Stevenson, John Hall (1717-1785)

Epitaph upon a Living Subject

London

Printed by J. Nichols, J. Debrett, and T. Beckett

1795

"Like souls unborn and unequipp'd, / A blank, of many a passion stripp'd."

Here lies the body of John H---,
Entomb'd within this castle-wall;
Impaired by time not overthrown,
Fairly subdued by Sloth alone.
Like one of Virgil's lazy cattle,
Unfit alike for peace or battle.
As snug and totally at rest
As dormice in their dormant nest.
Like souls unborn and unequipp'd,
A blank, of many a passion stripp'd.
That minds as much as these same weak ones
The threats of bishops, priests, and deacons.
And who the promises believes
Of priests and deacons and lawn sleeves,
As much as they themselves believe
All that they teach from morn to eve.
Which they are not to blame for teaching,
But those that pay them for their preaching.
When young, by his parish priest's assistance,
He saw great marvels at a distance;
He saw both heaven and hell below,
And also saw in heaven or hell,
But so far off they made no show,
All people that on earth do dwell,
As children lifted by the chin
See London town and all within.

Writing::Blank

Searching "mind" and "blank" in HDIS (Poetry); found again "soul" and "blank"

Text from The Works, 3 vols. (London: J. Nichols, J. Debrett, T. Beckett). <Link to ECCO>

Blank Slate

03/02/2005