420 
occur, even fo late as the middle of the 
fifteenth century, where the epitaph is 
given in rhyme. The new. edition of 
Hutchins’s Dorfet mentions the following 
as engraved round the arch of the church. 
docr-way at Durwefton, nigh Blandford, 
1459. 
Hic jacet fub tumulo Dawn Willielmus 
humatus : 
Reetor erat ville Durwefton: Okfordie natus. 
Another Englith one, in the more com- 
mon ftrain of the times, is given in Wee- 
ver, from’ St. Benet*s, Gracechurch, 
London. 
' Prey for the faulys of Henry Denne and 
Joane his wyf, theyr fadyrs, their modyrs, 
brodyrs, and good frendys, and of all Chrif- 
tian faullys. Jefu have mercy. Amen. who 
departed thislyf ... . . . MCCCCLXX#X1, 
The generality of the Latin epitaphs, 
it will be eafily remembered, begin molt 
frequent!y. with Orate pro anima, perhaps 
followed by miferrimi peccatoris ; an ad- 
drefs, fays Dr. Jonnfon, to the laf degree 
ftriking and folemn, as it flowed’ naturally 
from the ieligion then believed, and 
awakened in the reader fentiments Ce be- 
mevolence for the deceafed, and of con- 
cern for his own happinefs. There was 
nothing trifling or Judicrous, nothing that 
did not tend tothe nobleft end, the propa- 
gation of piety, and the increale of devo- 
tion. 
With the diffoluti on of religious 
honfes, and the fublequent Reformation, 
even this ceafed. The reign of Elizabeth 
affords but few isfances to the contrary. 
Though there are two in the church of 
of Santon. Harcourt, in Oxfordfhire, 
both in Poel one dated 1566, the other 
in 1569. 
After this sh the difafion of learn- 
ing gave a claflic turn evento the epitaph ; 
and though the reign ‘of Elizabeth per- 
haps can furnifh but few of a pure ftand- 
ard, there is one of Ben Jonfen’s which 
eer: yields to any in the Anthologia. 
Underneath this fable hearfe 
Lies the fubjet of all verfe : 
Sidney’s fitter, Pembroke’s mother. 
Death, ere thou canft find another, 
Good, and fair; and wife as fhe, 
Time fall throwa dart at thee. 
Y have fen another in the church of 
South Mimms, in Hertford hhire, which, 
though more homely in its form, has al- 
mot equal fpirit.. It is without a date, 
and is marked only with the initials of 
him for whom it was intended. Ina 
niche within the wall there isa full, and 
Renssn it piety i gi : ‘sua dali 
~ y 
The Antiquary. 
[ June hy 
<a) 8 vctoge texyue tl simak Sheena aie 
Why turn away thine eyne. 
This is no ftranger’s face, 
The phifnomy is thine. 
- 
The epitaphs of later writers are too 
weli known to be enumerated here. The 
bef cf Pope’s are in the mouth of every 
one. A fewcafes too occur where the 
elegance and fublimity of the Roman 
Mufe have been copted with fuccels. 
Theepitaph which Dr. Jortin publifhed 
in the firft volume of his Mifcellaneous 
Odfervations, would do no difcredit even 
to the Carmina Sepulchralia of the an- 
cients. 
Quz te fubtenera rapuerunt, Peta, juventa, 
» O, utinam me crudelia fata vocent : 
Uc linguam terras invifaque lumina Solis 5 
Utque tuus rurfum corpore fim pofito. 
Tu cave Lethzo Contingas ora liquore 5 
Et cito venturi fismemor, oro, viri. 
Te fequar } obfcurum per iter dux ibit ecnti 
Fidus Amor, tenebras lampade difcutiens. 
The epitaph on Sir Chriflopher Wren 
need hardly be repeated ; though it is faid 
to have been borrowed. In real merit, 
however, it is probably furpafled by that 
in King’s College Chapel, over the reft- 
ing-place of Thomas Crouch, 
Aperiet Deus tumulas ; et educet 
Nos de fepulchris. 
Qualis eram, dies ifthzec cum 
Venerit, fcies. 
The multiplication of inftances, were 
only the beft of our epitaphs to be here 
copied, would be endlefs,. Certain it is, 
that a feleétion from the modern feries 
might be made, which, in elevation of 
fentiment or tendernefs of Janguage, 
would form no mean companion to the Se- 
pulchral Infcriptions of the ancients, 
r 0 the Editor of the Monthly Magazine. 
Sd ie 
Impatiens evi fpernet noviffe poctan, 
Et tati modus in dextra eft. 
ee Severy kindnefs deferves a fuitable 
ML. return, it feems highly proper that 
fome one fhould manifeft to’ Phi: ‘ogunesy 
on the part of the female fex, that grati- 
tude Which his anxious concern for the 
dangers with which women are menaced, 
from their predileétion in favour of muf- 
jin drefies, is fo well calculated to excite. 
Nor can this, I prefume, be better fhewn, 
than by pointing out the ftill greater ha- 
zards needlefsly incurred by the men, and 
exprefling the deep folicitude with which 
thofe hazards infpire us. 
ary Wey ‘ie voluntarily a our- 
f (elves 
. 
