Burning the Dead. 23 



whom we have so loved in life, should be preserved, so that 

 we might place it where, at any time, we may derive from 

 the contemplation of it, that refined pleasure which comes 

 from sad associations, unmixed with the loathsomeness of 

 corruption ? 



And this naturally suggests the subject of urns. The 

 small compass into which the solid residuum remaining after 

 the incineration of the body may be compressed, and its 

 perfectly inorganic character, render it easy to preserve it in 

 an ornamented receptacle, that can be included among those 

 valued relics of domestic interest which every household 

 possesses. Perhaps the superstitious dread of human remains 

 of any kind would, at first, supposing the practice of crema- 

 tion to be adopted, be sufficient to prevent persons from 

 placing the sepulchral urn among their household treasures ; 

 but there would really be. no more occasion for superstitious 

 dread in having a few ounces of phosphate of lime in a 

 sculptured vase, than in keeping a lock of hair in a ring or 

 brooch. And a new branch of art would be revived by the 

 adoption of the practice, and sculpture might thus show 

 itself in unexpected developments of fanciful inventions. 

 The only valid exception which can be taken to the practice 

 of cremation is, that it might prevent those investigations 

 which are sometimes necessary, long after death, for medico- 

 legal purposes. I do no forget that the ends of justice have 

 sometimes been served, by the exhumation of the dead. 

 Crime has often been brought home to the perpetrators, years 

 after its commission, by autopsies conducted upon disinterred 

 bodies, and it may be urged that it would be unwise to 

 deprive society of any means, however remote or infrequent, 

 of bringing offenders to justice. But this objection might 

 be overcome by instituting post mortem examinations, in 

 anticipation, in all cases where the least doubt whatever 

 existed, a precaution which now is not taken. If an official 

 inspection were made of all bodies prior to their cremation, 

 perhaps advantages would result which at present are not 

 secured. 



Among other objections to cremation it has been urged 

 that it is not necessary, if only bodies are buried sufficiently 

 deeply, so that the evolved gases cannot rise to the 

 surface, but be absorbed by the surrounding earth. I have 

 also been reminded that the dangers from evolved gases 

 have been exaggerated, and that the law of the diffusion of 

 gases, at once effects their dilution to an extent sufficient to 



