Hydriotaphia Urn Burial and the Garden of Cyrus - Paperback

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1906. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... CHAP. V. Oblivion is not to be hired. The greater [9] part must be content to be as though they had not been, to be found in the register of God, not in the record of man. Twenty-seven names make up the first story', and the recorded names ever since contain not one living century. The number of the dead long exceedeth all that shall live. The night of time far surpasseth the day, and who knows when was the equinox? Every hour adds unto that current arithmetick, which scarce stands one moment. And since death must be the Lucina of life, and even 77 •*•• Pagans2 could doubt, whether thus to live were to die; since our longest sun sets at right descensions, and makes but winter arches, and therefore it cannot be long before we lie down in darkness, and have our light in ashes3; since the brother of death daily haunts us with dying mementos, and time that grows old in itself, bids us hope no long duration ;--diuturnity is a dream and folly of expectation. Darkness and light divide the course of time, and oblivion shares with memory a great part even of our living beings; we slightly remember our felicities, and the smartest strokes of affliction leave but short smart upon us. Sense endureth no extremities, and sorrows destroy us or themselves. To weep into stones are fables. Afflictions induce callosities; miseries are slippery, or fall like snow upon us, which [10] 'Before the flood. 2 Euripides. 3 According to the custom of the Jews, who place a lighted wax-candle in a pot of ashes by the corpse. -- Leo. Effect of sorrow. Oblivion shares with memory a great part even of our living being. notwithstanding is no unhappy stupidity. To CHAP. V. be ignorant of evils to come, and forgetful of evils past, is a merciful provision in nature, 78 w