6. "The opinion of the Pythagoreans and Platonists, &c., concerning the restitution of our bodies, and of all other things in the world to their former state, after the revolution of many ages, by a new birth or production." On the Platonic year confer Gale's Court of the Gentiles, book iii. c. 7.; on the Phœnix cycle of the Egyptians, Rev. Edw. Greswell's Fasti Catholici and Origines Calendariæ. By some this restitution is considered as merely astronomical, v. Costard's Hist. of Astronomy, p. 131. "The opinion of some of the Genethliacal writers, that the soul returns and is united to the same body in the space of 440 years."—Varro ap Aug. de Civit. xxii. 28.; Jackson's Works, vol. iii. p. 424. "The opinion of the Stoics concerning the reproduction of all the same men, &c., after the general conflagration," v. Eusebii Praep. Evang., lib. xv.; M. Antonin. Imp., lib. xi. The resurrection was asserted by the Persian Magi, the Indian Brachmans, and other philosophers both oriental and western. "Thus we have demonstrated what evident notices the heathens had of the last conflagration, with the ensuing judgment, and man's immortal state; and all from sacred oracles and traditions."—Gale, ut suprà.
BIBLIOTHECAR. CHETHAM.
CAN A CLERGYMAN MARRY HIMSELF?
(Vol. v., p. 370.)
A Query has been put respecting a clergyman marrying himself. Such a thing did once occur in the case of the Rev. J. D. T. M. F——g, curate of the parish of S——n M——t, Somersetshire. The parish register informs us that—
"On three several Sundays, namely, on the 22nd and 29th days of July, and the 5th August in the year 1787, banns of marriage were published in the parish church between J. D. T. M. F——g and H. V. B——t; and after the third publication, no impediment being alleged, the said J. D. T. M. F——g and H. V. B——t were immediately married in the face of the congregation, on the 5th of August, 1787, by J——n F——g curate."
The parties' names are appended to the form "This marriage was solemnised between us;" and then follows, "in the presence of" two witnesses who signed their names, one of them being the "clark," as he spelt the word. The event occurred "on a Sacrament Sunday." An aged parishioner, who was about seventy-four or seventy-five years of age when my informant wrote, perfectly remembered the ceremony; and added, that previously to Mr. F.'s return from the Lord's Table to the reading desk, in order to continue the service, from the Second Lesson, he exchanged a kiss with his blushing bride! It appears that, owing to several persons having disputed the validity of this marriage, the said parties were re-married by the Rev. W. N——s, officiating minister, on the 9th October in the same year.
I have heard that Mr. F. was always regarded as an eccentric man, if not deranged. I think I have heard that the bride was a milk girl, with whom the reverend gentleman fell in love because "she reminded him of his first love!" The marriage was decidedly opposed by his relatives and friends, which led to the above-mentioned singular occurrence. I believe, before performing the ceremony himself, Mr. F. publicly inquired "whether there was any one provided to marry him?" As there was not, he proceeded to the performance of the ceremony himself.
I have heard also of some such case of a clergyman marrying himself in Ireland. But the marriage was, I believe, pronounced null and void, and the clergyman deposed from the ministry.
Connected with this subject, I would relate another circumstance related to me as a fact by a clergyman, now a surrogate, who for very many years was curate of the parish adjoining that in which it occurred. He related it to justify and to explain his own somewhat unusual practice of using the surnames as well as Christian names of the parties throughout the Marriage Service, saying that in the parish of B——y, Gloucestershire, the not doing so led to the wrong couple being married, owing to the stupidity of the parties and their friends! The rector, Rev. Mr. M——d, on discovering the mistake, formally pronounced the whole proceeding null and void, and then married the right couple!
A correspondent lately inquired whether a person could be buried in a garden! In N——h, Gloucestershire, such a thing occurred about sixteen years ago. An eccentric old gentleman built a kind of summer-house in his garden, and prepared his own tomb in it, and was there buried according to his directions. I rather think the funeral service was read, under the express sanction of the bishop, by the rector of an adjoining parish, who was a friend of the deceased.