(Apsley) to the Rectory of Great Munden in Hertfordshire. He died in 1817. One of those flowery old-world panegyrics, which I feel pleasure in reprinting, was published in Nichols’ “Literary Anecdotes”:—
“As a companion Mr. Fonnereau’s manners were peculiarly mild and easy, bland and unaffected, and his was that infantine gaiety of heart which the poet happily styles, The sunshine of the breast, and which long endeared his memory to the circle of his intimate acquaintance. In his general intercourse with others his address was free and open, affable and facetious, and of so attractive a nature were his colloquial powers, that to the gay and the grave, the young and the old, he was a most delightful and enjoying companion. Throughout a long life his conduct was manly and simple, and his sentiments liberal and enlarged; and it may be truly said that he presented a genuine picture of a gentleman of the old English school. An innate love of freedom and independence, and a thorough indignation of corruption and venality, whether in rank or in power, were his peculiar characteristics; and from the open avowal of these, even in the worst and most dangerous times, he never shrank, but on all occasions dared to think and act for himself, as became a free and independent man. From mean and narrow bigotry he was utterly exempt; and for the exercise of private judgment in matters of religion, and in the investigation of truths that point to eternity, he was a most firm and decided advocate.
*******
“His remains were interred in the family vault in the Church of St. Margaret, Ipswich; and on the north side of the chancel a mural tablet, commemorative of his virtues, is erected to his memory:—
In his family vault east of this monument is deposited
the remains of the
Rev. William Fonnereau, of Christ Church in this parish.
Enjoying a constant flow of cheerfulness and good humour,
with a body and mind actively engaged in manly and rational pursuits,
and never allowing himself to view the crosses and disappointments
of life through a discouraging medium,
he calmly passed through the last trying and awful scene,
February 28th, 1817, in the 85th year of his age,
in a full confidence of the mercies of God
towards his frail and degenerate creatures.
Ps. xxxvii., v. 38. Keep innocency, and take heed unto the thing that is right: for that shall bring a man peace at the last.”[1]
Rev. Dr. Beaufort. — Daniel Augustus Beaufort, born in 1738, was the only son of Daniel Cornelius de Beaufort, Provost of Tuam (see chapter xviii.). He was educated at Trinity College, Dublin, and ultimately received the degree of LL.D. Dr. Beaufort was during nearly sixty years a beneficed clergyman of the Church of Ireland, having been Rector of Navan, County Meath, and Vicar of Collon, County Louth. His name was widely known as the author of “The Civil and Ecclesiastical Map of Ireland.” He published a long description of this map in a royal quarto volume entitled, “Memoir of a Map of Ireland, illustrating the topography of that kingdom. London, 1792.” Among the subscribers were Rev. Arthur Champagne, Dean of Clonmacnois; Sir Charles Des Voeux, Bart, M.P.; Rev. Francis Despard; Rev. Philip Duval, D.D., Canon of Windsor, F.R.S.; Maximilian Faviere, Esq.; Rev. John Kenny, Vicar-General of Cork; Rev. Francis Kenny; John Ladeveze, Esq.; Rev. Philip Lefanu, D.D., M.R.I. A.; Lieutenant-Colonel Anthony Lefroy, M.R.I.A.; Rev. John Letablcre; Peter Maturin, Esq.; Major John Mercier; Rev. John Vignoles. The map was altogether a new one, introducing innumerable corrections in the longitudes, and in the laying down of the coasts, harbours, and places; scale, six miles to an inch. The author employed two summers in visiting the different counties, particularly the remote parts; and of the fifty-six Round Towers then standing in Ireland, he saw thirty-five. He died in 1821, aged eighty-three, at his vicarage at Collon. An obituary notice appeared in the Gentleman’s Magazine, vol. 91, from which I extract the following particulars and an estimate of his character:—
- ↑ This is the version in the English Prayer-book psalter, translated from the Latin Vulgate.]
