Colonial days in old New York

by Alice Morse Earle

Exalted, without Pride.

In person, Amiable

In conversation, Affable

In friendship, Faithful

Of Envy, void.

She passed through Life endow’d with every Grace

Her virtues! Black Detraction can’t deface;

Or Cruel Envy e’er eclipse her Fame;

Nor Mouldering Time obliterate her Name.”

The tiresome, pompous, verbose productions, Johnsonian in phrase and fulsome in sentiment, which effloresced on the death of any man in public life or of great wealth, need not be repeated here. They were monotonously devoid of imagination and originality, being full of idle repetitions from each other, and whoever has labored through one can judge of them all.