Page:Hannah More (1887 Charlotte Mary Yonge British).djvu/46

34 Resurrection, in my poor judgment a most excellent thing."

The success of Percy encouraged the author to produce another tragedy, called The Fatal Falsehood, founded on domestic troubles. Garrick prepared it for the stage; but before it appeared, he died almost suddenly, on the 20th of January 1779. His wife immediately entreated Miss More to come to her, as her most congenial friend and comforter, and truly her sympathy was most deep and full.

Garrick was buried in Westminster Abbey, and Hannah, with another lady, had tickets from the Bishop of Rochester, Dean of Westminster, to witness the funeral, and after some difficulty obtained a place in a little gallery directly over the grave. "Just at three the great doors burst open with a noise that shook the roof, the organ struck up, and the whole choir, in strains only less solemn than 'the Archangel's trump,' began Handel's fine anthem. The whole choir advanced to the grave in hoods and surplices, singing all the way, then Sheridan as chief mourner, then the body (alas! whose body?), with ten noblemen and gentlemen pall-bearers; then the rest of the friends and mourners; hardly a dry eye, the very players, bred to the trade of counterfeiting, shed genuine tears."

More affecting still is the account of the widow's return to her own house. "She bore it with great tranquillity, but what was my surprise to see her go