"The Sheets I have taken the Freedom to address to you were the Fruits of leisure Hours; when, fomewhat grave, and fenfible of a Deficiency in that Part of a Man's Cloathing that has fo great a Sympathy with the Animal Spirits, I have left Mirth for the Church-yard, and deferted Folks all alive and merry, for a penfive Hour with the Dead.

This public Acknowledgement of the many Favours I have received from you, Sir, and your noble Family, I hope you will accept with your accustomed Kindnefs. Long, long may it be ere your Virtues furnish Matter for your Epitaph, but may you live to write that of

SIR,

Your most affectionate Friend,

and obliged Rumble Servant.

JOHN HACKETT.

A

COLLECTION

OF

EPITAPH S.

filius Befler of Neuremberg, a fingular Lover of Chemistry, and Student in Botany. 1629. Piety is the only Guard.'

This Epitaph is inferted on account of its being fo This learned Man, the most knowing

beautifully modeft.

B

knowing Botanift of his Time, contents himself (for he wrote the Infcription himself) with the fimple Title of Rei Herbaria ftudiofus. But, for his Skill in Bótany, fee his Collection, under the Title of Mufæum Beflerianum. He alfo wrote a Treatife, containing a Description of the Bishop of Aichftedt's Gardens, under the Title of Hortus Ayftadtenfis.

Pantheon, at Rome.

Raphaeli Sanctio, Joannis F. Urbinati, Pictori eminentiffimo, veterumque æmulo. Cujus fpiranteis prope imagineis fi contemplere, Naturæ atque Artis foedus facile infpexeris: Julii 11. et Leonis X. Pont. Max. Picturæ et Architecturæ operibus gloriam auxit. Vixit Annos xXXVII. integer integros. Quo die natus eft, eo effe defiit, vIII Id. April. MDXX. Ille hic eft Raphael, timuit quo fofpite vinci Rerum magna Parens, et moriente mori.

Ut videant Pofteri oris decus ac venuftatem, cujus gratias

Mentemque celeftem in Picturis admirantur, Raphaelis Sanctii

Urbinatis, Pictorum Principis, in tumulo fpirantem ex

marmore

Vultum Carolus Marattus tam eximii viri memoriam

veneratus

Ad perpetuum virtutis exemplar et incitamentum P. Ann. MDCLXXIV.

In English thus:

To Raphael Sanctius, Son of John of Urbino, the celebrated Painter, and Rival to the moft illuftrious ' of his Profeffion among the Ancients. In contem• plating his almoft breathing Images, you will eafily discover a ftrict Alliance between Art and Nature.

• By

By his exquifite Performances, both in Architecture and Painting, he exceedingly raised the Glory of • Julius the Second and Leo the Tenth, under whose • Popędoms he lived and wrought. He died on the fame Day that he was born, the 8th of the Ides of April, 1520. Aged 37.

This is the great Raphael. Nature, the Mother of all Things, was equally afraid of being outdone ⚫ by him while he lived, and of expiring when he died. Out of a profound Veneration for the Memory of this excellent Man, and to enable Posterity to admire the graceful Features of one, whofe divine Soul is univerfally admired in the feveral mafterly Strokes of his Pencil, and to excite others, by a standing • Monument, to follow his noble Steps, Charles Ma< ratti erected this Marble Effigy, in the Year 1674.'

Intended by Mr. Prior for his own Monument. As Doctors give Phyfick by way of Prevention, Matt alive and in Health of his Tomb-ftone took For Delays are unfafe, and his pious Intention

[care;

May haply be never fulfill'd by his Heir, Then take Matt's Word for it, the Sculptor is paid; That the Figure is fine, pray believe your own Eye; Yet credit but lightly what more may be faid;

For we flatter ourselves, and teach Marble to lye. Yet counting fo far as to Fifty his Years,

His Virtues and Vices were as other Men's are; High Hopes he conceiv'd, and he fmother'd great Fears, In a Life party-colour'd, half Pleasure, half Care. Nor to Bufinefs a Drudge, nor to Faction a Slave, He ftrove to make Int'reft and Freedom agree; In publick Employments induftrious and grave; [he! But alone with his Friends, Lord! how merry was Now in Equipage flately, now humbly on Foot, Both Fortunes he try'd, but to neither would trust, B 2

And

And whirl'd in the Round, as the Wheel turn'd about, He found Riches had Wings, and knew Man was but Duft.

This Verfe, little polifh'd, tho' mighty fincere,
Sets neither his Titles nor Merits to View:
It fays, that his Relicks collected lie here,
And no Mortal yet knows too if this
may be true.
Fierce Robbers there are, that infest the Highway,
So Matt may be kill'd, and his Bones never found;
Falfe Witness at Court, and fierce Tempefts at Sea,
So Matt may yet chance to be hang'd or be drown'd.
If his Bones lie in Earth, roll in Sea, fly in Air,

To Fate we muft yield, and the thing is the fame; And if paffing thou giv❜st him a Smile or a Tear, He cares not-yet pr'ythee be kind to his Fame.

Tiddefwall, Derbyshire.

Under this Stone as here doth ly, a Corps fometime of Fame,

In Tiddefwall bred and born truly Robert Purfglove by Name.

And there brought up by Parents Care at Schoole and Learning trad

Till afterwards by Uncle dear to London he was had; Who William Bradshaw hight by Name in Paul's which did him place,

And there at Schoole did him maintaine full thrice 3 whole Year's Space:

And then into the Abberye was placed as I wis,
In Southwark call'd, where it doth ly, Saint Mary
Overis:

To Oxford then, who did him fend into that College

right,

And there r4 Years did him find which Corpus Christi

hight: