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ART. I. The Sepulchral Monuments of Great Britain, the Introduction to the Second Volume, which completes the Work. With Plates. By Richard Gough, Efq. Folio. 61. 6s. Payne, and Longman.

THE first volume of this valuable work made its appearance previous to the commencement of our literary labours. In our Review for July, 1798, we were happy to record its progrefs in a second volume; and we now, with increased pleafure, congratulate Mr. Gough on its completion. Various confiderations unite to diftinguifh this work, as peculiarly ferviceable to the caufe of Literature: and pofterity, we think, will readily acknowledge that, in this fplendid repository, Mr. G. has, at a vaft expence, erected to himfelf a Monument, far more honourable, and doubtlefs far more durable, than the moft costly pile of marble.

The prefent volume is, in fact, but the first part of its predeceffor; whofe Preface, Introduction, &c. it contains.

"The period of our history which it comprehends, is one of the moft interefting to minds who delight in contemplating the progrefs and

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BRIT. CRIT. VOL. XVII, JAN. 1801.

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revolutions of art. We behold fepulchral STATUARY advanced to fepulchral ARCHITECTURE; and, from tombs in the public chapels and other parts of churches, we proceed to tombs in their own appropriate chapels.

"Thus monuments fuggeft an history of GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE." Pref. p. 1.

Having briefly recited, in the Preface, the gradual improvements of Sepulchral Statuary, Painting, and Sculpture, and congratulated himself in having thus preferved the memory of fo many beautiful remains, Mr. G. with a true fpirit of antiquarianifm, makes war on the prefent practice of beautifying, which he calls new-modelling our cathedrals. Under this idea, the alterations at Salisbury, admired by many competent judges as an admirable monument of tafte, meet with his unqualified reprobation. We cannot, however, hefitate to prefer the genius and knowledge of a Wyatt to all the prejudices of the antiquary.

Here, as at the clofe of the former volume, Mr. Gough is fated to deplore the loss of a valuable affociate, and congenial friend in these pursuits, in that able artift and antiquary, Mr. Jacob Schnebbelie. A literary monument is here erected to him, which Mr. G. thus closes:

"I had planned a concluding view of monuments in England and Scotland, to have compared thofe of our own country, and even with thofe in France; but,

Oftendunt terris hunc tantum fata.

I hefitate not to fay, that in my favourite purfuit of antiquarian refearch, I have fuftained an irreparable lofs. I take the warning, and retire from the pleafing task of immortalizing former generations, thofe who have gone before me for centuries-to meditate on my own mortality, and with the good Abbot of St. Alban's," recordans melius et memorans quomodo diei mei vitalis tam mane tranfierat quam meridies, ficque pene finitæ funt vefperæ, quod multum de prope inftat completorii, juberem sterni mihi lectum in quo paufando quiefcerem quoufque fol vitæ fecundæ iterum affurgeret, reducetque ad ortum*."

"I have witneffed in my own country that Antiquity is lofing her votaries. "Old things are paffing away, behold all things will become new." The pervading principle of equality is a greater leveller than Time itself. We are to forget old principles, and no wonder if old practices are to be forgotten alfo. Theoretically mad, we are to do away all our forefathers tranfmitted to us as fyftem, and every prejudice. We muft throw away the ecclefiaftical hiftory of England, as the nursery of bigotry, fuperftition, and idolatry; and the civil hiftory, as the picture of tyranny, ambition, and defpotifm." I have

"Gefta Johis Whetamftede Bill, Cotton. Nerp D. vii, f. 27."

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feen,"

feen," to quote once more the old neglected book, "fervants upon horfes, and princes walking as fervants upon earth." I may live to fee order restored, or "confufion worfe confounded." I have feen, and I rejoice in the reflection, the Father of his People, and the Patron of Arts and Sciences, reftored to his health, and his fubjects restored to their loyalty and duty, rallying round them in the important crifis. And may they have difinterefted firmnefs to perfevere through the longeft conteft, and to the lateft pofterity." Pref. p. 10.

Thus far have we confidered the Preface only, which contains many judicious remarks, and much useful information. It lays before the reader a clear and concife account of the general state of fepulchral fcience, its progrefs, its most remarkabe defects, and chief improvements.

"The Introduction to this volume, fo much larger than that to the former, embraces a large field-the modes and rites of fepulture in general from the earliest periods of history, more particularly among the Greeks and Romans, to the primitive Chriftians, deducing the feveral conformities. Somewhat of the old ground has been gone over again; with additions and corrections. There is much new matter, and fome light it is hoped has been thrown on our orthography and numerals, as connected with this fubject. If hints capable of farther improvement have been fuggefted, the purpose will have been anfwered, and no apology may be thought neceffary." P. 10.

Having traced Sepulture, with its peculiar rites and ceremonies, from the darkest periods of hiftory, including all the inferior honours paid to the deceafed previous to interment, Mr. G. proceeds (p. xxiv.) to the fimpleft and rudeft exifting monuments, when an artless hillock was all that marked the burial of a favourite chieftain. The firft barrow he refers to is that of Alyattes, king of Lydia, "father of Croefus, raised 2358 years ago in Lydia, and feen by Dr. Chandler in 1764, five miles from Sart, the antient Sardis." He then notes their frequent occurrence in every quarter of the world (not omitting America, where barrows are the infeparable appendage to great fettlements) and concludes p. xlv. with thefe remarks.

"I agree with Mr. Douglas, that barrows are not neceffary proofs of a battle: for our ancestors may be prefumed to have had cemeteries as well as ourselves. Thefe collective modes of burying the dead are not peculiar to Chriftians, but have been annexed to temples in every age by every nation, except the Jews, among whom it would have been an act of the higheft pollution. On the fame principle, the Chinese bury in mountains diftant from towns, and the monuments of the ancient inhabitants of Perfia are found in fuch remote places."

From Barrows he paffes to Tumuli of Stones, and then to the burning of the dead, a practice introduced among the “Danes by Odin, not long before the Chriftian æra." Hence his enquiries

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enquiries advance to fepulchral cairns, or chefts of various conftruction under barrows, and regular coffins of itone.

"Dr. Pegge deduced stone coffins, after the introduction of Chriftianity, from the Saxons, continued to the reign of Henry III. and in fome inftances to that of Henry VIII, as in the inftance of bifhop Smith at Lincoln, who died 1513."

After an accurate enumeration of the different materials in which the dead were clothed for the grave, and other fmaller articles of preparation, we are conducted (p. lxxxix.) to inftances where human fkeletons have been found depofited in clay, and to the various pofitions in which the body was preferved. Mr. G. then proceeds to grave- ftones with croffes, and all the peculiarities of position or ornament which diflinguished our early monuments.

P. cxxxvii. furnishes us with feveral curious anecdotes of the frequent ufe of cenotaphs.

"Simon Sudbury, Archbishop of Canterbury, had one at Canterbury; but was really buried at St. Gregory's church at Sudbury, his native townt. The fame is obfervable of Sir John Hawkwood at Sible Hedingham and Florence. Peter, firft Abbot of St. Auguftine's, at Bologne and Canterbury. Richard Wendover, Bishop of Rochefter, in Bromley church and at Westminster."-" Archbishop Courtney, who has a monument in his cathedral, was really buried in his collegiate church of Maiditone; where his remains, only a few bones, were feen lately."

The account of this difcovery was communicated to Mr. Gough by his worthy, and much-lamented friend, the Rev. Samuel Denne, F. A. S. in a letter which is preferved p. cxxxvi. to whofe acutenefs of research it bears honourable teftimony.

In feveral fucceeding pages, many interefting formularies of interment, and funeral proceflions, are detailed with great precifion. Whence (p. clxxii.) Mr. G. recurs to the use of cemeteries and other burial places. He next paffes to SHRINES, or monuments of rich ftone-work, wherein the reliques of fome holy perfon were repofited. With Dr. Stukeley, he has "accurately diftinguifhed two kinds of fhrines, both equally made for receiving the reliques of faints: but with this difference, that one fort was portable, and ufed in proceffions, and the other fixed, as being built of stone, marble, and other heavy

"Gent. Mag. xxix. 66.

Sep Mon. I. 154. § Weever, P. 250. 4 lb. 1.155. Weever, 285."

+ Weever, pp. 225, 743. Sep Mon. I. 44•,

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