Page 14 - Graveyard

12 | G r av e y ar d H u m o r

by the English, who commence many of their verses with the words, Stop
reader!
The epitaphs of the Romans were brief, simple, and familiar—three
qualities which have been considered very desirable in this kind of
literature, and which might be introduced into other classes with benefit.
The custom of placing inscriptions on tombs was introduced into
England by the Romans, after their invasion of this country. Up to the end
of the twelfth century Latin prevails on the tombs; during the thirteenth
and fourteenth centuries French was used; but after that time the
vernacular came into general use.
The inscriptions on the tombs of the present day are of a very varied
character, as we shall show in the following pages.

German Customs.
The custom of inserting in the newspapers a special advertisement
recording the death of friends is very common throughout Germany. The
writer has just met with one of these announcements, which, even for that
country, is singular. The Leipzeger Tageblatt, in a recent number, records a
death in the following manner:—

“The day before yesterday, at the sixth hour, died my dearly beloved
wife Pauline, maiden name Vorgt, after a short illness and six months of
th
married happiness, in the 24 year of her age. Whoever knew her will
be able to estimate my grief. Moritz Knofel prays for sympathy.
N.B.—The business of my dear wife, at the weekly market, will be
carried on as usual.”
th
—From Londoner Zeitungy 14 June, 1873.

Like that of England, the churchyard literature is very various, and
occasionally very droll. (See No. 346.)

Epitaphian Literature.
There are several books already before the public, written exclusively on
epitaphian subjects. We may mention a few for example:—Webb’s
Epitaphs, Pulleyn’s Collection, Wandlerunter Grabern, von Prediger,
Hatzler,” Freiburg, 181 7. Weber speaks of a Launigten Grabschriften of
1786, of which we cannot state any particulars; and there is an old book
called “Epitaphia joco-seria latina, gallica, italica, hispanica, lusitanica et