BIRDS SHOT BY THE REV. FRANCIS GISBORNE. 215 



" /Ere perennius 



Quod non imber edax, non Aquilo potens 

 Possit diruere, aut innumeiabilis 

 Annorum series, et fuga temporum." 



— -Hor. Book iii., Ode xxx. 



in that he still lives in the memories of the descendants of his 

 parishioners. Many, indeed, are the tales which are told of him 

 whose name is still familiar as a household word, and of him most 

 truly may it be said that his works do follow him. 



In a letter which has recently come to hand, it is stated that he 

 was accustomed to make fireworks in the small brick building with 

 stone steps up to the door, attached to the old Rectory House, 

 and let them off in the meadows, or at Moor Top, beyond 

 where they could be seen for miles round. People used to 

 say : — '■^O'wd Staley Parson is gi'eitig a show for nought again." 



In his latter years, Mr. Gisborne became very feeble, but 

 continued to read prayers as long as his failing powers would 

 permit. On one occasion, when he wanted to preach, just as he 

 got into the pulpit, Mr. Foxlow (his curate) and William Sales 

 (the clerk) gently led him down the steps again, as they thought 

 him too infirm to make the attempt successfully. 



The following lines, placed on a large plum cake, were 

 forwarded to him by his friend, Mr. Garthwaite, in the year 1809, 

 with which enconium we may well bring our annotations to an 

 end : — 



" Whilst the whole Isle a Jubilee ordains 

 That a lov'd monarch half-a century reigui, 

 Let Staveley's sons a pious Gisborne greet, 

 Who fifty years has been their Pastor meet. 

 Take, then, this humble token which I send, 

 Thou best of mortals, and sincerest friend." 



I should like to add, in conclusion, that the notes, from a natural 

 history point of view, are by no means exhaustive, and that the 

 incompleteness is only one of the many shortcomings of an attempt 

 from a 'prentice hand to add to the interest of an archaeological 



