Mr. Rhodes, in his interesting _Excursions in Derbyshire_, notices the
following rite at the village of Hathersage: "In this church we observed
the traces of a custom that once generally prevailed in various parts of
the kingdom, but is now almost totally disused; when unmarried women died,
they were usually attended to the grave by the companions of their early
years, who, in performing the last sad offices of friendship, accompanied
the bier of the deceased with garlands tastefully composed of wreaths of
flowers and every emblem of youth, purity, and loveliness, that
imagination could suggest. When the body was interred, the garlands were
borne into the church, and hung up in a conspicuous station, in memory of
the departed. In Hathersage Church there were several of these memorials
of early dissolution, but only one of a recent date: the others were
covered with dust, and the hand of time had destroyed their freshness."

In Mr. Tymms's _Family Topographer_, vol. ii. we read--"In Stockton Church,
Wilts, is a piece of iron frame-work, with some remains of faded ribbon
depending from it. It is the last remain of the custom of carrying a
garland decorated with ribbons before the corpse of a young unmarried
woman, and afterwards suspending it in the church. This instance occurred
about thirty years ago."

* * * * *


THE DRUIDS AND THEIR TIMES.

_Translated from the Notes to Oberon, Uber das romantische Epos. By C.M.
Wieland_.