The Burials Bill passed its third reading in the House
of Lords on Thursday, after a rather brilliant speech from the Bishop of Peterborough, who wisely reserved his irritation till it was too late to injure the Bill ; and an attack also from Lord Beaconsfield, who, with equal prudence, had reserved his fire in like manner. Lord Beaconsfield thought that the Burials Act in Ireland had done no harm, because the Catholics have good- taste,—too much good-taste to covet the ugly Protestant build- ings, where there is no fear of their seeing any manifestation of " the beauty of holiness." But in England, the acquisition of the churchyards would lead to the coveting of the churches, which are beautiful. He himself wished to see all Church- yards shut up, and sanitary interests advanced by the, universal opening of proper cemeteries. That is, as Lord Granville says, Lord Beaconsfield would shut up about 12,000 Church- yards, and impose rates without limit on populations already supplied with provision for burial quite as good as any the ratepayers could substitute !
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