Epitaphs are a genre unto themselves. And here is a particularly intriguing one belonging to a Mr George Routleigh, watchmaker of Lydford, Devon.
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Here lies, in a horizontal position, the outside case of George Routleigh, Watchmaker, whose abilities in that line were an honour to his profession. Integrity was the Mainspring, and Prudence the regulator of all the actions of his life. Humane, generous and liberal, his hand never stopped until he had relieved distress; so nicely regulated were all his movements that he never went wrong except when set a-going by people who did not know his Key. Even then, he was easily set right again. He had the art of disposing his Time so well that he Hours glided away in one continual round of Pleasure and Delight, till an unlucky moment put a Period to his Existence. He departed this life November 14th 1802, aged 57, wound up in hope of being taken in his hand by his Maker, and of being thoroughly Cleaned, Repaired, and Set a-going in the World to come.
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Image credit: Silver Rose