the nails on the hands and feet, and finaliy greased the head and face with the yolk of broken eggs. The meaning of the latter proceeding is said to be that as an egg is round, so death goes round to all men: it is, however, a custom which, except in Poland, is very commonly neglected. Ten certain measures of water (called Tbhilah, baptism) were then poured over the whole body; and it was finally wrapped in a white gown, a white cap, white stockings, and the talith (or cloak used in prayer) put over its head.

On the following day I accompanied the funeral to the Jewish cemetery; for, amongst the Jews, the burial follows the day after the decease; or, if the death should occur in the morning, on the self-same day, because it is written in the Pentateuch, "Thou shalt bury the body on the same day." No feathers or velvet trappings adorned the last narrow bed of the old Jew. No splendid coffin enclosed the body of the dead; but simply a rude construction, roughly put together, alike used for rich or poor, and one which very often those connected with the deceased help to make. During the procession to the burial-ground the coffin, according to the Jewish ritual, was put down on the road three times, and the mourners repeated verses from the 91st Psalm, with the object of driving away all evil spirits from the dead. On arriving at the burial-ground, the coffin was placed before the grave; and whilst the mourners stood around it, the Rabbi delivered a funeral sermon upon the life and character of the deceased, and the necessity of all being prepared to die. This over, the friends of the old Jew came up and approached the

* In Poland, every Jew who meets a funeral is compelled to turn and bear his part in the procession.

coffin; whilst some again tore their garments, as they had done around his bed. After the mourners had walked round the open grave seven times, reciting various verses from the Psalms, the coffin was let down into the grave. Unlike the coffins of the Christians, it had no covering at the top, so that the dead body was perfectly exposed. Whilst it was being lowered, small fragments of earthenware were placed on the eyes and mouth of the corpse, in order that the deceased might not behold the misdeeds of those whom he had forgiven before his death, and that he might not accuse his abusers before God's majesty. A small linen bag full of earth, brought from Jerusalem, was laid under the head of the body, and then, after the coffin had been covered with a rough plank so that the clods should not fall on the corpse, it was slowly and solemnly lowered into the grave. All the mourners now bent down, and cast three times a handful of earth upon the remains of the departed, uttering at the same time a prayer praising the justice of God in inflicting death. After this the procession quitted the cemetery, each mourner tearing up from the ground three times a handful of grass, and casting it behind him, whilst repeating various verses from the Psalms. On issuing from the burial-place, all washed their hands three times in a large tankard of water, recited certain verses from Deuteronomy, and then returned to their different homes.

On arriving at my lodgings, the two nephews of the deceased, who were the old man's adopted sons, retired to their rooms, took off their shoes, placed a cushion on the ground on which to lie down, lit a lamp which was to burn for seven days and nights without being extinguished, placed a glass of water near the lamp, and at its side hung up a towel. For the Jews hope that the Angel of Death will wash

his sword, already made bloody through the killing of the deceased, in the glass of water, and dry it on the towel.

The mourning of the dead among the Jews is a striking feature in their ritual. During the first seven days, the mourners who are near relations of the deceased, sit on the ground without their shoes. They must not wash themselves, or read anything but the book of Job, or the Lamentations of Jeremiah. No work is to be done; and if the mourners are poor, and have nothing to live upon, they are supported by their neighbours. During this period they are frequently visited by their friends, who try to console them, and on departing always repeat this regular form of condolence:-"May the Omnipotent comfort you; with all the mourners of Zion and Jerusalem."

The seven days of heavy lamentation being over, a further period of mourning for thirty-one days has still to be observed. Morning and evening the two nephews of the deceased, during that time, attended the synagogue, and prayed before the Ark. Of all the prayers in the Jewish ritual none is more important than the Kaddish, or prayer for the dead. It is the duty of every son for eleven months after the death of his father to repeat this prayer. This is one great reason why Jewish parents are so anxious for male issue, as females are not allowed to say it. Jews, who have no male children, frequently adopt a son for that purpose. Societies also exist to provide persons to say Kaddish for such parents.

This prayer is as follows:

"And now I beseech Thee, let the power of my Lord be great, according as Thou hast spoken. Remember, O Lord, Thy tender mercies, for they have been ever of old. May His great name be magnified and sanctified throughout the

world, which He hath created according to His own good pleasure. May He establish His kingdom while ye live, in your days, and while all the house of Israel be living, speedily, even in time quickly coming, and say ye, Amen. May His great name be blessed; may it be adored for ever, even for ever and ever. May all blessings, praises, glorifying, exaltation, eminence, honour, excellence, and adoration be ascribed unto His holy and blessed Name, far exceeding all blessings, hymns, praises, and beatitudes which are recited throughout the world, and say ye, Amen. Oh may He, through His mercy and good-will, accept of our prayers. May the supplications and entreaties of all the house of Israel be accepted in the presence of their Father who is in heaven, and say ye, Amen. Blessed be the name of the Lord for this time forth and for evermore. May there be abundance of peace from heaven, with life unto us, and to all Israel, and say ye, Amen. My help cometh from the Lord which made heaven and earth. May the Maker of peace, through His infinite mercies, grant peace unto us and to all Israel, and say ye, Amen."

The Parisian Jews are very poor Hebrew scholars, and they have had the above prayer printed in French, in a book highly recommended by their chief Rabbi, Isidor. Few would have imagined that a man like Isidor would recommend the superstitious usage of changing the name of a sick Jew, in order that if the decree has gone forth that Isaac should die, and Isaac's name has been changed into that of Moses, the decree cannot be executed, because Isaac is no more Isaac, but Moses. It is nevertheless the case that he has done so; and he also recommends prayers for the dead to be offered on their graves, stating that the dead have great delight if the living come to them and pray in the grave-yard.