He was buried at Trowbridge, where the inhabitants have erected, by subscription, a monument, by E. H. Baily, R.A., which is placed in the church. It consists of a group of figures, one representing the poet regarding the sacred volume, and two other figures of angels waiting to bear the departed spirit to its heavenly home. A simple inscription describes Crabbe's abode as rector of the parish for nineteen years, "discharging his duties as a minister and a magistrate, to acquire the respect and esteem of all his neighbours." In the church of Crabbe's native village, Aldborough, also has been placed a bust of the poet, upon a stone plinth, sculptured with an unstrung antique lyre. Beneath is the following inscription from the pen of the Rev. J. Mitford : "To the Memory of The Poet of Nature and Truth, this Monument is erected, By those who are desirous to record their admiration of his Genius, In the place of his birth. Born December 24th, 1774. Died January 29th, 1832." The bust is admirably executed, the heavy eyebrows being strongly characteristic of the physiognomy of the poet. The cost of the memorial was defrayed by public subscription. The sculptor was Mr. Thurlow, jun., of Saxmundham, a name which reminds one of Lord Thurlow's coarseness when he presented Crabbe with two small livings in Dorsetshire, the chancellor telling him, as he gave them, with a profane prefix, that he was Parson Adams as twelve to the dozen." 66 as like BATH ABBEY CHURCH. 253 We now propose to extend our journey westward, to the grave of a celebrated player, in BATH ABBEY CHURCH. The city ornamented by this structure had its monastic institution in an early age of Christianity, the benefactors to the religious house here founded including Osric the Saxon king, Offa King of Mercia, Athelstan, and Edgar. The monastery was destroyed in the reign of Rufus, but was rebuilt by a monk of Tours, John de Villula, who, in 1106, was styled Bishop of Bath. Varied were the fortunes and vicissitudes of the monastery and church in succeeding centuries. It was during the reign of Henry VII. that the erection of the present edifice was begun, but a much later period marked its completion-so long after as the days of James II. The victor of Bosworth Field preferred to the bishopric his secretary, Oliver King, who shortly after his installation commenced the building, but he left at his death his good work unfinished. The Reformation which followed was not favourable to architectural labours; and the rising edifice, watched over with so much parental care by Bishop King, became dilapidated, though in the reign of Elizabeth a few efforts were made to forward its completion. In our recent visit to the tomb of Gower, in the church of St. Mary Overy, we recorded the gratifying fact that the poet had assisted in the restoration of the building in which he found his last home. Connected with the history of Bath Abbey Church is another instance of the good offices of a poet having been similarly exercised, or at all events been instrumental in its accomplishment. Sir John Harington, the godson of Elizabeth, and the first translator of Ariosto into the English language, found this church in ruins, and evinced great anxiety for its restoration. Bishop Montague, on his primary visit to Bath, was suddenly caught in a shower of rain, and was induced, on the invitation of Harington, to seek shelter in the church. Sir John took the ecclesiastic into the north aisle, which was roofless, a circumstance which drew from the bishop the remark that the situation did not shelter him from the rain. "Doth it not, my lord?" said Harington. "Then let me sue your bounty towards covering our poor church, for if it keep not us safe from the waters above, how shall it ever save others from the fire beneath?" The appeal was not made in vain, for Bishop Montague nearly completed the Abbey church, which was raised to its present state in 1606, although it has the aspect of a greater antiquity. Here is the noble old church, with its imposing tower. As originally designed, the edifice formed a very pleasing example of the latest period of pointed architecture; but the alterations of the present century have diminished much of its beauty. On entering we are attracted by its lofty roof and clustered pillars, and its beautiful western window. We pass by many monuments which seek to detain us, particularly that which perpetuates the memory of the liberal prelate we have just referred to, Richard Montague-a memorial raised by his four brothers—and ́at the south-west end of the nave discover the one we sought -one raised to a follower of Thespis, and who in his day extended the helping hand to one of England's most favourite poets. This is the tomb-which bears the name of When pursuing the object of our present labours in the metropolis we paid befitting respect to the grave of Richard Burbage, the hero of the stage in the days of Shakspeare, and likewise stood by the last home of Betterton and Garrick. The second actor named was succeeded in popularity by Barton Booth, whose monument is to be found in Westminster Abbey. Booth died in 1733, and from that time to the period when Garrick seized upon celebrity (1741), Quin was the only performer of any reputation. Born in King-street, Covent Garden, in 1693, he first appeared upon the stage at Dublin, from which city he was transferred to the boards of Drury Lane, where at first he was intrusted with only trifling characters. Quitting that theatre, he joined the forces of Rich at the Lincoln's Inn Fields Theatre, where he soon obtained much popularity; his Falstaff, in particular, being considered a masterpiece of acting. The new Roscius, however, appeared in the east of London, and for some time he maintained a rivalry with the lately-risen star, and during one season entered the arena with him on the same boards, Richard and other characters being represented alternately by them, whilst they occasionally appeared together in the same play; for instance, as Hotspur and Falstaff in Henry the Fourth, and Orestes and Pyrrhus in the Distrest Mother. Quin, however, soon discovered that in the contest his own reputation declined as that of Garrick's increased. Quin was appointed teacher of elocution to the junior branches of the royal family, and officiated as stagemanager in 1749, when Addison's Cato was represented by them at Leicester House. The prince-subsequently George III.-enacted the part of Portius; and when, in after-years, the old actor was informed of the excellent manner in which his pupil, the king, delivered his first speech in Parliament, he exclaimed with honest exultation: "Ay, I taught the boy to speak." 66 Compelled by age and infirmity finally to quit the stage, Quin passed the greater portion of his retirement at Bath, where he died in 1766. He was somewhat haughty and imperious in his manner, and occasionally was coarse and quarrelsome; but he possessed "a hand open as the day to melting charity," and foremost among his good deeds stands the record of his aid to the poet Thomson. By the loss of the Secretaryship of Briefs, on the death of the Lord Chancellor Talbot, the author of the Seasons became involved, and was confined for a debt of about seventy pounds. Quin was made acquainted with the cir cumstances, sought out the poet, and introduced himself. Thomson was much disconcerted at the visit, and his uneasiness was not relieved when the visitor informed him he had come to sup with him. Quin, however, added that, as he had supposed it would have been inconvenient to have a supper dressed in that place, he had taken the liberty of ordering one from an adjoining tavern. Sundry bottles of claret having been introduced as a preliminary, and the supper being over, Quin said, "It is time now, Jemmy Thomson, we should balance accounts." The poet here anticipated that some extra demand was to be made upon him, but his fears were set at rest by the speedy rejoinder of his friend. Sir," said he, "the pleasure I have had in perusing your works I cannot estimate at less than a hundred pounds, and I insist upon this opportunity of 66 |