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CHARD DAVEY eJAY -REGENT STREET, W. / MARY, QUEEN OF SCOTS, As Widmu of Francis II. of France, a facsimile of the original drawing by Cloud, presented the Bibliothcque Nationals, Paris. Reproduced expressly for this Publication. 3TORY OF RICHARD DAVEY JAY'S, REGENT STREET, W. ll'n'iit/i (oiiiposed oftheflowers mentioned in Shakespeare's dirges. ENTERED AT STATIONERS1 HALL.] [COPYRIGHT. PUBLISHED AT JAY'S, REGENT STREET, W. 571 33 LONDON MCCORQUODALE & co., LIMITED CARDINGTON STREET, N.W. A HISTORY OF MOURNING. HY RICHARD DAYEY LTHOUGH tradition has not informed us whether our first parents made any marked change in their scanty garments on the death of their near relatives, it is certain that the fashion of wearing mourning and the institution of funereal ceremonies and rites are of the most remote antiquity. Herodotus tells us that the Egyptians over 3,000 years ago selected yellow as the colour which denoted that a kinsman was lately deceased. They, moreover, shaved their eyebrows when a relative died ; but the death of a dog or a cat, regarded as divinities by this curious people, was a matter of much greater importance to them, for then they not only shaved their eyebrows, but every hair on their bodies was plucked out and doubtless this ; explains the reason why so many elaborate wigs are to be seen in the various museums devoted to Egyptian antiquities. It would require a volume to give an idea of the singular funereal ceremonials of this people, with whom death was regarded, so to speak, as a "speciality;" for their religion was mainly devoted to the adtus of the departed, and consequently innumerable monumental tombs still exist all over Egypt, the majority of which are full of mummies, whose painted cases are most artistic. The cat was worshipped as a divinity by the Egyptians. Magnificent tombs were erected in its honour, sacrifices and devotions were offered to it ; and, as has already A HISTORY OF MOURNING. been said, it was customary for the people of the house to shave their heads and eyebrows whenever Pussy departed the family circle. Possibly it was their exalted position in Egypt which eventually led to cats being considered the " familiars " of witches in the Middle FIG. I. An Egyptian Lady preparing to go into Mourningfor the death of herpet Cat. From a picture by J. R. WEGUELIN. Ages, and even in our own time, for belief in witchcraft is not extinct. The kindly Egyptians made mummies of their cats and dogs, and it is presumable that, since Egypt is a corn growing, and hence a rat and mouse producing country, both dogs and cats, as killers of these vermin, were regarded with extreme veneration on account of their exterminating