1899.J on Epitaphs. 27 



United the deepest human sympathies, 

 With wide and philosophic views of government and mankind, 



And pursued the noblest political and social objects, 



Above party spirit and without an enemy. 

 His character was distinguished by sincerity and resolution, 



His mind by vivacity and clearness of comprehension ; 



While the vigour of expression and singular wit, 

 That made him eminent in debate and delightful in society, 



Were tempered by a most gentle and generous disposition, 



Earnest in friendship and benevolent to all. 



The British Colonies will not forget the statesman 

 Who so well appreciated their desires and their destinies, 

 And his country, recalling what he was, deplores 

 The vanished hope of all he might have become. 

 He was born August 1806. He died November 29, 1848. 



I think that this is far the best long epitaph in the Abbey. Dean 

 Stanley said to me, with much truth, that there were very few good 

 ones there, either long or short. 



Two of the best English epitaphs which I have come across, 

 written in our times, are from the baud of the Archbishop of Armagh. 

 The first, which is in Derry Cathedral, is good throughout, and con- 

 tains two specially good lines : — 



'Twas but one step for those victorious feet 

 From their days' walk into the golden Street. 



Excellent, too, is the other on a lady of the Nathalie Narischkin 

 type :— 



Proudly as men heroic ashes claim 

 We asked to have thy fever-stricken frame 

 And lay it in our grass beside our foam 

 Till Christ the Healer call his Healers home. 



An epitaph on Lord Hugh Seymour and his wife, quoted by 

 Pettigrew (whose collection of English epitaphs, though containing 

 many hundreds of no value, is much the best I have seen), is little 

 known and worth quoting. He died on the Jamaica Station ; she in 

 England, but they were buried together : — 



Parted once — the fair and brave, 

 Meet again — but in their grave. 

 She, was Nature's brightest flower, 

 Struck before its drooping hour : — 

 He, was Britain's Naval pride ; 

 Young — but old in fame, he died. 

 Love, but with a Patriot's tear 

 Mourns, and consecrates them here. 



On the same page, and by the same author, is to be found a long 

 but rather feeble epitaph on Lord Cornwallis. It would have been 

 better to have placed on his monument the very striking paragraph 

 by Sir James Mackintosh. 



" He expired at Gazeepore, in the province of Benares, on the 5th 



