1others went farther, and raiſed ſuch a Super
ſtructure as was proper for placing Epitaphs
and Inſcriptións of the Perſon's Exploits. The
former were contented with a plain Caſe for
the Body, or with adding ſomewhat of a little
Chapel about it, according to the Religion of
the Place. But the others erected either a Co
lumn, or a Pyramid, an Obelisk, or ſome other
great Superſtructure, not principally for con
taining the Body, but rather for delivering
down the Name with Glory to Poſterity. We
have already taken Notice, that there is a Stone
called Sarcophagus, found at Aſon, a Town
of Troas, which conſumes a dead Body im
mediately; and in any made Ground, con
ſiſting chiefly of old Rubbiſh, the Moiſture is
preſently dried up. But I ſhall inſiſt no longer
upon theſe minute Particulars.
ſtructure as was proper for placing Epitaphs
and Inſcriptións of the Perſon's Exploits. The
former were contented with a plain Caſe for
the Body, or with adding ſomewhat of a little
Chapel about it, according to the Religion of
the Place. But the others erected either a Co
lumn, or a Pyramid, an Obelisk, or ſome other
great Superſtructure, not principally for con
taining the Body, but rather for delivering
down the Name with Glory to Poſterity. We
have already taken Notice, that there is a Stone
called Sarcophagus, found at Aſon, a Town
of Troas, which conſumes a dead Body im
mediately; and in any made Ground, con
ſiſting chiefly of old Rubbiſh, the Moiſture is
preſently dried up. But I ſhall inſiſt no longer
upon theſe minute Particulars.
CHAP. III.
Now ſince the Sepulchres of the An
cients are generally approved, and we
find them in different Places built ſometimes
after the Manner of little Chapels, ſometimes
in Pyramids, ſometimes Columns, and in ſe
veral other Forms, as Moles and the like, we
ſhall ſay ſomething of each of theſe: And firſt
of Chapels. Theſe little Chapels ſhould be
like ſo many little Models of Temples; nor is
it at all improper to add the Ornaments and
Deſigns of any other Sort of Building, provi
ded they be equally well adapted both for
Beauty and Duration. Whether it be moſt
adviſeable to build a Sepulchre which we would
have, if poſſible, endure to Eternity, of noble
or mean Materials, is not thoroughly deter
mined, upon Account of the Danger of their
being removed for their Value. But the Beau
ty of its Ornaments, as we have obſerved elſe
where, is extremely effectual to its Preſerva
tion, and to ſecuring the Monument to Poſ
terity. Of the Sepulchres of thoſe great Prin
ces Caius Caligula, and Claudius Cæſar, which
no doubt muſt have been very noble, nothing
now remains but ſome few ſmall ſquare Stones
of two Cubits broad, on which their Names
are inſcribed; and if thoſe Inſcriptions had
been cut upon larger Stones, I doubt not they
too would e'er now have been carried away
with the other Ornaments. In other Places
we ſee Sepulchres of very great Antiquity,
which have never been injured by any body,
becauſe they were built of common Chequer
work, or of Stone that would not adorn any
other Building, ſo that they were never any
Temptation to Greedineſs. From whence I
draw this Admonition to thoſe who would
have their Sepulchres remain to Perpetuity,
that they build not indeed with a baſe Sort of
Stone, but not with ſuch excellent, as to be a
Temptation to every Man that beholds it, and
to be in perpetual Danger of being ſtolen away.
Beſides, in all Works of this Nature, a decent
Modeſty ſhould be obſerved according to every
Man's Quality and Degree; ſo that, I con
demn a Profuſion of Expence in the Tombs
even of Monarchs themſelves, nor can I help
blaming thoſe huge Piles, built by the Ægyp
tian Kings for their Sepulchres, which ſeem to
have been diſpleaſing to the Gods themſelves,
ſince none of them were buried in thoſe proud
Monuments. Others perhaps may praiſe our
Etrurians for not coming ſhort even of the
Ægyptians in the Magnificence of their Tombs,
and particularly Porſena, who built himſelf a
Sepulchre below the Town of Cluſium, all of
ſquare Stone, in the Baſe whereof, which was
fifty Foot high, was a Labyrinth which no
Man could find his Way thro', and over this
Baſe five Pyramids, one in the Middle, and one
at each Corner, the Breadth of each whereof,
at the Bottom was ſeventy-five Foot; at the
Top of each hung a brazen Globe, to which
ſeveral little Bells were faſtened by Chains,
which being ſhaken by the Wind might be
heard at a conſiderable Diſtance: Over all
this were four other Pyramids, an hundred
Foot high, and others again over theſe, aſton
iſhing no leſs for their Workmanſhip than for
their Greatneſs. I cannot be pleaſed with theſe
enormous Structures, ſerving to no good Pur
poſe whatſoever. There is ſomething much
more commendable in the Tomb of Cyrus,
King of the Perſians, and there is more true
Greatneſs in his Modeſty, than in the vain Glory
of all thoſe haughtier Piles. Near the Town
of Paſargardæ, in a little vaulted Temple
built of ſquare Stone, with a Door ſcarce two
Foot high, lay the Body of Cyrus, incloſed in
a golden Urn, as the Royal Dignity required;
cients are generally approved, and we
find them in different Places built ſometimes
after the Manner of little Chapels, ſometimes
in Pyramids, ſometimes Columns, and in ſe
veral other Forms, as Moles and the like, we
ſhall ſay ſomething of each of theſe: And firſt
of Chapels. Theſe little Chapels ſhould be
like ſo many little Models of Temples; nor is
it at all improper to add the Ornaments and
Deſigns of any other Sort of Building, provi
ded they be equally well adapted both for
Beauty and Duration. Whether it be moſt
adviſeable to build a Sepulchre which we would
have, if poſſible, endure to Eternity, of noble
or mean Materials, is not thoroughly deter
mined, upon Account of the Danger of their
being removed for their Value. But the Beau
ty of its Ornaments, as we have obſerved elſe
where, is extremely effectual to its Preſerva
tion, and to ſecuring the Monument to Poſ
terity. Of the Sepulchres of thoſe great Prin
ces Caius Caligula, and Claudius Cæſar, which
no doubt muſt have been very noble, nothing
now remains but ſome few ſmall ſquare Stones
of two Cubits broad, on which their Names
are inſcribed; and if thoſe Inſcriptions had
been cut upon larger Stones, I doubt not they
too would e'er now have been carried away
with the other Ornaments. In other Places
we ſee Sepulchres of very great Antiquity,
which have never been injured by any body,
becauſe they were built of common Chequer
work, or of Stone that would not adorn any
other Building, ſo that they were never any
Temptation to Greedineſs. From whence I
draw this Admonition to thoſe who would
have their Sepulchres remain to Perpetuity,
that they build not indeed with a baſe Sort of
Stone, but not with ſuch excellent, as to be a
Temptation to every Man that beholds it, and
to be in perpetual Danger of being ſtolen away.
Beſides, in all Works of this Nature, a decent
Modeſty ſhould be obſerved according to every
Man's Quality and Degree; ſo that, I con
demn a Profuſion of Expence in the Tombs
even of Monarchs themſelves, nor can I help
blaming thoſe huge Piles, built by the Ægyp
tian Kings for their Sepulchres, which ſeem to
have been diſpleaſing to the Gods themſelves,
ſince none of them were buried in thoſe proud
Monuments. Others perhaps may praiſe our
Etrurians for not coming ſhort even of the
Ægyptians in the Magnificence of their Tombs,
and particularly Porſena, who built himſelf a
Sepulchre below the Town of Cluſium, all of
ſquare Stone, in the Baſe whereof, which was
fifty Foot high, was a Labyrinth which no
Man could find his Way thro', and over this
Baſe five Pyramids, one in the Middle, and one
at each Corner, the Breadth of each whereof,
at the Bottom was ſeventy-five Foot; at the
Top of each hung a brazen Globe, to which
ſeveral little Bells were faſtened by Chains,
which being ſhaken by the Wind might be
heard at a conſiderable Diſtance: Over all
this were four other Pyramids, an hundred
Foot high, and others again over theſe, aſton
iſhing no leſs for their Workmanſhip than for
their Greatneſs. I cannot be pleaſed with theſe
enormous Structures, ſerving to no good Pur
poſe whatſoever. There is ſomething much
more commendable in the Tomb of Cyrus,
King of the Perſians, and there is more true
Greatneſs in his Modeſty, than in the vain Glory
of all thoſe haughtier Piles. Near the Town
of Paſargardæ, in a little vaulted Temple
built of ſquare Stone, with a Door ſcarce two
Foot high, lay the Body of Cyrus, incloſed in
a golden Urn, as the Royal Dignity required;