churchyard with much regret; and you will highly approve of all
endeavours to make the burying-place of the parish as sweet though
solemn a spot as can be found within it. I have lately read a little
tract, by Mr. Hill, the Rural Dean of North Frome, in the Diocese
of Hereford, entitled Thoughts on Churches and Churchyards, which
is well worthy of the attentive perusal of the country clergy. Its
purpose is to furnish practical suggestions for the maintenance
of decent propriety about the church and churchyard. I am not,
at present, concerned with that part of the tract which relates
to churches; but I may remark, in passing, that Mr. Hill's views
upon that subject appear to me distinguished by great good sense,
moderation, and taste. He does not discourage country clergymen,
who have but limited means with which to set about ordering
and beautifying their churches, by suggesting arrangements on too
grand and expensive a scale: on the contrary, he enters with hearty
sympathy into all plans for attaining a simple and inexpensive
seemliness where more cannot be accomplished. And I think he hits
with remarkable felicity the just mean between an undue and excessive
regard to the mere externalities of worship, and a puritanical
bareness and contempt for material aids, desiring, in the words
of Archbishop Bramhall, that 'all be with due moderation, so as
neither to render religion sordid and sluttish, nor yet light and
garish, but comely and venerable.'

Equally judicious, and equally practical, are Mr. Hill's hints as
to the ordering of churchyards. He laments that churchyards should
ever be found where long, rank grass, briers, and nettles abound,
and where neatly kept walks and graves are wanting. He goes on:--

And yet, how trifling an amount of care and attention would suffice