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The meaning and origin of the expression: Here lies one whose name was writ in water

Here lies one whose name was writ in water

What's the meaning of the phrase 'Here lies one whose name was writ in water'?

Fame, and indeed life, is fleeting.

What's the origin of the phrase 'Here lies one whose name was writ in water'?

A version of the words originate from Beaumont and Fletcher's play Philaster, 1611:

"All your better deeds Shall be in water writ, but this in Marble."

In the better known form 'writ in water' they appeared in Keat's Poetic Works, 1821.

Keats travelled to Rome and died there, aged just 25, in February, 1821. He told his friend Joseph Severn that he didn't want his name to appear on his tombstone, but merely this line:

"Here lies one whose name was writ in water."

Severn honoured that wish, as the gravestone shows - Keats is commemorated just as 'A young English poet'.

Keats's Grave - New Protestant Cemetery, Rome

Keats' gravestone

This grave contains all that was mortal of a young English poet, who, on his death bed, in the bitterness of his heart, at the malicious power of his enemies desired these words to be engraved on his tomb stone "Here lies one whose name was writ in water." Feb 24 1821

See also - season of mists and mellow fruitfulness.

Gary Martin - the author of the phrases.org.uk website.

By Gary Martin

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

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