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Page 25
The Customs, Manners, Dress, and Diversions of the _Cacklogallinians_.
The _Cacklogallinians_ value themselves on being a polite Nation; and
indeed those amongst them who have travell'd, are very complaisant, full
of their Professions of Friendship, and Offers of Service, tho' it's the
first time they ever set Eyes on the Party to whom they make them; but
if he takes this for any more than the Effects of good Breeding, and
reminds a Courtier of his Promise, he is look'd upon as one who wants
Education, and treated as a Peasant.
They are not at all sociable, tho' they frequently visit each other,
which is with much Ceremony amongst the better Sort; for he who makes
the Visit, sends before him a Servant to give Notice, that he intends to
do himself the Honour to kiss the Spur of the Master of the House. If he
is, or will be at home, Answer is made, that he returns Thanks for the
Honour intended him, which he will expect with Impatience. When the
Visiter arrives, Notice is given to the Family by one of his Servants,
who strikes a brass Pan (hung at the Doors of all Persons of
Distinction) so long, and with such Violence, that were it in _England_,
he'd be indicted for a common Disturber. After this Peal, the Door is
opened, and the Visiter received according to his Quality, either at the
Street Door, Parlour Door, or in the Hall. He's led in, and seated on a
Carpet, enquires after the Welfare of the Family, after which he takes
Notice of the Weather, and then with great Ceremony takes his Leave,
conducted as he was received.
None visit the Minister of State, neither is there any thing like the
_English_ Hospitality seen in the Visits of private Persons; for they
never present you any Refreshment, not even that of cold Water, except
at a formal Invitation, or a Wedding. At the latter they are very
profuse. When a young Couple is married, for a Week they are never seen
asunder; but after that, it is look'd upon indecent to be seen with a
Wife in any publick Company; and one would think they married to be
reveng'd on each other for some former Injuries; for the Wife takes Care
to shew her Contempt of her Husband, and he his Aversion to his Wife.
They are great Admirers of Puppet-shews and other Spectacles, and will
let their Families at Home want Necessaries, rather than not be seen at
the Booth. What they most delight in is bloody Spectacles. There are
poor _Cacklogallinians_, who fight on Stages for Money; if they cut one
another to Pieces, the Spectators go away highly satisfied; but if their
Art prevents their shedding much Blood, the Combatants are poorly
rewarded, and look'd upon as a Couple of Cheats or Cowards.
A Goat had (as Tradition says) done formerly great Damage to the Corn of
_Danafalio_, a Saint in great Veneration amongst them, who lived about
Twelve Hundred Years ago; for which Reason, every Family, on a certain
Day, diverts it self by breaking the Legs and Ribs of a Goat, and
flaying it alive.
Their Burial of the Dead is so expensive, that it often ruines the Heir.
When the Corpse is carried out of the House, a Herald goes before, who
proclaims the Titles of the Deceas'd: If he has none, he has Three Days
Notice to make a Genealogy for him. I saw the Burial of a _quondam_
Taylor, who was nearly ally'd to a first Minister, and heard the
Herald's Oration, which was as near as I remember, in these Words.
See, Fellow-Citizens, the Vanity of all sublunary Things! and lament
your own hard Fate in the Loss of the Illustrious _Evanosmador_. If
Virtue, if Art, if Nobility of Blood, could any way have influenc'd
the Tyrant Death, who could boast a greater Soul! Who exceed him in
the Mysteries of his Art! Or lastly, Whose Veins were fill'd with a
more noble Blood!
Here he repeated his Genealogy, which spoke him descended from a Number
of Sovereign Princes, Grandees, _Caja_'s, &c.
When the Corpse arrives at the great Market-place, where all the Dead
are burnt, a Priest makes a Funeral Oration; which done, a great Number
of Mourners, hired for that purpose, begin their Lamentations, which
last till the Body is entirely consum'd. The Fire is made with Billets,
on which the Arms of the Deceased are either carv'd or painted, which
cannot cost less than an _English_ Crown each. Every one of the Company
is presented with two of these Billets; one he lays on the Pile, the
other he carries home, and hangs up in his House. After the Consumption
of the Corpse, the Picture of the Deceas'd is hung over the Door for the
Space of Twelve Moons. Their Ceremonies in marshalling the Company are
tedious, and therefore I shall not mention them; I shall only take
Notice, that the Dead are drawn by Six, or Eight Ostriches, cover'd
with Cloath of Gold, upon an open Chariot.
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