fo the Country might not be deprived of the benenc of ' 
lis tutelage. >This I, humbly conceive was the original 
of Burning, ^^pfi^' by deg rees became more and more 
univerlal, til^iaft the pomp and magnificence of it 
reconcird it to^^p:^at were able to go to the length - 
of the expence. - ^ 
As for the prejudice of the filence of the Ancient 
Authors in this matter, 'tis eafily remov'd, and to be 
regreted at the fame time that the Authors of all Ages 
too much neglea]the cuftoms of their own time. Wri- 
ting for the fatisfaftion of their cotemporaries, they- 
think it impertinent to trouble them with the account 
of what they fee tranfafted every day. By this means 
the ancient cuftoms, with the time, and reafons of 
their difufe, are loft with refpeft to us, and ours with - 
the fame circumftances may come to be fo with relati- 
on to pofterity; As the Authors are pleased to adopt - 
them for 'their Children, one wou'd wonder greater • 
care is not taken not to entail vifible occafions ot com- 
plaint on them 5 nay, one wou'd wonder more, to fe^ 
thefeOentlemen fo little ambitious of a future reputation^ 
when they may infallibly aflure it tliemXelves^ vv^ichout 
refigning the prefent, by tranfmitting the knov/ ledge 
of things, the knowledge of which may in a fmall fe- 
ries of years become otherwife irretrievable ^ they can- 
not but obferve every day what efteem is plae'd on 
thofe Authors, to whom we are forced to go, to 'find 
in them what cannot be found elfewhere, to compare 
with the others^ in whom nothing is to be found, but 
what men of Reafon are able to find at home. 
Upon the whole, the Catacombs I humbly conceive 
were the Burying-places of the ancient lliu;/a^u ^ at 
length the manner of Burning, which they received 
from the Gr£cians^ coming by degrees to prevail uni- 
verfally, they fell under a total negleft. This is the 
State m which the Primitive^Chrxftians muft be fuppcsd 
to 
