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The Modern Antiquarian
Re: Mary S Cope: From Western Lands
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There's a similarity too when you compare Mary's -

The ancient little Norman church,
With quaintly medieval porch,
Stands 'neath the elm tree tall
Sunk in the graveyard plot around,
The moss-grown headstones scarce
are found
Few stoop the lettering to trace
Which time's rude hand will soon efface.
Some there may be of highborn race,
But none the names recall.

With -

Ah me! what lovely tints are there!
Of olive-green and scarlet bright,
In spikes, in branches, and in stars,
Green, red, and pearly white.
This heap of earth o'ergrown with moss,
Which close beside the thorn you see,
So fresh in all its beauteous dyes,
Is like an infant's grave in size
As like as like can be:
But never, never any where,
An infant's grave was half so fair.

Wordsworth

Then compare that (from Wordsworth's The Thorn) with Stukeley's, "...findings at several sites, as recorded in Stonehenge, a Temple Restor’d to the British Druids:

“About three foot below the surface, a layer of flints... about a foot thick, rested on a layer of soft mould another foot: in which was inclos’ed an urn full of bones... The bones had been burnt, and crouded all together in a little heap, not so much as a hat would contain... A child’s body (as it seems) had been burnt here, and cover’d up in that hole: but thro’ the length of time consum’d. From three foot deep, we found much wood ashes soft and black as ink..."

Ach... the circles go ever on and on...


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Littlestone
Posted by Littlestone
9th September 2008ce
23:32

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Mary S Cope: From Western Lands (Littlestone)

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