In the Sketches of Williams College, printed in the year 1847, is a description of the manner in which the funeral exercises of Euclid are sometimes conducted in that institution.  It is as follows:—­“The burial took place last night.  The class assembled in the recitation-room in full numbers, at 9 o’clock.  The deceased, much emaciated, and in a torn and tattered dress, was stretched on a black table in the centre of the room.  This table, by the way, was formed of the old blackboard, which, like a mirror, had so often reflected the image of old Euclid.  In the body of the corpse was a triangular hole, made for the post mortem examination, a report of which was read.  Through this hole, those who wished were allowed to look; and then, placing the body on their heads, they could say with truth that they had for once seen through and understood Euclid.

“A eulogy was then pronounced, followed by an oration and the reading of the epitaph, after which the class formed a procession, and marched with slow and solemn tread to the place of burial.  The spot selected was in the woods, half a mile south of the College.  As we approached the place, we saw a bright fire burning on the altar of turf, and torches gleaming through the dark pines.  All was still, save the occasional sympathetic groans of some forlorn bull-frogs, which came up like minute-guns from the marsh below.

“When we arrived at the spot, the sexton received the body.  This dignitary presented rather a grotesque appearance.  He wore a white robe bound around his waist with a black scarf, and on his head a black, conical-shaped hat, some three feet high.  Haying fastened the remains to the extremity of a long, black wand, he held them in the fire of the altar until they were nearly consumed, and then laid the charred mass in the urn, muttering an incantation in Latin.  The urn being buried deep in the ground, we formed a ring around the grave, and sung the dirge.  Then, lighting our larches by the dying fire, we retraced our steps with feelings suited to the occasion.”—­pp. 74-76.

Of this observance the writer of the preface to the “Songs of Yale” remarks:  “The Burial of Euclid is an old ceremony practised at many colleges.  At Yale it is conducted by the Sophomore Class during the first term of the year.  After literary exercises within doors, a procession is formed, which proceeds at midnight through the principal streets of the city, with music and torches, conveying a coffin, supposed to contain the body of the old mathematician, to the funeral pile, when the whole is fired and consumed to ashes.”—­1853, p. 4.

From the lugubrious songs which are usually sung on these sad occasions, the following dirge is selected.  It appears in the order of exercises for the “Burial of Euclid by the Class of ’57,” which took place at Yale College, November 8, 1854.

Tune,—­“Auld Lang Syne.”

I.

Come, gather all ye tearful Sophs,
And stand around the ring;
Old Euclid’s dead, and to his shade
A requiem we’ll sing: 
Then join the saddening chorus, all
Ye friends of Euclid true;
Defunct, he can no longer bore,
“[Greek:  Pheu pheu, oi moi, pheu pheu.]"[03]