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nusual illustration. At Hoo is one of the coarsest exemplifications of masonic incompetency I have ever encountered. FIG. 12.--AT HOO, NEAR ROCHESTER "To Robert Scott, Yeoman, died 24 Dec. 1677, aged 70 years." The nimbus or nightcap again appears as in the Ridley specimen, but, whatever it be, the teeth are undoubtedly the teeth of the skeleton head. This stone has another claim to our notice beyond the inartistic design. It marks one of the very rare efforts in this direction of the seventeenth century. The prevalent shape of these old memorials and their almost contemporary dates seem to indicate a fashion of the period, but they are met with in other places of various conformations. There is one at Erith almost square-headed, only 2 feet high, 1 foot 6 inches wide, and 7 inches thick. FIG. 13.--AT ERITH. It may be noted that this also is of the seventeenth century, and the mode of describing John Green's age is, I think, unique. High Halstow is a neighbour of Hoo, and has only of late been penetrated by the railway to Port Victoria. From High Halstow we have another curious and almost heathenish specimen, in which we see the crossbones as an addition to the "skull," if "skull" it can be considered, with its eyes, eyebrows, and "cheeks." [Illustration: FIG. 11. RIDLEY.] [Illustration: FIG. 12. HOO.] [Illustration: FIG. 13. ERITH.] [Illustration: FIG. 14. HIGH HALSTOW.] [Illustration: FIG. 15. FRINDSBURY.] [Illustration: FIG. 16. HIGHAM.] FIG. 14.--AT HIGH HALSTOW. "To Susan Barber." The date is buried, but there is a similar stone close by dated 1699. Nearer Rochester, at Frindsbury, there is the next illustration, still like a mask rather than a death's head, but making its purpose clear by the two bones, such as are nearly always employed in more recent productions. FIG. 15.--AT FRINDSBURY. "To William David Jones, died 1721." There is, however, another at Higham of about the same date, in which, supposing a skull to be intended, the inspiration of the bones appears not to have caught the artist. The portrait theory may possibly better fit this case. FIG. 16.--AT HIGHAM. "To Mr Wm Boghurst, died 5th of April 1720, aged 65." That some of the carvings were meant for portraits cannot be denied, and, in order to shew them with unimpeachable accuracy, I have taken rubbings off a few and present an untouched photograph of th
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