Page 7 - Graveyard

Editor’s PREFACE
I
came across some gems from this charming little book in a Victorian
periodical titled Great Thoughts, and couldn’t resist acquiring the
original. Then I couldn’t resist the prospect of reprinting it in a form
that would make it accessible, readable—and affordable.
The original title of this volume was Epitaphiana, or, the Curiosities of
Churchyard Literature. In Victorian days, the suffix “-iana” was widely used
to convert a noun to a “mass noun” —i.e., a noun signifying a collection of
some sort. Hence a collection of Shakespeare’s quotes might be titled
“Shakespeariana,” and I have in my article collection a piece on lamps
titled “Lampiana.” But while the term “Epitaphiana” might have conjured
instant recognition in the Victorian reader, it’s not so likely to do so
today—and it’s a mouthful for the modern reader! Hence I decided that
Graveyard Humor might convey the book’s content more clearly.
“Curiosities of Churchyard Literature” also sounded a bit too much like
reading Thomas Gray’s “Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard” amidst
the tombstones, so I also modified the subtitle!
I’ve tried to retain the format of the book overall. However, I’ve
dropped the author’s original use of all caps to indicate the name of the
deceased, as it gave the impression that this was how the name was
engraved in the epitaph. The use of italics is that of the author, generally
used to call attention to a particular pun or word-play.
In the author’s day, a reader might be assumed to be fluent in Latin and
French, but in most cases the author thoughtfully provided translations of
non-English inscriptions. Where he has not, I have attempted to do so,
and indicated my efforts with “Editor’s Note.” (I thank writer Dawn
Copeman for her translation of the German in #345.)
Readers who enjoy this volume may also enjoy:
• Churchyard Literature: A Choice Collection of American Epitaphs, by
John Kippax, 1877 (archive.org/details/churchyardlitera00kipp)
• Churchyard Literature, or, Light Reading on Grave Subjects, by C.
Northend, 1881 (archive.org/details/churchyardlitera00nort)
—Moira Allen, Maryland, 2014