My genteel shepherd,
Fondly I recall
The beauty of your Lignon, where we'd share
Neath monuments around your stately hall,
A fleeting moment free from any care.
Embracing midst that noble rustic arch
With marble stone emblazed with bas relief,
Where Poussin's likeness captivates the heart
To tell the tale of Arcadia's grief,
Those shepherds and their shepherdesses gaze
Upon the tomb, Utopia's demise;
Their faces full of woe for darker days,
As humbly now, your servant bids goodbye.
Yours always, in memoriam and so,
Adieu,
Et in Arcadia ego.
May 9, 2014
May 9, 2014 at 2:30 AM UTC
My genteel shepherd,
Fondly I recall
The beauty of your Lignon, where we'd share
Neath monuments around your stately hall,
A fleeting moment free from any care.
Embracing midst that noble rustic arch
With marble stone emblazed with bas relief,
Where Poussin's likeness captivates the heart
To tell the tale of Arcadia's grief,
Those shepherds and their shepherdesses gaze
Upon the tomb, Utopia's demise;
Their faces full of woe for darker days,
As humbly now, your servant bids goodbye.
Yours always, in memoriam and so,
Adieu,
Et in Arcadia ego.
In memory of Lady Elizabeth Anson, nee Yorke (1725 -1760).
On researching the Shepherds monument at Shugborough Hall, I discovered a letter (written in French) from Elizabeth to Thomas Anson, describing with fondness her recent visit to the stately home. Elizabeth went on to wed George Anson, First Lord of the Admiralty. The monument features a copy of "Les Bergers d'Arcadie" (The Arcadian Shepherds), a painting by Nicolas Poussin. The inscription on a tomb within the painting reads "Et In Arcadia Ego" (Even in Arcadia, I am), meaning that even in a place as utopian as Arcadia, Death cannot be avoided. The monument also features the letters "O.U.O.S.V.A.V.V", which have never been successfully explained, and which ignited my interest in this fascinating story. This sonnet is a tribute to the Lady, written in the style of a letter, which seemed somehow appropriate.
