THE GRAVE-STONE OF JOE MILLER.
In consequence of the disfranchisement of St. Clement's burial-ground, Portugal Street, Clare Market, the last memorial of "honest Jo" is condemned for removal; and this being the case, I have forwarded for "N. & Q." a copy of the inscription. The epitaph written by Stephen Duck, and the stone itself, were, about the beginning of the present century, in jeopardy of obliteration, but for the compassion of Mr. Bulgen, the grave-digger; and being still in a very bad condition, Mr. Buck a few years afterwards repaired it. The following is the inscription:
"Here Lye the Remains of
honest Jo. Miller
who was
a tender Husband,
a sincere Friend,
a facetious Companion,
and an excellent Comedian.
He departed this Life the 15th day of
August 1738, aged 54 years.
If humour, wit, and honesty could save
The humorous, witty, honest from the grave,
The grave had not so soon this tenant found,
Whom honesty, and wit, and humour crowned;
Could but esteem and love preserve our breath,
And guard us longer from this stroke of death,
The stroke of death on him had later fell,
Whom all mankind esteemed and loved so well.
S. DUCK.
From respect to social worth,
mirthful qualities, and histrionic excellence,
commemorated by poetic talent, humble life,
the above inscription, which Time
had nearly obliterated, has been restored
and transferred to this stone by order of
MR. JARVIS BUCK, Churchwarden.
A.D. 1816."
UNICORN.