Cowley retired to these premises at Chertsey, in Surrey, a few years
before his death, which took place here in 1667, in his 49th year. The
premises are called the Porch House, and were for many years occupied by
the late Richard Clark, Esq., Chamberlain of London, who died a short
time since. Mr. Clark, in honour of the Poet, took much pains to preserve
the premises in their original state, kept an original portrait of Cowley,
and had affixed a tablet in front, containing Cowley's Latin Epitaph on
himself. In the year 1793, it was supposed that the ruinous state of the
house rendered it impossible to support the building, but it was found
practicable to preserve the greater part of it, to which some rooms have
been added. Mr. Clark also placed a tablet in front of the building where
the porch stood, with the following inscription:--"The _Porch_ of
this House, which projected ten feet into the highway, was, in the year
1792, removed for the safety and accommodation of the public.
"Here the last accents flowed from Cowley's tongue."
We received the substance of this information from the venerable Mr.
Clark himself, in the year 1822, about which time there appeared, in
the _Monthly Magazine_, a view of the original premises, from a
drawing by the late Mr. Samuel Ireland. The above view was taken by
a Correspondent, in the summer of 1828, and represents the original
portion of the mansion. Cowley's study is here pointed out, being a
closet in the back part of the house, towards the garden.
How delightfully must COWLEY have passed his latter days in the rural
seclusion of Chertsey! How he must have loved that earthly paradise--his
garden--who could write thus for his epitaph:
From life's superfluous cares enlarg'd,
His debt of human toil discharg'd,
Here COWLEY lies, beneath this shed,
To ev'ry worldly interest _dead_;
With decent poverty content;
His hours of ease not idly spent;
To fortune's goods a foe profess'd,
And, hating wealth, by all caress'd
'Tis sure he's _dead_; for, lo! how small
A spot of earth is now his all!
O! wish that earth may lightly lay,
And ev'ry care be far away!
Bring flow'rs, the short-liv'd roses bring,
To _life deceased_ fit offering!
And sweets around the poet strow,
Whilst yet with life his ashes glow.
Again:
Sweet shades, adieu! here let my dust remain,
Covered with flowers, and free from noise and pain;
Let evergreens the turfy tomb adorn,
And roseate dews (the glory of the morn)
My carpet deck; then let my soul possess
The happier scenes of an eternal bliss.
Then, too, the delightful chapter _Of Gardens_ which he addressed
to the virtuous John Evelyn.
We quote these few illustrations of Cowley's character from Mr. Felton's
very interesting volume "on the Portraits of English Authors on
Gardening."--By the way, at page 100, in a Note, Mr. Felton makes a
flattering reference to one of our earliest works, which we are happy to
learn has not escaped his observation.
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