St. John's Wood.
DIALS, DIAL MOTTOES, ETC.
(Vol. iv., p. 471., &c.)
Perhaps the following will be of use to your correspondent HERMES (Vol. iv., p. 471.), referring to dials which I take to mean sun-dials.
Lately there was rather an interesting object of that kind to be seen upon the south wall of Glasgow Cathedral, with this motto or inscription:—
"Our life's a flying shadow, God's the pole,
The index pointing at Him is our soul;
Death the horizon, when our sun is set,
Which will through Christ a resurrection get."
That the above cannot now be classed among living inscriptions is entirely to be ascribed to the zeal for clean walls exhibited by Her Majesty's Commissioners of Woods and Forests, under whose auspices the renovation of our cathedral has been accomplished. I regret to mention some other memorials have also disappeared, long familiar to the eye of the antiquary—not granting but that these gentlemen have a power to do what they please; however, en passant, we would entreat, if they can, to lay on their hands as charily as possible when such innocent matters come in their way. Though the following well-known lines—
"Good friend, for Jesus' sake forbear,