EPITAPH IV. ON MRS. TATTON, IN THE CHURCH OF WITHENSHAW IN CHESHIRE. Ir e'er on earth true happiness were found "Twas thine, blest Shade! that happiness to prove; A father's fondest wish thy duty crown'd, Thy softer virtues fix'd a husband's love. And flatt'ring Health that promis'd length of days! Heav'n join'd your hearts. Three pledges of your joy Were giv❜n, in thrice the years revolving roundHere, Reader! pause; and own, with pitying eye, That" not on earth true happiness is found." EPITAPH V.. ON MR. GRAY, IN WESTMINSTER ABBEY. No more the Grecian Muse unrivall'd reigns, NOTE. * The cenotaph is placed immediately under that of Milton, and represents, in alto relievo, a female figure with a lyre, as emblematical of the higher kinds of poetry, pointing with one hand to the bust above, and supporting with the other a medallion, on which is a profile head inscribed," THOMAS GRAY.” On the plinth is the following date; "He died July 31, 1771.” The sculpture was executed by that eminent artist Mr. Bacon, in Newman-street, at the joint expense of Dr. James Browne, Master of Pembroke College, Cambridge; Richard Stonhewer, Esq. Auditor of Excise; and the Author. EPITAPH VI. ON THOMAS FOUNTAYNE, ESQ. ONLY SON OF THE DEAN OF YORK, IN THE CHURCH OF MELTON, YORKSHIRE. O HERE, if ever, holy Patience bend Thy duteous knee! the hand of Heav'n revere ! Here bid the father, mother, sister, friend In mute submission drop the christian tear! Nor blame, that in the vernal noon of youth That he, whose form with health, with beauty charm'd, "The doom of man in my dread bosom lies; "Be your's awhile to pace this vale of care, "Be his to soar with seraphs in the skies." EPITAPH VII.* ON LAUNCELOT BROWNE, ESQ. IN THE CHURCH OF FEN-STANTON, HUNTINGDONSHIRE. YE Sons of Elegance; who truly taste The simple charms which genuine Art supplies, But know, that more than Genius slumbers here; And weep the Christian, Husband, Father, Friend! NOTE. * This and the foregoing Epitaph, with some others, come under that stricture, which Dr. JOHNSON has imposed on several of Mr. POPE's. The Author knows, but despises it. Personal appellatives in Greek appear gracefully in the Anthologia. In English poetry they almost constantly induce an air of vulgarity. That species of criticism, therefore, which either in the verse or prose of any language militates against what HORACE calls its jus et norma loquendi, he holds to be futile. Besides this, when, on a monumental tablet, a prose inscription precedes (as is ever the modern mode) the verses, why should these be loaded with any unnecessary repetition? EPITAPH VIII. ON MRS. ANN E. MORRITT, IN THE CHURCH OF SELBY, DISTINGUISHED FOR COPYING, IN NEEDLE-WORK, SEVERAL PICTURES OF SOME OF THE FIRST ARTISTS. BLEST LEST Shade, whose Genius in thy earliest days Fir'd thee to emulate the Pencil's praise, To seize the Painter's powers without the name, And soar on female attributes to Fame!* This verse records how to those powers were join'd The strongest manliest energies of mind, Records those years of pain thy frame sustain'd NOTE. * Her works, deservedly admired, are now in the possession of J. B. S. Morritt, Esq. at Rokeby Park, Yorkshire. |