Cemeteries of Edinburgh and Leith. 199 



but in this case the depth of the sand and charcoal ashes over 

 the bed must be much greater than in heating by water, that the 

 dry heat may not penetrate to the cuttings. The beds must be 

 as near as possible to the lights; and some shelves may be placed 

 at the back wall of the house, for the cuttings planted out. 



( To be continued. ) 



Art. III. On the Cemeteries of Edinburgh and Leith. 

 By Brown, Esq. 



Edinburgh and Leith, with a population of one hundred and 

 seventy thousand souls, contain ten cemeteries or burying-places, 

 of which number Leith counts one fifth. These are in constant 

 requisition, except one, which is not yet opened ; and all of them 

 exhibit visible tokens of the march of improvement having ex- 

 tended itself even to the sepulchres of the dead. This is evinced 

 in the neatness of the cut grass, the trim state of the walks, the 

 orderly and scientific arrangement of the shrubs and evergreens, 

 and, above all, in the studied and uniform good taste of the 

 snperintendants in preventing any scattered bones of the deceased 

 from being seen about the grave when an interment takes place ; 

 so that delicacy of feeling is unwounded, and even in sorrow and 

 sadness for departed worth a pleasurable sensation is irresistible. 



The West Church, or St. Cuthbert's parish, Burying-Ground, 

 has lately assumed a more dressed and agreeable appearance. 

 An increasingly beautiful row of trees on each side of the prin- 

 cipal walks, and the newly taken in grounds well laid out, be- 

 speak the determination of the overseer not to lag behind. 



The Grey Friars, also, has even outstripped the West Church. 

 A new recorder's office, a splendid and massive iron gate in 

 room of the old wooden one, the walks much widened and the 

 larger of them causewayed, the sprightly trees and shrubs, and 

 the clean and orderly appearance of the workmen, mark a vast 

 change for the better. These things prove that the overseer, 

 Mr. H. P. Thomson, vies with his fellows ; and we may add 

 that, by his exertion and industry, he has rendered this recep- 

 tacle of the tombs of many generations worthy not only of a 

 passing glance from the stranger, but a place of resort to note 

 the past history of the nation ; for perhaps in no one point of 

 Scotland are concentrated so many remains of the noble dead who 

 stood forth in defence of their country's rights as in this burying- 

 ground. An erect tablet stands at the north-east corner, which 

 the overseer has handsomely encircled with a flower-plot, to sig- 

 nify the spot where the bodies of eighteen thousand lie who 

 suffered death, in the reign of the two Charleses, for adhering to 

 the Presbyterian faith and liberty of conscience. To this 



o 4 



