We ſhall conclude the life of Mr. Marvel, by preſenting the reader with that epitaph, which was intended to be inſcribed upon his tomb, in which his character is drawn in a very maſterly manner.
Near this place
Lieth the body of Andrew Marvel, Eſq;
A man ſo endowed by nature,
So improved by education, ſtudy, and travel,
So conſummated, by experience and learning;
That joining the moſt peculiar graces of wit
With a ſingular penetration and ſtrength of judgment,
And exerciſing all theſe in the whole courſe of his life,
With unalterable ſteadineſs in the ways of virtue,
He became the ornament and example of his age,
Beloved by good men, fear’d by bad, admired by all,
Tho’ imitated, alas! by few;
And ſcarce paralleled by any.
But a tombſtone can neither contain his character,
Nor is marble neceſſary to tranſmit it to poſterity.
It is engraved in the minds of this generation,
And will be always legible in his inimitable writings.
Nevertheleſs
He having ſerved near twenty-years ſucceſſively in parliament,
And that, with ſuch wiſdom, integrity, dexterity, and courage,
As became a true patriot,
The town of Kingſton upon Hull,
From whence he was conſtantly deputed to that Aſſembly,
Lamenting in his death the public loſs,
Have erected this monument of their grief and gratitude,
1688.
He died in the 58th year of his age
On the 16th day of Auguſt 1678.
Heu fragile humanum genus! heu terreſtria vana!
Heu quem ſpectatum continet urna virum!
