1] MY RELATIVES AND ANCESTORS 



father's — and in 1792, when he had just come of age, he was 

 duly sworn in as an Attorney-at-Law of the Court of King's 

 Bench. He is described in the deed of admittance as of 

 Lamb's Conduit Street, where he probably lodged while pur- 

 suing his legal studies, it being near the Inns of Court and at 

 the same time almost in the country. He seems, however, 

 never to have practised law, since he came into property 

 which gave him an income of about ;£"500 a year. This I 

 heard from my sister Fanny. 



From this time till he married, fifteen years later, he 

 appears to have lived quite idly, so far as being without any 

 systematic occupation, often going to Bath in the season, 

 where he used to tell us he had met the celebrated Beau 

 Brummell and other characters of the early years of the 

 nineteenth century. An old note-book shows that he was 

 fond of collecting epitaphs from the churchyards of the 

 various places he visited ; among which are Brighton, Lowes- 

 toft, Bognor, Ryegate, Godalming, Sevenoaks, Chichester, 

 etc. Most of these are commonplace reflections on the 

 uncertainty of life or equally commonplace declarations of 

 faith in the orthodox heaven, but here and there are more 

 original efforts. This is one at Chichester on Henry Case, 

 aged 28 — 



" Here lies a brave soldier whom all must applaud, 

 Much hardship he suffer'd at home and abroad, 

 But the hardest Engagement he ever was in 

 Was the Battle of Self in the Conquest of Sin." 



In the following, at Woodford, Essex, the village poet 

 has been severely practical : — 



"On William Mears, Plumber. 



" Farewell, old friend, for thou art gone 

 To realms above, an honest Man. 

 A plumber, painter, glazier, was your trade. 

 And in sodering pipes none could you exceed. 

 In Water-work you took great delight 

 And had power to force it to any Height, 

 But in Water-closets great was your skill, 

 For each branch was subordinate to your will. 



