2-996-072 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

"What's O'Clock? What's O'Clock?" - drawn by Godwin, 1860. 'In this little Sketch, so unpretending in character, yet so charming for its very simplicity, Mr. Godwin embodies an allegory of the fleet course of time and the changes wrought in its progress. The scene is an ancient thickly-wooded churchyard. The principal group is that of two children blowing the downy petals from off the dandelion, according to the old accredited fashion with youth, to ascertain the hour of the day, each atom as it falls serving but to illustrate the never-ceasing ravages of time amongst our fellows. On the opposite side an infant at its gambols typifies life in its earliest dawn, whilst in front the aged gravedigger, with one foot in the yawning pit, tells of life's decay and that "bourne from which no traveller returns" - suggestive theme oft told, but never yet told out'. From "Illustrated London News", 1860.