The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-02-08
BIDDEFORD, Me-, FRIDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY s. 1867
EPITAPHIAN BREvITY.

EPITAPHIAN BREvITY.
True genuine sorrow is never loquacious.
In support Of this theory, we would quote
the learned Fuller, who, in speaking of ep-
itapls, says: "The shortest, plaincst, and
trnest are hest Brevity must, therefore,
be regarded rs merit in their compost.
ton; and OF this class we subjoin few
examples from authentic sources:
!. The first il the shortest epitaph on
record:
"rREvIr."
(He is gone beforl-in memory Of a Fel-
low of the University Of Oxford.
9. The two words in the next line,
"OssA rAssLs
The bones of Iasso) constitute the inscrip.
ton on the tomb of the author Of "Jcrusa-
lem Delivered"
3. On a slab in the Poets Corner, West
minister Abbey, That Of
ION RARE Rem JOHNSON"
commentaries Skakespeare's great cotcm-
ponry.
4. On Timocitus, from the Greek Of An.
acreon:
"A soldier rests In this humble grave;
Mars spares the cowari, anil destroys The brave"
5. Ono Of the most frequent expressions
on The Roman tombs, both pagan and
Christian, is tho well known passage from
Tacitus:
"sir rIBI, TERRA LEWIS"
Light be The earth upon thy grare. Even
in our own day it is often used. as there is
in it an elegance and feeling Of the most
delicate nature, bearing at the same time
the most aflectiona,e application.
G. On George Frederick Cook, the grca,
tagedian, in St. Pnul's, New York:
"rhree kingdom. claim his birth,
Two hemi.pheres proclaim his WORTH"
z. On an English baronct, in the time OF
Henry the Third:
aAn Christian men In my behalf,
Pray for the soul of Sir John Calf"
G. In tho rural churchyard Of Harrow J.
this:
"Thcre Is time when these green trees shall all,
And Isaac 9rcentrce rise above them ALL"
o. On John Roswell, A. ID. 1857:
"This graves he'll Of roses-herc doth lie
| John Roswell gent--hls wife nine children by"
10. AT Wolstanton, there is one OF Anne
Jennings:
'ssome have children. some have none,
Here lies the mother Of twenty-one."
II. In Barrow churcli-yard, we notice
one on Mr.. Stone:
"Jeusalem's curse 10 not fulfilled In me.
| For here stone upon Stone you see."
70. On John White, in the Temple
Church, London: "
| aIIere lies John, burning, shining light,
| Whose name, life, actions, all alike were Whhs."
H. On Potter, Archbishop of Canter.
bury, A. ID. 1876:
| "Aiack anil well-a-dsy,
Potter himself Is turned tn clay"
II. In Westminster Abbey, on John Gay
the poet, by himself: ... .-
| .Ilf. Is a Jest, aud all things show it'
Ithcasht 90 ccce-but nov know H."
Is. The poet Dryden, on the tomb of hi
-t'i n"IIere lies my wiz, hero let her liei
She's now at re.t-and 30 am IT,"
IG On Rebecca Frcelnnd, who died in
tho year l74l:
.sbe drank good ale, good punch and vine,
| And lived 70 the age Of ninety.nine. "
IL. In ST Paul's church.yard, London,
Is this sublime legend: ...
"si monumentum qu%ris, circumspos."
I(Jf his monument you seek, look around.) Ir
memory Of Sir Christopher Wren, the
architect.
10. The following text from Romans xii,
10:
"venseanc. Is mine; win repay. sa,h the Lori"
Is on the tomb of an cvil.doer, executed by
the vigilance Committee Of San Francisco
in 1856. u..