the holy water pot being carried before, out of which the aspersions were made. Many of the early Christians are buried in the catacombs at Rome. Vaults erected in churches first at Canterbury, 1075. Woollen shrouds only permitted to be used in England 1666. Linen scarfs introduced at funerals in Ireland 1729, and Woollen shrouds used 1733. Burials taxed 1695. A tax conducted on burials in England--for the burial of a Duke £50, and that of a common person 4s., under William III 1695, and George III 1783. Acts relating to Metropolitan burials, passed 1850-67. In 1850 the Board of Health was made a Burial Board for the Metropolis, and power was given to the Privy Council to close the City grave-yards. Parochial Registers instituted in England by Cromwell, Lord Essex, about 1538.--_Stow._ Earth to earth system of burial advocated by Mr. Seymour Haden. Wicker Coffins exhibited at Stafford House, 17th June 1875. With the view of rendering the death of persons of quality more remarkable, it was customary among the Greeks and Romans to institute funeral games, which included horse-racing, dramatic representations, processions and mortal combats of gladiators; these games were abolished by the Emperor Claudius, A.D. 47. The custom of delivering a funeral oration in praise of a person at his funeral is very ancient, it was practised by the Egyptians, Hebrews, Greeks and Romans. The old heathens honoured those alone with this part of the funeral solemnity who were men of probity and justice, renowned for their wisdom and knowledge, or famous for warlike exploits. This custom was very early obtained by the Christians. Some of their funeral sermons are now extant as that of Eusebius on Constantine, and those of Nazianzen on Basil and Cæsarius; and of Ambrose on Valentinian, Theodosius, and others. One of the oldest established and most celebrated of the European cemeteries is that of Pere la Chaise near Paris. In the Scottish cemeteries no such distinctions exist as in England where the cemeteries are divided into two portions--one consecrated for the burials of members of the Established Church over whose remains the funeral service is read and one unconsecrated for the burials of dissenters. The Burials Law Amendment Act 1880, has given to Parishioners in England the right of burials in Church-yards without the rites of the Church of England. Though the Incumbent of a parish has no longer the exclusive right of officiating at interments in consecrated ground yet none of his rights are actually abrogated. He is still custos of the grave yard and must be consulted about the hour and place of interment as well as the inscriptions on grave stones. While in the case of lay funerals contemplated under the Act, it is not necessary to have any service at all, the service if performed must be Christian and orderly.] Another stone bears the following inscription:-- In loving remembrance of William Hayward; born April 4th, 1850, died December 8th, 1874.