Part 13 (1/2)

broad, and froles of the same face, and debased Ro to Mr Brash, in the Ogauc the son of Cuic;” and, in the Roam stones were presented to the British Museu them out of an ancient fort at Roovesmore, near Kilcrea, on the Cork Railhere they were for the roof of a subterranean chamber No 1 cannot be positively deciphered or translated; No 2 is inscribed to ”the son of Falahth century, and also to ”the son of Erca,” one of a fadoed, is supposed to have been dedicated to a Bishop Usaille, about AD 454 All the stones came probably from some cemetery in the district in which they were found

It has been remarked that the distribution of these old stones marks clearly the ancient history of our islands; their frequency or rarity in each case corresponding accurately with the relations existing in remote times between Ireland on the one side, and Wales, Cornwall, and Scotland on the other Further enquiry into the subject is scarcely to be expected in this rudiravestone is indeed a far quest Like the _ignis fatuus_, it recedes as we seealleries of the British Museum there are several examples preserved to us from the ancient Empire of assyria, and one described as the ”Monolith of Shahnaneser II, King of assyria, BC 850,” is alue to-day It stands 5 ft 6 in high, is 2 ft 9 in wide, and 8 inches thick Like the Scottish stones of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries it is inscribed on both faces

CHAPTER XIV

THE REGULATION OF GRAVESTONES

It has been already pointed out, and is probably well known, that the clergyman of the parish church has possessed fro to allow in the churchyard under his control any n, or epitaph which is, in his opinion, irreverent, indecorous, or in any way unbeco the solemnity and sanctity of the place This authority, wherever exercised, has been subject to the higher jurisdiction of the Diocesan Bishop, and presumably to the rule of the Ecclesiastical Courts; but, as we have seen, the authority has been but indifferently ey have in tinorant or laations A more healthy syste in the way of ornament, emblem, or inscription of an offensive or ridiculous character placed in any of our burial-grounds, the Burial Boards being as strict and watchful over the ceement of the churchyards Nor has there been, so far as we have gone, any difficulty in reconciling this stringency of supervision with the Acts of Parliaious equality at the grave; and it is not too much to hope that there is in the present day such universal prevalence of good taste and propriety under the sole all sects and parties in securing decoruruities which have been left to us as legacies froent

They are landenerations which created them, and records of times and manners which ould fain believe that we have left behind in these days of better education and better thought They are therefore of value to us as iteh ould not repeat many of theraves of our forefathers, but because they are entitled to our protection as ancient n or expression, they e It cannot be denied that some of them try our patience, in the epitaphs even s, and ”merely mock whom they were meant to honour” Two out of a vast number may be selected as painful evidences of a departed century's toe near Bath, is a deplorable arity:

”To the memory of Thomas and Richard Fry, stone the 25th, 1776, by the slipdown of a wall they were in the act of building Thomas was 19 and Richard 21 years

”They were lovely and pleasant in their lives, and in death were not divided

”Blessed are they that die in the Lord, for their works follow them

”A sacred Truth: now learn our awful fate

”Dear Friends, ere first cousins, and what not: To toil asfrom a house of call, The parson bade us set about his wall

Flush'd with good liquor, cheerfully we strove To place big stones below and big above; We made too quick work--down the fabric came; It crush'd our vitals: people call'd out sha, ood moral know-- Never to work too fast nor drink too slow”

The other is at Cray ford, and is as follows:

”Here lieth the body of Peter Isnet, 30 years clerk of this parish He lived respected as a Pious and a Mirthful Man, and died on his way to church to assist at a wedding on the 31st day of March 1811, aged 70 years The inhabitants of Crayford have raised this stone to his cheerfuland Faithful Services

”The age of this clerk was just three score and ten, Nearly half of which ti out _A men, But his wife died one day, and he chanted _Amen!_ A second he took She departed: what then?

He married and buried a third, with _Amen!_ Thus his joys and his sorroere _Treble_, but then, His voice was deep _Bass_ as he sung out _Amen!_ On the Horn he could bloell as_Amen!_ But he lost all his wind after Three Score and Ten, And here with Three Wives he waits till again The tru out _Amen!_”

The habit of iravestone is even more pronounced in the epitaphs One of the most familiar verses is that which usually reads:

”Affliction sore long time I bore, Physicians were in vain, Till Death did seize and God did please To ease one variations out of nu to adapt thees as--

”Affliction sore short time I bore,” etc

The sarave of Joseph Crate, who died in 1805, aged 42 years, and is buried at Hendon Churchyard: