DEATH ANNOIJNCEMENTS.

289

About four hundred of these bills are printed for "ordinary"people, and eight hundred for the wealthier gentry, whilst onethousand occasionally may be distributed "for a banker."Every person at whose house a hand-bill is left is supposed tobe invited to the funeral. No lists of friends are furnished tothe Custos who distributes them, as, owing to the smallnessof the town, that functionary mostly knows all the relativesand associates of the deceased; neither are letters sent to thefamily friends, exccpt when far away.

Simultaneously with the distribution of the above bills, alike announcement is made in the newspaper of the town.Nor are these advertisements the mere dry concise Statementsthat are customary in our own Journals; for it is by no meansunusual for the bereaved publicly to sue for pity: thus:—

" To distant acquaintances and friends we dedicate thissorrow-message (Trauer-Botscliaft), with the entreaty for deepsympathy," says one such advertisement before us.

" Your deep sympathy is requested," curtly runs another.

Other advertisements, however, will conclude with a notice,

that " the business of the deceased is to be conducted upon the

same liberal terms as before;" whilst others, again, may end

with the following ostentation of affliction and worldly rank:—

" Over bis grave are weeping the deeply sorrowing

Fbiedeich von B-------, Privy-councillor of Justice at -------.

Ludwig von B-------, Privy-councillor for Appeals in Justice

and Equity at ■ -------.

Kael von B-------, Councillor of Justice at -------.

Geoege von B-------, Privy Councillor of Finance at

Many, too, contain little sad histories of the bitter mis-fortune that has fallen on the family; as the subjoined—which we copy from the " Coblenzee Zeitung" —willtestify:—

VOL. II. u