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INSCRIPTION ON A TOMBSTONE IN THE

CHURCHYARD AT HOCHHEIM.*

THIS grave holds Caspar Schink, who came to dine
And taste the noblest vintage of the Rhine.
Three nights he sat, and thirty bottles drank,
Then lifeless by the board of Bacchus sank.
One only comfort have we in the case,—
The trump will raise him in the proper place.

* Hochheim is a village where one of the best species of Rhenish is produced, and from the name of which our generic Hock is derived.

THE EPITAPH OF DE RANZAU.

[The Mareschale Compte de Ranzau was a Swede, who accompanied Oxenstiern to Paris, and was taken into the French service by Louis XIII. He died of hydrophobia in 1650. He had been in innumerable battles,-had lost an eye and two limbs, -and his body was found to be entirely covered with scars.]

"Du corps du grand Ranzau il n'y a qu'une des parts; L'autre moitié resta dans les plaines de Mars. Il dispersa partout ses membres et sa gloire; Tout abattu qu'il fut il demeura vainqueur; Son sang fut en cent lieux le prix de sa victoire, Et Mars ne lui laissa d'entier que le cœur."

Stop, passenger! this stone below
Lies half the body of Ranzau.
The other moiety's scatter'd far
And wide o'er many a field of war ;
For to no land the hero came
On which he shed not blood and fame.
Mangled or maim'd each meaner part,-
One thing remained entire,-his heart.

EPIGRAMS, &c.

I.

" OMNIA, qui dixit, mea mecum porto, videtur Uxorem sapiens non habuisse Bias.”

I bear my all about me, said

Wise Bias.

Was Wise Bias wed?

II.

AD CLARAM.

"Dant oculi mortem, dant, Clara, tua oscula vitam ;

Sic

sæpe ut vivam, sic volo sæpe mori."

Your eyes bring death, your kisses life.—O give
Thus, Clara, oft to die, thus oft to live.

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III.

Sylvius hic situs est, gratis qui nil dedit unquam. Mortuus at gratis quod legis ista dolet."

Here rests old Mammon,-hard his fate is,
That folks should read his tombstone—gratis.

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IV.

Membrifragus Bacchus cum Membrifragâ Cytherea Progeniunt gnatam, Membrifragam Podagram."

ALITER.

"Nascitur ex Venere et Baccho, solventibus artus, Filia quæ solvit Membra, Podagra, virûm."

Quoth BACCHUS to my Lady VENUS,
We've got a thriving child between us ;
Our feats were pretty well, no doubt,
But 'faith, my dear, we yield to GOUT.

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V.

Hic sum,post vitam miseramque inopemque sepultus. Nomen ne quæras, Lector-Di te male perdant!"

I loathe this grave—yet life was worse.
You ask my name, sir ?—Take my curse !

VI.

Three times old Isaac had gone down,
When Fortune brought a generous clown,

Who, fearless of the furious tide,
Plunged in, and snatched him to the side,
And, dripping, to the distant door,

A shuddering, shivering burden bore.

His well-chafed limbs, with flannels spread,

Were soon deposited in bed.

Then turned old Isaac's grateful wife

To the preserver of his life;

Her hands a brimming glass supplied—

"No-not that bottle!" Isaac groaned-and died.

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VII.

Eripuit vitam sibi fur; vis noscere causam ? Tortoris nummos maluit esse suos."

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"Ne rideas solus-nam risus solius oris Pravus vel stultus reputabitur omnibus horis.”

Which lends thy cheek this solitary smile-
A brain of folly-or a breast of bile?

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