If the English believed in England as the Germans believe in Germany, there would be nothing for it but a duel to the death, the extinction of one people or the other, and darkness as the burier of the dead.

The friends by whom he was surrounded were congenial spirits,searchers, watchmen, buriers, apothecaries, and other wretches, who, like himself, rejoiced in the pestilence, because it was a source of profit to them.

Have you any further questions to ask me?" "Not to-night," replied the earl; "except that I would gladly learn whether it is your opinion that the plague will extend its ravages?" "It will extend them so far, my lord, that there shall neither be buriers for the dead, nor sound to look after the sick," replied Lilly.

Quack doctors were secretly consulted, instead of the regular practitioners; the searchers were bribed to silence; and large fees were given to the undertakers and buriers to lay the deaths to the account of some other disorder.

The buriers, seeing how matters stood, and that their superstitious fears were altogether groundless, now returned, and one of them, producing a phial of vinegar, sprinkled the fainting man with it, and speedily brought him to himself.

" "Pooh! pooh!" cried one of the buriers, jestingly.

" "With this, he whistled to Bell, who was skipping about Leonard, having recognised him on his first approach, and they proceeded towards the second postern in London-wall, between Moorgate and Cripplegate; while the buriers, laughing heartily at the adventure, took their way towards the plague-pit, and discharged their dreadful load within it.

He was followed by Chowles and the burier, who threatened him with loud oaths.

And the burier hurried off as fast as his legs could carry him.

"He is a singular being, certainlyonce a coffin-maker, and now, I believe, a burier of the dead.

"The few authorities who now act have, perhaps, no knowledge of his proceedings; or if they have, have not cared to interfere, awaiting a more favourable season, if it should ever arrive, to dispossess him of his hoard, and punish him for his delinquencies; while, in the mean time, they are glad, on any terms, to avail themselves of his services as a burier.

Ascending it, and turning off on the right, they entered Great Eastcheap, but had not proceeded far when they were obliged to turn back, the street being literally choked up with a pile of carcasses deposited there by the burier's assistants.

The gate of the court-yard was opened, and two men, evidently, from their apparel, buriers of the dead, issued from it.

The foremost burier carried a lantern, but he held it so low that its light did not fall upon his burden.

On reaching the door of the house, the burier set down the lantern near the body of a young man which had just been thrust forth.

"I know not," replied the hindmost burier.

Surely these dead buriers are not dead in body; for if this were so, they could not bury dead bodies.