Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this file which includes the original illustrations. See 44379-h.htm or 44379-h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/44379/44379-h/44379-h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/44379/44379-h.zip) Images of the original pages are available through Internet Archive. See https://archive.org/details/historyofmournin00daveuoft Transcriber's note: Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). [Illustration: MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS, _As Widow of Francis II. of France, a facsimile of the original drawing by Clouet, preserved in the Bibliothèque Nationale, Paris._--Reproduced expressly for this Publication.] A HISTORY OF MOURNING. by RICHARD DAVEY. Jay's, Regent Street, W. _Wreath composed of the flowers mentioned in Shakespeare's dirges._ Entered at Stationers' Hall.] [Copyright. Published at Jay's, Regent Street, W. London McCorquodale & Co., Limited Cardington Street, N.W. [Illustration: A HISTORY OF MOURNING. BY RICHARD DAVEY.] ALTHOUGH tradition has not informed us whether our first parents made any marked change in their scanty garments on the death of their near relatives, it is certain that the fashion of wearing mourning and the institution of funereal ceremonies and rites are of the most remote antiquity. Herodotus tells us that the Egyptians over 3,000 years ago selected yellow as the colour which denoted that a kinsman was lately deceased. They, moreover, shaved their eyebrows when a relative died; but the death of a dog or a cat, regarded as divinities by this curious people, was a matter of much greater importance to them, for then they not only shaved their eyebrows, but every hair on their bodies was plucked out; and doubtless this explains the reason why so many elaborate wigs are to be seen in the various museums devoted to Egyptian antiquities. It would require a volume to give an idea of the singular funereal ceremonials of this people, with whom death was regarded, so to speak, as a "speciality;" for their religion was mainly devoted to the _cultus_ of the departed, and consequently innumerable monumental tombs still exist all over Egypt, the majority of which are full of mummies, whose painted cases are most artistic. [Illustration: FIG. 1.--_An Egyptian Lady preparing to go into Mourning for the death of her pet Cat._--From a picture by J. R. WEGUELIN.]