Hydriotaphia, urn-burial, or, A discours of the sepulchral urns lately found in Norfolk together with the Garden of Cyrus, or, The quincuncial lozenge, or network of plantations of the ancients, artificially, naturally, mystically considered : with sundry observations / by Thomas Browne.

TO MY Worthy and Honoured Friend, THOMAS Le GROS of Crostwick, Esquire.

WHen the Funeral Pyre was out, and the last Valediction over, men took a lasting Adieu of their interred Friends, little ex∣pecting the curiosity of future Ages should comment upon their Ashes, and having no old experience of the duration of their Reliques, held no opinion of such af∣ter-considerations.

But who knows the fate of his Bones, or how often he is to be buried? who hath the Oracle of his Ashes, or whe∣ther they are to be scattered? The Reliques of many lie, like the Ruines ofa 1.1 Pompey's, in all parts of the Earth: And when they arrive at your hands, these may seem to have wandred far, who in a directb 1.2 and Meridian Travell have but few miles of known Earth between your self and the Pole.

That the Bones of Theseus should be seen againc 1.3 in A∣thens, was not beyond conjecture and hopefull expectation; but that these should arise so opportunely to serve your self, was an hit of Fate, and honour beyond prediction.

We cannot but wish these Urns might have the effect of Theatrical Vessells, and the greatd 1.4 Hippodrome-Urns in Rome, to resound the acclamations and honour due unto you. But these are sad and sepulchral Pitchers, which have no joy∣full voices; silently expressing old Mortality, the Ruines of

forgotten times, and can onely speak with life, how long in this corruptible frame some parts may be uncorrupted; yet able to out-last Bones long unborn, and the noblest Pylee 1.5 among us.

We present not these as any strange sight or spectacle un∣known to your eyes, who have beheld the best of Urns, and noblest variety of Ashes; who are your self no slender Master of Antiquities, and can daily command the view of so many Imperial Faces: which raiseth your thoughts unto old things, and consideration of Times before you, when even living men were Antiquities; when the living might exceed the dead, and to depart this world could not be properly said to go unto thef 1.6 greater number; and so runs up your thoughts upon the Ancient of days, the Antiquaries truest ob∣ject, unto whom the eldest parcels are young, and Earth it self an Infant, and withoutg 1.7 Aegyptian Account makes but small noise in thousands.

We were hinted by the occasion, not catched the opportu∣nity to write of old things, or intrude upon the Antiquary. We are coldly drawn unto discourses of Antiquities, who have scarce time before us to comprehend new things, or make out learned Novelties. But seeing they arose as they lay, almost in silence among us, at least in short account suddenly passed over; we were very unwilling they should die again, and be buried twice among us.

Beside, to preserve the living, and make the dead to live, to keep men out of their Urns, and discourse of humane Fragments in them, is not impertinent unto our Profession; whose study is Life and Death, who daily behold examples of Mortality, and of all men least need artificial Memento's, or Coffins by our bed-side, to minde us of our Graves.

'Tis time to observe Occurrences, and let nothing remark∣able escape us. The Supinity of elder days hath left so much in silence, or time hath so martyred the Records, that the mosth 1.8 industrious Heads do finde no easie work to erect a new Britannia.

'Tis opportune to look back upon old Times, and contem∣plate our Forefathers. Great examples grow thin, and are to be fetched from the passed world. Simplicity flies away, and Iniquity comes at long strides upon us. We have enough to

doe to make up our selves from present and passed Times, and the whole stage of things scarce serveth for our instruction. A compleat piece of Vertue must be made up from the Cento's of all Ages; as all the Beauties of Greece could make but one handsome Venus.

When the Bones of King Arthur were digged up i 1.9, the old Race might think they beheld therein some Originals of themselves▪ Unto these of our Urns none here can pretend relation; and can onely behold the Reliques of those persons, who in their life giving the Laws unto their predecessors, after long obscurity now lie at their mercies. But remembring the early Civility they brought upon these Countries, and forgetting long-passed mischiefs; we mercifully preserve their Bones, and piss not upon their Ashes.

In the offer of these Antiquities we drive not at ancient Fa∣milies, so long out-lasted by them; we are far from erecting your Worth upon the pillars of your Fore-fathers, whose me∣rits you illustrate. We honour your old Vertues, confor∣mable unto times before you, which are the noblest Armory. And having long experience of your friendly Conversation, void of empty Formality, full of Freedome, constant and ge∣nerous Honesty, I look upon you as a Gemm of thek 1.10 old Rock, and must profess my self even to Urn and Ashes,

Your ever-faithfull Friend and Servant, Thomas Browne.

Norwich, May 1.

Notes

• a 1.1

  Pompeios ju∣venes Asia at∣que Europa, sed ipsum Ter∣ra tegit Liby∣es.
• b 1.2

  Little di∣rectly but Sea between your house and Greenland.
• c 1.3

  Brought back by Ci∣mon. Plutarch.
• d 1.4

  The great Urns in the Hippodrome at Rome con∣ceived to re∣sound the voices of peo∣ple at their Shows.
• e 1.5

  Worthily possessed by that true Gentleman Sir Horatio Townshend, my honoured Friend.
• f 1.6

  Abiit ad plures.
• g 1.7

  Which makes the world so ma∣ny years old.
• h 1.8

  Wherein Mr. Dugdale hath excel∣lently well endeavoured, and is worthy to be counte∣nanced by in∣genuous and noble per∣sons.
• i 1.9

  In the time of Henry the second. Cambden.
• k 1.10

  Adamas de rupe veteri praestantissi∣mus.