sir CHRISTOPHER W R E N, k n t.

2. I could wish that all Burials in Churches might be disallowed, which isnot only unwholesom, but the Pavements can never be kept even, nor Pews up-right : And if the Church-yard be close about the Church, this also is incon-venient, because the Ground being continually raised by the Graves, occasions, inTime, a Descent by Steps into the Church, which renders it damp, and theWalls green, as appears evidently in all old Churches.

3. It will be enquired, where then (hall be the Burials? I answer, in Ccme-te'ies seated in the Out-skirts of the Town ; and since it is become the Fashionof the Age to solemnize Funerals by a Train of Coaches, (even where the De-ceased are of moderate Condition) though the Cemeteries should be half a Mile,or more, disiant from the Church, the Charge need be little or no more thanusual; the Service may be first performed in the Church : But for the Poor, andsuch as must be interred at the Parish Charge, a publick Hearse of two Wheelsand one Horse may be kept at small Expence, the usual Bearers to lead theHorse, and take out the Corpse at the Grave. A Piece of Ground of twoAcres in the Fields will be purchased for much less than two Roods among theBuildings: This being inclosed with a strong Brick Wall, and having a Walkround, and two cross Walks, decently planted with Yew-trees, the four Quar-ters may serve four Parishes, where the Dead need not be disturbed at the Plea-sure of the Sexton, or piled four or five upon one another, or Bones thrown outto gain Room. In these Places beautiful Monuments may be erected; but yetthe Dimensions should be regulated by an Architect, and not left to the Fancyof every Mason ; for thus the Rich, with large Marble Tombs, would shoulderout the Poor; when a Pyramid, a good Bust, or Statue on a proper Pedestal,will take up little Room in the Quarters, and be properer than Figures lying onMarble Beds: The Walls will contain Efcutchionsand Memorials for the Dead,and the Area good Air and Walks for the Living. It may be considered further,that if the Cemeteries be thus thrown into the Fields, they will bound the ex-cessive Growth of the City with a graceful Border, which is now encircled withScavengers Dung-stalJs.

4. As to the Situation of the Churches, I should propose they be brought asforward as possible into the larger and more open Streets, not in obscure Lanes,nor where Coaches will be much obstructed in the Passage. Nor are we, Ithink, too nicely to observe East or West in the Position, unless it falls out pro-perly : Such Fronts as shall happen to lie most open in View should be adornedwith Porticos, both for Beauty and Convenience; which, together with hand-some Spires, or Lanterns, riling in good Proportion above the neighbouringHouses, (of which I have given several Examples in the City of different Forms)may be of sufficient Ornament to the Town, without a great Expence for in-riching the outward Walls of the Churches, in which Plainness and Durationought principally, if not wholly, to be studied. When a Parish is divided, Isuppose it may be thought sufficient, if the Modier-church has a Tower largeenough for a good Ring of Bells, and the other Churches smaller Towers fortwo or three Bells; because great Towers, and lofty Steeples, are sometimesmore than hall the Charge of the Church.

5. 1 shall mention something of the Materials for publick Fabricks. It istrue, the mighty Demand for the hasty Works of thousands of Houses at once,after the Fire of London , and the Frauds of those who built by the great, haveso debased the Value of Materials, that good Bricks are not to be now had,Without greater Prices than formerly, and indeed, if rightly made, will deservethem but Brick-rnakcrs spoil the Earth in the mixing and hasty burning, tillthe Bricks will hardly bear Weight j though the Earth about London, rightlymanaged, will yield as good Brick as were the Roman Bricks, (which I haveoften found in the old Ruins of the City) and will endure, in our Air, beyond

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