Here lyes The body of Alex ander Houston son of Matthe^w Houston and Jean Milligan in Parish of New Abbay born August y^e 12^{th} 1731 died July y^e 15^{th} 1763 Non est mortale quid opto Farew^{e}ll my obedient Son of Neighbours well belov’d and an Exempler Christian near thirty two remov’d Farewell a while my parents bot^h Brothers and Sisters all I’ll at the Resurrection day obey the Trumpets call. The insertion of a few words of bad Latin (probably unintelligible to the grieving family), the farewell to the departed, his farewell in response, and the sacrifice of grammar to the exigencies of verse, are characteristic features on the gravestones earlier than the beginning of the last century. Some of these peculiarities are further illustrated by a more ambitious piece of versification which I copied from a tombstone in the churchyard of Berwick-on-Tweed. Though not strictly within the bounds of Scotland, the stone lies at least on the north side of the Tweed, and in its defiance of grammatical niceties is not unworthy of the pen of a northern elegist. 1. The peaceful mansions of the dead Are scattered far and near But by the stones o’er this yard spread Seem numerously here 2. A relative far from his home Mindful of men so just Reveres this spot inscribes this tomb And in his God doth trust 3. That he shall pass a righteous life Leve long for sake of seven Return in safety to his wife And meet them both in heaven 4. God bless the souls departed hence This church without a steeple The king the clergy and the good sense Of all the Berwick people [Sidenote: RAPID DECAY OF TOMBSTONES]