Death, the Great Equalizer When I look upon the tombs of the great, every emotion of envy dies in me; when I read the epitaphs of the beautiful, every inordinate desire goes out; when I meet with the grief of parents upon a tombstone, my heart melts with compassion; When I see the tombs of the parents themselves, I consider the vanity of grieving for those whom we must quickly follow; When I see kings lying beside those who deposed them, when I consider rival wits placed side by side, or the men that divided the world with their contests and disputes, I reflect with sorrow and astonishment on the little competitions, factions, and debates of mankind; When I read the several dates of the tombs, of some that died yesterday, and some six hundred years ago, I consider that Great Day when we shall all of us be contemporaries, and make our appearance together. - by Joseph Addison [source unknown] Home / Of General Interest