TWICKENHAM, In this view, is seen embosomed among lofty trees on the banks of the river. The old tower of the church is interesting from its picturesque appearance, but much more so when we recognise in it the venerable sepulchre of departed valour and genius. The ashes of Sir Chaloner Ogle, the Berkeleys, Pope, Mrs. Clive, Sir Godfrey Kneller, and many other distinguished persons, are deposited within its walls. Catharine of Arragon, after she was divorced from Henry the Eighth, retired to a house at Twickenham, nearly opposite the north side of the church. Lord Clarendon, the Earl of Essex, and Bacon of Verulam, there sought a short respite from the turbulence of politics, and the fickleness of court favour. The period of building the old church is unknown-the body of it, which probably retained some vestiges of antiquity, either fell or was pulled down in 1714. It was rebuilt in 1731, by the inhabitants, and forms an heterogeneous mass; the body of the church being of the Tuscan order, whilst the ancient embattled tower exhibits the rude English art of the eleventh century. It contains eight bells, and is dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The living, which is a vicarage, has been in the gift of the Dean and Canons of Windsor, ever since the reign of Edward the Sixth. Its reputed value is about £.400 a-year. The monument of Sir Chaloner Ogle was erected by the family. This officer joined, to an undaunted courage, the most consummate address. In the early part of the eighteenth century, one Roberts, a desperate pirate of considerable talents, annoyed the British trade in the American seas a long time, and had become very formidable even to the colonies. His force consisted of three ships, one of 40 guns, one of $2, and the third of 24. Captain Ogle, cruizing off Cape Lopez in the Swallow, received intelligence that "Roberts was lying, with his three ships, in an adjoining bay; upon which he disguised his ship and stood in. The pirates took him for a merchantman, and one of them slipped her cable and gave chace. Captain Ogle decoyed him off the land till he had reached such a distance as to prevent his associates hearing the report of the guns; he then shortened sail, tacked, and brought him to action, which lasted an hour and a half, when the commander being killed, she struck. Captain Ogle then steered in for the bay, with the pirate's colours hoisted over the king's. This stratagem succeeded, for the pirates seeing the black flag uppermost, concluded the king's ship had been taken, and stood out to sea to meet and congratulate their consort on his victory. Their joy was of short duration, for they no sooner came alongside the Swallow, than Captain Ogle threw off the deception, and began to engage them most desperately. The action lasted two hours, when Captain Roberts being killed, with a great number of his men, both ships struck." One hundred and sixty prisoners were tried, fifty-two of them were hung in chains along the coast; and thus ended the last gang of English pirates.— For this gallant action Captain Ogle received the title. He died admiral of the fleet, on the 10th of April, 1750, after fifty years service. Sir Godfrey Kneller was once church-warden of this parish. How the worthy baronet kept his accounts in that office, is not mentioned; but from the following specimen of his writing it may be presumed, some of the items must have astonished "the village parishioners." Letter of Sir Godfrey Kneller to Mr. Pope. DEAR FRIEND, "I hope your genus does and will know myn is with the most acceptable and most accomplished company to-morrow; for my body is in no condition to stirr TWICKENHAM, out of my bed as jet, and has had no rest these two nights but what it snatches and gets in the day-times by fits; and I believe my left lag will be out of order a good wyle.-Pray give my hearty goodwill to the compa. for the deeds, and my most humble servis being ever yours The great comic actress, Mrs. Clive, fixed her residence at Twickenham, in 1769, when she quitted the stage. Davies says "The comic abilities of this actress have not been excelled; nor, indeed, scarcely equalled by any performer, male or female, these fifty years. She was so formed by nature to represent a variety of lively, laughing, droll, humourous, affected, and absurd characters, that she had little more to do than to perfect herself in the words of a part, and to leave the rest to nature." She was also "famous for scolds and viragos." Garrick felt the force of these accomplishments, when " he wished, for her own sake, she would remain some years longer on the stage. To this civil suggestion she answered by a look of contempt, and a decisive negative. He asked how much she was worth ;— she replied briskly, as much as himself. Upon his smiling at her supposed ignorance or misinformation, she explained herself, by telling him, that she knew when she had enough, though he never would. He then entreated her to renew her engagement for three or four years:-She preremptorily refused. Upon repeating his regret, at her leaving the stage, she frankly told him, that she hated hypocrisy; for she was sure that he would light up candles for joy of her leaving him, but that it would be attended with some expense *. Davies thinks "there was an unnecessary smartness in the lady's language, approaching to rudeness," on this occasion. She died, December 6th, 1785, and was buried at this place. Miss Jane Pope, who had enjoyed her friendship and instruction, erected a monument to her memory in the church. *Davies's Life of Garrick. Bishop Warburton erected the monument to Pope. On a pyramid is a medallion of the poet, in white marble. On a tablet is written "Poeta Loquitur "for one who would not be buried in Westminster Abbey. "Heroes and kings your distance keep, In peace let one poor poet sleep; Let Horace blush, and Virgil too."— On opening the Berkeley vault in 1796, "the body of Sir William Berkeley, who died in 1667, was found lying on the ground without a coffin, cased in lead exactly fitted to the shape of the body, shewing the form of the features, hands, feet, and even nails; and appears to be beat firmly to it, and looks like a figure in armour *.” In this church also repose the remains of Mrs. Pritchard, whose transcendant talents, as an actress, could be equalled only by her private virtues. To give some idea of her extraordinary merit, it may be said, and said with truth, that she appeared with equal effect and admiration both in the tragic and comic drama. What can be said more of her, than, that in a comparative scale of excellence, it could not be determined whether her judgment, her powers, and her command of natural display, were more evident in her Lady Macbeth or her Beatrice. She quitted the stage in 1768, with a farewell epilogue, after her performance of the former of those characters, and died about four months afterwards at Bath. A tablet has since been erected to the memory of this distinguished actress and excellent woman, near the monument of Shakespeare, in Westminster Abbey, with a well written and faithful epitaph, by Mr. Whitehead, the poet laureat of that period. Ironside's Twickenham. |