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ΝΕΚΡΟΚΗΔΕΙΑ; Or, the Art of Embalming;: Wherein Is Shewn the Right of Burial, and Funeral Ceremonies, Especially That of Preserving Bodies After the Egyptian Method. Together With an Account of the Egyptian Mummies, Pyramids, Subterranean Vaults and Lamps, and Their Opinion of the Metempsychosis, the Cause of Their Embalming. As Also a Geographical Description of Egypt, the Rise and Course of the Nile, the Temper, Constitution and Physic of the Inhabitants, Their Inventions, Arts, Sciences, StupGreenhill, Thomas

Philosophy

ΝΕΚΡΟΚΗΔΕΙΑ; Or, the Art of Embalming;: Wherein Is Shewn the Right of Burial, and Funeral Ceremonies, Especially That of Preserving Bodies After the Egyptian Method. Together With an Account of the Egyptian Mummies, Pyramids, Subterranean Vaults and Lamps, and Their Opinion of the Metempsychosis, the Cause of Their Embalming. As Also a Geographical Description of Egypt, the Rise and Course of the Nile, the Temper, Constitution and Physic of the Inhabitants, Their Inventions, Arts, Sciences, Stup

Greenhill, Thomas

Burial -- Early works to 1800; Embalming -- Early works to 1800; Funeral rites and ceremonies -- Early works to 1800; Mummies -- Early works to 1800

’Tis great and worthy of our _Praise_ to lead
  The _Living_ thro’ the _Dwellings_ of the _Dead_;
  _Death’s_ grisly _Terrours_ by your _Skill_ to Charm,
  And his fell _Furies_ of their _Stings_ disarm:
  The _Mighty Maker_ has on you bestow’d
  The wond’rous _Science_ for a general _Good_.
  The _Labours_ of your _Studies_ he has crown’d
  With _Art_, alike Important and Profound;
  With _Death_ and _Time_ he’s taught you to engage,
  And save his best _Creation_ from their _Rage_.
  _MAN_, the true _Image_ of his heav’nly _Form_,
  Was a rich _Prey_ to the devouring _Worm_;
  Scarce had his _Breath_ it’s Vital Seat forsook
  But frozen were his _Limbs_, and frightful was his _Look_,
  Livid his _Lips_, his whole _Complexion_ wan,
  And _Nature_ loath’d to view the lifeless _Man_;
  A poor Precarious _Being_ he enjoy’d,
  And soon the _Grave_ his beauteous _Frame_ destroy’d,
  Till you had learn’d by equal _Thought_ and _Care_
  To keep him, as he was created, _Fair_;
  To heal the ghastly _Wounds_ that _Death_ had made,
  And give new _Beauties_ which shall never fade:
  _Heav’n_ has to you the Sacred _Art_ reveal’d,
  Which had for twice ten _Ages_ been conceal’d;
  From common Ruine you the _Body_ keep,
  And turn the filthiness of _Death_ to _Sleep_;
  Fair as the _Slumbers_ of a _Virgin_ seem,
  Who dreams of _Joy_, and blushes at her _Dream_,
  _Youth_ you preserve, and by your _Science_ save
  The living _Graces_ in the rotting _Grave_.
  Sooner the _Egyptian_ King’s aspiring _Tomb_
  May fall, the _Marble_ waste, the _Brass_ consume,
  Old _Time_ may sooner run his destin’d Race,
  Than the new _Wonders_ of your _Art_ deface:
  The _Balm_ and _Eastern Odours_ you employ,
  The Noxious _Vapours_ of the _Vault_ destroy;
  You reconcile us to the Things we loath,
  We feel the _Flesh_ is firm, the _Features_ smooth;
  We see, we smell, by e’ry _Sense_ we try
  Your _Skill_, and are no more afraid to _Die_.
    Go on——And may you equal _Favour_ find,
  With the vast _Service_ you have done _Mankind_:
  May the vile _Quacks_, who _Heav’ns_ high _Form_ prophane,
  With _Practices_ as infamous as vain.
  The base _Impostors_ of the _Funeral Trade_,
  Who cheat at once the _Living_ and the _Dead_,
  Be _punish’d_ and _expos’d_, and _Art_ restor’d
  To her old _Honours_, and her due _Reward_:
  So late _Posterity_ shall sing your _Praise_,
  And _Fame_ bright _Statues_ to your _Glory_ raise.

                                                        _J. Oldmixon._




                      _To his Friend the Author._

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