Cemeteries of the United States. 665 



I hope it will not be thought from anything that I have ad- 

 vanced in this speculation, that I make light of everything that 

 is not perfect beauty or vigorous mind ; far otherwise. The 

 great object of human life is happiness ; and, provided an indi- 

 vidual has tolerable health and sustenance, happiness is always 

 within his power, whatever may be his temperament or configu- 

 ration. Happiness lies in health and in the power of the mind 

 to accommodate itself to the circumstances in which it may be 

 placed ; in two words, health and contentment. Every body 

 has these words in his mouth ; but, to turn them to account, it 

 is necessary to cultivate the conditions of being which they in- 

 dicate ; to preserve and strengthen health, and to reason with 

 ambitious, envious, and covetous feelings. The nice point is, 

 to know how far to bend our wishes to our circumstances, and 

 how far to endeavour to raise our circumstances to our desires. 



London, Nov. 1843. 



Art. IV. Some Account of the principal Cemeteries in the United 

 States, particularly those in the Neighbourhood of Philadelphia. By 

 James Mease, Esq., M.D. 



There are several graveyards or cemeteries in the vicinity of 

 Philadelphia, and all but one are formed upon the principle of 

 joint stock companies. The first was laid out by the late 

 James Ronaldson, a Scotchman, sixteen years since, and is now 

 the property of his brother Richard. It is a short distance 

 beyond the south bounds of the city proper, and is divided into 

 900 lots, each 8 ft. by 10 ft. A number of evergreen and 

 other trees are planted in the enclosure, which is surrounded by 

 a brick wall about 5 ft. high, and surmounted by an iron railing. 

 7000 bodies have already been interred in it. The price of a single 

 grave is only 6 dollars. The superintendant resides on the spot. 

 It is a beautiful place. 



2. Laurel Hill is 3^ miles north of the city, on the river 

 Schuylkill. The \)x\:t devoted to interments embraces about 

 twenty acres, and is laid out in the most tasteful manner. The 

 entrance is a specimen of Doric architecture, through which is a 

 pleasing vista, and on each side are lodges for the accommo- 

 dation of the gravedigger and gardener; and within is a neat 

 cottage for the superintendant, a Gothic chapel for funeral 

 service, a large dwellinghouse for visitors, a handsome receiving 

 tomb, stabling for forty carriages, and a greenliouse. Besides 

 the native forest trees on the place, several hundreds more, and 

 many ornamental shrubs, have been planted. The lots are en- 

 closed by iron railings. There have been 767 interments in six 



