Epitaphs. 267 



the present, but what of the nature which selects such 

 a profession ! 



The inscriptions upon the tombs of the Douglases re- 

 called other epitaphs ; some one said of all the inscrip- 

 tions yet seen, he thought that upon the tomb of the 

 Duke of Devonshire gave us the best lesson. 

 It runs thus: 



" Who lyeth heare ? 

 Ye gude Yearle of Devenshere — 

 What he had is gone, 

 What he kept is lost, 

 What he gave — that he hath." 



We were on the verge of moralizing. Some one 

 scenting the danger, said he thought an equally sugges- 

 tive epitaph headed one of the chapters of " David El- 

 ginbrod " : 



" Here lies David Elginbrod, 

 Hae mercy on his soul, oh God ! 

 As he'd a-had, had he been God, 

 An ye'd been David Elginbrod." 



Yes, there is food for thought here too. David must 

 have been a queer one. 



The sky grew darker, and the far-off woods faded into 

 a cloud upon the horizon ; the party rose, and in so do- 

 ing regained their usual hilarity — forgot all about tombs 

 and were off for a run hand-in-hand down the gentle 

 slope to the valley, shouting and laughing in great glee — 

 and so on over the pretty bridge to their delightful inn. 



