analogous to 

 common gravestones. These are mostly pedestals of different 

 descriptions, varied in their proportions, magnitude, and deco- 

 rations, so that no two monuments of this class, or indeed of 

 any other, can be found alike. The greater number of the mo- 

 numents, both great and small, are so placed with reference to 

 the grave as not to give the idea of preventing the mortal re- 

 mains from mixing with the earth. This, in our opinion, indi- 

 cates the true cosmopolitan spirit of interment. Let there be 

 monuments, as durable as rock and architecture can make them, 

 to the mind and character of the deceased ; but let not the 

 mortal remains be prevented from returning to the elements from 

 which it originally sprung. Such are our sentiments : but we 

 have also another sentiment which we hold at the same time, 

 viz., that those who think otherwise should have their wishes 

 gratified. Hence, in this cemetery, while we approve of most of 

 the coffins being interred in the free soil, yet we also approve of 



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