the south side, which has
convinced us the ground had never before been there broken up. The soil is
chalk; whereas, whenever a grave is made on the north side, human dust and
bones are so {333} abundant, that the chalk soil has almost lost its
nature.

Till more light can be thrown on the subject than what has yet appeared in
"NOTES AND QUERIES," I cannot but retain my original opinion, viz., that
the favourite part of interment, in earlier times, was that nearest the
principal entrance into the church. The original object of burying in
churches and churchyards was the better to insure for the dead the prayers
of the worshippers, as they assembled for public devotion. Hence the
churchyard nearest the entrance into church would be most in request. The
origin of the prejudice for the south side, which I believe to be of recent
date, may, I doubt not, be ascertained from any superstitious cottager who
entertains it. "It would be so cold, sir," said one to me, "to be always
lying where the sun would never shine on me."

If your correspondent on this subject in Vol. iii., p. 125., would ask an
old inhabitant of his parish which is the _backside_ of their church, and
why it is so called? he would probably come at the fact. I would refer him
to Burn's _History of Parish Registers_, page 96., foot-note, where he will
find it stated that "a part of the churchyard was sometimes left
unconsecrated, for the purpose of burying excommunicated persons."

W. HASTINGS KELKE.

Drayton Beauchamp.

_North Side of Churchyards._--Your correspondents seem to be agreed as to
the facts, not as to the origin of the objection. I suspect MR. HAWKER
(Vol. ii., p. 253.) is nearest the truth; and the following, from
_Coverdale on Praying for the Dead_, may help to strengthen his conjecture:

"As men die, so shall they arise: _if in faith_ in the Lord _towards
the south_, they need no prayers; they are presently happy, and shall
arise in glory: _if in unbelief_ without the Lord _towards the north_,
then are they past all hope."

N. S.

_North Side of Churchyards_ (Vol. ii., pp. 253. 346.).--The subjoined
extract from Bishop Wilkins's _Discourse concerning a New Planet, tending
to prove that it is probable our Earth is one of the Planets_, 8vo., 1640,
pp. 64-66., will serve to illustrate the passage from Milton, of the north
being "the devoted region of Satan and his hosts:"

"It was the opinion of the Jewish rabbies, th