, 1881-08-21

Some Curious specimens.
OF epitafs remarkable for their play upon
words good specimen was furnished by
Benjamin Franklin:
The body of Benjanlin Franklin, printer, like
the cover of an old book. its contents torn out
and stripped OF its lettering and Ellu!ng, ncs
here. food for worms; but the work snau not oe
wholly lost-for it will, as he believed appeaf
once more in new and more perfect edluon.
corrected and amended by the author. lie was
born Jan. u. l.ud; died -, L.
4 brother printer. under the IMPRESSION
that s'the art preseryative of arts" could
furnish still better material out OF which to
compose all epitaf for one who was so Skill
full craftsman. suggested tie toao"lng as
an alternative inscription:
Reuiamin Franklin, the Of his profession. the
type OF honesty, the of all; and although me
t9- Of death has put a. to his existence, each
Of his life has been without I.
The following epitaf on Matchmaker
makes exhaustive use of trade frases:
Here lies in horizontal position the outside cdscoJ
George Routlelsh, watchtnaker, whose apllltleS
III thar line were an honor to his profession; n
teCrty was the dtpns ana S,a nfa p6nuenvG tne
generous, and liberal, his Itc'ut never stoppet
till he had relieved distress; SO nicely reEnlatea
cxcept when set d-going by people who did NOT
know his key; even then he was easily sa right @
again; he had the art of dlsposinE OF ms t'as
so well that his nours giided away in one contin-
11a1 round Of pleasure and delight till an un-
iucky rppr<n.ci: put period to his existence;
he departed this LIE Nov IT ls l.; aeGo Go, o. m is
Maker and of being thoroughly c'cd'acd repaired.
and vet d-goiug in the world to come
Here is an epitsf of all earlier date on a
carnenter at Ockham, named John Spong
(0b. 1866:
VINO rnany sturdy oak has laid along,
Felied ny DEATHS surer ltatchet, here lies spong.
T3ss Oft be made. yet necr place could get,
and lived by ruling, though he was no Wit;
And st,lex corrected, yet was no granmaran;
Long lvd be Ockhau's premier architect;
Aud, lasting rs his fame TOMB to csec1
In vain VIC seek artist such as nc-
So here be rests from all lifts tolls and folies-
Oh! spare, kind Heav'n, his fcllo"-iaore rer Hol-
The following from Berkeley Churchyard,
on Thomas Pierce lob. 1868. relates to a
seIf-nade man. who was skilled in more than
one hraucl, of workmanship and who was
notwit l,out honor in his life from his fellow
townsmen: ....
Here lye,h Thomas Pierce, whom no man
Yet he in iran: Brasse, and silver wrought ts art,
He Jacks and Clocks ano Natcaes t"1la aitf
And mcnded too when others work did fade.
OF Berkeley five times Mayor this artist was:
And yet this Mayor, this 1rtist, WIS but grasse.
When bis own watch wns downe on tho last day,
He TINT made watches had i not e,,,;at ne i;e key
Io It;i MIa ha II r;s w. .pan pah no nure to die.
T,na ehoomarar.s trade. with such words
.a,l,, !. Sni,. ,, ami .s1ast to play upon,
a. @mr 9r,;e,,oJ So,,,.. rood epitafS of this
Ias 1ulI'stteu I,;rr JH.1 hIoniee,uitl,:e onitaf
Class anu lle tviio ,S So'r;n1u ti,,t + NAV
1as peen 1nousnn So a,1d rnoniai as Wei
&c &c ~ n''E,,~ E,er,;.i, -. ,.,,nrchvarJs: -,
,7 49,, r1.ro,,,or lin roc1;pod.
e;y uss.s 2,euSu wv ~, tn..n iSs, rheir wind:
~, H. FIn:s cx1;n~1i1sned: Forge. .decayed;
avd n ti1c Dust nv Wise is laid;
Ny Coal is speut; my Irons gone,
The last Naiis driven, my work Is done.
An example of this epitaf may be found
in Low Moor Churchyard, on the tombstone
Of Christ0pner Barlow {lS,4}. The earliest
Churchyartl. where it is inscribed 10 ile
memory OF David tletchcI, sulliH ~ 'tts
church tOl}. 1s44). Y similar eplL1l ~ ol
AIbans has the following additional lines
1yhi,,1 mr.. nv no me;,,ls an Improvement:
~ ~ ,.,ss ~ a,,z,sa 1ios hcr,, Mt rest.
~ nle,uis '1ffEc nscennfnIr to be best