[Rarebooks] fs: Interesting Victorian Epitaph Book w/Photos

[Joslin Hall Rare Books]

from the new issue of our printed catalog, A GRAVE AFFAIR-

T., E.M. "INTO THE SILENT LAND: Epitaphs Quaint, Curious, Historic. Copied 
Chiefly from Tombstones, by E.M.T., with comments and illustrations"

London; Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co.:nd (ca.1893).

An interesting late Victorian epitaph book; the author apologizes for the 
fact that many of the 16th-18th century epitaphs are not exactly what 
Victorians thought of as being in "good taste".

           "From early times the satirical, the punning,
            the bombastic, and the malicious epitaph have
            been indulged in. Our ancestors seem to have
            frequently looked upon the churchyard as a fair
            field for mirth at the expense of the departed.
            Gibes, allusions to deformities, misfortunes, or
            peculiarities often meet the eye, puns and double
            entendres are set forth, and we are sometimes
            puzzled to account for the levity and want of good
            taste displayed by survivors, who could think it
            worth their while to record in stone their neighbors'
            foibles and peccadilloes."

She offers several explanations for this of which this is by far the most 
interesting-

           "The village churchyard would oftentimes be a
            place of rendez-vous in the long summer evenings,
            the tombstone inscriptions would be read, criticized,
            applauded or condemned, and if they caused a laugh
            or contained a good joke, so much the better."

The text is illustrated with four albumen photographs, two of medieval 
effigies, one of a Canova-like tomb sculpture, and one Elizabethan memorial 
shrine. The photos were "specially taken and mounted by Mr. B. Gratton of 
Bakewell".

An exceptionally interesting Victorian mourning-related photographic book. 
An uncommon title; OCLC lists only 3 copies.   Hardcover.  7.5"x10", viii, 
127 pages, plus 4 albumen photographs pasted-in; pictorial covers with 
another photograph mounted-on; very light cover wear, tips a bit bumped, 
some internal soil especially around the endpapers, but overall a nice 
copy. [29030] $675.00

Illustrations-
<http://www.a-grave-affair.com/Images/th-29030.jpg>

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