268 



NOTES AND QUERIES. 



[No. 230. 



ON THE DESTRUCTION OF MONUMENTAL BRASSES. 



Any person might naturally be led to suppose, 

 on seeing the many costly and learned works 

 which, within the last few years, have appeared 

 on the subject of monumental brasses, that their 

 value was now fully appreciated, and that all due 

 care was taken to ensure their preservation, or at 

 least prevent their wanton destruction. But, un- 

 happily, such is far from being the case; and 

 though rubbings of brasses are to be found in 

 every antiquarian society, and in the possession 

 of very many private individuals, the church- 

 wardens and other parties on whom their pre- 

 servation principally depends, are for the most 

 part wilfully blind to their importance as histo- 

 rical memorials, and with impunity allow them to 

 be mutilated or stolen. In many of our country, 

 and I may also add town churches, are these in- 

 teresting records of the dead stowed away as use- 

 less lumber in the vestry, or hidden by some ugly 

 modern pew. The writer wishes to make known, 

 through the medium of your valuable journal, 

 some instances which have fallen under his own 

 observation, in the hope that those who read may 

 make some exertions to rectify such acts of dese- 

 cration where they have already occurred, and to 

 prevent their future recurrence. 



To begin, then, with the most important as re- 

 gards the loss incurred by the antiquary, though 

 all show an equal want of good feeling and neg- 

 lect of things sacred, I will first offer the substance 

 of a few notes taken during a recent excursion to 

 Cobham, Kent. The brasses in this church have 

 long been noted as presenting some of the most 

 interesting early examples of this species of mo- 

 nument, extending from the year 1320 to 1529. 

 They exemplify almost every variety of costume 

 that prevailed during that period, executed with 

 the most artistic skill, and accompanied with the 

 most elegant accessories in the shape of canopies, 

 brackets, and allegorical designs. Imagine, then, 

 the feelings of the antiquary, who, upon approach- 

 ing the chancel where most of these brasses lie, 

 finds that it is flooded with water ! The roof has 

 gradually fallen to decay, and the Earl of Darn- 

 ley, whose property the chancel is, has refused to 

 repair it. And yet this same nobleman can spend 

 thousands of pounds in adorning his seat, Cobham 

 Hall, the ancient domain of the family, in whose 

 commemoration most of these brasses are laid 

 down. I may also here mention that part of the 

 rood-screen which forms the back of the earl's 

 pew has been glazed, in order, I suppose, to keep 

 out the damp of the chancel, while a portion on 

 the other side has been entirely cut away. This 

 is by far the most flagrant case of neglect which I 

 have ever witnessed ; but there are several minor 

 instances which well demand exposure. At Men- 

 dlesham, Suffolk, is a fine large figure of John 



Knyvet, Esq., in armour, almost entirely con- 

 cealed by a pew passing up the whole length of 

 the brass. Now, for a very little expense, the 

 slab might be removed and laid down again in 

 the chancel. At Polstead, in the same county, is. 

 a small brass of a civilian and family, date about 

 1490, hidden in the same manner ; and a figure of 

 a priest in the chasuble, lying loose in the vestry. 

 Also at Little Waldingfield is a brass in memory 

 of Robert Appleton and wife, 1526, of which the 

 male figure is covered by a pew. In Upminster 

 Church, Essex, were found, not very long since, 

 during the progress of some alterations, two loose 

 female figures under the flooring of a pew, which 

 are still left to be tossed about in the vestry. One 

 is an elegant figure of a lady in heraldic mantle 

 and horned head-dress, with a dog at her feet,, 

 date about 1450, the other about 1630. At St. 

 James's, Colchester, the head of a figure was long 

 left loose, till at last it has been stolen. And, to- 

 conclude, pews have lately been built over two 

 brasses at Margate, one of which is an early ex- 

 ample of a skeleton. To these instances, which 

 have fallen under my own observation, I doubt 

 not that every collector can add several others of 

 the same description ; but these are sufficient to- 

 show the wide extent of the evil, and the neces- 

 sity of correction. F. G. 



ORIGINAL LETTER OF THE COUNTESS OF BLES- 

 SINGTON TO SIR WILLIAM BRUMMONB. 



Mr bear Sir William Drummonb. — The 

 perusal of your beautiful poem Odin has delighted 

 me so much, that I cannot deny myself the grati- 

 fication of expressing my thanks to its author ; 

 and at the same time demanding, why so exquisite 

 a poem remains unfinished ? 



It is cruel to your readers, and unjust to Eng- 

 land, to leave such a work incomplete ; it is like 

 the unfinished statues of Michael Angelo, which 

 no hand has ever been found hardy enough to 

 touch, for I am persuaded that we have no living; 

 peet who could write a sequel to Odin. 



Do not think me presumptuous for venturing 

 to give my opinion on poetry ; I have studied it 

 from my infancy, and my admiration for it is so 

 enthusiastic, that I feel more strongly than I can 

 reason on the subject. With this passion for 

 poetry, you can more easily imagine than I can 

 describe, the delight that Odin gave me. I have 

 copied many passages from it in my Album under 

 different heads : such as Contemplation ; Love of 

 Country; Liberty; Winter; Morning; Medi- 

 tation on a Future State; Immortality of the 

 Soul ; Superstition ; Vanity of Life ; Jealousy ; 

 and many others too numerous to mention. And 

 they are of such transcendent merit, as to be 

 above all comparison, except with Shakspeare or 



