The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-09-27


into q lovely and appealing neglect. II
not oblivion. Oblivion quite covers its
origin. but It is almost ss old " Prot
estantism itself. and II tho ground for II
was tho gift Of the grand duke who tol-
Grated heretios as well as Jews In the
impulse he gave TO the city's growth. 1t
would not be strange. The beautiful
porch Of the English church. for onoe
Greek and not Gothic. fronts upon IL.
but the dwindling congregation has no
care OF II. and there IL no fund-to keep 1t
so much as free from weeds and brambles
and the insidious ivy rending its monu-
ments asunder. The afternoon Of our
visit 1t was In the sole charge Of q large
gray cat. which after feasting upon the
favorite herb lay stretched in sleep on q
sunny bed Of catnip under the walls OF e
mansion near, at whose windows some
young girls looked down In q Sunday
listlessness as we wandered about among
the tall Expresses. myrtles. pines, eucalyp-
tus trees. oleanders. oaotuses, huge
bushes of monthly roses. q jungle Of
periwinkle. s~arsaparilla, wild irises.
violets and other loveliest Of wild flowers
On the forgotten tombs were the touching
epitaphs of those who had died in exile
and whose monuments are sometimes
here while their ashes lie in Florence or
Rome, or wherever else they Glanced to
meet their end. Among them we're the
inscriptions on. the graves Of "William
Magee Seton, merchant Of New York.
who died at Pisa in 1908. and Henry De
Butts. a citizen Of Baltimore. N. America
who died at Sarzana; with flames M.
Knight. ESQ.,, Captain Of Marines. Citizen
OF the United States Of America who
died at Leghorn in 1907; and Thomas
Gamble. Late Captain In the Navy OF the
United States of America who died
at Pisa In 1918; and doubtless there were
other Americans whose tombs I did not
see. The memorials Of the English were
likewise here. whether they died at Leg
horn or not: but most OF them seem to have
ended their lives in that place. where there
were once so many English residents.
whether for their health or their profit.
The youth Of some testified to tho fact
that they had failed to find the air specific
for their maladies. and doubtless this
would account for the disproportionate
number OF noble ladies who rest here.
with their attachments and their ooronets
and robes Of state oarven on the stones
above them. Among others one reads
the titles Of Lady Catharine Burgess born
Beauolerk: Jane Isabella, widow Of the
Earl Of LAnesborough and daughter OF
tho Earl Of Molesworth; and Catharine
Murray, only child Of James Murray .
and the Right Honorable Lady Catharine
Stewart, his spouse. with knights, ad-
mirals. generals and other military and
naval officers q many.
Most important Of all 10 the tomb Of
that strenuous spirit. moro potent for
good and Ill In the English fiction Of. his
time thar any other novelist OF his time, |
and second only to Richardson in the wide
influence Of his literary method. Tobias
Smollett. namely. who here ended his
long fight with consumption and the In
difference Of his country to his claims
upon her official recognition. After many
years OF narrow circumstance in the
southern climates where he spent his
later life. he tried in vain for that meek
hope Of literery ambition. q consulate.
perhaps the very post that my oompan-
ion. q hundred and fifty years later. was
to his stay In Italy In the book Of Italian
travel that he wrote. and the best effect
is that sort Of peripatetio novel which
he may be said to have invented In Hum
phrey Clinker.' and which has survived
the epistolary form into our own time.
II is a very simple shaft that rises over
his grave with the brief record. Mem
oriae Tobiae Smollett. qti Librrni dnimam
e6aayit, 10 Sept. ITS. but 1t is imaginable
with what wrath he would have disputed
the record, II It 10 true. according to all
the other authorities. that he exhaled his
spirit two years earlier. and how he vosh+1
have had It out with those sfriencs and
fellow oountryme n who had the error
perpetuated above his helpless dust,
It wa not easy to quit the sweetly
solemn place or to resist the wish which
I have here INDUCED that some kinsman
or kinswoman Of those whom the blossoms
and leaves are hiding would come to their
rescue from nature now claiming an undue
part in them and celebrating their very
memories. Ons would not have a very
great deal done. but only enough to save
their names from entire oblivion. and with
the hope Of this I have named some Of
even for the United Kingdom and the
United States, though both very poor
nations. to join in contributing the sum
n cessary for the work. Or some mil
~lionaire English Duke. or some million
aire American manufacturer. might make
the outlay alone; I cannot expect any
millionaire author to provide q special
fund for the care Of the tomb Of Smollett.
". D. HowELLs.