And ne’er shall sorrowing Earth to Heaven commend
A fonder parent, or a firmer friend.
William Hayley, 1789.
From hence I strolled into the vestry, when the clerk or sexton’s assistant made his appearance; and on the south side of the churchyard he brought me to the tomb of Gainsborough. “Ah, friend!” said I, “this is a hallowed spot,—here lies one of Britain’s favoured sons, whose genius has assisted in exalting her among the nations of the earth.” “Perhaps it was so,” said the man; “but we know nothing about the people buried, except to keep up their monuments, if the family pay; and, perhaps, sir, you belong to this family; if so, I’ll tell you how much is due.” “Yes, truly, friend,” said I, “I am one of the great family bound to preserve the monument of Gainsborough; but if you take me for one of his relatives, you are mistaken,” “Perhaps, sir, you may be of the family, but were not included in the will, therefore are not obligated.” I could not now avoid looking with scorn at the fellow; but, as the spot claimed better feelings, I gave him a trifle for his trouble, and mildly told him I would not detain him. The monument being a plain one, and making no palpable appeal to vulgar admiration, was disregarded by these people. It did not fall in the way, of the untaught, on this otherwise polite spot, to know that they have among them the remains of the first painter of our national school in fancy-pictures, and one of the first in the classes of landscape and portraits; a man who recommended himself as much by his superiority, as by his genius; as much by the mode in which his genius was developed, as by the perfection of his works; and as much by his amiable private character, as by his eminence in the chief of Fancy’s Arts. The following are the words engraven on the stone:—
THOMAS GAINSBOROUGH, Esq.,
died Aug. 2, 1788.
Also the body of
GAINSBOROUGH DUPONT, Esq.,
who died Jan. 20, 1797,
aged 42 years.
Also, Mrs. MARGARET GAINSBOROUGH,
wife of the above
Thomas Gainsborough, Esq.,
who died Dec. 17, 1798,
in the 72nd year of her age.
A little to the eastward lie the remains of another illustrious son of Art, the modest Zoffany, whose Florence Gallery, portraits of the Royal Family, and other pictures, will always raise him among the highest class of painters. He long resided on this Green, and like Michael Angelo, Titian, and our own West, produced masterpieces at four-score. The words on the monument are—
Sacred to the Memory
of JOHN ZOFFANY, R.A.,
who died Nov. 11, 1810,
aged 87 years.
Abridged from Sir R. Phillips’s “London to Kew.”
Field & Tuer,
50, Leadenhall Street,
London, E.C.