Lord Robert Manners, aged 24; Captain William Bayne, aged 50; Captain William Blair, aged 41. Upon a rostral column decorated with the hulks of three seventy-four gun ships, Genius has hung three medallions, containing the portraits of the Captains. Neptune is sitting upon a sea-horse, pointing them out as examples for posterity to emulate, and worthy of being recorded in the annals of their country, to Britannia, whose majestic figure, accompanied with a resemblance of a lion, supporting a shield of the arms of Great Britain, is standing on the opposite side beholding them with a fixed countenance, expressive of sorrow; while Fame is standing upon the top of the column, with a wreath of laurel to crown Lord Robert Manners, Captains Bayne and Blair, who were mortally wounded in the course of the naval engagements under the command of Admiral Sir George Brydges Rodney, on the 9th and 12th of April, 1782. In memory of their services, the King and Parliament of Great Britain caused this monument to be erected. The basement is adorned with different naval implements, the whole highly executed by Mr. Nollekens.
In front of this monument is a highly polished slab under which lie the remains of Lord Palmerston. Died Oct. 18, 1865, aged 81. And Lady Palmerston. Died Sept. 11, 1869.
Near this spot lie the remains of the Marquis of Londonderry, Pitt, Wilberforce, Canning, Fox, and Grattan.
The next monument consists of a fine statue, full life size: in one hand is placed a scroll, on which is inscribed, “Peace of Paris, 1814;” the other supporting the Robes of the Garter. The pedestal bears the following inscription:—“This statue is erected to the memory of Robert, second Marquis of Londonderry and Viscount Castlereagh, K.G. Born A.D. 1769; died Aug. 12th, 1822. History will record the success and splendour of his public career during a period of unexampled difficulty in the annals of Europe, in which he successively filled the highest offices under the Crown; and Ireland will never forget the statesman of the Legislative Union. This tribute to the best of brothers and friends is placed in Westminster Abbey by Charles William Vane, third Marquis of Londonderry.”—J. Evan Thomas, sculptor.
Lord Mansfield’s monument:—
“Here Murray, long enough his country’s pride,
Is now no more than Tully or than Hyde.”
Foretold by Pope, and fulfilled in the year 1793, when William, Earl of Mansfield, died full of years and of honours: of honours he declined many; those which he accepted were the following:—He was appointed Solicitor-General, 1742; Attorney-General, 1754; Lord Chief Justice and Baron Mansfield, 1756; Earl of Mansfield, 1776. From the love which he bore to the place of his early education, he desired to be buried in this Cathedral (privately), and would have forbidden that instance of human vanity, the erecting a monument to his memory; but a sum, which, with the interest, has amounted to £2,500, was left for that purpose by A. Bailey, Esq., of Lyon’s Inn, which, at least well-meant, mark of esteem he had no previous knowledge or suspicion of, and had no power to prevent being executed. He was the fourth son of David, fifth Viscount Stormont, and married the Lady Elizabeth Finch, daughter to Daniel, Earl of Nottingham, by whom he had no issue; born at Scone, 2nd March, 1704; died at Kenwood, 20th March, 1793. The Earl is represented sitting on a seat of judgment; on his right hand Justice holds the statera, or balance, equally poised; on his left hand Wisdom opens the book of Law. Between the statues of Wisdom and Justice is a trophy composed of the Earl’s family arms, surmounted by the coronet, the mantle of honour, the fasces, or rods of justice, and curtana, or sword of mercy. On the back of the chair is the Earl’s motto—Uni Æquus Virtuti—“Equal to Virtue only,” enclosed in a crown of laurel: under it is a figure of Death, as represented by the ancients—a beautiful youth leaning on an extinguished torch: on each side of the figure of Death is a funeral altar, finished by a fir apple. This monument is the first that was placed between pillars, so as to walk round it.—Flaxman, sculptor.
The beautiful north window was put up in the year 1722, and represents our Saviour, the twelve Apostles, and four Evangelists; the latter with their emblems, lie down, two on each side.
It is much to be desired that they who wish to record in Westminster Abbey their estimation of the character or public services of their relatives or friends, would adopt this manner of perpetuating their memory, as combining with their special object the further enrichment of the noblest Cathedral or Collegiate Church in England, and so contributing to the completion of the general design, by representing that “the Holy Church throughout all the world doth acknowledge God.” A commencement in this direction has been made in the seven memorial windows in the North Transept, of which a special description is subjoined.
The object of the painted glass in the seven Lancet Windows in the North Transept and West Aisle of the same is briefly stated in the inscriptions on the floor immediately beneath the windows.