herbaceous matters that happen to be most readily obtainable. 

 A layer of ferns or mosses for a bed, a bundle of sweet herbs 

 for a pillow, and as mucli as it would still contain, after the 

 body had been gently laid in it, of any aromatic or flower- 

 ing plant for a coverlet; such a covering, in short, as while 

 it protected the body from immediate pressure of the earth as 

 effectually as the stoutest oak, would yet not prevent its dissolution. 

 I can conceive no better form of coffin : Let us emulate, too the 

 healthy sentiment of those elder Jews, who considered it an 

 indignity and an injury to be refused prompt burial, and so made 

 it an offence to the living, and bury, while it is still grateful to 

 every sense, and while, if we feel it an effort, and a sacrifice to 

 part with it, we may also feel that we are making that effort, and 

 submitting to that sacrifice, in the cause of the dead." Soon 

 after this, a society was formed called the " Church of England 

 Burial Reform Association," with the Archbishops of Canterbury 

 and York as Presidents. The objects of the Society were to lessen 

 the great expense usually attendant on funerals, the disuse of 

 crape, early interment, and the use of perishable coffins. I am 

 sorry to say that these objects have not all been carried out, but 

 doubtless a great advance has been made. Some of you can 

 probably remember the long silk hat bands, the silk scarfs and 

 black leather gloves that were formerly lavishly used, and even 

 perhaps have worn or seen worn the garments that were subse- 

 quently made up. Were ever such things an inducement to 

 atttend ? I hope not. Happily these unnecessary adornments 

 and the use of mourning coaches have almost died out. The last 

 two objects, viz., early interments and perishable coffins, are still 

 only in a small degree lessened. I believe that the leaden shell, 

 so common a few years ago, is rarely now used. The poor spend a 

 most unnecessary sum of money on funerals ; rarely is a funeral 

 conducted under £5, and when all the clothes are paid for, a much 

 larger amount. No funeral, I believe, need cost more than £2, 

 whether it be for peer or pauper. I see in the Morning Post for 

 Dec. I2th last, that the 9th annual meeting of the above association 

 was held in the Chapter-room, St. Paul's Churchyard— the Bishop 

 of Bedford in the chair. The Chairman spoke of the undue 

 extravagance in the matter of floral decorations, and adverting to 

 the desirability of introducing wheeled biers into rural parishes, 

 he said that he had presented one to his own country parish, and 

 had recently set the example of simplicity by having it used in the 

 case of his own sad loss. The following resolution was passed : — 

 That it is desirable to recognise that there is no common law right 

 to a perpetual ownership of the soil for the buried, and that 

 incumbents can decline to sanction the construction of bricked 



