few exceptions, been there adopted. On the other hand, in the Church of Felpham, Sussex, chosen by a once distinguished head of that house, as his peaceful resting-place, the name of Cyril Jackson is recorded with a "holy text," in English, by which the "rustic moralist" and the scholar may alike profit. Who would place any other than an English epitaph on the tomb of an English country gentleman, buried amongst his warm-hearted tenantry; or, if an excellent female's example is to be profitable to other wives and mothers, are her virtues to be shrouded in a dead language? Johnson himself departed from his rule in the Epitaph which he wrote upon Mrs. Bell in Watford Church. The graves of Shakespeare, Howard, Nelson, Scott, and Wilberforce, will, perhaps, be visited by a larger number of foreigners than those of other Englishmen, and, if Johnson be right, their Epitaphs should have been in Latin; but would it not have been a subject of regret, had they been written in a language, which was not intelligible to the very humblest of their own countrymen? Without attempting to make any selection of English Epitaphs, the two following are given, as they appear to possess the highest merit, which an Epitaph can claim; they reach the heart by their pathos, and at the same time hold out a lesson of pious instruction.

Sacred to the memory of

[She died in her first child-birth, of twins born dead, aged 31.]

Let those, who mourn in proportion as they once
revered and loved her:

Let those, whose distresses

have been relieved by her benevolence,
or soothed by her gentleness,

pay the best tribute to her memory by allowing
her mild example an influence on their

hearts and lives.

Let those sometimes look at this memorial, and contemplate the benefit to be derived from a living recollection of her piety and charity in the season of prosperity and ease,

and of her meekness and resignation,

when the Almighty changed the manner of her trial,
and stretched her on the bed of suffering,
pain, and death.

Whoe'er, like me, with trembling anguish brings
His heart's whole treasure to these healing springs;
Whoe'er, like me, to soothe disease and pain,
These healing springs has visited in vain ;
Condemn'd like me, to hear the faint reply,
To mark the fading cheek, the sinking eye,
From the chill brow to wipe the damps of death,
And watch in dumb despair the short'ning breath;
If chance direct him to this artless line,
Let the sad mourner know-his pangs were mine.
Ordain'd to lose the partner of my breast,

Whose virtue warm'd me, and whose beauty blest;

Fram'd every tie, that binds the soul to prove
Her duty friendship, and her friendship love.
But yet-rememb'ring, that the parting sigh
Appoints the just to slumber, not to die;
The starting tear I check'd-I kiss'd the rod,
And not to earth resign'd her-but to God.

H

THE following judicious remarks on Sepulchral Memorials are extracted from Gwynn's "London and Westminster Improved," 4to. 1766. This work, which is adorned by one of Johnson's noble Dedications, well merits attention, both from its judicious suggestions for the ornament of the metropolis, and for the amendment of its existing defects. His recommendations have indeed been partially acted upon, but very much remains both for the present age and for posterity to accomplish.

The author, speaking of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, observes, "the inside of this Chapel is extremely fine, and the greatest attention should be given, in order that it may not be deformed : the common absurd practice of placing trophies against the columns, and of erecting monuments up and down this elegant pile, is an execrable custom, unless it was done with more propriety; indeed

this is an abuse too frequently intruded into all places of public worship, and must be entirely owing to the want of taste in those who have the management of Church affairs, and permit such things to be carried into execution. If the design of a Church is good for anything, it is sure to be ruined by this practice, which never fails of destroying its regularity; whenever a monument is proposed to be erected, the utmost care should be taken that the design should suit the place, and by that means serve as an ornament to the whole. There is but one instance where any attention seems to have been paid to this kind of decorum, and this is to be seen in the two monuments erected to the memory of Sir Isaac Newton, and General Stanhope in Westminster Abbey: these are happily placed, and make a fine finish upon the screen in that Cathedral, which would otherwise have made a miserable appearance. The custom of erecting monuments in Churches, at all, is an absurdity, but the practice of deforming Churches merely because people can afford to pay a large tax upon vanity, is intolerable; and if the real worth of some, who figure it in holy places, was strictly enquired into, many a heap of beautiful marble, and exquisite art, would be unanimously thrust out of

1 The screen, here alluded to, existed prior to the one which was erected either by, or under the direction of Mr. Keene, surveyor of the works in 1775. The latter has happily been supplanted by Mr. Blore's beautiful and appropriate screen, which now adorns the Abbey.