40 AVOYAGETO Book I, 



to quarrels, which often bring on misfortunes^ 

 When any Grangers of rank vifit the city, they are 

 generally at the expence of thefe balls ; as the en- 

 trance is free, and no want of liquor, they need give 

 themfelves no concern about the want of company. 



Their burials and mournings are fomething lin- 

 gular ; as in this particular they endeavour to dif- 

 .play their grandeur and dignity, too often at the ex- 

 pence of their tranquillity, if the deceafed be a per-^ 

 ion of condition, his body is placed on a pompous 

 Catafalco, eredled on the principal apartment of the 

 houfe, amidft a blaze of tapers. In this manner the 

 corpfe lies twenty-four hours or longer, for friends to 

 vifit it at all hours as alfo the lower clafs of women^, 

 amono; whom it is a cuftom to lament over the 

 deceafed. 



These women, who are generally drefied in black, 

 come in the evening, or during the night, into the a- 

 partment where the corpfe lies and having approach- 

 ed it, throw themfelves on their knees, then rife and 

 extend their arms as to embrace it ; after which, 

 they begin their lamentations, in a doleful tone, mix- 

 ed with horrid cries, which always conclude with the 

 name of the deceafed ; afterwards they begin, in the 

 fame difagreeable vociferations, his hillory, rehearfing 

 all his good and bad qualities, not even omitting his 

 amours of any kind, and in fo circumftantial a nar- 

 rative, that a general confeffion could hardly be more 

 full i at length, quite fpent, they withdraw to a cor- 

 rier of the apartment ftored with brandy and wine, 

 pn which they never fail plentifully to regale them- 

 felves. As thefe depart from the body, others fuc- 

 ceed, till they have all taken their turn. The fame, 

 afterwards, is repeated by the fervants, (laves, and 

 acqviaintance of the family, which continues, without 

 '|ntermifi]on, during the remainder of the night; 

 whence may eafily be imagined the confuiion and 

 nqife Qccailoned by this difmal yociferous per^mony. 



