True to his friend, to helpless parent kind,
He died in honour's cause, to interest blind.
Why should we grieve life's but an airy toy?
We vainly weep for him who died of joy.

The following lines to the memory of Thomas. Stokes are from his gravestone in Burton churchyard, upon which a profile of his head is cut. He for many years swept the roads in Burton :

This stone

was raised by Subscription
to the memory of

THOMAS STOKES,

an eccentric, but much respected,
Deaf and Dumb man,

better known by the name of
"DUMB TOM,"

who departed this life Feb. 25th, 1837,

aged 54 years.

What man can pause and charge this senseless dust
With fraud, or subtilty, or aught unjust?

How few can conscientiously declare
Their acts have been as honourably fair?

No gilded bait, no heart ensnaring need

Could bribe poor STOKES to one dishonest deed.
Firm in attachment to his friends most true-
Though Deaf and Dumb, he was excell'd by few.
Go ye, by nature form'd without defect,
And copy Tom, and gain as much respect.

Next we deal with an instance of pure affection. The churchyard of the Yorkshire village of Bowes contains the grave of two lovers, whose touching

fate suggested Mallet's beautiful ballad of "Edwin and Emma." The real names of the couple were Rodger Wrightson and Martha Railton. The story is rendered with no less accuracy than pathos by the poet :

Far in the windings of the vale,

Fast by a sheltering wood,
The safe retreat of health and peace,

A humble cottage stood.

There beauteous Emma flourished fair,
Beneath a mother's eye;

Whose only wish on earth was now

To see her blest and die.

Long had she filled each youth with love,
Each maiden with despair,

And though by all a wonder owned,

Yet knew not she was fair.

Till Edwin came, the pride of swains,

A soul devoid of art;

And from whose eyes, serenely mild,

Shone forth the feeling heart.

We are told that Edwin's father and sister were bitterly opposed to their love. The poor youth pined away. When he was dying Emma was

permitted to see him, but the cruel sister would scarcely allow her to bid him a word of farewell. Returning home, she heard the passing bell toll for the death of her lover—

Just then she reached, with trembling step,
Her aged mother's door-

"He's gone!" she cried, "and I shall see
That angel face no more!"

"I feel, I feel this breaking heart

Beat high against my side "

From her white arm down sunk her head;
She, shivering, sighed, and died.

The lovers were buried the same day and in the In the year 1848, Dr. F. Dinsdale,

same grave.

F.S.A., editor of the "Ballads and Songs of David Mallet,” etc., erected a simple but tasteful monument to the memory of the lovers, bearing the following inscription :

RODGER WRIGHTSON, junr., and MARTHA RAILTON, both of Bowes; buried in one grave. He died in a fever, and upon tolling of his passing bell, she cry'd out My heart is broken and in a few hours expired, purely thro' love, March 15, 1714-15. Such is the brief and touching record contained in the parish register of burials. It has been handed down by unvarying tradition that the grave was at the west end of the church, directly beneath the bells. The sad history of these true and faithful lovers forms the subject of Mallet's pathetic ballad of "Edwin and Emma."

In Middleton Tyas Church, near Richmond, is the following:

* Black's "Guide to Yorkshire."

This Monument rescues from Oblivion

the Remains of the Reverend JOHN MAWEr, d.d., Late vicar of this Parish, who died Nov. 18, 1763, aged 60. As also of HANNAH MAWER, his wife, who died Dec. 20th, 1766, aged 72.

Buried in this Chancel.

They were persons of eminent worth.

The Doctor was descended from the Royal Family
of Mawer, and was inferior to none of his illustrious
ancestors in personal merit, being the greatest

Linguist this Nation ever produced.

He was able to speak & write twenty-two Languages, and particularly excelled in the Eastern Tongues, in which he proposed to His Royal Highness Frederick Prince of Wales, to whom he was firmly attached, to propagate the Christian Religion in the Abyssinian Empire; a great and noble Design, which was frustrated by the

Death of that amiable Prince; to the great mortification of this excellent Person, whose merit meeting with no reward in this world, will, it's to be hoped, receive it in the next, from that Being which Justice only can influence.

WE

Miscellaneous Epitaphs.

E bring together under this heading a number of specimens that that we could not include in the foregoing chapters of classified epitaphs.

An epitaph on a brass in the south aisle of Barton Church, in Norfolk, is notable as being one of the oldest in existence in English, such memorials being usually in Latin at the period from which it dates. The inscription is as follows:

Here are laid under this stone in the cley
THOMAS AMYS and his wyffe MARGERY.
Sometime we were, as you now be,

And as we be, after this so shall ye.

Of the good as God had, the said Thomas lent,
Did make this chapel of a good intent.

Wherefore they desire of you that be

To pray for them to the last eternity.

I beseach all people far and ner

To pray for me THOMAS AMYs heartily,

Which gave a mesbooke and made this chapel here,
And a suit of blew damask also gave I.

Of God 1511 and 5 yere

I the said Thomas deceased verily,

And the 4th day of August was buried here,
On whose soul God have mercy.