UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA. SAN DIEGO
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UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO /J///
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THE
LAST WORDS OF DISTINGUISHED
MEN AND WOMEN
THE LAST WORDS
(REAL AND TRADITIONAL)
OF DISTINGUISHED
MEN AND WOMEN
COLLECTED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES
BY
FREDERIC ROWLAND MARVIN
The tongues of dying men
Enforce attention like deep harmony ;
Where words are scarce they're seldom spent in vain,
For they breathe truth that breathe their words in pain.
—Shakspeare
NEW YORK CHICAGO TORONTO
FLEMING H. REVELL COMPANY
1901
Copyright igoi
by
Frederic Rowland Marvin
(June)
XTo m^ Mife
tbts Bool? is most Xovinglg
2)et)icate5
Neither is there anything of which I am so in-
quisitive, and delight to inform myself, as the
manner of men's deaths, their words, looks,
and bearing; nor any places in history I am so
intent upon; and it is manifest enough, by my
crowding in examples of this kind, that I have
a particular fancy for that subject. If I were
a writer of books, I would compile a register,
with a comment, of the various deaths of men:
he who should teach men to die, would at the
same time teach them to live. — Montaigne.
Last Words of Distinguished
Men and Women.
Adam (Alexander, Dr., headmaster at the High
School in Edinburgh, and the author of " Roman
Antiquities"), 1741-1809. ''It grows dark, boys.
You may go."
" It grows dark, boys. You may go."
(Thus the master gently said,
Just before, in accents low,
Circling friends moaned, " He is dead.")
Unto him, a setting sun
Tells the school's dismissal hour,
Deeming not that he alone
Deals with evening's dark'ning power.
All his thought is with the boys.
Taught by him in light to grow;
Light withdrawn, and hushed the noise,
Fall the passwords, " You may go."
Go, boys, go, and take your rest;
Weary is the book-worn brain :
Day sinks idly in the west,
Tired of glory, tired of gain.
Careless are the shades that creep
O'er the twilight, to and fro;
Dusk is lost in shadows deep :
It grows dark, boys. You may go.
Mary B. Dodge.
I
Xast imor&6 of
Abd-er-Rahman III. (surnamed An-Nasir-
Lideen-Illah or Lidinillah, that is to say, " the de-
fender of the rehgion of God," eighth SuUan and first
Caliph of Cordova. Under Abd-er-Rahman III, the
Mohammedan, empire in Spain attained the height
of its glory), 886-961. "Fifty years have passed
since I became Caliph. Riches, honors, pleasures — /
have enjoyed all. In this long time of seeming
happiness I have numbered the days on which I have
been happy. Fourteen." Though these sad words
correctly express the spirit of the man who is re-
ported to have spoken them, they are purely tradi-
tional.
Adams (John, second President of the United
States), 1735-1826. " Independence forever! "
He died on the Fourth of July, the anniversary of
the Declaration of Independence; and it is thought
that his last words were suggested by the noise of
the celebration. Some say his last words were, " Jef-
ferson survives; " if so, he was mistaken, for Jeffer-
son passed away at an earlier hour the same day.
Adams (John Quincy, sixth President of the
United States), 1767- 1848. " It is the last of earth!
I am content! " On the twenty-first of February,
1848, while in his seat in the Capitol, he was struck
with paralysis, and died two days later.
Addison (Joseph, poet and essayist), 1672-1719.
" See in what peace a Christian can die! " These
S)i5tinouf3T3eb /IDen an& Momen
words were addressed to Lord Warwick, an accom-
plished but dissolute youth, to whom Addison was
nearly related.
Adrian or Hadrian (Publius ^lius, the Roman
Emperor), 76-138. " 0 my poor soul, zvhithcr art
thou going? "
Adrian wrote both in Greek and Latin. Among
his Latin poems (preserved by Spartianus, who
wrote his life), are these lines addressed to his own
soul:
Animula vagula blandula,
Hospes comesque corporis,
Quae nunc abibis in loca?
Pallidula, rigida, nudula,
Nee, ut soles, dabis jocos.
Soul of me ! floating and flitting, an'd fond !
Thou and this body were house-mates together;
Wilt thou begone now, and whither?
Pallid, and naked, and cold ;
Not to laugh, nor be glad, as of old.
Adrian is known in history as one of the greatest
of the Roman Emperors. It is hardly too much to
say that, by his progress through all the provinces
and his policy of peace, he was the consolidater of
the empire founded a century and a half before by
Augustus. He was the author of the Roman Wall
between England and Scotland ; he beautified the city
of Athens; he founded the modern Adrianople; he
built for his own mausoleum what is now the Castle
Xast Morbs of
of St. Anglo at Rome. He was also a patron of the
fine arts and of literature.
Of the famous lines, " The Dying Adrian's Ad-
dress to His Soul," no fewer than one hundred and
sixteen translations into English have been collected,
the translators including Pope, Prior, Byron, Dean
Merivale, and the late Earl of Carnarvon. It should
be added that Pope's familiar version, beginning
" Vital spark of heav'nly flame," is a paraphrase
rather than a translation. I quote Prior's version :
" Poor little, quivering, fluttering thing,
Must we no longer live together?
And dost thou prune thy trembling wing,
To take thy flight thou know'st not whither?
" Thy humorous vein, thy pleasing folly
Lie all neglected, all forgot :
And pensive, wavering, melancholy,
Thou dread'st and hop'st thou know'st not what."
This is the only certain composition of Adrian
that has been preserved,, though he is reported to
have attempted many forms of literature. The au-
thenticity of a letter ascribed to him with a reference
to the Christians, is open to grave doubt. But now
the sands of Egypt, which are daily yielding up so
many secrets of antiquity, have given us what pur-
ports to be a private letter addressed by the Emperor
Adrian to his successor, Antoninus Pius, and —
what is more interesting — it is written, like the ad-
dress to his soul, in view of his approaching death.
Unfortunately the papyrus is very fragmentary, but
4
S)lstmGuisbe& /iDen ant> Wiomcn
its general meaning seems clear. We have evidently
only the commencement of an elaborate epistle. After
the assertion that his death is neither unexpected,
nor lamentable, nor unreasonable, he says that he
is prepared to die, though he misses his correspond-
ent's presence and loving care. He goes on :
" I do not intend to give the conventional reasons
of philosophy for this attitude, but to make a plain
statement of facts. . . . My father by birth
died at the age of forty, a private person, so that I
have lived more than half as long again as my father,
and have reached about the same age as that of my
mother when she died."
All this accords with the known facts about
Adrian. He died at the age of sixty-two, after a
long illness, during which he was assiduously tended
by Antoninus. Just before the end he withdrew to
Baiae, leaving Antoninus in charge at Rome. His
father had died when his son was ten years old; of
his mother we know nothing. Prima facie, there is
no improbability that letters of Adrian should be in
circulation in Egypt, which he visited at least once.
His freedman Phlegon is reported to have published
a collection of them after his death.
On the other hand, it should be frankly admitted
that some suspicious circumstances attach to the let-
ter. Of the antiquity of the papyrus there is no
doubt, for the handwriting cannot be later than the
end of the second century a. d., bringing it within
sixty years (at farthest) from Adrian's death. But
5
Xast Mort)6 of
it is written as a school exercise on the back of a
taxing-Hst, which naturally gives rise to the sus-
picion that it may be merely the composition of the
schoolmaster. The actual form of the document is
interesting. At the top are about fifteen lines, writ-
ten in a clear cursive, or running, hand. Below, the
first five lines are repeated in large, irregular uncials,
or capital letters. It is impossible not to recognize
here an exercise set by a schoolmaster and a copy
begun by a pupil.
The papyrus is one of the many found by Messrs.
Grenfell and Hunt while excavating in the Fayoum
on account of the Egypt Exploration Fund, and ap-
pears in the volume issued by the Grseco-Roman
Branch of Egypt Exploration Fund, called
" Fayoum Towns and Their Papyri."
/. 6*. Cotton in Biblia for November, 1900.
Agis (King of Lacedaemonia, strangled by order
of the Ephori. He was charged with subverting the
laws of his country, but was in reality a brave and
good man according to the light of the age in which
he lived. He died with great calmness and qourage),
— 240. " Weep not for me."
Agrippa (Henricus Cornelius, German physician,
theologian and astrologer, skilled in alchemy and
occult sciences), i486- 1535. " Begone, thou wretched
beast, zvhkh hast utterly undone me." The story is
that he was always accompanied by a devil in the
shape of a black dog. When he perceived that death
6
2)l5tfnGUi6beC> /IDen an^ Momen
was near he wished, by repentance, to free his soul
from the guilt of witchcraft, and so took off the
collar from his dog's neck. This collar was covered
with magical characters. As he removed the collar
he muttered these, his last words : " Begone, thou
wretched beast, which hast utterly undone me."
The familiar dog disappeared with Agrippa's death,
and was never more seen. This curious story wks
for a long time believed by the common people, and
is to be found in one form or another in many old
books.
Agrippa lectured on theology at Cologne, Pisa,
Turin, and Pavia, and practiced medicine in France.
Henry VIII. invited him to England, but he pre-
ferred the court of Margaret of Austria, regent of
the Low Countries. He died poor, leaving behind
him a number of books, and among them " On the
Vanity of the Sciences," which has been translated
into English and other languages.
Agrippina (mother of the Emperor Nero. She
was one of the worst of women, and was condemned
to death by her own son) , — 60. "Strike here! Level
your rage against the womb which gave birth to such
a monster." These words she said, placing her hand
over her womb, to the man sent to dispatch her.
Albert ( Francis- Augustus-Charles-Emmanuel,
Prince of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha. He married
Queen Victoria, his cousin, the tenth of February,
1840), 1 8 19- 1 86 1. "I have had wealth, rank and
7
Xast Mor&6 of
power, hut if these zuere all I had, how wretched I
should be! " A few moments later he repeated the
familiar Hnes :
Rock of Ages cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee.
Inscription on the " Memorial Cairn " on a high
mountain overlooking Balmoral Palace : " To the
beloved memory of Albert the great and good Prince
Consort, erected by his broken-hearted widow, Vic-
toria R., 21 August, 1862." Upon another dressed
slab, a few inches below the above, is this quotation :
" He being made perfect in a short time, fulfilled a
long time : for his soul pleased the Lord, therefore
hasted he to take him away from among the wicked."
Wisdom of Solomon, chap, iv: 13, 14.
One year after Prince Albert died, the Queen
erected a costly mausoleum in the grounds of Frog-
more House, which is legally a part of the domain
of Windsor Castle. The mausoleum is cruciform,
eighty feet long, with transepts of seventy feet. As
soon as it was completed and consecrated by the
Bishop of Oxford, the remains of the Prince Con-
sort were there deposited. Over the entrance is a
Latin inscription, which in English reads as follows :
WHAT WAS MORTAL OF PRINCE ALBERT
HIS MOURNING WIDOW, QUEEN VICTORIA,
HAS CAUSED TO BE DEPOSITED IN THIS SEPULCHER.
FAREWELL, MY WELL BELOVED !
HERE AT LAST SHALL I REST WITH THEE.
WITH THEE IN CHRIST SHALL RISE AGAIN.
8
2)tsttnGUisbe& /lOcn ant) Momen
Alexander (Jannaeus, son of John Hyrcanus,
succeeded his brother Aristobiikis as King of Jtidea
in 105 B. c. The Pharisees rose in rebellion against
his authority; they hated him during his life, and
cursed his memory when he was dead) — b. c. 78
" Fear not true Pharisees, hut greatly fear painted
Pharisees," to his wife.
Alfieri (Vittorio, eminent Italian tragic poet),
1 749- 1 803. " Clasp my hand, my dear friend, I
die! " Addressed to the Countess Stolberg, who de-
rived the title Countess of Albany from being the
wife of Charles Edward Stuart, " the Pretender."
After the death of Stuart, the countess lived with
Alfieri, to whom it is believed she was privately
married.
In the church of Santa Croce, Florence, reposes
the body of Alfieri, and over it is an imposing monu-
ment erected by Canova for the Countess of Albany.
It was while walking amongst the tombs of the illus-
trious dead in the great " Westminster Abbey of
Italy " that the poet first dreamed of fame.
Alford (Henry, commonly called "Dean
Alford," English poet and divine. Dean of Canter-
bury), 1810-1871. " Will you tell the Archdeacon?
— ivill you move a vote of thanks for his kindness in
performing the ceremony? " He wished the Arch-
deacon to assist in the services at his funeral.
He had expressed a wish to be buried in St. Mar-
tin's churchyard. The spot chosen for his grave is
9
Xast IKHorDs of
beneath a yew-tree on the brow of the hill on the
south side of the path which leads from the lich-gate
to the western door of the ancient church. At the
distance of about half a mile to the west the towers of
the Cathedral look down upon his tomb.
Among his papers was found the following mem-
orandum, which, of course, was carefully obeyed :
" When I am gone, and a tomb is to be put up,
let there be, besides any indication of who is lying
below, these words, and these only :
DEVERSORIUM VIATORIS HIEROSOLYMAM PROFICIS-
CENTIS.
i. e., the inn of a traveller on his way to Jerusalem."
Ambrose ("Saint," Latin Father, author of
many books of varying value and interest, and author
of a method of singing known as " the Ambrosian
Chant "), 340-397. " I have not so behaved myself
that I should be ashamed to live; nor am I afraid to
die, because I have so good a Master/^
Ames (Fisher, distinguished American statesman,
leader of the Federal party in the House of Repre-
sentatives during the administration of Washing-
ton), 1 758- 1 808. " I have peace of mind. It may
arise from stupidity, but I think it is founded on a
belief of the gospel. My hope is in the mercy of
God."
10
3)istinouf5bet) /iDen anb TlClomen
Anaxagoras (the most illustrious philosopher of
the Ionian school, and "The Friend of Pericles"),
B. c. 500-428. " Give the boys a holiday.''
After his banishment he resided in Lampsacus and
there preserved tranquillity of mind until his death.
" It is not I who have lost the Athenians ; it is the
Athenians who have lost me," was his proud reflec-
tion. He continued his studies, and was highly re-
spected by the citizens, who, wishing to pay some
mark of esteem to his memory, asked him on his
death-bed in what manner they could do so. He
begged that the day of his death might be annually
kept as a holiday in all the schools of Lampsacus. For
centuries this request was fulfilled. He died in his
seventy-third year. A tomb was erected to him in
the city, with this inscription :
This tomb great Anaxagoras confines,
Whose mind explored the heavenly paths of Truth.
Lewes' Biographical History of Philosophy.
Andre (John, major in the British army at the
time of the American Revolution, and executed as a
spy, October 2, 1780), 1751-1780. "It will be but
a momentary pang."
The order for execution was loudly and impres-
sively read by Adjutant-General Scammel, who at
its conclusion informed Andre he might now speak,
if he had anything to say. Lifting the bandage for
a moment from his eyes he bowed courteously to
Greene and the attending officers, and said with
II
Xast 1KIlor&s of
firmness and dignity : " All I request of you, gentle-
men, is that you will bear witness to the world that
I die like a brave man." A moment later he said, al-
most in a whisper, " It will be but a momentary
pang."
The London General Evening Post for Novem-
ber 14, 1780, in an article abusive of Washington,
gives a pretended account of Andre's " last words,"
in which the unfortunate man is made to say, " Re-
member that I die as becomes a British officer, while
the manner of my death must reflect disgrace on
your commander." Andre uttered no sentiment like
this. Miss Seward, his early friend, on reading this
account, wrote thus in her " Monody on Major
Andre:"
Oh Washington! I thought thee great and good,
Nor knew thy Nero-thirst for guiUless blood !
Severe to use the pow'r that Fortune gave,
Thou cool, determin'd murderer of the brave !
Lost to each fairer virtue, that inspires
The genuine fervor of the patriot fires !
And you, the base abettors of the doom,
That sunk his blooming honors in the tomb,
Th' opprobrious tomb your harden'd hearts decreed,
While all he asked was as the brave to bleed !
Lossing's Field Book of the Revolution, Vol. i, p. 768.
Andronicus I. (Comnenus, usurper and em-
peror), 1115-1185. "Lord, have mercy upon me.
Wilt thou break a bruised reed? "
So great was his cruelty and so oppressive his
tyranny, that his own subjects rose in desperation
and slew him.
12
2)istinaufsbe& /IDen anC) Momen
Anne (of Austria, daug-hter of Philip III. of
Spain, and mother of Louis XIV. of France, Queen
of France), 1601-1666. ''Observe hozv they are
swelled; time to depart." These words were spoken
as she viewed her hands which had been greatly ad-
mired for their beauty.
Anselm ("Saint," Archbishop of Canterbury),
1034-1109. ""/ shall gladly obey His call; yet I
should also feel gratefid if He woidd grant me a little
longer time with yoii, and if I could he permitted to
solve a question — the origin of the soul."
Anthony or Antony ("Saint," surnamed
Abbas, the reputed founder of monachism), 251-
356. " Let this zuord of mine be kept by you, so
that no one shall know in zvhat place my body re-
poses, for I shall receive it incorruptible from my
Saviour in the resurrection of the dead. And dis-
tribute my garments thus: To Athanasius, the
bishop, give one of my sheepskins, and the cloak
under me, which zuas new when he gave it me,
and has become old by my use of it; and to Scrapion,
the bishop, give the other sheepskin; and do you have
the hair-cloth garment. And for the rest, children,
farewell, for Anthony is going, and is with you no
more."
Antoninus (Marcus Aurelius, Roman Emperor,
celebrated for nobleness of character and great wis-
13
Xast Mor^s ot
dom. He is sometimes called " The Philosopher "),
121-180. " Think more of death than of me."
Notwithstanding the mild and upright character
of the emperor, there took place during his reign a
severe persecution of the Christians. Efforts have
been made to excuse him from responsibility in the
matter, but all such efforts have succeeded only in
greatly palliating his guilt, which was probably
much less than that of many other persecutors of the
early followers of our Lord.
Aram (Eugene, executed for the murder of Daniel
Clark. The story of Eugene Aram forms the subject
of one of Bulwer's novels, and of a poem by Thomas
Hood), 1 704-1 759. " No" on being asked upon the
scaffold if he had anything to say.
While acting as an assistant to his father, who was
a gardener, he studied mathematics and gave some
attention to the languages. On marrying, he became
a schoolmaster, and prosecuted his studies with such
diligence and success as to obtain a good knowledge
of the Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Chaldee, Arabic, Welsh
and Irish languages, Li 1759 he was tried for the
murder of Daniel Clark, a shoemaker of Knaresbor-
ough, and found guilty. At the trial he made an
elaborate and able defence, but after his condemna-
tion he confessed his guilt. On the night before his
execution he made an attempt to commit suicide, by
opening the veins of his arms ; but he was discovered
before he had bled to death, and the sentence of the
law was carried into effect. — Lippincott.
14
S)fstfnouf0be& /IDen an& Momen
PAPER CONTAINING ARAM's REASONS FOR ATTEMPT-
ING SUICIDE, FOUND ON THE TABLE IN HIS CELL.
" What am I better than my fathers? To die is
natural and necessary. Perfectly sensible of this, I
fear no more to die than I did to be born. But the
manner of it is something which should, in my
opinion, be decent and manly. I think I have re-
garded both these points. Certainly nobody has a
better right to dispose of a man's life than himself;
and he, not others, should determine how. As for
any indignities offered to my body, or silly reflec-
tions on my faith and morals, they are (as they al-
ways were) things indifferent to me. I think, though
contrary to the common way of thinking, I wrong
no man by this, and hope it is not offensive to that
Eternal Being that formed me and the world; and
as by this I injure no man, no man can be reasonably
offended. I solicitously recommend myself to the
Eternal and Almighty Being, the God of Nature, if
I have done amiss. But perhaps I have not; and I
hope this thing will never be imputed to me. Though
I am now stained by malevolence, and suffer by
prejudice, I hope to rise fair and unblemished. My
life was not polluted, my morals irreproachable, and
my opinions orthodox.
" I slept soundly till three o'clock, awaked, and
then writ these lines :
" Come pleasing rest, eternal slumber fall.
Seal mine, that once must seal the eyes of all;
Calm and compos'd my soul her journey takes,
No guilt that troubles, and no heart that aches:
15
Xast Mor^5 of
Adieu! thou sun, all bright like her arise;
Adieu! fair friends, and all that's good and wise."
Archibald (eighth Earl of Argyle), 1 598-1661.
" I die not only a Protestant, but with a heart-hatred
of popery, prelacy, and all superstition whatsoever/'
Spoken upon the scaffold.
Ariosto (Lodovico, Italian poet), 1479-1533.
" This is not my home."
Armistead (Lewis Addison, brigadier-general in
the Confederate army), 1817-1863. "Give them
the cold steel, boys."
Armistead put his hand on the cannon, waved his
sword and called out, " Give them the cold steel,
boys," then, pierced by bullets, he fell dead along
side Gushing. Both lay near the clumps of trees
about thirty yards inside the wall, their corpses
marking the farthest point to which Picketts' ad-
vance penetrated, where the " High Water Mark
Monument " at Gettysburg, now marks the top of
the flood tide of the rebellion, for afterwards there
was a steady ebb.
Baedeker's Handbook of the United States.
Arnold (Thomas, of Rugby, English historian
and teacher. In August, 1841, he was appointed
regius professor of modern history at Oxford. He
is the author of five volumes of sermons, " Introduc-
tory Lectures on Modern History," and " The His-
tory of Rome"), 1795-1842. "Ah! Very well,"
16
H)istin0Ui6be& /IDen m^ Momen
to his physician who told him of the serious nature
of his complaint, and described to him the remedies
to be used.
" The benevolent and accomplished Dr. Arnold
was taken from us by angina pectoris. He awoke in
the morning with a sharp pain across his chest,
which he had felt slightly on the preceding day, be-
fore and after bathing. He composed himself to
sleep for a short time; but the pain seemed to in--
crease, and to pass down the left arm, which called
to Mrs. Arnold's remembrance what she had heard
of this fatal disease. Their usual medical attendant,
Dr. Bucknill, was sent for, and found Dr. Arnold
lying on his back — his countenance much as usual —
his pulse, though regular, was very quick, and there
was cold perspiration on the brow and cheeks. He
apologized in a cheerful manner for troubling Dr.
Bucknill at so early an hour, and inquired as to the
nature and danger of his illness : he was told it was a
spasm of the heart. The physician quitted the house
to furnish himself with remedies. On his return,
Dr. Arnold said, ' If the pain is again as severe as
it was before you left, I do not know how I can bear
it.' He again questioned Dr. Bucknill as to the
danger of his complaint — he was told of his danger
— inquired as to the remedies, and on being told,
answered, ' Ah ! very well.' The physician, who was
dropping the laudanum into a glass, turned around,
and saw him quite calm, but his eyes were shut. In
another minute he heard a rattle in his throat, and a
17
5Last Mor&5 of
convulsive struggle, — flew to the bed, and called to
one of the servants to fetch Mrs. Arnold. The
family soon arrived; but the sobs and cries of his
children were unable to affect him — the eyes were
fixed, the countenance was unmoved, there was a
heaving of the chest, deep gasps escaped at prolonged
intervals, and just as the usual medical attendant
arrived, and as the old school-house servant, in an
agony of grief, rushed with the others into the room
in the hope of seeing his master once more, he
breathed his last."
'Stanley's Life of Arnold.
Arria (wife of Csecina Paetus, a consul under
Claudius), died about the year b. c, 42. When her
husband was condemned to die by his own hand,
seeing that he hesitated, she seized the dagger, and
plunged it into her own breast. Then withdrawing
it, she presented it to her husband, saying with a
smile : ** // is not painful, Pcetus."
When to her husband Arria gave the steel,
Which from her chaste, her bleeding breast she drew;
She said — " My Psetus, this I do not feel,
But, oh ! the wound that must be given by you ! " *
Martial.
Augustine (** Saint," Latin Father, able con-
troversialist and eloquent preacher, author of " On
* Casta suo gladium cum traderet Arria Paeto
Quern de visceribus traxerat ipsa suis,
Si qua fides, vulnus, quod feci, non dolet, inquit;
Sed quod tu facies, hoc mihi, Paete, dolet.
18
2)f9tinouisbe& /IDen ant> Momen
the City of God," " Confessions," and many other
books of value), 354-430. " Oh, Lord, shall I die
at all? Shall I die at all? Yes! Why, then, oh.
Lord, if ever, why not nozv? "
His mother, Monica, was a woman of the most
devoted piety. His father was a pagan, and from
him Augustine inherited a vehement and sensual
disposition. While a mere youth he gave way to his
unbridled passions and sensual propensities. His
mother's patient prayerfulness for both husband and
son, which was at last crowned with success, has
passed into a touching type of womanly saintliness
for all ages. — A. H. Gottschall.
Augustus (Caius Julius Csesar Octavianus, first
Emperor of Rome), b, c. 63-14. " Vos plaudite,"
after asking how he had acted his part in life. These
reputed last words of Augustus rest upon the au-
thority of Cicero.
Suetonius gives his last words thus : " Live
mindful of our wedlock, Livia, and so farewell."
Babington (Anthony, English gentleman de-
voted to the cause of Mary Stuart. Executed for
having conspired against the life of Queen Eliza-
beth),— 1586. " The murder of the Queen had been
represented to me as a deed lawful and meritorious.
J die a Urm Catholic." Said on the scaffold.
Bacon (Francis, Baron Verulam, Viscount St.
Albans), 1 56 1- 1626. " Thy creatures, O Lord, have
19
Xast mov^B of
been my books, but Thy Holy Scriptnres much more.
I have sought Thee in the fields and gardens, but I
have found Thee, 0 God, in Thy Sanctuary — Thy
Temple."
" In March, 1626, he came to London, and one
day near Highgate was taken with a desire to dis-
cover whether snow would act as an antiseptic. He
stopped his carriage, got out at a cottage, purchased
a fowl, and with his own hands assisted to stuff it
with snow. He was seized with a sudden chill and
became so seriously unwell that he had to be con-
veyed to Lord Arundel's house near by. There his
illness increased, and he died of bronchitis after a
few days of suffering." — Encyclopedia Britannica.
For my burial, I desire it may be in St. Michael's
Church, St. Albans; there was my mother buried,
and it is the parish church of my mansion-house of
Gorhambury, and it is the only Christian Church
within the walls of Old Verulam. For my name
and memory, I leave it to men's charitable speeches,
to foreign nations and the next ages.
From the Will of Lord Bacon.
Bailli or Bailliff (Roche de, known by the
name of La Riviere, a distinguished French physi-
cian),— 1605. "I must now hasten away since my
baggage has been sent off before me."
When feeling the approaches of death, he sent for
all his servants, and distributed his money and prop-
erty among them, on condition that they immediately
20
DIstfnoufsbet) /IDen anb "BXHomen
left the house, which was so punctually complied
with, that when the physicians came on their next
visit, they found the doors open, and their patient
by himself, with no property left but the bed he lay
upon. When the physicians remarked this circum-
stance to him, he answered that he must now go
likewise, " since his baggage was sent off before
him," and immediately expired.
The Book of Death.
Bailly (Jean Sylvain, French astronomer and
philosopher, first President of the States-General,
and later a victim of the Revolution), 1736- 1793.
" My friend, ii is only from cold," to one of the by-
standers who, witnessing the refinement of cruelty
attending his execution, said, " Bailly, you tremble."
He was led on foot, amidst a drenching fall of
snow and sleet, to the banks of the river, where, to
parody the scene on Calvary, the heavy beams which
support the guillotine were placed on his shoulders.
He sank under the weight, but barbarous blows
obliged him again to lift it. He fell a second time, and
swooned away ; yells of laughter arose in the crowd,
and the execution was postponed till he revived, and
could feel its bitterness. But nothing could subdue
his courage. " You tremble, Bailly," said one of the
spectators. " My friend," said the old man, " it is
only from cold."
* Charles I., of England, put on two shirts the morning of
his execution, saying, " If I tremble with cold, my enemies
21
Xnst 'mov^B ot
Barneveldt (Johan van Olden, Dutch states-
man of liberal principles greatly in advance of his
age. He has been called " the father of Dutch free-
dom and religious liberty." He was beheaded at
the Hague in his seventy-first year, and met his fate
without regret or a sign of fear), 1 549-1619. " Oh
God, what then is man! " Some say his last words
were these, addressed to the executioners : " Be
quick about it. Be quick."
Barre, de la (Jean Fran9ois le Fevre, Chevalier.
He was condemned to death for having mutilated a
crucifix, and was executed in 1766, at the age of
nineteen), 1747- 1766. " I did not think they would
put a young gentleman to death for such a trifle." ^
Poor young Barre was tortured, strangled and
burned for not taking off his hat to a file of greasy
monks. He remained covered while the Capuchins
carried some mediaeval trumpery in procession.
Walter Besant's " French Humorists."
Battie (William, English physician), 1704- 1776.
" Young man, you have heard, no doubt, how great
are the terrors of death: this night will probably
afford you some experience; but you may learn, and
may you profit by the example, that a conscientious
will say it was from fear : I will not expose myself to such
reproaches." — Lingard: "History of England."
' See Voltaire's " Account of the Death of the Chevalier de
la Barre."
22
BistlnguisbeD /IDcn an5 Momcn
endeavor to perform his duties through life, will
ever close a Christian's eyes zvith comfort and tran-
quillity/' to his servant.
Baxter (Richard, noted EngHsh nonconformist,
author of " The Saints' Everlasting Rest," and
"The Call to the Unconverted"), 1615-1691. "I
have pain — there is no arguing against sense — but I
have peace, I have peace! " A little later he said,
" / am almost well.''
Bayard (Pierre du Terrail, called " le chevalier
sans peur et sans reproche," the knight without fear
and without reproach), 1475-1524. ''At least, I
may die facing the enemy."
At the defeat of Romaguans, Bonnivet, wounded
and not able to serve any longer, gave the command
of the army up to Bayard ; who, as usual, performed
prodigies of valor, until he was wounded by a
musket shot, which broke the vertebrae of his back.
He then caused himself to be helped ofif his horse,
and to be placed at the foot of a tree. " At least,"
said he, " I may die facing the enemy; " and in a
few moments he was dead.
Beard (Dr. George Miller, an American physi-
cian and scientist of unusual promise, who died upon
the threshold of a great career), 1839- 1883. He
said to the doctors who endeavored to save his life,
" You are good fellows, but you can do nothing for
me. My time has come." His last words were,
23
Xast Mor56 ot
" 1 should like to record the thoughts of a dying man
for the benefit of science, but it is impossible."
Dr. Beard had wonderful insight. He exposed
and ruined the notorious Eddy Brothers, and com-
prehended, explained, and paralleled the exploits of
Brown, the Mind Reader, showing the simple prin-
ciple on which they were produced. His defects
were too rapid generalization, and too positive and
comprehensive assertion of results. Knowing well
the uncertainty of average human testimony where
the supernatural, or even the mysterious, is involved,
he held that experts in the supposed supernatural
alone were competent witnesses. Of these he thought
that there were but three or four living, nor did
he shrink from claiming that he was easily princeps
among them. Of course, as there were no experts
on earth when the miracles were wrought, he had
no evidence of them. He was prone to comprehend
as much as possible under one generic term. His
work on Neurasthenia did not command general
approbation, because it made almost everything a
sign of nervous exhaustion. As a writer, he was
brilliant and prolific. His fame would be more en-
during if he had written five books, instead of fifty.
Obituary.
Beaton or Beatoun or Beton (David, Cardinal
and Archbishop, an implacable enemy of Protes-
tants. He knew neither rest nor mercy in his de-
termination to crush the Reformed Faith, and his
24
5)f6tfn(5uisbe& /IDen an& lUIlomen
execution of George Wishart drew down upon him
the execration of all good men), 1449-1546. " I am
a priest! Fie! Fie! All is gone."
Cardinal Beaton was assassinated in May, 1546,
in the chamber of his castle, by a band of men
who sympathized with the Reformers, headed by
Norman Leslie.
Beaufort (Henry, half-brother of Henry IV.
He was made cardinal in 1426, and in 1430 he
crowned Henry IV. at Notre Dame. He presided
over the tribunal that sent the Maid of Orleans to
the stake, and is supposed to have participated in
the murder of the Duke of Gloucester), 1370- 1447.
" I pray you all pray for me." Some authorities
give his last words thus: "And must I then die?
Will not all my riches save me ? I could purchase a
kingdom, if that would save my life! What! is
there no bribing death? When my nephew, the
Duke of Bedford, died, I thought my happiness and
my authority greatly increased; but the Duke of
Gloucester's death raised me in fancy to a level
with kings, and I thought of nothing but accumu-
lating still greater wealth, to purchase at last the
triple crown. Alas ! how are my hopes disappointed !
Wherefore, O my friends, let me earnestly beseech
you to pray for me, and recommend my departing
soul to God ! "
HarpsHeld: Hist. Eccles. edit. Duaci, 1622, p. 643.
A few minutes before his death, his mind ap-
25
Xast Mor^s of
peared to be undergoing the tortures of the damned.
He held up his two hands, and cried — "Away!
away! — why thus do ye look at me? " He seemed
to behold some horrible spectre by his bedside.'
Becket (Thomas a, first Saxon archbishop of
Canterbury after the Norman conquest), 1117-1170.
" For the name of Jesus and the defense of the
church I am zvilling to die/'
He was assassinated by four barons, servants of
Henry H. The Roman Catholic Church regarded
him as a martyr; and in 1172 he was canonized.
Bede (surnamed "The Venerable;" an English
monk, and the author of " Historia Ecclesiastica
* Enter the King, Salisbury, Warwick, to the Cardinal m
bed.
King. How fares my lord? speak, Beaufort, to thy
sovereign.
Car. If thou be'st death, I'll give thee England's treasure,
Enough to purchase such another island,
So thou wilt let me live and feel no pain.
King. Ah, what a sign it is of evil life,
Where death's approach is seen so terrible !
War. Beaufort, it is thy sovereign speaks to thee;
Car. Bring me unto my trial when you will.
Died he not in his bed? where should he die?
Can I make men live, whether they will or no?
O, torture me no more ! I will confess.
Alive again? Then show me where he is:
I'll give a thousand pound to look upon him.
He hath no eyes, the dust hath blinded them.
Comb down his hair ; look, look ! it stands upright,
Like lime-twigs set to catch my winged soul.
26
DisttuGutsbeO /iDen ant) TKIlomen
Gentis Anglorum"), 673-735. "Glory he to the
Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost."
It is related that on the night of his death he
continued dictating to his amanuensis a translation
of some work, probably of the gospel of St. John,
into Anglo-Saxon. He asked the scribe how many
chapters remained. " Only one," he replied ; " but
you are too weak to dictate." " No," said Bede,
" take your pen and write quickly." After some
time the scribe said, " Master, it is finished ; " to
which Bede replied, " Thou hast said truly, con-
summatum est," and shortly after expired.
Lippincott.
Beecher (Henry Ward, distinguished American
clergyman, for many years pastor of Plymouth Con-
Give me some drink ; and bid the apothecary
Bring the strong poison that I bought of him.
King. O thou eternal Mover of the heavens,
Look with a gentle eye upon this wretch !
O, beat away the busy meddling fiend
That lays strong siege unto this wretch's soul,
And from his bosom purge this black despair !
War. See how the pangs o£ death do make him grin !
Sal. Disturb him not ; let him pass peaceably.
King. Peace to his soul, if God's good pleasure be!
Lord cardinal, if thou think' st on heaven's bliss.
Hold up thy hand, make signal of thy hope.
He dies, and makes no sign. O God, forgive him !
War. So bad a death argues a monstrous life.
King. Forbear to judge, for we are sinners all.
Close up his eyes and draw the curtain close ;
And let us all to meditation.
Exeunt. —King Henry VI, Part II, Act Hi.
27
gregational Church, Brooklyn, N. Y.)^ i8i 3-1887.
" Now comes the mystery."
Beethoven (Ludwigvan), 1770-1827. " I shall'
hear in heaven."
When about thirty-five years old, while at work
upon his opera of " Leonora," known in English
as " Fidelio," he was attacked with deafness. The
malady began gradually, but after a year made more
rapid progress, and soon his hearing was entirely
destroyed.
Some authorities give his last words thus : " Is it
not true, dear Hammel, that I have some talent after
all?" Hammel was an old friend with whom he
had once quarrelled, and who, after being separated
from him for a long time, came to him when he was
upon his death bed.
Beethoven received the sacraments of the Roman
church, and at about one in the afternoon of the
same day he sank into apparent unconsciousness,
and a distressing conflict with death began which
lasted the rest of that day, the whole of the next
day, and until a quarter of six on the evening of
the day following. As the evening closed in, there
came a sudden storm of hail and snow, covering the
ground and roofs of the Schwarzspanierplatz, and
followed by a flash of lightning, and an instant clap
of thunder. So great was the crash as to arouse
even th^. dying man. He opened his eyes, clinched
his fist, and shook it in the air above him. This
28
2)istinouisbe& /IDen ant) Momen
lasted a few seconds while the hail rushed down
outside, and then the hand fell, and the great com-
poser was no more.
Grove's Dictionary of Music and Musicians.
Bellarmino (Cardinal Roberto), 1542-1621.
" It is safest to trust in Jesus," to one who enquired
whether it is safer to trust in the Virgin Mary
than in Jesus.
Bentham (Jeremy, English philosopher and
jurist, author of " Defence of Usury," " Theory of
Penalties and Rewards," " The Rationale of Judicial
Evidence," " Panopticon," and many other works
of interest and value. He devoted much of his time
and ability to the development of the theory that
" Utility is the test and measure of virtue "), 1748-
1832. "I feel nozv that I am dying."
Berenger (de Tours, celebrated French ecclesi-
astic), 998-1088. " I shall not long hesitate between
conscience and the Pope, for I shall soon appear
in the presence of God, to he acquitted, I hope; to
be condemned, I fear."
No more 'twixt conscience staggering and the Pope,
Soon shall I now before my God appear:
By him to be acquitted, as I hope;
By him to be condemned, as I fear." — Coleridge.
Berenger opposed the dogmas of Transubstantia-
tion and the Real-Presence. His teachings were
condemned by Pope Leo IX. in 1050.
29
Xast Mor^s ot
Bergerus (councillor to the Emperor Maximil-
ian), "Farewell, O farewell all earthly things, and
welcome heaven."
Berkeley (George, Bishop of Cloyne, metaphysi-
cal philosopher and author), 1684-1753,
The last words of Berkeley are not recorded, but
the peacefulness and suddenness of his death are
interesting. One evening he and his family were
sitting and drinking tea together ; he on one side of
the fire, and his wife on the other, and his daughter
making the tea at a little round table just behind
him. She had given him one dish which he had
drunk. She had poured out another which he left
standing some time. " Sir," said she, " will you
not take your tea? " Upon his making no kind of
an answer, she stooped forward and looked at him,
and found that he was dead.
Life of Bishop Berkeley.
Berkeley directed in his will that his body should
be kept above ground more than five days, and until
it became " offensive by the cadaverous smell, and
that during the said time it lye unwashed, undis-
turbed and covered by the same bedclothes, in the
same bed, the head raised upon pillows."
Bernard (" Saint," Abbot of Clairvaux and act-
ive promoter of the crusade of 1 146. He is the author
of many beautiful hymns), 1091-1 153. " May God's
30
2)i9t(n0u(abeb /IDcn an^ Momcn
will be done," said when he was told that his last
hour was at hand.
Berry or Berri (CaroHne Ferdinande Louise,
Madame de), 1798-1870. "Is not this dying with
courage and true greatness f "
Biron (Armand Louis de Gontaut, Due de Lau-
zun, French general-in-chief of the army of the
Rhine), 1747- 1793. " I have been false to my God,
to my order, and to my king: I die fidl of faith and
of repentance."
The executioner's messenger surprised him at a
breakfast of oysters and white wine, and said he was
at the duke's orders; to which the latter rejoined,
*' No morbleu, 'tis just the other way : I am at
yours ! " He then asked that he might be permitted
to finish his breakfast, after which he answered the
summons of the executioner.
Bismarck von Schonhausen (Karl Otto,
Prince, the most distinguished of Prussian states-
men), 18 1 3- 1 898. "Thank you, my child," to his
daughter. Countess von Rantzau, who wiped the
perspiration from his forehead.
On Thursday evening an improvement set in in
the Prince's condition, in which repeated changes for
the worse had occurred since October last, and he
was able to appear at the table and take part in the
conversation, drinking champagne and afterward
smoking several pipes, which he had not done lately.
31
Xast mor^s of
His condition was so satisfactory that Dr.
Schweninger, after the Prince had gone to bed, went
away, with the intention of returning on Satur-
day. His condition was comparatively satisfac-
tory throughout Friday and Saturday morning. He
read the " Nachrichten " and conversed on poHtics,
particularly referring to Russian affairs. In the
forenoon he took luncheon, grumbling jocularly at
the small proportion of spirits in his drinking water.
Then a sudden change for the worse occurred, and in
the afternoon he frequently became unconscious.
Recently, besides periods of unusual mental clear-
ness, the Prince had had intervals of drowsiness,
falling into long, sound and beneficial sleep, on
awaking from which he would be completely re-
freshed.
On Saturday evening grave symptoms appeared.
Death came easily and painlessly. Dr. Schweninger
was able to some extent to lighten the last moments,
wiping the patient's mouth and enabling him to
breathe more freely.
The last words Prince Bismarck uttered were
addressed to his daughter, Countess von Rantzau,
who wiped the perspiration from his forehead. They
were, " Thank you, my child."
The whole family were assembled at the bedside
at the time of his death, and Dr. Schweninger, Dr.
Chrysander and Baron and Baroness Merck were
also present. As no breathing, movement or pulse
was perceptible for three minutes, Dr. Schweninger
32
Bistiiioutsbeb /IDen an& Monien
declared quietly and simply that the Prince was
dead.
Dr. Schweninger telegraphed the news to Emperor
William, in Norway.
The Prince lies as he used to sleep, with his
head slightly inclined to the left. The expression
on his face is mild and peaceful. It is remarked
that his head remained warm for an unusually long
time.
In accordance with Prince Bismarck's wish, he
will be buried upon the hill opposite the castle in
the vicinity of Hirschgruppe.
Nachrichten, July 2)^st, 1898.
Blake (William, English artist and poet), 1757-
1828. Blake died singing.
" On the day of his death," writes Smith, who had
his account from the widow, " he composed and
uttered songs to his Maker, so sweetly to the ear
of his Catherine, that when she stood to hear him,
he, looking upon her most affectionately, said, ' My
beloved ! they are not mine. No! they are not mine ! '
He told her they would not be parted; he should
always be about her to take care of her. A little
before his death, Mrs. Blake asked where he would
be buried, and whether a dissenting minister or a
clergyman of the Church of England should read
the service. To which he answered, that as far as
his own feelings were concerned, she might bury
him where she pleased. But that as father, mother,
33
Xast MorDs ot
aunt and brother were buried in Bunhill Row, per-
haps it would be better to He there. As for service,
he should wish for that of the Church of England.
" In that plain, back room, so dear to the memory
of his friends, and to them beautiful from associa-
tion with him — with his serene cheerful converse,
his high personal influence, so spiritual and rare —
he lay chanting Songs to Melodies, both the inspira-
tion of the moment, but no longer as of old to be
noted down. To the pious songs followed, about
six in the summer evening, a calm and painless
withdrawal of breath ; the exact moment almost un-
perceived by his wife, who sat by his side. A
humble female neighbor, her only other companion,
said afterwards : ' I have been at the death, not of
a man, but of a blessed angel.' "
Gilchrist's Life of William Blake.
" He said he was going to that country.he had all
his life wished to see, and expressed himself happy,
hoping for salvation through Jesus Christ. Just
before he died his countenance became fair, his eyes
brightened, and he burst out into singing of the
things he saw in heaven. In truth he died like a
saint, as a person who was standing by him ob-
served." ^
Fro'tn a letter zvritten at the time of Blake's death.
' Lablache (1794-1858), the celebrated French singer and
actor, whose wonderful voice, embracing two full octaves,
has been described as firmer and more expressive than that
of any singer of his time or before it, attempted to sing
34
Dfstfnouisbeb /IDen ant) Momeii
Blood (Thomas, an Irish adventurer who served
in Cromwell's army. He seized the Duke of Or-
mond in his coach in London, and would have
hanged him but for the resistance of his servants.
In 1671 he came very near possessing himself of
upon his death-bed. He bade his son go to the piano and
accompany him. The young man, struggling with emotion,
obeyed. Lablache sang in English the first stanza of Home,
Sweet Home. At the second stanza the muscles of the throat
refused to move ; not a note could he sound. In distress
and great amazement he gazed around him for a moment,
and then, closing his eyes, fell asleep in death.
It is recorded of Captain Hamilton, whose portrait was
painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds, that he came to his death
in this wise : " He imprudently ventured in a boat from his
ship to land at Plymouth, on a tempestuous day, all in his
impatience to rejoin his wife ashore. The boat turned keel
upwards, and the captain, being a good swimmer, trusted
to his skill, and would not accept of a place on the keel,
but, that he might leave room there for others, clung merely
to the edge of the boat. His great coat was a hindrance
to him, and this he attempted to throw off; but, in the
words of Lord Eliot, whose too are the italics, " finding his
strength fail, he told the men he must yield to his fate, and
soon afterwards sank while singing a psalm." — Francis Jacox.
When Latour was guillotined at Foix, in 1864, for the
murder of a family of four persons, great was the throng
in the streets, despite the heavy rain that fell ; for, to ensure
a good attendance, the condemned man had announced his
intention to compose for the occasion a series of verses,
which he would sing on his way (in a cart, vis-a-vis with
messieurs the headsmen) from prison to scaffold. And sing
them he did, all the way — a matter of some three hundred
and fifty yards. Lightly he tripped up the steps of the
scaffold, and then, after a deliberate survey of the crowd
below and all around, he tliundered forth, tonna, the follow-
35
Xast Mor^s of
the crown jewels), 1628- 1680. "I do not fear
death."
Blood, that wears treason in his face,
Villain complete in parson's gown,
How much is he at court in grace,
For stealing Ormond and the crown !
Since loyalty does no man good,
Let's steal the king and outdo Blood.
Lord Rochester.
Blum (Robert, German democrat and politician,
founder of the Schiller Association and of the Ger-
man Catholic Church at Leipsic, popular leader of
the Liberal party in the Revolution of 1848. On
the capture of the city of Windischg-ratz he was
arrested, tried by court-martial, convicted of having
instigated the uprising, and shot), 1807- 1848. "I
am ready — let there be no mistake and no delay,"
to the soldiers who were charged with the duty of
shooting him.
ing lines — a parody, or rather a personal appropriation, of
the Marseillaise :
" Allons, pauvre victime,
Ton jour de mort est arrive:
Centre toi de la tyrannie
Le couteau sanglant est leve ! "
Being then tied to the plank and flung into the usual
horizontal position in order to be brought under the blade,
he still went on — Allons, pauvre zncti)ne, Ton jour de mort
. . . — until a heavy sound was heard, the blade fell, some-
thing else fell with it, and all was over. — Jacox.
36
Distlnouisbet) /IDeit an& Momen
He entreated as a last favor, that he might be
permitted to write to his wife, which was agreed
to, and the letter concluded with these words : " Let
not my fate discourage you; but bring up our chil-
dren so that they may not bring disgrace on my
name." " Now I am ready," said he, addressing
the officers of justice, when the letter was done.
Arrived at the place of execution, he said to one
of the cuirassiers of his escort, " Here, then, we are
come to the last stage of my journey." He desired
not to have his eyes bandaged; and this being re-
fused, lest his unsteadiness should cause the men to
miss their aim, he blindfolded himself, and knelt
down with manly courage. He fell pierced by three
balls, and died instantly. — Balleydier, ii. 366, 367.
BoEHM or Boh ME (Jacob, German mystic who
believed himself divinely illuminated and gifted with
an understanding of the secrets of nature and grace.
Some of his writings are so obscure and visionary
as to be well nigh incomprehensible, yet he numbered
among his admirers many learned and distinguished
persons who sat at the feet of the " phylosophical
shoemaker of Gorlitz," and adopted his most re-
markable opinions), 1575-1624. "Do yon hear the
music f Now I ^0 hence."
BoERHAAVE (Herman, Dutch physician and phil-
osopher), 1 668- 1 738. "He that loves God ought
to think nothing desirable but what is pleasing to the
Supreme Goodness."
37
Xa£5t Mor^s ot
The reputation of Boerhaave as a physician and
a man of learning is perhaps without a parallel in
history. His fame extended not only to every part
of Christendom, but to the farthest bounds of Asia.
A Chinese mandarin addressed a letter to him with
this superscription, " To Boerhaave, Physician in
Europe," and the missive was duly received. . . .
His intense application to study, and the exposure
incident to his professional duties, had brought upon
him (in 1732) a severe illness, which confined him
to his bed for several months. When he recovered,
the inhabitants of Leyden celebrated the joyful
event by a public illumination. — Lippincott.
BoiLEAu (Boileau-Despreaux, Nicolas, eminent
French poet and satirist), 1636-1711. " It is a great
consolation for a dying poet to have never written
a word against morality."
BoLEYN or BuLLEN (Aunc, wife of Henry VHI),
1 507- 1 536. Just before she knelt to lay her head
on the block she clasped her neck with her hands,
and said : " It is small, very small indeed."
BoLiNGBROKE (Henry St. John, Viscount, Eng-
lish author, orator, and politician), 1 678-1 751. At
last, though the precise words are not preserved, he
gave directions that no clergyman should visit him,
and avowed his adherence to the deistical principles
to which he had held through his life.
His last words to Lord Chesterfield were : " God,
38
H)lstfnouisbe& /IDen an& Momen
who placed me here, zvill do what he pleases with
me hereafter, and he knows best what to do. May
he bless you." ^
The dreadful malady under which Bolingbroke
lingered, and at length sank — a cancer in the face
— he bore with exemplary fortitude, a fortitude
drawn from the natural resources of his mind, and
unhappily not aided by the consolation of any re-
ligion ; for, having early cast off the belief in revela-
tion, he had substituted, in its stead, a dark and
gloomy naturalism, which even rejected those glim-
merings of hope as to futurity not untasted by the
wiser of the heathens. — Lord Brougham.
Booth (John Wilkes, American actor, the as-
sassin of President Lincoln), — 1865. " Useless! use-
less! " Said to the officer who demanded that he
should surrender.
There has been some strange discussion of a
mysterious paper said to have been delivered to Mr.
John F. Coyle, editor of " The National Intelli-
gencer " and purporting to be a statement to the
* It is too early for the last words of John Burroughs
(may it be yet many years before they are spoken), but we
are struck with the wonderful accord between the last words
of Bolingbroke and the closing paragraph to the preface with
which Burroughs introduces his, "The Light of Day:" "I
am content to let the unseen powers go their own way with
me and mine without question or distrust. They brought
me here, and I have found it well to be here ; in due time
they will take me hence, and I have no doubt that will be
well for me too."
39
Xast Mor^s of
public from John Wilkes Booth. An eye-witness re-
lates that on the night of the assassination of Presi-
dent Lincoln, a private dinner-party was in progress
in a back room at Wormley's restaurant, in Wash-
ington, at which were present General Baird, Robert
Johnson, the Hon. Samuel J. Randall, John Mor-
rissey, John F. Coyle, editor of " The National In-
telligencer," and one other gentleman. During the
progress of the dinner a waiter, who had been out
on the street, returned and stated that the President
had been shot at Ford's Theatre. The news created
great consternation in the party, who at first thought
the waiter was drunk or crazy. Later, when they
were assured that it was a fact, and that John Wilkes
Booth was accused of the crime, John F. Coyle,
with blanched features and trembling lips, said :
" My God, gentlemen ! This very day I met John
Wilkes Booth on the market-space. He was on a
bay mare, and rode up to me and handed me a
sealed envelope, saying, as he did so, ' If you hear
of me within twenty- four hours, publish this ; if you
do not hear of me within that time, destroy this,'
and he rode away. Here is the package," continued
Mr. Coyle, producing a letter envelope from his
pocket; " what shall I do with it? " " Destroy it at
once," said Mr. Randall. " They will hang any-
body who knows anything about the assassination,
no matter how innocently he may have come by the
knowledge; don't open it — burn it up just as it is! "
" Yes," said Mr. Morrissey, " burn it up, for God's
40
2)istfnouisbe& /IDen an& IHlomcn
sake, at once." The doors were carefully locked. A
fire was made in the grate, and the mysterious en-
velope and its contents were carefully burned. Even
the ashes were collected and placed in a dish ; water
was poured upon them, and the two were mixed
into a paste, which was afterward put into the fire
and burned again.
Borgia (Cesare), killed at the siege of the Castle
of Biano in 1507. "I die unprepared."
Cesare Borgia was one of the most crafty, cruel,
and corrupt men of that corrupt age. No crime
was too foul for him to perpetrate or be suspected
of. He was charged with the murder of his elder
brother, Giovanni, duke of Gandia, and of Alfonso,
the husband of Lucrezia; with plotting with his
father the murder of Cardinal Corneto; and with
incest with his sister. In his wars he had garrisons
massacred, and carried off bands of women to
gratify his lust." — Gate.
BossuET (Jacques Benigne, French divine and
pulpit orator), 1627-1704. " / suffer the violence of
pain and death, but I knozv ivhoni I have believed."
BouRG DU (Anne, French magistrate. He was
falsely accused of the assassination of Minard, and
was executed in 1559), 1 521- 1559. "Six feet of
earth for my body, and the infinite heavens for my
soul, is what I shall soon have."
41
Boyle (Robert, chemist and experimental philoso-
pher), 1626-1691. " We shall there desire nothing
that we have not, except more tongues to sing more
praise to Him."
Boyle learned the Hebrew and Greek languages
to qualify himself to write in defence of revealed
religion; and printed at his own expense a transla-
tion of the gospels into the Malay language. He
refused a peerage, which was offered to him re-
peatedly. It has been remarked that he was born
in the year of Bacon's death, as the person destined
by nature to succeed him ; and he may be accounted
the most zealous and successful disciple of Bacon
in inductive philosophy. His merits were com-
memorated by Boerhaave in terms like these : " Mr.
Boyle, the ornament of his age and country, suc-
ceeded to the genius and talents of Lord Verulam.
We owe to him the secrets of fire, air, water, ani-
mals, plants and fossils." He was distinguished for
his liberality and active benevolence. — Lippincott.
BozzARis (Marcos, a Greek patriot, celebrated by
Fitz-Greene Halleck in a thrilling poem), 1790-
1823. "^ O, to die for Liberty is a pleasure and not
a pain."
Bradford (Alden, Secretary of the State of
Massachusetts from 18 12 to 1824, and author of a
history of Massachusetts and other works), 1765-
1843. " Peace! "
42
2)fstfnguisbc& /IDen an^ Momen
Bradford (Andrew, publisher of the " American
Weekly Mercury," the first newspaper that appeared
in Philadelphia, He was the only printer in Pennsyl-
vania from 17 12 to 1723), 1 686- 1 742. " O Lord,
forgive the errata!"
Bradford's last words rest upon the douBtful au-
thority of an old letter signed by George E. Clark-
son.
Bradford (John, a martyr of the Reformation),
— 1555- " ^^ of good comfort, brother, for we shall
have a merry supper zvith the Lord this night: if
there he any way to heaven on horseback or in fiery
chariots, this is it." These words were addressed
to a fellow martyr.
Brainerd (David, Missionary to the Indians),
1 71 8- 1 747. "Lord, now let thy servant depart in
peace."
Some say his last words were : " I am almost in
eternity. I long to be there. My work is done.
The watcher is with me; why tarry the wheels of
his chariot? "
Bremer (Fredrika, the most celebrated of Swed-
ish novelists, called the " Miss Austen of Sweden "),
1 802- 1 865. "Ah! my child, let us speak of Christ's
love — the best, the highest love! "
Brocklesby (Richard, distinguished English
physician), 1722- 1797. " What an idle piece of
ceremony this buttoning and unbuttoning is to me,
43
Xast MorC)S of
now," to his servants who had undressed him and
prepared him for bed.
Bronte (Rev. Patrick, father of Charlotte and
Emily), 1 774-1861. " While there is life there is
will." He died standing. ^
Bronte (Emily ) , 1 8 1 8- 1 848. " No, no ! " to her
sister who begged her to allow them to put her to
bed. She died sitting upon the sofa.
Brooks (Phillips, Bishop of Massachusetts),
1835- 1 893. His last written words were, " There is
no other life but the eternal/'
* Some have thought it an evidence of strength of will
to die standing; and some have even wished to be buried
in that posture. In Oliver Heywood's Register is the follow-
ing entry : — " Oct. 28, 1684. Captain Taylor's wife, of Brig-
house, buried in her garden, with head upwards, standing
upright, by her husband, daughter, and other Quakers."
Mrs. George S. Norton, of Pawling, N. Y., was buried at
her own request sitting upright in a rocking chair enclosed
in a box made of seasoned chestnut. The funeral services
were held July 27, 1899. — Albany Argus.
M. Halloin of the neighborhood of Caen, in Normandy,
who died in the early part of this century, when he felt
his end approach inserted in his last will a clause expressing
his desire to be buried at night, in his bed, comfortably
tucked in, with pillows and coverlets as he had died. As
no opposition was raised against the execution of this clause,
a huge pit was sunk, and the corpse was lowered into its
last resting place, without any alteration having been made
in the position in which death had overtaken him. Boards
were laid over the bed, that the falling earth might not
disturb this imperturbable quietist. — S. Baring-Gould: " Curi-
osities of Olden Times."
44
H)i5tlnouf9beb /IDen ant) Momen
Brown (John, Scottish Hnguist and preacher),
1 720- 1 787. " My Christ."
Brown (John, hanged December 2, 1859, for his
part in the famous Harper's Ferry insurrection),
1 800- 1 859. "I am ready at any time — do not keep
me waiting," said to the sheriff who asked him if he
should give him a private signal before the fatal
moment.
His last request was not complied with. The
troops that had formed his escort had to be put in
their proper position, and while this was going on
he stood for some ten or fifteen minutes blindfolded ;
the rope round his neck and his feet on the treacher-
ous platform, expecting instantly the fatal act; but
he stood for this comparatively long time upright as
a soldier in position and motionless. — J. T. L. Pres-
ton (an eye-witness of John Brown's death) in the
Bivouac for August, 1886.
Browning (Elizabeth Barrett, English poet),
1 805- 1 86 1. "It is beautiful ."
Bruce (Robert, distinguished divine of the Scot-
tish Church), about 15 54-1 631. " Nozv God he
with you, my dear children; I have breakfasted
with you, and shall sup zuitJi my Lord Jesus Christ"
Robert Bruce, the morning before he died, being
at breakfast, and having, as he used, eaten an egg,
said to his daughter: "I think I am yet hungry;
45
Xast Mor^s of
you may bring me another egg-." But, having mused
awhile, he said : " Hold, daughter, hold ; my Master
calls me." With these words his sight failed him,
on which he called for the Bible, and said : " Turn
to the eighth chapter of Romans and set my finger
on the words, 'I am persuaded that neither death,
nor life,' etc., ' shall be able to separate me from the
love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' "
When this was done, he said : " Now, is my finger
upon them ? " Being told it was, he added : " Now,
God be with you, my dear children ; I have break-
fasted with you, and shall sup with my Lord Jesus
Christ this night." And then he expired.
Bruno (Giordano, philosopher of an independent
and speculative mind. He was burned at Rome
in 1600 by the Inquisition on the charges of heresy
and apostasy), 15 50- 1600. "/ die a martyr and
zmllingly — my soul shall mount up to heaven in
this chariot of smoke." ^
^ There is a story which comes to us from Scioppius, that
Bruno rejected " with a terrible menacing countenance "
a crucifix which was held up to him, and which may have
been heated red hot, as was customary, in order to con-
vince the spectators of the sufiferer's impiety, and prevent
them from feeHng pity for him in his distress. The story
has no very good foundation, but we know that heated
crucifixes were not uncommon among the ghostly persecutors
of earlier and darker days ; and we can easily see how a
man asked to kiss such a crucifix might exhibit " a terrible
menacing countenance."
46
2)istinGUfsbe& /IDen an& Momen
Brutus (Decimus Junius, one of the murderers
of Caesar), — b. c. ^^. Dion Cassius (Lib. xlvii)
represents Brutus as quoting, just before his death,
the following passage from Euripides, " O wretched
virtue! thou art a bare name! I mistook thee for
a substance; but thou thyself art the slave of for-
tune."
Bryant (William Cullen, American poet and
journalist), 1794- 1878. " Whose house is this?
What street are we in? Why did you bring me
here? "
His death was caused by a blow on the head
received in falling upon the stone steps in front of
Mr. James Grant Wilson's house in New York City.
He was carried into Mr. Wilson's house, where he
soon recovered sufficiently to be removed to his
own home. But his thoughts were clouded, and
he did not know where he was.
Buchanan (George, Scottish historian, scholar,
and Latin poet), 1506- 1582. "It matters little to
me; for if I am but once dead they may bury me or
not bury me as they please. They may leave my
corpse to rot where I die if they wish." To his
servant, whom he had directed to distribute his
property among the poor, and who thereupon asked
him, " W"hG will defray the expenses of your
burial?"
47
Xast TllIlor^5 of
Buchanan (James, fifteenth President of the
United States), 1791-1868. "0 Lord Almighty,
as thou wilt! "
Buckle (Henry Thomas, author of "The His-
tory of Civihzation "), 1822-1862. "Poor little
boys! "
Bull (George, Bishop of Saint David's, author
of " The Defence of the Nicene Faith "), 1634-1710.
'' Amen."
BuNYAN (John, author of Pilgrim's Prog-
ress"), 1628-1688. "Weep not for me, hut for
yourselves. I go to the Father of our Lord Jesus
Christ, zvho no doubt will receive me, though a sin-
ner, through the mediation of our Lord Jesus Christ;
where I hope we shall ere long meet to sing the new
song and remain happy forever — forever, world
without end. Amen!"
BuoNAROTTi (Michael Angelo), 1474- 1564.
" My sold I resign to God, my body to the earth,
and my ivorldly possessions to my relations; admon-
ishing them that through their lives and in the hour
of death they think upon the sufferings of Jesus
Christ. And I do desire that my body be taken to
the city of Florence for its last rest." — Vasari xii:
269.
It was now necessary to convey the mortal re-
mains to Florence. Opposition was feared from the
48
2>i5tinouisbe& /iDen anb Momcn
Romans. It was asserted that it was not Michael
Angelo's last wish to be buried in his native city.
His friends went secretly to work. The coffin was
conveyed as merchandise out of the gates.
On the eleventh of March it arrived at Florence.
After thirty years of voluntary exile, Michael Angelo
returned, when dead, to his native city. Only a
few knew that it was he who entered the gate in
that covered coffin.
In the sacristy the coffin was opened for the first
time. The people had forced their way into the
church. There he lay; and, in spite of three weeks
having elapsed since his death, he seemed unchanged,
and bore no symptom of decay; the features undis-
figured, as if he had just died.
Grimm: " Life of Michael Angelo."
About the year 1720 the vault in Santa Croce was
opened, and the remains of Michael Angelo were
found not to have lost their original form. He was
habited in the costume of the ancient citizens of
Florence, in a gown of green velvet, and slippers of
the same. — Bottari.
Burke or Bourke (Edmund, orator, and states-
man), 1 730- 1 797. ''God bless you/'
Burn (Andrew, major-general in the Royal
Marines), 1742-1814. "Nobody, nobody but Jesus
49
tlast Mov^s ot
Christ. Christ crucified is the stay of my poor soul,'*
to one who asked him if he wished to see any one.
Burns (Robert, the great peasant poet of Scot-
land), 1 759- 1 796. " Oh, don't let the awkward
squad fire over me! " He alluded to a body of
Dumfries militia, of which he was a member, and
of which he entertained a very poor opinion. *
Burr (Aaron, third Vice-President of the United
States. In 1804 he fought his famous duel with
Hamilton), 1756-1836. "Madame."
Burton (Sir Richard F.), 1821-1890. "Oh
Puss, chloroform — ether — or I am a dead man," said
to his wife who feared to administer an anaesthetic
without the direction of a physician. Dr. Barker
*In the Appendix of Allan Cunningham's " Life of Burns "
we read of an examination of the poet's Tomb, made imme-
diately after that life was published :
" When Burns's Mausoleum was opened in March, 1834,
to receive the remains of his widow, some residents in Dum-
fries obtained the consent of her nearest relative to take a
cast from the cranium of the poet. This was done during
the night between the 31st of March and ist of April. Mr.
Archibald Blacklock, surgeon, drew up the following descrip-
tion:
" The cranial bones were perfect in every respect, if we
except a little erosion of their external table, and firmly
held together by their sutures, &c., &c. Having completed
our intention [i. e., of taking a plaster cast of the skull,
washed from every particle of sand, &c.], the skull securely
closed in a leaden case, was again committed to the earth,
precisely where we found it."
50
iDi5tmaui0be^ /IDen an^ Moinen
in a letter to Lady Stisled says that a moment later
" suddenly tlie breathing became labored, there
were a few moments of awful struggle for air, then,
conscious to the last, he exclaimed, ' I am a dead
man,' fell back on his pillow and expired."
Butler (Benjamin Franklin, attorney-general of
the United States, from 1831 to 1834), 1795-1858.
" I have peace, perfect peace. ' Thou wilt keep him
in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee.' "
Butler (Joseph, English Bishop, and author
of the celebrated "Analogy of Religion"), 1692-
1752. " I have often read and thought of that scrip-
ture, hilt never till this moment did I feel its fidl
power, and now I die happy." These words were
spoken to his chaplain who read him John vi., and
called attention to the 37th verse: "All that the
Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that
Cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
Byron (George Gordon Noel, Lord, one of the
greatest of English poets), 1788- 1824. ""/ must
sleep now."
It has been asserted, upon what authority the
compiler does not know, that the last words of
Byron were, "Shall I sue for mercy?" After a
long pause he added, it is said, " Come, come, no
weakness : let me be a man to the last."
51
Xast Mor&0 of
Caesar (Cains Julius)^ b. c. 100-44. "-^^ 'w
Brute! ^' to Marcus Brutus, on discovering him
among the assassins.
Authorities differ : some have it, " What ! art thou,
too, one of them ! Thou, my son ! " and others omit
the words " my son." If, however, the last two
words are to be retained, they express only the dif-
ference of age between Caesar and Brutus. There is
no good reason for regarding them as an avowal
that Brutus was the fruit of the connection between
Julius and Servilia.
He died in the fifty-sixth year of his age, and was
ranked amongst the gods, not only by a formal
decree, but in the belief of the vulgar. For during
the first games which Augustus, his heir, conse-
crated to his memory, a comet blazed for seven days
together, rising always about eleven o'clock; and
it was supposed to be the soul of Caesar, now received
into heaven ; for which reason, likewise, he is repre-
sented in his statue with a star on his brow. The
senate-house in which he was slain was ordered to
be shut up, and a decree was made that the ides of
March should be called parricidal, and that the sen-
ate should never more assemble on that day.
/. Eugene Reed: " The Twelve Ccesars."
Calderon (Don Rodrigo, adventurer, who under
the title of Marques de Siete Iglesias, rose to the
first place in Spanish influence and power, in the
time of Philip III.), — 162 1. "All my life I have
52
Distingufsbeb /IDen anb Momen
carried myself gracefully," to his confessor who re-
proved him for his ill-timed regard for appearances
when about to die upon the scaffold.
Cadogan (William Bromley, English clergy-
man), 1751-1797. " / thank you for all yotir faith-
fid services; God bless you," to a servant who had
been with him many years.
Calhoun (John Caldwell, Vice-President of the
United States, called the " Father of State-rights "),
1782-1850. " The South! The South! God knows
what zvill become of her! "
" He died under the firm impression that the
South was betrayed and gone."
An unpublished letter from Senator Hunter of Vir-
ginia.
Calhoun (Simeon Howard, missionary in the
Holy Land for nearly forty years. He was a thor-
ough scholar in Arabic and Turkish languages, and
assisted Dr. Goodell in making the first translation
of the Bible into Turkish), 1804-1876. " Were the
church of Christ what she should be, twenty years
would not pass away without the story of the cross
being uttered in the ear of every living person'*
Calvin (John, one of the greatest of the Protes-
tant Reformers, and " The Father of Presbyterian-
ism"), 1509-1564. "Thou, Lord, bruiscst me; but
I am abundantly satisfied, since it is from thy hand."
53
Xast morbs ot
On the day of his death, he appeared stronger,
and spoke with less difficidty; but this was the last
effort of nature, for about eight o'clock in the eve-
ning, certain symptoms of dissolution manifested
themselves. When one of his domestics brought one
of the brethren, and me, who had only just left him,
this intelligence, I returned immediately with all
speed, and found he had died in so very tranquil a
manner, that without his feet and hands being in
any respect discomposed, or his breathing increased,
his senses, judgment and in some measure his voice,
remaining entire to his very last gasp, he appeared
more to resemble one in a state of sleep than death.
. . . At two o'clock in the afternoon on Sunday,
his body was carried to the common burying-place,
called Plein Palais, without extraordinary pomp.
His funeral, however, was attended by the members
of the senate, the pastors, all the professors of the
college, and a great portion of the citizens. The
abundance of tears shed on this occasion afforded
the strongest evidence of the sense which they en-
tertained of their loss. According to his own direc-
tions, no hillock, no monument was erected to his
memory, — Theodore Beza: " Life of John Calvin.'*
Campbell (Thomas, English poet), 1777- 1844.
" No; it was one Tom Campbell." Campbell's
friends were doubtful whether he was conscious or
not of what was going on in his presence, and had
recourse to an artifice to learn. One of them spoke
54
Distinouisbet) /IDen an& Momen
of the poem " Hohenlinden," and pretending to for-
get the author's name, said he had heard it was hy
Mr. Rohinson. Campbell saw the trick, was amused,
and said playfully, but in a calm and distinct tone,
"No; it was one Tom Campbell."
Some time before he uttered his last words he
said : —
" When I think of the existence which shall com-
mence when the stone is laid over my head, how
can literary fame appear to me, to any one, but as
nothing? I believe, when I am gone, justice will
be done to me in this way — that I was a pure writer.
It is an inexpressible comfort, at my time of life,
to be able to look back and feel that I have not writ-
ten one line against religion or virtue.
Gang (Alonzo, the " Michael Angelo of Spain "),
1601-1667. " Vex me not zvith this thing, but give
me a simple cross, that I may adore it, both as it is
in itself and as I can figure it in my mind," to a
priest who gave him an elaborate but badly carved
cross. He had previously refused the sacrament
from the hand of a priest who had administered it
to converted Jews.
Carlyle (Thomas, essayist, translator, and his-
torian), 1 795- 1 88 1. His mind was wandering when
Froude went to his bedside, but he recognized him
and said : " / am very ill. Is it not str3.nge that these
people should have chosen the very oldest man in
all Britain to make suffer in this ivay? " Froude
55
Xast mor^s ot
answered, " We do not know exactly why those
people act as they do. They may have reasons we
cannot guess at. " Yes," said Carlyle, " it would
be rash to say that they have no reasons." When
Fronde saw him next, his speech was gone. ^
Carnot (Marie Franqois Sadi-Carnot, President
of the French Republic, assassinated by Cesare Gio-
* On February 5th, 188 r, in the tranquil exhaustion of a
ripe old age, this true Sage of modern times passed away
at his home in Cheyne Row, Chelsea, where he had lived
for fifty years ; and, — as the Times remarked, — the world
seemed duller, colder, and darker, in that this one grey old
man had left it.
No time was lost in collecting funds to provide for a public
monument of the philosopher. The work was entrusted to
Mr. J. E. Boehm, R.A., with the result of a most admirable
statue in bronze, life-size, representing Carlyle as he was in
his latter days, in an attitude of thought, seated in an arm-
chair, and wearing his well-known dressing-gown. " For
this noble piece of portraiture," Mr. Ruskin wrote of it, " I
cannot trust myself to express my personal gratitude, or to
speak at all of the high and harmonious measure in which
it seems to me to express the mind and features of my dear
master." It is appropriately placed in the little public garden,
at the end of Great Cheyne Row, Chelsea, where Carlyle had
spent the last forty years of his life. There, on October
26th, 1882, in presence of many of those who were his at-
tached friends in life, it was unveiled by Professor Tyndall,
who delivered an eloquent address on the occasion. Among
those who assisted were Lord Houghton, Mrs. Oliphant, Miss
Swanwick, Moncure D. Conway, Robert Browning, Dr. Mar-
tineau, Mr. W. E. H. Lecky, and others. A simple inscription
on the massive pedestal, of Aberdeen granite, records the
dates of the birth and death of the remarkable man in whose
honour it is erected. — William Bates.
56
2)isttn(}uf0bet> /IDen an& TKHomen
vanni Santo in Lyons, June 24, 1894), 1837- 1894.
" I am grateful for your presence." These words
were in response to those of Dr. Poncet who leaned
over the bed on which the President was lying, and
said, " Your friends are here, Monsieur le Presi-
dent."
Cary (Alice, American poetess and magazine
writer ) , 1 820- 1 87 1 . "I zuant to go away."
Cavour (Camillo Benso, Count de, Italian states-
man), 1 8 10- 1 86 1. " No, your Majesty, to-morrow
you will not see me here," to Victor Emmanuel, who,
as he turned away in tears, said to Cavour, " I shall
come to see you again to-morrow."
He secured liberty of the press, and favored re-
ligious toleration and free trade. Among the im-
portant measures of his administration were his
rebellion against papal domination, and his alliance
with France and England in the war against Russia
in 1855. After the close of the war he devoted his
efforts to the liberation and unity of Italy, undis-
mayed by the angry fulminations of the Vatican.
Lippincott.
Cazotte (Jacques, French poet and royalist, exe-
cuted by the revolutionists September 25th, 1792),
1 720- 1 792. "My dear wife, my dear children, do
not weep: do not forget me, hut above all, remember
never to offend God."
57
Xast Wort)s of
Channing (William Ellery, distinguished Uni-
tarian clergyman and writer of rare grace and
beauty. He has been called the " Father of Amer-
ican Unitarianism "), 1780-1842. ''You need not
be anxious concerning to-night. It will he very
peaceful and quiet zvith me."
He turned his face toward that sinking orb, and
he and the sun went away together. Each, as the
other, left the smile of his departure spread on all
around, — the sun on the clouds ; he on the heart.
Theodore Parker.
His remains were brought to Boston, and com-
mitted to the grave amidst the regrets of all classes
and parties; and, as the procession moved from the
church, the bell of the Catholic Cathedral tolled his
knell, — a fact never perhaps paralleled in the history
of Romanism. And so departed one of the great
men of the Republic, — one who, amidst its servility
to mammon and slavery, ceased not to recall it to
the sense of its honor and duty, — a man whose
memory his countrymen will not willingly let die.
As the visitor wanders among the shaded aisles of
the western part of Mount Auburn, he sees a massive
monument of marble, designed by Allston, the poet-
painter. Generous and brave men, from whatever
clime, resort to it, and go from it more generous and
brave; for there reposes the great and good man
whom we have commemorated. The early beams,
intercepted by neighboring heights, fall not upon the
spot; but the light of high noon and the later and
58
JDi0tfn(juisbeC> /IDen anb Momen
benigner rays of the day play through the foliage in
dazzling gleams upon the marble, — a fitting emblem
of his fame; for, when the later and better light
which is yet to bless our desolate race shall come,
it will fall with bright illustration on the character
of this rare man, and on the great aims of his life.
Methodist Quarterly Review, January, 1849.
Charles I. (Charles Stuart, King of England),
1600-1649 "Remember! " to William Juxon,
Archbishop of Canterbury, who declared to the
Commissioners of the Commons that the king's
last words were meant as a message to his son, and
were intended to enjoin forgiveness of his enemies
by his son in the future. Some say his last words
were, " I fear not death ; death is not terrible to me."
He was executed January 30, 1649. *
' I mention the discovery of the body of Charles I. when
George IV. was Prince Regent. It has been asserted, and is,
I believe, true, that the nation wished the body of him whom
they always called "the saint and martyr" to be removed
from Windsor and buried in Westminster Abbey ; and
that a sum of no less than £70,000 was entrusted by Parlia-
ment to Charles II. to erect a tomb over the remains of
his father. If the story be true, the entire sum disappeared
and was not put to the intended purpose. It was, however,
supposed that the " White King's " coffin, at any rate, had
been transferred to the Abbey. It was in order to settle
a doubt on this point that George IV., then Prince Regent,
went down into the vaults of Windsor with the famous
physician, Sir Henry Halford. There they found the coffins
of Henry VIII. and of his wife. Lady Jane Seymour; and
between them lay a coffin on which were rudely scratched
59
Xast MorDs of
Charles II. (of England, " The Merry Mon-
arch ") , 1630- 1685. '' Don't let poor Nelly starve! "
The king referred to Margaret Symcott, known as
Eleanor Gwynne or Nell Gwynn. She commenced
life as an orange-girl in the streets of London. Later
she sang in taverns, and after a time became a popu-
lar actress in the Theatre Royal. She is remembered
as the mistress of Charles II. She seems to have
been a very kind and good-hearted woman. She
was faithful to her royal lover, and upon his death
retired from the world and lived in seclusion. *
the letters " C. I." In order to be sure that this was indeed
the coffin of the executed king, they opened it — and there lay
before them the handsome face, just as Vandyke depicted
it; though (as always happens in such cases) the nose fell
in immediately that the corpse was exposed to the open air.
Then — I simply tell the tale as it was told to me; for, though
there must be some printed account of the event, I have
never seen it — Sir Henry Halford took up by the hair
the decapitated head, and placed it on the palm of his hand,
which was covered by his silk handkerchief. When he
replaced the head in the coffin the vertebra of the neck, which
had been smoothly severed by the axe of the executioner,
was lying on his handkerchief ; and the Prince Regent re-
marked to Sir Henry that this would be an interesting relic
for him. He took it ; and had it set in gold with the inscrip-
tion, " Os Caroli Primi. heu intercisum." I believe that, by
the wish and right-feeling of H. R. H. the Prince of Wales,
this relic of the hapless king has been replaced in the coffin.
Everyone will recall the sanguinary epigram of Lord Byron
upon the incident which I have narrated. — Farrar.
' In his History of the Stage, Curll states that Nell first
captivated the king by her manner of delivering the epilogue
to Dryden's Tyrannic Love: or, The Royal Martyr. The
60
2)f5tin9u{sbe& /IDen ant> "CXHomen
Charles V, (of France, called " The Wise." He
was the son of John II. who was made prisoner by
the Black Prince at Poitiers), 1337-1380. "Ah,
Jesus! "
Charles IX. (of France, second son of Henry
n. and Catharine de' Medici), 1550- 1574. " Nurse,
nurse, zvhat murder! what blood! Oh! I have done
wrong. God pardon me!" The king referred, no
doubt, to the massacre of St. Bartholomew, which
he occasioned. Voltaire tells us his dying remorse
was so great that " blood oozed from his pores." '
There are recorded other examples of bloody sweat.
It is said of a man at Lyons that when sentenced to
tragedy was founded upon the story of the martyrdom of
St. Catherine, by way of compliment to Catherine of Braganza.
She personated Valeria, the daughter of Maximin, tyrant of
Rome.
* The massacre of St. Bartholomew lasted seven days, during
which more than 5,000 persons were slain in Paris, and
about 50,000 in the country. During all this season of
murder, the king betrayed neither pity nor remorse, but fired
with his long gun at the poor fugitives across the river;
and on viewing the body of Coligni on a gibbet, he exulted
with a fiendish malignity. In early life this monster had
been noted for his cruelty : nothing gave him greater pleasure
than cutting off the heads of asses or pigs with a single
blow from his couteau de chasse. After the massacre, he is
said to have contracted a singularly wild expression of feature,
and to have slept little and waked in agonies. He attributed
his thirst for human blood to the circumstance of his mother
having at an early period of his life familiarized his mind
with the brutal sport of hunting bullocks, and with all kinds
of cruelty. — IVinslozv's Anatomy of Suicide, p. 52, note.
61
Xast Mor&6 of
death a bloody sweat covered his body. In the
Medical Gazette, December, 1848, is an account by
Dr. Schneider of some Norwegian sailors who, in a
tremendous storm, sweated blood from extreme
terror. See also the British Critic, 183 1, p. i. When
our Saviour bore the sins of the world in the Garden
of Gethsemane, " his sweat was as it were great
drops of blood falling down to the ground." (Luke
xxii., 44.)
Charles V. (Don Carlos I. of Spain, afterwards
Emperor of Germany), 1500-1558. "Now, Lord,
I go!" a moment later, with eyes fixed upon the
crucifix, he added, "Ay, Jesus!" and expired.
Charlemagne (Charles I., King of France and
Emperor of the West), 242-814. "Lord, into thy
hands I commend my spirit"
Charlotte (Augusta, commonly called the Prin-
cess, daughter of George IV. and Queen Caroline),
1 796- 18 1 7. " You make me drink. Pray leave me
quiet. I iind it affects my head." She died in child-
bed.
Chastelard, de (Pierre de Boscosel, a young
French poet and musician who became enamoured
of Mary Queen of Scots, and concealing himself in
her bedchamber, attempted her honor. Mary par-
doned his offence, but upon his repeating it, he was
62
DfstfnGufsbeb /IDen an& Momen
executed at Edinburgh ) , 1 540- 1 563. He died chant-
ing a love-song, having on the way to the scaffold
prepared his mind for the work of the executioner
by reading Ronsard's hymn on death,
Chaucer (Geoffrey, " Father of English
Poetry"), 1328-1400. Chaucer died repeating the
" Balade made by Geoffrey Chaucyer, when upon
his dethe-bedde, lying in his grete anguysse."
Chenier (Andre), 1762- 1794. He was waiting
for his turn to be dragged to the guillotine, when he
commenced this poem :
" Comtne un dernier rayon, comme un dernier sephyre
Anime la £n d'lin beau jour;
Au pied de I'echafaud j'essaie encore ma lyre,
Peut-etre est ce bientot mon tour;
"Peut-etre avant que I'hcure en cercle promenee
Ait pose sur I'eniail brillant,
Dans les soixante pas ou sa route est bornee.
Son pied sonore et vigilatit,
"he sommeil du tombeau pressera me paupiere — "
Here, at this pathetic line, was Andre Chenier sum-
moned to the guillotine ! Never was a more beauti-
ful effusion of grief interrupted by a mor.e affecting
incident. — Curiosities of Literature.
Chesterfield (Philip Dormer Stanhope), 1694-
1773- " Give Day Rolles a chair."
63
Xast 'mottle of
Chopin (Frederick, distinguished Polish pianist
and composer), 1 8 10-1849. '" Who is near me?"
he was told Gutman — his favorite pupil. He bent
his head to kiss the hand of his dear friend and
pupil, and in that act of love and devotion died.
Chrysostom (John, called "Saint"), 350-407.
He died at the close of church-service, with the
words, " Glory to God for all things, Amen."
Splendor of intellect, mellowness of heart, and
gorgeousness of fancy were the characteristics of
this greatest of preachers.
Chudleigh (Elizabeth, Duchess of Kingston.
She was an adventuress famous throughout Eng-
land for her wonderful beauty and for her wild and
wayward life), 1720- 1788. " / will lie down on the
couch; I can sleep, and after that I shall he entirely
recovered."
Cleopatra (Queen of Egypt, daughter of
Ptolemy Auletes), b. c. 69-30. "Here thou art,
then!" These words, which are traditional, she is
said to have addressed to the asp with which she
committed suicide.
When she heard that it was Caesar's intention to
send her into Syria, she asked permission to visit
Antony's tomb, over which she poured forth most
bitter lamentations. " Hide me, hide me," she ex-
claimed, " with thee in the grave ; for life, since thou
hast left it, has been misery to me." After crown-
64
2)istmoui5bc^ /IDen an& Momen
ing the tomb with flowers, she kissed it, and ordered
a bath to be prepared. She then sat down to a mag-
nificent supper, after which a peasant came to the
gate with a small basket of figs covered with leaves,
which was admitted into the monument. Amongst
the figs and under the leaves was concealed the asp
which Cleopatra applied to her bosom. She was
found dead, attired in one of her most gorgeous
dresses, decorated with brilliants, and lying on her
golden bed. — Winsloiv: " Anatomy of Suicide."
Coke (Sir Edward, Lord Chief Justice of Eng-
land, and author of the celebrated work, " Coke upon
Littleton "), 1552- 1633. " ^% kingdom come, thy
will he done."
CoLLiNGBORN (William), "Lord Jesus! Yet
more trouble f " These words he is reported to have
spoken after the executioner had opened his body to
extract his heart.
William Collingborn was condemned for making
this rhyme on King Richard IIL,
The cat, the rat, and Lovel, our dog,
Rule all England, under the hog.
Collingborn was hanged and cut down alive, his
bowels ripped out and cast into the fire; when the
executioner put his hand into the bulk of his body,
to pull out his heart, he said, " Lord Jesus ! Yet
65
more trouble? " and so died, to the great sorrow of
many people. — Fab. Chron., p. 519.
Collins (Anthony, essayist and deist), 1676-
1729. " I have always endeavored, to the best of my
ability, to serve God, my king and my country. I
go to the place God has designed for those who love
him." Some say his last words were, " The Catholic
faith is, to love God and to love man. This is the
best faith, and to its entertainment I exhort you all."
Columbus (Christopher, discovered America
October 12th, 1492), 1435-1506. "In manus tnos,
Domine, commendo spiritum meum."
Columbus died at Valladolid, a disappointed,
broken-hearted old man ; little comprehending what
he had done for mankind, and still less the glory and
homage that through all future generations awaited
his name. — Ticknor.
Confucius (His name was Kong, but his dis-
ciples called him Kong-Fu-tse, which is " Kong the
Master," and this the Jesuit missionaries Latinized
into Confucius), b. c, 551-479. /'/ have taught
men how to live."
Early one morning, it is said, he rose, and with his
hands behind his back dragging his staff, moved
about by his door, crooning, " The great mountain
must crumble, the strong heart must break, and the
wise man wither away like a plant. In all the prov-
inces of the empire there arises not one intelligent
66
BfsttnQuisbeb /IDen an^ Motncu
monarcli \vho will make me his master. My time
has come to die." He went to his couch and never
left it again. . . . His mind was magnanimous
and his heart was serene. He was a lonely old man
— parents, wife, child, friends, all gf)ne — but this
made the fatal message so much the more wel-
come. Without any expectation of a future life,
uttering no prayer, betraying no fear, he approached
the dark valley with the strength and peace of a
well-ordered will resigned to Heaven, beyond a
doubt treasuring in his heart the assurance of hav-
ing served his fellow-men in the highest spirit he
knew, and with the purest light he had.
For twenty-five centuries he has been as unreason-
ably venerated as he was unjustly neglected in his
life. His name is on every lip throughout China,
his person in every imagination. The thousands of
his descendants are a titled and privileged class by
themselves. The diffusion and intensity of the popu-
lar admiration and honor for him are wonderful.
Countless temples are reared to him, millions of
tablets inscribed to him. His authority is supreme.
He is worshiped by the pupils of the schools, the
magistrates, the emperor himself in full pomp.
Would that a small share of this superfluity had
solaced some of the lonesome hours he knew while
yet alive ! — Alger's " Genius of Solitude."
CoNRADiN (Konradin of Swabia, the last descend-
ant of the imperial House of Hohenstaufen, son of
67
Xast Mor^s of
KoTiTad IV.), 1252-1268. '"0 my mother! how
deep zvill he -thy sorrow al the Heivs of this day! "
A few minutes before his execution, Conradin, on
the scaffold, look off his -glove and threw it into the
midst of the crowd as a gage of vengeance, request-
ing that it might be carried to his heir, Peter of Ar-
ragon. This duty was undertaken by the Chevalier
de Walburg, who, after many hairbreadth escapes,
succeeded in fulfilling his prince's last command.
Chambers' Encyclopccdia.
CooKMAN (Alfred, American clergyman con-
nected with the Presbyterian church), 1 828-1 871.
"" / am sweeping through the gates, washed in the
blood of the Lamb."
CoRDAY d'Armans, DE (Marie Anne Charlotte,
usually called Charlotte Corday, a young woman of
noble family and of a courageous and lofty spirit.
She stabbed Marat, one of the most bloodthirsty of
all the vile monsters of the French Revolution),
1 768- 1 793. " This is the toilette of death, arranged
by somewhat rude hands, but it leads to immortal-
ity." She must have spoken later, perhaps many
times, but the words recorded are the last of which
we can be certain.
One description of Charlotte Corday says that she
was of medium height, with an oval face, fine fea-
tures, blue eyes, a good nose, beautiful mouth, chest-
68
Dlstinguisbeb /n>en m\t> Momen
nut hair, lovely hands and arms; another says that
she was a virago, awkward, dirty, insolent, rubi-
cund, and fat; and that if she had been pretty she
would have been more anxious to live.
La Demagogic.
We read in the Moniteur, " Charlotte Corday has
been executed, the 17th, about seven p. m., in the
Place de la Revolution, in the (red) garb of assas-
sins, and her goods confiscated to the Republic."
The executioner. . . . struck the bleeding head,
when he showed it, according to custom, to those
present; the cheeks were still crimson, and it was
said that they were so in consequence of the insult
thus offered to them.^ — La Demagogic.
CosiN or Cozen (Dr. John, English divine),
1 594- 1 672. "Lord!"
Mt is a tradition in Corsica that when St. Pantaleon was
beheaded, the caput niortuum, as it might have been thought,
rose from the block and sang.
A reliable gentleman who witnessed an execution, wrote
as follows : " It appears to be the best of all modes of
inflicting the punishment of death, combining the greatest
impression on the spectator with the least possible suffering
to the victim. It is so rapid that I should doubt whether
there was any suffering; but from the expression of the
countenance, when the executioner held up the head, I am
inclined to believe that sense and consciousness may remain
for a few seconds after the head is off. The eyes seemed
to retain speculation for a moment or two, and there was
a look in the ghastly stare with which they stared upon the
crowd, which implied that the head was aware of its ignomini-
pus situation."
69 -
Xast 1imor&s of
He raised his hand and cried, " Lord ! " After
this he expired without pain. It is thought that he
wished to repeat his frequent prayer, " Lord Jesus,
come quickly ! " He desired above all things to die
suddenly and without distress of body or mind.
CowPER (William, distinguished English poet),
1731-1800. '" What can it signify f" Said to Miss
Perowne, one of his attendants, who offered him
some refreshments. He died in the gloom of a deep
melancholy from which he had suffered during a
considerable portion of his life.
Crates (of Thebes, Cynic philosopher), about
B. c. 330 — he was living in b. c. 307. " Ah! poor
humpback! thy many long years are at last conveying
thee to the tomb: thou shalt soon visit the palace of
Pluto/'
Crates was deformed and ugly in shape and fea-
tures, and to render himself still more hideous he
sewed sheepskins on his coat, so that it was difficult
at first sight to say to what species of animal he be-
longed. He was, however, noted for self-control,
abstinence, and simplicity of life.
Cranmer (Thomas, Archbishop of Canterbury),
1489- 1 556. " This unworthy right hand."
When the fagots were lighted he stretched out his
right hand, which had signed the recantation, into
the flames, and there held it firmly till it was a mere
70
cinder. This took place before his body was reached
by the fire. ^
Cromwell (OHver), 1599- 1658. '' My desire is
to make wJiat haste I may to be gone." Cromwell
died of grief at the loss of his favorite daughter.
Some say his last words were, " Then 1 am safe,"
in response to his chaplain who assured him that,
" once in grace is always in grace."
* Upon the 14th of February, in the 30th year of Queen
Mary, was Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, brought to
the stake, where he first thrust his right hand into the fire
(with which he had before subscribed a recantation) till it
first, and then his whole body was consumed ; but what was
most remarkable, his heart remained whole, and was not
once touched by the fire. — Baker's Citron, p. 463.
We have the same story about the heart of Zuinglius. Three
days after it had been cast into the fire to be burned to
ashes some friends found it untouched by the flames. — Melch.
Adam. Vit. p. 2)7.
" Mr. J. C. Jeaffreson in his book ' The Real Shelley '
writes : ' All the world knows how Shelley's torn and dis-
figured corpse was reduced to ashes and a few fragments of
bone (with the exception of the heart that would not be
burnt) on the pyre;' and probably, since Trelawny, shortly
after the poet's death, reported that ' his heart remained
entire,' his statement has been unhesitatingly accepted. I
have, however, reason for thinking that the story does not
rest on trustworthy evidence.
" When a body is burnt the part which longest resists the
action of the fire after the base of the skull and one or
two of the most solid portions of bone, is the liver. The
heart, being hollow and smaller, is easily destroyed : but the
liver, a moist and solid mass, repels intense heat, and ulti-
mately deposits an ash of pure carbon, which no continued
burning or increase of temperature can further change. In
71
Xast Mort)S ot
Crome (John, English landscape painter), 1766-
182 1. " O Hohbima, Hohbima, hozv I do love thee! "
Crosby (Howard, Presbyterian clergyman, Chan-
cellor of the University of New York, and a man of
great classical learning), 1826-1891. "My heart is
resting szveetly zvith Jesus, and my hand is in his."
the cemetery of Milan where I have seen human cremations
completely carried out in seventy minutes by Signer Venini's
reverberatory furnace, the best method known, I also learned
that the liver, perhaps from its containing this element of
carbon, can endure for a considerable time even that con-
centrated whirlwind of fire, and remain almost intact after the
heart has totally disappeared. Moreover, in Shelley's case the
liver would have been saturated with sea-water, and thereby
rendered still more incombustible. It is extremely improbable
that Byron, Leigh Hunt, or Trelawny knew enough anatomy
to identify accurately the charred substance they took to be
the heart, and it is more likely, owing to the thin edge of
the liver being consumed, and its size consequently being
much reduced, that they mistook the shrunken remains of
the one organ for the whole of the other.
" From observing the Milanese cremations alluded to I think
it barely possible that the human heart is ever capable of
withstanding fire for more than a brief period ; but since
Mr. J. A. Symonds asserts, to my surprise, that Shelley's
heart was given by Leigh Hunt to Mrs. Shelley, and is now
at Boscombe, the seat of the present baronet, it would be
easy for some competent anatomist to determine the question
I have raised.
" In any case, the hero-worshipping and sentimental tourists
who go in crowds to that lovely spot beneath the pyramid of
Caius Cestius to mourn over Shelley's untimely fate have
been strangely deceived for more than sixty years in believ-
ing that beneath the marble graven with the touching words
OjA (rl ir*aA^. ' ^'^^ Cordium ' lies the flame proof heart of their favorite
i poet." — Bic knell.
72
Dtstinouisbet) /IDen ant) Momen
CuLLEN (William, distinguished physician),
1712-1790. "I zvish I had the pozver of zi^riting,
for tJien I zvould describe to you liozv pleasant a thing
it is to die."
CuMMiNGS (George David, first Bishop of the
Reformed Episcopal Church), 1822-1876. "Jesus!
precious Saviour! "
His last message to his church was : " Tell them
to go forivard and do a good zvork."
CusHMAN (Charlotte Saunders, distinguished
American actress), 18 16- 1876. Her last words are
not recorded, but on the night before her death she
asked to have Lowell's poem " Columbus " read to
her, and from time to time she prompted the reader
when a word or line was missing.
CuviER (George Chretien Leopold Frederic
Dagobert, Baron, one of the greatest naturalists of
modern times, and founder of the science of com-
parative anatomy), 1769- 1832. "It is delightful
to see those zvhom I love still able to szvallozv," to
-his daughter-in-law, to whom he handed a glass of
lemonade he found himself unable to swallow.
Cyprian (Thascius Csecilius Cyprianus, " Saint,"
Bishop of Carthage, Latin Father and martyr. He
is the author of numerous epistles and tracts), 200
258. " Thanks he to God," to the heathen judge, on
hearing from him the sentence of death,
72>
Xast Mor&6 ot
Cyrus (Cyrus the Elder, surnamed " the Great,"
founder of the Persian empire, and the greatest of
Persian monarchs. Hfe appears in Sacred History as
the conqueror of Belshazzar. Herodotus represents
him as killed in battle, but Xenophon records that he
died a natural death), — b. c. 559.
Xenophon (Cyropaedia B. viii. 7) gives the speech
which Cyrus is said to have made upon his death-
bed. These are the closing sentences in that speech :
" When I am dead, my children, do not enshrine
my body in gold, or in silver, or in any other sub-
stance; but restore it to the earth as soon as possible;
for what can be more desirable than to be mixed with
the earth, which gives birth and nourishment to
everything excellent and good? I have always
hitherto borne an affection to men, and I feel that
I should nozv gladly be incorporated zvith that which
is beneficial to men. And now my soul seems to be
leaving me, in the same manner as, it is probable,
it begins to leave others. If, therefore, any one of
you is desirous of touching my right hand, or is zvill-
ing to see my face, while it has life, let him come near
me; but zuhen I shall have covered it, I request of
you, my sons, let no man, not even yourselves, look
upon my body. Summon, however, all the Persians,
and the allies, to my tomb, to rejoice for me, as I
shall then be safe from suffering any evil, whether I
be with the divine nature, or be reduced to nothing.
As many as come, do not dismiss until you have be-
stowed on them whatever favors are customary at
74
2)isttnguisl)e& /»en an& XRHomen
the funeral of a rich man. And remember this, as my
last admonition: by doing good to your friends, you
will be able also to punish your enemies. Farewell,
dear children, and say farewell to your mother as
from me; farezvcll, all my friends, present and
absent."
Having said this, and taken every one by the
right hand, he covered his face and expired.
Damiens (Robert Francois, known for his at-
tempt to assassinate Louis XV., and called, because
of his crimes, Robert le Diable), 17 15- 1757. ''Oh
death, why art thou so long in coming f "
The punishment inflicted upon Damiens for his
attack upon the king was horrible. The hand by
which he attempted the murder was burned at a slow
fire ; the fleshy parts of his body were then torn off
by pincers ; and finally, he was dragged about for an
hour by four strong horses, while into his numerous
wounds were poured molten lead, resin, oil and boil-
ing wax. Towards night, the poor wretch expired,
liaving by an effort of will almost superhuman, kept
his resolution of not confessing who were his accom-
plices if, indeed, he had any. His remains were im-
mediately burned, his house was destroyed, his
father, wife and daughter were banished from
France forever, and his brothers and sisters com-
pelled to change their names. — Chambers.
From his arrest to his death — nearly three months
— he was in torture; bound in chains, and frequently
75
Xast Morbs of
taken to the torture room, and there treated as the
North American savages were wont to treat their
victims, and with the aid of more skillful appliances
for inflicting pain than Indians have. By a circui-
tous journey he was taken to the place of execution,
guarded by a small army, all Paris ready to see the
show. For half an hour he was kept waiting in
view of the preparations for his murder, and in the
presence of an immense assemblage — many of them
delicate ladies of high rank — he was bound naked
upon a table placed on a high platform. The ladies
and gentry looked on with joy; those who had suc-
ceeded, through influence in gaining good positions
for seeing the spectacle, saw his right hand (the one
with which he had struck the King) burned off; the
pieces of flesh torn from him by red-hot pincers, and
melted lead and resin poured into his wounds; a
powerful horse was attached to each of his four limbs,
but it was impossible to tear him to pieces, and a
request was sent to cut the muscles; but not until
the request was repeated was permission given, and
he did not expire until both legs and one arm had
been torn from the body. His execution lasted over
an hour. His body was burned, his house purchased
and destroyed; and the leaders in this murder were
munificently rewarded. To the two judges who
pronounced sentence were given, life pensions oi six
thousand francs a year; the lawyers, the clerks, the
torturers and the executioners also had their reward.
. . . Damiens was a monomaniac of the style
76,
S)istinoui3be^ /iDen anb Momen
of Guiteau, driven insane, or excited to this special
development of insanity by the political excitement
of the time. It is probable, also, that he was a reli-
gious monomaniac, for he was a pious fanatic — a
Jacobinist — and in his pocket were found a copy of
the New Testament, and thirty gold pieces. He had
no accomplices, no plan, no motives that could appeal
to a sane mind, aiiy more than had Guiteau.
Dr. George M. Beard.
Danton (George Jacques), 1759- 1794. "Yon
will show my head to the people — it will be worth
the display! " Said to the executioner.
When the judges asked him his name, residence,
etc., he answered, " My name is Danton ; my dwell-
ing will soon be in annihilation; but my name will
live in the Pantheon of history ! " — Lamartine.
Darwin (Charles, one of the most eminent of
English naturalists), 1809-1882. *' I am not in the
least afraid to die.'*
Darwin (Erasmus, English poet and physician.
Author of "The Botanic Garden"), 1731-1802.
'' There is no time to be lost."
It is reported at Lichfield, that, perceiving himself
growing rapidly worse, he said to Mrs. Darwin,
" My dear, you must bleed me instantly." " Alas ! "
said she, " I dare not, lest — " " Emma, will you ?
There is no time to be lost." " Yes, my dear father,
77
Xast Mor^s of
if you will direct me." At this moment he sank into
his chair and expired. — The Book of Death.
De Lagny (Thomas Fantet, French mathema-
tician), 1 660- 1 734. " 144," in response to a friend
who asked for the square of 12.
Delagado (Gen. E., the Honduras Revolution-
ist), — 1886. " We are ready — soldiers, Hre! "
He was shot with three other revolutionists
(Lieut.-Col. Indalecio Garcia, Commander Meguel
Cortez, and Lieut. Gabriel Loyant), at Comayagna,
October 18, 1886.
It was the desire of President Bogran to spare
Gen. Delgado's life if possible, and any pretext would
have been readily seized upon to give him an oppor-
tunity of saving himself and at the same time vindi-
cate the tribunal which had condemned him. The
President sent a messenger to him to say that if he
would promise to never again take up arms against
Honduras he should receive a pardon. The soldier
was too brave to accept even his life on these terms,
and he sent back word that he would see Honduras in
an even more tropical climate than she now enjoys
before he would accept his pardon on such a pledge.
When his answer was received there was nothing
left but to prepare for the execution.
On the morning of their execution the men were
taken to a point near the Church of Comayagua;
four coffins were placed near the wall and the four
78
S)i3tinouisbc& /IDen anb Momen
condemned men were led to them. They accepted
their positions as easily and gracefully as if they
were in boxes at the opera, and not a face was
blanched, not a nerve quivered. Gen. Delgado asked
and received permission to order the guard to fire,
which he did, first requesting them not to shoot him
in the face, but in the breast. There was no rattle, no
scattering reports, but one sharp, stunning report.
The four men for half a second remained in an up-
right position, as if still unhurt, and then rolled over,
limp and bloody, dead. The soldiers had complied
with Gen. Delgado's request, for three balls had
penetrated his breast.
Demorax (Greek philosopher), second century,
B. c. " Yon may go home, the show is over."
Lucian.
De Quincey (Thomas, " The English opium-
eater "), 1 785- 1859. " Sister! sister! sister! " Dur-
ing his last illness he was subject to fits of delirium,
and in one of these he died. His last words indi-
cate that he was living over in his mind the scenes of
early days.
Mr. Mackay gives this account of the condition of
De Quincey's grave as it was in 1889:
" The mural tablet is not weather-stained, and his
grave is not utterly neglected, but well cared for by
some loving hand or other. When in Edinburgh I
almost always visit his grave, and only on Thursday,
79
Xast Mor&s of
May 23 last, I was there, and as the birds sang- about
in the grounds, the trees rustled, and the sun shone,
I could hardly think of him sleeping in a more lovely
spot, save it might be along with Wordsworth and
Hartley Coleridge in the churchyard at Grasmere.'"
A bright, ready and melodious talker, but in the
end inconclusive and long-winded. One of the
smallest man-figures I ever saw ; shaped like a pair
of tongs, and hardly above five feet in all. When
he sat, you would have taken him, by candle-light,
for the beautifulest little child, blue-eyed, sparkling
face, had there not been a something too which said,
" Eccovi — this child has been in hell.'' — Carlylc.
Desmoulins (Benedict Camille, prominent
French democrat and pamphleteer, called the " At-
torney-general of the Lamp-post," because of his
part in the death of those who were hung by the
mob in the street), 1762- 1794. "Behold, then, the
recompense reserved for the first apostle of liberty."
Said while standing before the guillotine, and look-
ing at the axe. When at the bar of Tinville he was
asked his age, name, and residence, he said : " My
age is that of the sansculotte Jesu — I am thirty-three;
an age fatal to revolutionists."
De Soto (Hernando, Spanish explorer, discov-
erer of the Mississippi River), about 1496- 1542.
"Luis de Moscoso" — the name of his successor. He
must have spoken later, for he lived twenty-four
80
H)tstinouisbc^ /iDen an& Momen
hours after appointing his successor, but what he
said the compiler has been unable to discover.
Believing his death near at hand, on the twentieth
of May he held a last interview with his followers
and, yielding to the wishes of his companions, who
obeyed him to the end, he named a successor. On
the next day he died. Thus perished Ferdinand de
Soto, the governor of Cuba, the successful associate
of Pizarro. His miserable end was the more ob-
served from the greatness of his former prosperity.
His soldiers pronounced his eulogy by grieving for
their loss ; the priests chanted over his body the first
requiems that were ever heard on the w^aters of the
Mississippi. To conceal his death, his body was
wrapped in a mantle, and in the stillness of midnight
was sunk in the middle of the stream. — Bancroft.
De Witt (Cornelius, Dutch naval officer and
statesman), 1625-1672.
One Tichelaer, a barber, a man noted for infamy,
accused Cornelius de Witt of endeavoring by bribes
to engage him in the design of poisoning the Prince
of Orange. The accusation, though attended with
the most improbable, and even absurd circumstances,
was greedily received by the credulous multitude;
and Cornelius was cited before a court of judicature.
The judges, either blinded by the same prejudices, or
not daring to oppose the popular torrent, condemned
him to suffer the question. This man, who had
bravely served his country in war, and who had
81
Xast MorOs ot
been invested with the highest dignities, was deliv-
ered into the hands of the executioner, and torn in
pieces by the most inhuman torments. Amidst the
severe agonies which he endured, he still made pro-
testations of his innocence, and frequently repeated
an ode of Horace, which contained sentiments suited
to his deplorable condition : " Jiistum et tenacem
propositi virum," etc'
The judges, however, condemned him to lose his
offices, and to be banished the commonwealth. The
pensionary, who had not been terrified from perform-
ing the part of a kind brother and faithful friend dur-
ing this prosecution, resolved not to desert him on
^ The man whose mind, on virtue bent,
Pursues some greatly good intent,
With undiverted aim,
Serene beholds the angry crowd ;
Nor can their clamors, fierce and loud,
His stubborn honor tame.
Not the proud tyrant's fiercest threat.
Nor storms, that from their dark retreat
The lawless surges wake;
Not Jove's dread bolt, that shakes the pole.
The firmer purpose of his soul
With all its power can shake.
Should nature's frame in ruins fall,
And chaos o'er the sinking ball
Resume the primeval sway,
His courage chance and fate defies,
Nor feels the wreck o£ earth and skies
Obstruct its destined way.
Translated by Blacklocke.
82
2>istinguisbe& /IDen an& Momen
account of the unmerited infamy which was en-
deavored to be thrown upon him. He came to his
brother's prison, determined to accompany him to
the place of exile. The signal was given to the popu-
lace. They rose in arms ; they broke open the doors
of the prison ; they pulled out the two brothers, and
a thousand hands vied who sliould first be imbrued
in their blood. Even their death did not satiate the
brutal rage of the multitude. They exercised on the
dead bodies of those virtuous citizens indignities too
shocking to be recited ; and till tired with their own
fury, they permitted not the friends of the deceased
to approach or to bestow on them the honors of a
funeral, silent and unattended.
Hume's History of England,
Dickens (Charles), 1812-1870. "On the
ground." He was losing his balance and feared that
he would fall to the floor.
Diderot (Denis, French philosopher, atheist and
chief among the Encyclopedists), 1712-1784. On
the evening of the 30th of July, 1784, he sat down
to the table, and at the end of the meal took an
apricot. His wife, with kindly solicitude, remon-
strated. " Mais quel diable de mal veux-te que cela
me fosse f " he said, and ate the apricot. Then he
rested his elbow on the table, trifling with some
sweetmeats. His wife asked him a question; on
receiving no answer, she looked up and saw that he
83
Xast XRHor^s ot
was dead. He had died as the Greek poet says that
men died in the golden age, " They passed away as
if mastered by sleep," — John Morley.
Dillon (Wentvvorth, Earl of Roscommon, Eng-
lish poet and translator), about 1633- 1684. His
last words were from his own translation of the
*'DiesIrae:"
"" My God, my Father, and my Friend,
Do not forsake me in the end."
Diogenes (the Cynic, son of Isecius), b. c. 413-
323. Just what were his last words is uncertain, but
a short time before he died, he was asked where he
would be buried when dead. " In an open field,"
said he. " How ! " enquired one, " are you not
afraid of becoming food for birds of prey and wild
beasts?" "Then I must have my stick with me,"
said Diogenes. " But," continued the other, " you
will be devoid of sensation." " If that is the case,"
said he, " it is no matter whether they eat me or not,
seeing I shall be insensible to it."
His death was occasioned by indigestion from eat-
ing a neat's foot raw; but some say he put an end
to his life by holding his breath. After his death
there was a great dispute among his friends and
followers as to who should be accorded the privilege
of burying him, and when they were about to come to
violence, the magistrates interfered and quieted the
disturbance.
84
BistlnoufsbeC) /IDen anb Momen
DoDD (Rev, Dr. William, author of numerous
religious and other works. He was the founder of
" The Magdalen " for reclaiming young women
fallen from virtue, the " Poor Debtors' Society " and
the " Humane Society." He was executed for
forgery), 1729- 1777. Just before his death he said
to the executioner, " Come to me," and when the
executioner obeyed, the doctor whispered to him.
What he said is not. known, but it was observed that
the man had no sooner driven away than he took the
place where the cart had been, under the gibbet,
and held the doctor's legs, as if to steady the body,
and the unhappy man appeared to die without pain.
Dominic (" Saint," founder of the order of Do-
minicans and of the order of Preaching Friars. He
was one of the instigators of the cruel and inhuman
crusade against the Albigenses about 12 12. Many
strange stories are told of him, and among these that
he offered himself for sale to the highest bidder, in
order to raise money for charitable purposes), 11 70-
122 1. " Under the feet of my friars" when asked
where he would like to be buried.
Donne (John, D.D., English poet and theolo-
gian), 1573-1631. "I zvere miserable, if I might
not die." Some say his last words were : " I repent
of my life except that part of it which I spent in com-
munion with God, and in doing good." Others say
his last words were, " Thy will be done."
85
Xast morbs ot
Dr. Donne was formerly Dean of St. Paul's.
Among other preparations for his death, he ordered
an urn to be cut in wood, on which was to be placed
a board of the exact height of his body. He then
caused himself to be tied up in a winding-sheet.
Thus shrouded, and standing with his eyes shut, and
with just so much of the sheet put aside as might
discover his death-like face, he caused his portrait to
be taken, which, when finished, was placed near his
bedside, and there remained to the hour of his death.
He was buried in St. Paul's Cathedral, where a
monument was erected over him, composed of white
marble, and carved from the above-mentioned pic-
ture, by order of his dearest friend and executor, Dr.
King, Bishop of Chichester. *
' Charles V., of Spain, seems to have entertained the same
morbid desire for a personal acquaintance with his own post-
mortem appearance and condition. In Robertson's History
of the Reign of the Emperor Charles V. we have this account
of the monarch's attendance upon his own funeral : " He
resolved to celebrate his own obsequies before his death. He
ordered his tomb to be erected in the chapel of the monastery.
His domestics marched thither in funeral procession, with
black tapers in their hands. He himself followed in his
shroud. He was laid in his coffin with much solemnity. The
service for the dead was chanted, and Charles joined in the
prayers which were offered up for the rest of his soul,
mingling his tears with those which his attendants shed, as
if they had been celebrating a real funeral. The ceremony
closed with sprinkling holy water on the coffin in the usual
form, and all the assistants retiring, the doors of the chapel
were shut. Then Charles rose out of the coffin, and with-
drew to his apartment, full of those awful sentiments which
86
S)fstfnouisbc& /IDen an& Momen
DoRNEY (Henry, a man of peculiarly beautiful life
and religious experience. His " Contemplations and
Letters," published after his death, had a large cir-
culation), 1613-1683. "I am almost dead; lift me
up a little higher," to his wife.
Drew (Samuel, English preacher and author.
He commenced life as an infidel shoemaker, but after
conversion gave himself to constant study of the
Bible and Christian Theology. He wrote the once
famous book, " The Immateriality and Immortality
of the Soul"), 1765-1833. "Thank God, to-mor-
row I shall join the glorious company above." Last
recorded words.
Drummond (Henry, author of " Natural Law in
the Spiritual World," " The Ascent of Man " and a
large number of published lectures and addresses),
1851-1897. " There's nothing to heat that, Hugh.
It is a paraphrase of the words of Paul: ' I know
whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is
able to keep that which I have committed unto Him,
such a singular solemnity was calculated to inspire." This
story is somewhat changed in Stirling's " Cloister Life of the
Emperor Charles V."
If I must die, I'll snatch at every thing
That may but mind me of my latest breath;
Death's-heads, Graves, Knells, Blacks, Tombs,
all these shall bring
Into my soul such useful thoughts of death,
That this sable king of fears
Shall not catch me unawares. — Quarks.
87
Xast Mor^s ot
against that day,' " said of the lines which Dr. Bar-
bour had just joined with him in singing: —
" I'm not ashamed to own my Lord,
Or to defend His cause.
Maintain the glory of His cross,
And honor all His laws."
The last words of Drummond, as given above, are
only the last recorded. He said much afterward,
but most of his words were disconnected. His mind
wandered idly from thought to thought without aim
or purpose.
DwiGHT (Timothy, American clergyman and au-
thor, President of Yale College. He wrote the beau-
tiful hymn, " I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord "), 1752-
181 7. " O, what triumphant truth! "
Edward L (of England, surnamed " Long-
shanks"), 1 239- 1 307. "Carry my bones before
you on your march, for the rebels will not be able to
endure the sight of me, alive or dead," to his son
Edward. ^ He died while endeavoring to subdue a
revolt in Scotland.
' These instructions were probably ignored ; for, when his
tomb was opened by the Society of Antiquaries in 1771, those
present gazed for a moment on the features of the great
victor before they sank into dust. The gold cloth was still
folded round the colossal corpse ; and the cast in the eyes
was distinctly noticeable. The snow-white hair still remained.
The coffin was then filled with pitch. — Farrar.
88
Dfstfnoufsbeb f^cn ant) Momen
Edward VI. (son of Henry VIII. and Queen
Jane Seymour) , 1537- 1553. '' Lord take my spirit."
Edward (Prince of Wales, surnamed the Black
Prince from the color of his armor), 1330- 1376.
" / give thee thanks, O God, for all thy henciits, and
with all the pains of my soul I humbly beseech thy
mercy to give me remission of those sins I have
ivickedly committed against thee; and of all mortal
men whom willingly or ignorantly I have offended,
with all my heart I desire forgiveness."
Edwards (Jonathan, President of the College of
New Jersey and one of the greatest of metaphysi-
cians), 1703-1757. " Trust in God and you need not
fear," to one who lamented his approaching death as
a frown on the college and a heavy stroke to the
church.
The most awfully tremendous of all metaphysical
divines is the American ultra-Calvinist, Jonathan
Edwards, whose book on " Original Sin " I un-
John Zisca, general of the insurgents who took up arms
in 1419 against the Emperor Sigismund, seems to have had
a like spirit with Edward I. He would revenge the deaths
of John Huss and Jerome of Prague, who had been cruelly
burned at the stake for their religious faith. He defeated
the Emperor in several pitched battles, and gave orders that,
after his death, they should make a drum out of his skin.
The order was most religiously obeyed, and those very re-
mains of the enthusiastic Zisca proved, for many years, fatal
to the Emperor, who, with difficulty, in the space of sixteen
years, recovered Bohemia, assisted by the forces of Germany.
The insurgents were 40,000 in number, and well disciplined.
89
Xast movt^s ot
happily read when a very young man. It did me
an irreparable mischief. — An English author.
Egbert (Col. Henry Clay), 1840- 1899. " Good-
by. General; I'm done. I'm too old," said to Gen.
Wheaton, who bending over the wounded officer, ex-
claimed, '* Nobly done, Egbert ! " Col. Egbert was
killed near Manila in the war between the United
States and the Philippines.
In all his army service he was wounded four times
before he received his death wound. He was ac-
counted one of the most competent officers in the
army, and in action it was said of him that the army
had no officer more dashing, with the possible excep-
tion of Gen. Guy V. Henry, now in command of the
United States forces in Porto Rico. He was a little
man, not above five feet five inches, and weighed
only about one hundred and ten pounds. He had
reddish hair, streaked with gray, and wore a red
mustache and imperial. In plain clothes he was
most immaculate, and he was called the best dressed
officer in the army.
N. Y. Daily Sun, March 2^, 1899.
Eldon (John Scott, Earl, Lord Chancellor of
England), 1750-1838. " It matters not zvhere I am
going zvhether the weather be cold or hot," to one
who spoke to him about the weather.
He was a bigoted admirer of the law, of which he
was so consummate a master. Projects of law re-
form cut him to the soul, and he has been represented
90
2)istinout0be6 /IDen an& Momen
as shedding tears on the abolition of the punishment
of death for steaHng five shilHngs in a dwelHng-
house. — Appleton's Cydopccdia of Biography.
Eliot (Rev. John, commonly called "The
Apostle to the Indians "), 1604-1690. '' O Come in
glory! I have long waited for Thy coming. Let no
dark cloud rest on the work of the Indians. Let it
live when I am dead. Welcome joy! "
Elizabeth (Queen of England, and daughter of
Henry VIII. by Anne Boleyn), 1533-1603. "All
my possessions for one moment of time."
Some give her last words thus : " I v^^ill have no
rogue's son in my seat."
When Sir Robert Cecil declared that she must
go to bed and receive medical aid, the word roused
her like a trumpet. " Must ! " she exclaimed, "is
must a word to be addressed to princes ? Little man,
little man ! thy father, were he alive, durst not have
used that word." Then, as her anger spent itself,
she sank into the old dejection. " Thou art so pre-
sumptuous," she said, " because thou knowest that I
shall die." She rallied once more when the ministers
beside her named Lord Beauchamp, the heir to the
Suffolk claim, as a possible successor. " I will have
no rogue's son," she cried hoarsely, " in my seat.'"
But she gave no sign save a motion of the head at
the mention of the King of Scots. She was, in fact,
fast becoming insensible; and early the next morn-
91
Xast Wiov^s ot
ing, on- March 24, 1603, the Hfe of EHzabeth, a life
so great, so strange and lonely in its greatness, ebbed
quietly away. ^
Elizabeth (Philippine Marie Helene, usually
called Madame Elizabeth, sister of Louis XVI),
1 764- 1 794. "In the name of modesty, cover my
bosom! "
When she ascended the scaffold, the executioner
rudely undid the clasp which closed the veil across
her breast. " In the name of modesty," she said to
one of the bystanders whose arms were not tied,
" cover my bosom ! "
Alison, in his '* History of Europe," calls atten-
tion to the fact that " a similar instance of heroic
virtue in death occurred in a female martyr in the
early Christian church. Perpetua and Felicitas, both
Christians, were sentenced in the year 203, to be
killed by wild cattle at Carthage. They were both
attacked, accordingly, by furious bulls, who tossed
them on their horns. So violent was the shock that
Perpetua fell on the ground stunned ; but partly re-
covering her senses, she was seen gathering her torn
clothes about her, so as to conceal her limbs, and
* There is a dim tradition that, much more than a century
ago, the tomb under which the two sister-queens — Mary, the
Roman Catholic, and Elizabeth, the Protestant, regno con-
sortes et urna — lie side by side had fallen into disrepair, and
that a bold Westminster boy crept into the hollow vault, and,
through an aperture in the coffin, laid his hand on the heart
of the mighty Tudor queen. — Farrar.
92
H)istinguisbe^ /IDen auD Moinen
after tying her hair, she helped FeHcitas to rise, who
had been severely wounded ; and, standing together,
calmly awaited another attack."
Elliott (Ebenezer, English poet known as the
" Corn-Law Rhymer." He was a workman in an
iron foundry who won the attention of the cultivated
world by his verses, and rose to eminence by his
" Corn-Law Rhymes " in which he urged the repeal
of duties on corn. He wrote also " The Village Patri-
arch," " Byron and Napoleon," " Love " and a num-
ber of other poems of more or less merit), 1781-
1849. " -^ strange sight, sir, an old man unwilling
to die."
Emerson (Ralph Waldo, American essayist, poet,
and speculative philosopher), 1803- 1882.
For the day or two before his death he was trou-
bled with the thought that he was away from home,
detained by illness at some friend's house, and that
he ought to make the effort to get away and relieve
him of the inconvenience. But to the last there was
no delirium ; in general he recognized every one and
understood what was said to him, though he was
sometimes unable to make intelligible reply. He
took affectionate leave of his family and the friends
who came to see him for the last time, and desired
to see all who came. To his wife he spoke tenderly
of their life together and her loving care of him ; they
must now part, to meet again and part no more.
Then he smiled and said, " O, that beautiful boy! "
93
Xast Mor^0 ot
I was permitted to see him on the day of his death.
He knew me at once, greeted me with the famihar
smile, and tried to rise and to say something, but I
could not catch the words.
He was buried on Sunday, April 30, in Sleepy
Hollow, a beautiful grove on the edge of the village,
consecrated as a burial-place in 1855, Emerson de-
livering the address. Here, at the foot of a tall pine-
tree upon the top of the ridge in the highest part of
the grounds, his body was laid, not far from the
graves of Hawthorne and of Thoreau, and sur-
rounded by those of his kindred. ^
James Elliot Cabot
^ The quiet little town of Concord is greatly stirred up over
the discovery of a dastardly attempt on Saturday night to
rob the last resting place of its noted dead, the grave of
Ralph Waldo Emerson. The fact that the grave had been
visited by vandals was discovered early Sunday afternoon
by a visitor to Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, where the remains
are interred. At the head of the grave was a large aperture
seven feet in depth and twenty inches wide extending to the
box containing the casket.
An alarm was at once given, and the town authorities, to-
gether with the Sleepy Hollow Commissioners, made an in-
vestigation. The perpetrators of the deed have not been
discovered, but the theory is that the attempted vandalism
was made some time during Saturday night, and the villains
were frightened away by some passing team on the Bedford
road just adjacent. Whether the motive was to obtain pos-
session of the remains, or to despoil the casket of its valuable
trimmings, is, of course, a matter of conjecture; but the
general impression is that the skull was what was most
wanted. The wooden box inclosing the casket had decayed
somewhat, the interment having taken place over seven years
94
Bisttnouisbcb flbcn an^ Momen
Emmet (Robert, an eloquent Irish enthusiast and
sincere patriot, and one of the chiefs of the '" United
Irishmen"), 1 780- 1 803. "Not—"
He said on the scaffold, at the close of a brief ad-
dress : *' My friends, I die in peace, and with senti-
ments of universal love and kindness towards all
men." He then shook hands with some persons on the
platform, presented his watch to the executioner,
and removed his stock. The immediate preparations
for execution then were carried into effect, he as-
sisted in adjusting the rope round his neck, and was
then placed on the plank underneath the beam, and
the cap was drawn over his face; but he contrived to
raise his hand, partly removed it, and spoke a few
words in a low tone to the executioner. The cap
was replaced, and he stood with a handkerchief in his
hand, the fall of which was to be the signal for the
last act of the " finisher of the law." After standing
on the plank for a few seconds the executioner said :
" Are you ready, sir? " and Emmet said, " Not yet."
ago, and in the earth which the rascals had thrown out were
some pieces of the box. One side of the casket had fallen
down a little, but this is attributable to natural decay. Other-
wise the casket had not been disturbed or opened.
Mr. Edward W. Emerson, son of Ralph Waldo, arrived
home this afternoon, and the investigation of the desecration
of his father's grave was immediately entered upon by him
with the town authorities. Mr. Emerson has been out of town
for two weeks or more, and the first information he had of
the affair was that given him upon his arrival this noon. The
earth has been replaced, and a watch placed over the grave.
A^. y. Times. Oct. 15, 1889.
95
Xast Ximor&s of
There was another momentary pause ; no signal was
given; again the executioner repeated the question,
"Are you ready, sir?" And again Emmet said,
" Not yet." The question was put a third time, and
Emmet pronounced the word " Not ; " but before he
had time to utter another word the executioner tilted
one end of the plank off the ledge.
Madden' s Life of Emmet.
Let no man write my epitaph ; for as no man who
knows my motives dare now vindicate them, let not
prejudice or ignorance asperse them. Let them and
me repose in obscurity and peace, and my tomb re-
main uninscribed until other times and other men
can do justice to my character. When my country
takes her place among the nations of the earth —
then, and not till then — let my epitaph be written I
have done. — From Emmet's Last Speech.
See Moore's beautiful poem on Emmet's fate and
on his attachment to Miss Curran in two of the Irish
Melodies.
Emmons (Rev. Dr. Nathaniel, distinguished New
England theologian and divine), 1745-1840. "I
am ready."
Enghien d' (Louis Antoine Henri de Bourbon,
Due. French prince who was arrested on neutral
territory on suspicion of conspiracy, and, after a
military trial which was little better than a farce,
shot), 1 772- 1 804. To the soldiers who had pointed
96
2)istfn(jufsbe& /IDen anb Momen
their g^ns he said : " Grenadier si lozver your arms,
otherzvise you zvill miss me or only wound me."
Some say his last words were : " Is there no priest
at the chateau? — is there no priest? "
A lantern glimmering- at either end of the file of
soldiers shewed d'Enghien his fate. As the sentence
of death was read, he wrote in pencil a message to his
wife, folded and gave it to the officer in command
of the file, and asked for a priest. There was no
priest in residence at the chateau. He prayed a mo-
ment, covering his face with his hands. As he raised
his head^ the officer gave the word to fire.
Hopkins: " The Dungeons of Old Paris."
This deed excited general and deep indignation
against Bonaparte, and is commonly regarded as one
of the worst crimes by which his memory is stained.
Lippincott: " Biographical Dictionary."
Epaminondas (Theban statesman and general.
Cicero describes him as " the greatest man that
Greece ever produced"), b. c. 412-363. ''All is
well! " These words were spoken immediately after
the javelin had been extracted from his breast.
The fatal dart was thrown by Gryllus, son of
Xenophon, the historian and leader of the ten thou-
sand Greeks on their retreat from the battle-field of
Cunaxa to the Black Sea.
Erasmus (surnamed Roterdamensis, Dutch
scholar. He was an illegitimate son of Gerard Praet,
97
Xast Mort>0 ot
a citizen of Gonda), 1467-1536. " Dom'inel Domine!
fac ftnem! fac Uneni!"
Etty (William, English historical painter among-
whose last pictures are " Pandora Crowned by the
Seasons," " Ulysses and the Sirens," *' Joan of Arc,"
and "The Judgment of Paris"), 1787-1849.
'' Wonderful, wonderful, this death! "
EucLES (The " runner " from the plains of Mara-
thon, who brought the news of the successful issue
of that battle to the anxious Senate waiting at
Athens). " Rejoice I zve rejoice!" As Eucles ran
he cried these words until he came to the Senate,
when he shouted them with all his voice and fell
dead,
EuGENius IV. (Gabriele Condolmero, Pope),
1 383- 1 447. " Oh Gabriele, hoiv nmcJi better would
it have been for thee, and how much more would it
have promoted thy soul's zvelfare, if thou hadst never
"been raised to the Pontificate, but hadst been content
to lead a quiet and religious life in the monastery."
EvERERUARD (Charlcs de, Saint-Denis, French
courtier, soldier, wit and litterateur. He was a brave
man, but of flippant disposition), 161 3- 1703.
'' With all my heart I woidd fain be reconciled to
my stomach, which no longer performs its usual
functions," said to an ecclesiastic who asked him if
he would be reconciled. During his last days he gave
98
H)istinouisbe^ /IDcii au& X<3loinen
no attention to relig-ious matters, and only regretted
that he could not digest partridges and pheasants,
and must eat only boiled meats.
Farinato (Paolo, Italian painter), about 1525-
1606. " Noiv I am goi)ig/' These words he cried
out as he lay upon his death bed. His wife who was
sick in the same room, hearing him, answered, " I
will bear you company, my dear husband;" and she
did so, for as he drew his last breath she also expired.
FiCHTE (Johann Gottlieb, distinguished German
philosopher whose name is forever associated with
those of Kant, Schelling, and Hegel as worthy of a
place with the greatest thinkers of modern times),
1762-1814. " Indeed no more medicine; I am well."
The following, purporting to be the " Dying Con-
fession of Fichte," has been frequently published,
but upon what authority the compiler of this book
has been unable to discover :
" I know absolutely nothing of any existence, not
even of my own. Images there are, and they con-
stitute all that apparently exists. I am myself one
of those images; nay, not so much, but only a con-
fused image of an image. All reality is converted
into a marvellous dream, without a life to dream of,
or a mind to dream ; into a dream itself made up only
of a dream. Perception is a dream ; and thought,
the source of all the existence, the reality of which I
imagine to myself, is but the dream of that dream.'*
99
Xast XimorDs ot
For eleven days he lingered, with but few intervals
of clear consciousness, his sleep being ever deeper
till on the night of the 27th of January all sign of
life vanished. He was buried in the first churchyard
before the Oranienburg gate in Berlin ; at his side
now lie the remains of Hegel and Solger. Five
years later his wife was laid at his feet. On the tall
obelisk which marks his grave is the inscription from
the Book of Daniel : " The teachers shall shine as
the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn
many to righteousness as the stars that shine for ever
and ever."
Adamson: " Life and Philosophy of Fichte."
Fillmore (Millard, thirteenth President of the
United States), 1800-1874. " The food is palatable/'
Flavel (John, distinguished nonconformist
clergyman and author), 1627-1691. '" / knozv that
it will be zvell with me."
A man of beautiful Christian character and great
learning who was ejected from his charge at Dart-
mouth in 1662 for nonconformity. The Episco-
palians were not satisfied to persecute this servant of
God during his life, but ordered his monument re-
moved from the Church of St. Saviour.
Fontenelle de (Bernard le Bovier, author of
*' Conversations on a Plurality of Worlds," " Dia-
logues of the Dead " and " History of the Academy
100
S)fstinoulsbe& /(Deu an& Momen
of Science"), 1657-1757. "/ suffer nothing, hut
feel a sort of difficulty of living longer."
Voltaire calls him, " The most universal genius of
the age of Louis XIV."
FoRDYCE (George, distinguished Scottish physi-
cian. Author of " Elements of Agriculture and
Vegetation"), 1736-1802. "Stop, go out of the
room; I am about to die," to his daughter who was
reading- to him.
^b
FoRSTER (Johann Reinhold, a Polish Prussian
naturalist, geographer and philologist), 1729- 1798.
" This is a beautiful ivorld."
Fox (George, founder of the Society of Friends),
1624- 1690. "All is well, all is well — the Seed of
God reigns over all, and over death itself. Though
I am weak in body, yet the power of God is over all,
and the Seed reigns over all disorderly spirits." A
little later he said, and they were his last words,
" Never heed; the Lord's power is over all weakness
and death."
Fox (Charles James, English orator and states-
man), 1749-1806. " Trotter will tell you," said to
Mrs. Fox, who did not understand what he meant.
Francis (" Saint," of Assisi, founder of an order
of mendicant friars called Franciscans or Cordeliers,
from the cord with which they girded their coarse
lOI
Xast Mor&6 of
tunics ) , 1 1 82- 1 226. " The righteous wait expectant
till I receive my recompense."
Members of his order were kneeling around his
bed, awaiting his death.
Francke (August Hermann, professor of Orien-
tal languages at Halle, author of " Methodus Studii
Theologiae " and other works, and founder of the
orphan asylum and college for the poor which were
known as Francke's Institutions), 1660-1727.
" Yes," to his wife who asked him if his Saviour was
still with him.
So long as he was able to speak he would repeat
from time to time in both Hebrew and German,
" God will continue to support me. My soul has
cast itself upon him; Lord, I wait for thy salva-
tion.
Franklin (Benjamin, moralist, statesman, and
philososopher), 1706- 1790. "A dying man can do
nothing easy" He endured in later years a com-
plication of diseases, which brought the extremity of
physical suffering, but courage was strong, and he
worked on almost to the last. Worn with pain, he
welcomed the end. His last look was on the picture
of Christ which had hung for many years near his
bed, and of which he often said, " That is the pic-
ture of one who came into the world to teach men to
love one another." The resolute repression of all
signs of suffering, every indication of the long con-
flict, passed at once. He lay smiling in a quiet
102
Dt9ttnGUfsbe& /IDen an& KHomen
slumber, and the smile lingered when the coffin lid
shut him in. His grave is in the heart of the city
he loved, and even the careless passerby pauses a
moment to read the simple legend.
An epitaph, written by him in 1729, holds his
chief characteristics, his humor, his quiet assurance
of better things to come, whether for this world or
the next :
THE BODY
OF
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN,
PRINTER^
(like the cover of an old book,
ITS contents torn out,
AND STRIPT OF ITS LETTERING AND GILDING),
LIES HERE, FOOD FOR WORMS.
YET THE WORK ITSELF SHALL NOT BE LOST,
FOR IT WILL, AS HE BELIEVES, APPEAR ONCE MORE,
IN A NEW AND MORE BEAUTIFUL EDITION,
CORRECTED AND AMENDED
BY
THE AUTHOR.*
' It has been suggested that Franklin was helped to his
famous epitaph upon himself by Benjamin Woodbridge's
funeral elegy upon John Cotton, preserved in Mather's Mag-
nalia :
" A living, breathing Bible ; tables where
Best covenants at large engraven were ;
Gospel and law in his heart had each its column;
His head an index to the sacred volume;
103
Xast Mor&s of
Frederick William I. (Friedrich Wilhelm I.,
King of Prussia, son of Frederick I.), 1688- 1740.
" Hcrv Jcsu, to thee I live; Herr Jesu, to thee I die;
in life and in death thou art my gain."
" Feel my pulse, Pitsch," said he, noticing the
Surgeon of his Giants: '' tell me how long this will
last." '' Alas ! not long," answered Pitsch. " Say
not, alas; but how do you know? " "The pulse is
gone ! " " Impossible," said he, lifting his arm :
" how could I move my fingers so, if the pulse were
gone? " Pitsch looked mournfully steadfast. " Herr
Jesu, to thee I live; Herr Jesu, to thee I die; in life
and in death thou art my gain {Du bist mein
Gewinn)." These were the last words Friedrich
Wilhelm spoke in this world. He again fell into a
faint. Filer gave a signal to the Crown Prince to
take the Queen away. Scarcely were they out of the
room when the faint deepened into death ; and Fried-
rich Wilhelm, at rest from all his labors, slept with
the primeval sons of Thor.^ — Carlyle.
His very name a title-page ; and next
His life a commentary on the text.
O, what a monument of glorious worth,
When in a new edition he comes forth,
V/ithout erratas, may we think he'll be
In leaves and covers of eternity."
' Mr. Carlyle may well call it a " characteristic trait " in
his favorite Friedrich Wilhelm, as that " wild son of Nature "
lay a-dying, that on a certain German hymn which he " much
loved " being sung to him, or along with him, — when they
came to the words, " Naked I came into the world, and naked
104
Dlstinouisbcb /IDeu anD Momen
Frederick II. (of Prussia, called Frederick the
Great), 1744- 1786. "Throw a quilt over it." He
referred to one of his dogs that sat on a stool near
him, and was shivering from cold. These were his
last conscious words, but later, in delirium, he said,
"' La montagnc est passcc, nous irons mieux."
The king had always about him several small
English greyhounds; but of these only one was in
favor at a time, the others being taken merely as
companions and playmates to the fondling. As these
greyhounds died they were buried on the Terrace of
Sans Souci, with the name of each on a gravestone;
and Frederick, in his will, expressed his desire that
his own remains might be interred by their side — a
parting token of his attachment to them, and of his
contempt for mankind ! On this point, however, his
wishes have not been complied with.^
Lord Mahon's Historical Essays.
shall I go out," — " No," said he, with vivacity, " not quite
naked ; I shall have my uniform on." After which the singing
went on again with vivacity, akin to that with which the
mother of Henri Quatre — not left the world, but brought her
son into it ; for historians, without romancing, tell us she
sung a gay Bearnais song as her brave boy was coming into
the world at Pau.
^ Mr. Berkley, of Knightsbridge, who died in 1805, left
a pension of £25 per annum to his four dogs. This man,
when he felt his end approaching, called for his four dogs.
These were placed by his side ; and he reached them his
trembling hand, caressed them, and breathed his last between
their paws. The four dogs were sculptured, according to his
last wish, upon the corners of his tomb.
Xast Mor^s ot
Frederick V. (of Denmark), 1723-1766. "" //
is a great consolation to mc, in my last hour, that I
have never wilfully offended anyone, and that there
is not a drop of blood on my hands."
Fuller (Andrew, English Baptist clergyman,
first secretary of the English Baptist Missionary So-
ciety, and an author of great repute in his day. He
has been called the " Franklin of Theology "), 1754-
1815. " I have no religious joys; hut I have a hope,
in the strength of which I think I cotdd plunge into
eternity," said to a young minister who stood by his
bedside.
FusELi or FuESSLi (John Henry, historical
painter), 1741-1825. " Is Lazvrence come — is Law-
rence come? "
He looked anxiously round the room — said sev-
eral times, " Is Lawrence come — is Lawrence
come?" and then appeared to listen for the sound
of the chariot wheels which brought his friend once
a day from London to his bedside. He raised him-
self up a little, then sank down and died, on the i6th
of April, 1825, and in the 84th year of his age.
Life of Fuseli
Gainsborough (Thomas, eminent portrait and
landscape painter), 1727- 1788. " We are all going
to heaven, and Vandyke is of the company."
106
BistinoufsbeD /IDen anb TlXIlomen
Galea (Servius Sulpicius, Roman Emperor), 3
B. c. 69 A. D. " Strike, if it he for the Roman's
good." — Plutarch.
" Ferirent si ita e republica videretur," are the
words of Tacitus, who says, however, that there were
many different stories of what he said ; those who
killed him could not be expected to care what it was ;
" non interfuit occidentium quid diceret." — Clough.
Gambetta (Leon Michel, French statesman. He
was a brilliant and courageous agitator, and it is to
his efforts in large measure that the French Republic
owes its existence. It was reported at the time of
his death that he met with an accident in handling a
revolver, but there are those who insist that he was
deliberately shot by his mistress, with whom he had
quarreled), 1838- 1882. " I am lost, and there is no
use to deny it."
Gardiner (James, a Scotish officer distinguished
for piety and courage), 1688- 1745. " You are fight-
ing for an earthly crown; I am going to receive a
heavenly one." These words he is reported to have
spoken to an officer upon the opposite side after the
battle against the Pretender at Prestonpans, in
which he was mortally wounded, but there is some
doubt in the minds of his biographers as to the trust-
worthiness of the report.
See Rev. Dr. Philip Doddridge's " Life of Col-
107
Xast Mor^s of
onel James Gardiner," and the account of Colonel
Gardiner's death in Scott's " Waverley."
Gardiner (Stephen, Bishop of Winchester),
1483-1555. " Erravi cum Petro, sed non Hevi cum
Petro."
Gardner (Thomas, Colonel in the American
army, killed at the battle of Bunker Hill), 1724-1775.
His precise words are not preserved, but the last de-
sire that he expressed was that he might have suf-
ficient strength to continue the fight against the Brit-
ish one half hour longer.
Colonel Gardner is represented, in a dramatic pro-
duction called *' The Battle of Bunker Hill " which
was printed at Philadelphia in 1776, as saying im-
mediately after receiving the wound of which he
died:
" A musket ball, death-winged, hath pierced my groin.
And widely oped the swift current of my veins.
Bear me then, soldiers, to that hollow space
A little hence, just on the hill's decline.
A surgeon there may stop the gushing wound,
And gain a short respite to life, that yet
I may return and fight one half hour more.
Then shall I die in peace, and to my God
Surrender up the spirit which he gave."
Garfield (James A., twentieth President of the
United States : assassinated by Charles Julius
Guiteau), 1831-1881. " The people my trust"
108
2)i9tliu3iusbe5 /IDen an& Momen
Garibaldi (Guiseppe, Italian patriot and general,
author of " Cantoni the Volunteer " and " The Rule
of the Monk "), 1807-1882. As he lay dying two
small birds alighted on the window-sill and looked
into his room. He noticed them, and said, "' Those
are the spirits of my little girls, Rosa and Annita,
who have come to see their father die. Be kind to
them, and feed them zvhen I am dead." It is thought
that his mind was wandering.
He gave minute and positive orders to be cremated
immediately after death. The urn containing his
ashes was to be placed under the orange tree that
shaded the tombs of his two little girls. But this
wish, cherished for years, was disregarded. He was
embalmed and exposed to the gaze of the crowds who
hastened to Caprera on hearing of his death. The
excuse was, that it would have been impossible to
have burned his body in the way he indicated, with
the aromatic woods that grow near the spot he had
chosen, as the ashes would have been mixed with the
burned wood. But this was only an excuse and
nothing more, for Dr. Praudina, to whom Garibaldi
wrote on this subject five years before his death, had
prepared the sheet of asbestos that would have kept
together the precious ashes. The true reason for this
violation of the great man's order was the desire of
the Republican party to have the remains brought
to Rome and buried on the Janiculum, where from
time to time political demonstrations might be made.
When once a man is dead it is very uncertain what
109
Xast Mor^s of
degree of respect will be paid to his expressed wishes
by those who survive.
Garth (Sir Samuel, English physician and poet),
-1718. ''Dear gentlemen, let me die a natural
death," to his physicians whom he saw consulting to-
gether just before his death. After receiving ex-
treme unction he said, " I am going on my journey :
they have greased my boots already."
Gassendi or Gassend (Pierre, philosopher,
mathematician, astronomer and metaphysician),
1592-1655. " Yon see zvJiat is man's life."
Gautama " The Buddha," Siddhartha or Sakya
Muni, founder of Buddhism), b. c. 624-543. "Be-
loved Bicktts, the principle of existence, and mutabil-
ity carries with it the principle of destruction. Never
forget this; let yonr minds be tilled unth this truth;
to make it knozun to you I have assembled you."
Bigandt's Life of Gautama, Vol. ii., p. 68.
Sometimes his last words are given thus : " Be-
hold, brethren, I exhort you, saying, Decay is in-
herent in all component things, but truth will remain
forever."
His life was without reproach. His constant
heroism equalled his conviction; and if his theory
was false, his personal example was irreproachable.
He was the model of all the virtues he preached. His
abnegation, his charity, his unalterable gentleness did
not forsake him for an instant. He prepared his doc-
iio
S)fstlnoui5be^ /IDcn anO Momen
trine by six years of silence and meditation, and he
propagated it for half a century by the sole power of
his word. And when he died in the arms of his
disciples, it was with the serenity of a sage who had
practised good all his life, and who was assured he
had found the truth. — Barthelcmy St. Hilairc.
Sir Edwin Arnold (in the preface to his " The
Light of Asia") calls Gautama "the highest, gen-
tlest, holiest and most beneficent personality, with
one exception, in the History of Thought," who
" united the truest princely qualities with the intellect
of a sage and the passionate devotion of a martyr.
. . . Forests of flowers are daily laid upon his
stainless shrines, and countless millions of lips daily
repeat the formula, * I take refuge in Buddha ! ' "^
* The King of Siam is sending an envoy to India to re-
ceive the relics of Buddha, discovered some time ago on
the Nepal frontier, which were offered his Majesty by the
Indian Government. The King, who gratefully accepted the
offer, has agreed to distribute portions of the relics among
the Buddhists of Burma and Ceylon from Bangkok. It
will probably be remembered that in January last a well-
preserved stupa was opened at the village of Piprahwa,
on the Nepal frontier, in the Basti district of the North-
west Provinces. This village was in the Birdpur grant, a
large property owned by Mr. William C. Peppe and his
brother. Inside the building was found a large stone coffer,
crystal and steatite vases, bone and ash relics, fragments of
lime, plaster, and wooden vessels, and a large quantity of
jewels and ornaments placed in two vases in honor of the
relics. A careful list was at once made of all the articles,
and Mr. Peppe generously offered to place them at the dis-
posal of the Government. The special interest of the dis-
III
OLast morC)S ot
Gellert (Christian Fiirchtegott, a German poet
of rare grace and beauty), 17 15-1769. '" Nozv, God
be praised, only one Jiour! " on being told that he
could live only an hour.
George IV. (of England, eldest son of George
III. and Queen Charlotte), 1762- 1830. " Waily,
zvhat is this? It is death, my ho\: they haz'e de-
ceived me" said to his page, Sir Walthen Waller.
Gerson (Charlier de, surnamed " The Most Chris-
tian Doctor," chancellor of the University of Paris
and canon of Notre-Dame. He is supposed to have
been the author of the " Imitation of Christ," at-
tributed to Thomas a Kempis), 1363- 1429. "Nozv,
0 God, thou dost let thy servant depart in peace!
covery lies in the fact that the relics in honor of which the
stupa was erected appear to be those of Gautama Buddha
Sakya Muni himself, and may be the actual share of the
relics taken by the Sakyas of Kapilavastir at the time of the
cremation of Gautama Buddha.
The inscription on one of the urns proves that the builders
of the stupa believed the relics to be those of Gautama Buddha
himself, and runs: "This relic-receptacle of the Blessed
Sakya Buddha is dedicated by the renowned brethren with
their sisters and their sons' wives." The characters of the
record, Prof. Biihrer points out, do not mark medial long
vowels, and appear to be older than those of the Asoka in-
scription.
The actual relics, being a matter of such intense interest
to the Buddhist world, were offered by the Indian Govern-
ment to the King of Siam, who is the only existing Buddhist
monarch, with a proviso that he would not object to offer a
portion of the relics to the Buddhists of Burma and Ceylon,
112
2)t5tinoufsbet) /IDen anb XKIlomen
The soul that is accompanied to eternity by the
prayers of three hundred children, may advance zvith
humble hope into the presence of their Father and
their God."
The pious Gerson, the canon of the church and
chancellor of the University of Paris, had the terror
of his last moments assuaged by the prayers of three
hundred children supported and educated by his char-
ity, and who were congregated in his house from the
threshold to his bedchamber.
Gibbon (Edward, author of "The History of the
Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire"), 1737-
1794. " Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu!"
Some authorities give his last words thus : " Pour-
and it was suggested that his Majesty should send a deputa-
tion to receive the sacred relics with due ceremonial.
No relics of Buddha authenticated by a direct inscription
have before been found in modern times, so the relics are
as rare as they are unique, and by all Buddhists will be
regarded as most sacred and holy objects of devotion. Their
presentation to the King of Siam, the recognized head of
the religion, is therefore highly proper. The accessories which
were discovered will, it is understood, be distributed among
the Imperial Museum at Calcutta, the Lucknow Provincial
Museum, and perhaps the British Museum, Mr. Peppe re-
taining a reasonable number of duplicates for his own use.
The stone coffer above referred to is over four feet in length
and two in height. It is made out of a solid block of sand-
stone, and weighs about sixteen hundredweight. It is under-
stood that the acknowledgments of the Government have been
conveyed to Mr. Peppe for his public-spirited action in the
matter. — London Times, Dec. 17, 1886.
Xast TKIlor&5 ot
quoi est ce que vous me quittez," to his valet-de-
chanibre.
The valet-de-chamhre observed that Mr. Gibbon
did not at any time, show the least sign of alarm, or
apprehension of death ; and it does not appear that he
ever thought himself in danger, unless his desire to
speak to Mr. Darrell may be considered in that light.
Lord Sheffield's Memoirs.
GoAR (Saint, "Patron Saint of the Rhine"),
" My children, these fearful forests and these barren
rocks shall be adorned with cities and temples, where
the name of Jesus shall be openly adored. Ye shall
abandon your precarious and hard chase, and as-
semble together under temples lofty as those pines,
and graceful as the crown of the palm.
"Here shall my Saviour be finoivn in all the
simplicity of his doctrines. Ah! would that I might
witness it; but I have seen those things in a vision.
But I faint! I am weary! My earthly journey is
finished! Receive my blessing. Go! and be kind one
to another."
Robert Blakey: " Christian Hermits."
Goethe or Gothe (Johann Wolfgang von,
greatest of German poets), 1749-1831. ''More
light! more light!" He mistook the shadow of
death for evening twilight.
He continued to express himself by signs, draw-
ing letters with his fore-finger in the air, while he
114
2)istinouiBbe& /IDen anb Momen
had strength, and finally, as life ebbed, drawing
figures slowly on the shawl which covered his legs.
At half past twelve he composed himself in the corner
of the chair. The watcher placed a finger on her lip
to intimate that he was asleep. If sleep it was it was
a sleep in which a great life glided from this world.
Lewes's Story of Goethe's Life.
Coudray, who was present when the poet died,
left a manuscript on " The Last Days and the Death
of Goethe," which has been published. Goethe was
seated in the bed-room, in an arm-chair standing be-
side the bed. Thinking that he saw paper lying on
the floor, he said : *' Why is Schiller's correspondence
permitted to lie here? " Immediately, thereupon, he
uttered his last audible words : " Do open the shut-
ter in the bed-room, in order that more light may
enter." (Macht dock den Fensterladen im Schlaf-
gemach auf, damit mehr Licht herein komnie.)
Goldsmith (Oliver), 1728-1774. "No, it is
not," to a physician who asked if his mind was at
ease.
Gough (John Bartholomew, distinguished Ameri-
can temperance advocate), 1817-1886. " Young
man, keep your record — " the last word was inaudi-
ble, but was probably " clean." ^
* A paragraph from one of Mr. Cough's public addresses,
carved upon his monument in Hope Cemetery, Worcester,
shows the strength of his conviction and illustrates the direct-
ness and force of his style :
Grant (Ulysses Simpson, eighteenth President of
the United States, and one of the most distinguished
of American generals), 1822-1885. " Water," said
to an attendant who inquired if he wished for any-
thing.
Grattan (Henry, Irish statesman and orator),
1 750- 1 820. "I am perfectly resigned. I am sur-
rounded by my family. I have served my country.
I have reliance upon God, and am not afraid of the
Devil."
Gray (Thomas, author of " Elegy written in a
country churchyard " ) , 1 7 1 6- 1 77 1 . " Molly, I shall
die!"
Greeley (Horace, famous editor of " The Log
Cabin," and later founder, and, for thirty years
editor of "The New York Daily Tribune"), 1811-
1872. " It is done! " During the closing days of his
life his mind was deranged.
Green (Joseph Henry, distinguished English sur-
geon, thinker, philosopher, and instructor), 1791-
1863. "Stopped!"
Among all the brilliant young men who gathered
at the feet of Samuel Taylor Coleridge, eager to
" I can desire nothing better for this great country than
that a barrier high as heaven be raised between the unpolluted
lips of the children and the intoxicating cup ; that everywhere
men and women should raise strong and determined hands
against whatever will defile the body, pollute the mind, or
harden the heart against God and His truth."
116
Distinouisbeb /iDen ant) Monien
learn from this " rapt one of the god-Hke brow,"
none surpassed him in admiration, and possibly in
ability. It was not strange that Coleridge selected
him to complete the development of that " Spiritual
Philosophy ^' which was the great unaccomplished
work of his life. Upon Coleridge's death, Mr. Green
abandoned all his London work, threw aside the dis-
tinctions and emoluments of professional life, re-
wards that would surely increase from year to year,
and devoted his whole time to philosophy and inci-
dental studies to qualify himself for carrying out the
commission of Coleridge. The story of his death
has been told by one of his colleagues at St. Thomas's
Hospital, one whose fame is familiar to the profes-
sion, Mr. Simon. " Not even the last agony of
death," said Mr. Simon, " ruffled his serenity of
mind, or rendered him unthoughtful of others. No
terrors, no selfish regrets, no reproachful memories
were there. The few tender parting words which he
had yet to speak he spoke. And to the servants who
were gathered grieving round him, he said, ' While
I have breath, let me thank you for all your kindness
and attention to me.' Next, to his doctor who
quickly entered, — ^his neighbor and old pupil, Mr.
Carter, — he significantly, and pointing to the region
of his heart, said, ' Congestion,' after which he in
silence set his finger to his wrist, and visibly noted to
himself the successive feeble pulses which were just
between him and death. Presently he said
' Stopped,' and this was the very end. It was as if
117
Xast Mor^9 ot
even to die were an act of his own self-government ;
for at once, with the warning word still scarce be-
yond his lips, suddenly the stately head drooped
aside, passive and defunct, forever."
Dr. Theophilus Parvin.
Gregory VII. ("the Great," Pope Hildebrand),
about 1 020- 1 085. "/ harue loved justice and hated
iniquity; therefore, I die an exile." He died at
Salerno, May 25, 1085.
His dying words are deeply affecting, but yet a
stern and unbending profession of the faith of his
whole life, and of the profound convictions under
which even his enemies acknowledge him to have
acted. Chambers' Encyclopcedia.
Grey (Lady Jane), 1537-1554- "Lord, into Thy
hands I commend my spirit."
Then the hangman kneeled down and asked her
forgiveness, whom she forgave most willingly. Then
he willed her to stand upon the straw ; which doing,
she saw the block. Then she said, " I pray you de-
spatch me quickly." Then she kneeled down, saying,
" Will you take it off before I lay me down? " And
the hangman said, " No, Madam.'' Then she tied
the handkerchief about her eyes, and, feeling for
the block, she said, " What shall I do? Where is it?
Where is it? " One of the standcrs-by guided her
thereunto ; she laid her head down upon the block
and then stretched forth her body, and said " Lord,
118
S)i6tln(}ufsbe& /iDen an& Momen
into Thy hands I commend my spirit," and so
finished her Hfe in the year of our Lord 1554.
Fox's " Book of Martyrs."
Lady Jane was only in her seventeenth year, and
was remarkable for her skill in the classical, oriental,
and modern languages, and for the sweetness of her
disposition.
Grotius or De Groot (Hugo, jurist, divine,
historian, and scholar), 1583-1645. "I heard your
voice; hut did not understand what you said," to
Quistorpius, a clergyman who repeated in German
a prayer suitable for a dying person. Some say his
last words were, " Be serious."
GuiTEAU (Charles Julius, hanged June 30, 1882,
in the United States jail, Washington, D. C., for the
assassination of President Garfidd), 1 841- 1882.
" Glory hallelujah! I am going to the Lordy! I
come! Ready! Go!"
Guiteau published, while in jail, his autobiog-
raphy, through the medium of a metropolitan news-
paper. It is full of repetitions and minute details,
and its reading is a severe tax upon patience. It es-
tablishes the fact that, in spite of his assertions to
the contrary, his motive was not political, but was
the gratification of an inordinate vanity. In one
place Guiteau says : " During the week preceding
the President's removal, I read the papers carefully.
I thought it all over in detail. I thought just
what people would talk, and thought what a
119
Xast Mor50 ot
tremendous excitement it would create, and I
kept thinking about it all the week. I then prepared
myself. I sent to Boston for a copy of my book,
* The Truth,' and I spent a week in preparing that,
and I greatly improved it. I knew that it would
probably have a large sale on account of the notoriety
that the act of removing the President would give
me, and I wished the book to go out to the public in
proper shape." It is now generally believed that
Guiteau was insane.
GusTAvus Adolphus (Gustavus II., King of
Sweden, one of the greatest of soldiers and one of
the best of men), 1594-1632. "I have enough,
brother; try to save your own life," to the Duke of
Lauenburg.
Some authorities say that when he was fallen to
the ground, he was asked, who he was, and replied :
" I am the King of Sweden, and seal with my blood
the Protestant religion and the liberties of Germany.
Alas ! my poor Queen ! My God ! My God ! "
A subaltern of the imperial army, observing the re-
spect with which the unknown officer was treated by
his few followers, naturally concluded that he was a
person of importance, and called out to a musketeer :
" Shoot that man, for I am sure he is an officer of
high rank." The soldier immediately fired, and the
King's left arm fell powerless by his side. At this
moment a wild cry was raised, "The King bleeds!
the King is wounded! " " It is nothing! " shouted
120
2)i5tinauisbe^ /IDen nnb Momen
Gustavus; " follow me." But the pain soon brought
on faintness, and he desired the Duke of Lauenburg
in French to lead him out of the throng. Whilst
the duke was endeavoring to withdraw him with-
out being noticed by the troops, a second shot struck
Gustavus and deprived him of his little remaining
strength. " I have enough, brother," he said in a
feeble voice to the duke; " try to save your own life."
At the same moment he fell from his horse, and in
a short time breathed his last. — Markham's Germany.
Hale ( Nathan, captain in Continental Army, exe-
cuted by the British as a spy), 1755- 1776. '" / only
regret that I have hut one life to give to my
country! "
He was confined in the green-house of the garden
during the night of September 21, and the next
morning, without even the form of a regular trial,
was delivered to Cunningham, the brutal provost
marshal, to be executed as a spy. He was treated
with great inhumanity by that monster. The serv-
ices of a clergyman and the use of a Bible were
denied him, and even the letters which he had been
permitted by Howe to write to his mother and sisters
during the night were destroyed. He was hanged
upon an apple-tree in Rutger's orchard, near the
present intersection of East Broadway and Market
street. Lossing's Field-Book of the Revolution.
Haller (Dr. Albert, eminent Swiss anatomist
and physiologist. He is chiefly known by his " Dis-
121
Xast TlClor&0 of
putatlones Anatomicse Sdectse." Greorge II. ob-
tained for him a brevet as a noble of England,
and he is sometimes spol^en of as Baron Haller),
1 708- 1 777. Feeling his own pulse, he exclaimed,
*' The artery ceases to beat," and instantly expired.
Halyburton (Thomas, professor of divinity in
the new college at St. Andrews), 1674- 1712. '" Pray!
pray! "
He cried out several times, " Free grace, free
grace; not unto me." He spoke little the last six
hours before his death, only some broken sentences,
which with difficulty were understood. Now and
then he would lift up his hands and clap them as a
sign that he was encouraging himself in the Lord.
At last he cried, " Pray! pray! " which was done by
five or six ministers, and so he fell asleep in our Lord.
Hamlin (Cyrus, distinguished American mis-
sionary and first President of Robert College, Con-
stantinople), 1811-1900, *' Put me there/' pointing
to a chair which belonged to his mother and in
which he used to sit as a boy, eighty years ago, in his
old home at Waterford. He passed away peacefully,
and his body was buried, a few days later, in the
cemetery at Lexington, Massachusetts.
Hammond (Henry, English divine and author),
1 605- 1 660. " Lord, make haste! "
Hampden (John, English patriot and statesman),
1 594- 1 643. " 0 Lord, save my country! O Lord,
be merciful to — — /'
122
DistinguisbeC) /IDen an& Momen
Hanway (Jonas, English merchant famous for
his benevolence, author of " Journal of Travels
Through Russia and Persia," and " Historical Ac-
count of the British Trade over the Caspian Sea "),
17 1 2- 1 786. ""// yon think it will be of service in
your practice or to any one who may come after me,
I beg yon will have my body opened: I am willing to
do as much good as possible."
Harrison (Benjamin, twenty-third President of
the United States), 1833-1901. "Are the doctors
here? " to his wife who had just asked him if he
wanted anything.
As Tuesday marked the turning point in his dis-
ease, so it was the time from which evidences of
consciousness began, to disappear. Since that time
there were few lucid intervals, and it is doubtful,
with the single exception of Tuesday afternoon,
when his little girl was taken to his bedside, and he
recognized her for a moment, if he had been con-
scious at all of his surroundings. The last words
he spoke were to Mrs. Harrison in answer to a ques-
tion, but his voice was then almost inaudible and his
manner indicated that it required a concentration of
effort to grasp the import of the wife's question and
frame a reply.
In his delirium, Mr. Harrison's mind wandered
frequently to the stirring scenes through which he
had passed, and he spoke of events connected with
the history of his country and in which he played a
123
Xast '^KIlor^s of
conspicuous part, as the Chief Magistrate of the
nation. But his mind seemed more to be occupied
with thoughts of the Boer war than with any other
one thing to which he alluded, and it was manifest
that the struggle of the South African people for lib-
erty had made a deep impression, and had awakened
his strongest sympathies, for he frequently talked,
disconnectedly, of course, of the sufferings of the
Boer people, and the attempt to crush them out of ex-
istence.— Nezv York Sun, March 14, 1901.
Harrison (William Henry, ninth President of
the United States), 1 773-1 841. "/ wish you to un-
derstand the true principles of government. I wish
them carried out. I ask nothing more/'
Hauser (Kaspar, the " Nuremberg Foundling '*),
-1833. " Tired — very tired — a long journey — to
take," after these words he turned his face to the
wall and never spoke again.
He was becoming more feeble every moment, and
repeated several times, " Tired — very tired — all my
limbs — too heavy — for me."
The good Pastor Fuhrmann comforted and en-
couraged him with the words of Scripture, ending
with, " Father, not my will," and Kaspar responded,
" but thine be done." To test his consciousness, the
Pastor asked, "Who prayed thus?" and again he
was ready with his answer, " Our Saviour." — " And
when? " — " Before he died." A few minutes after
124
5)i6tin0uisbet) /IDen ant) Momen
this followed his last words, " Tired — very tired — a
long journey — to take." — The Duchess of Cleve-
land : " The True Story of Kaspar Hauser."
The strange and mysterious history and sad death
of Kaspar Hauser called forth the deepest interest
and sympathy throughout Europe. He was dis-
covered in the streets of Nuremberg in 1828, a lad
about sixteen, knowing almost nothing of the world,
and able to speak but two or three words of any
language, and of the meaning of these he had but a
dim understanding. He had with him a letter pur-
porting to be written by a Bavarian peasant, declar-
ing that Hauser had been left at his door, and had
been cared for by him. It was gradually ascertained
that the youth had been confined from infancy in a
dark vault, so small that one could not stand, and
could move only slightly in its enclosure. He had
never tasted any food but bread and water, which
had been brought to him by an unknown man while
he was sleeping. Hauser was cared for by a number
of generous and sympathetic patrons, among whom
was Lord Stanhope; and his mental and physical
condition was studied by the scientific men of the
time. In 1833 he was invited to a meeting with a
stranger who promised to reveal to him the secret of
his strange condition, and to tell him who he was,
but when Hauser was reading a document given him,
this stranger suddenly wounded him with a dagger,
causing his death within three days. See interesting
history of the " Nuremberg Foundling " in Merker's
125
Xast xmor^s of
" Rasper Hauser," and Feuerbach's '' Account of an
Individual Kept in a Dungeon."
Havergal (Frances Ridley), 1836- 1879. "He."
It is thought she wished to say, " He died for me."
Havelock (Sir Henry), 1795-1857. ''Come,
?ny son, and see hozv a Christian can die."
Haydn (Francis Joseph), 1732- 1809. " God pre-
serve the Emperor." He referred to the Emperor
Francis.
In 1809 Vienna was bombarded by the French. A
round-shot fell into his garden. He seemed to be in
no alarm, but on May 25 he requested to be led to his
piano, and three times over he played the " Hymn to
the Emperor," with an emotion that fairly overcame
both himself and those who heard him. He was to
play no more; and, being helped back to his couch,
he lay down in extreme exhaustion to wait for the
end. Six days afterward. May 31, 1809, died
Francis Joseph Haydn, aged seventy-seven.
Haweis's " Music and Morals."
Haydon (Benjamin Robert, English artist ),
1 786- 1 846. His last recorded words were, "God
forgive me. — Amen!" Haydon took his own life in
a moment of great mental depression.
At dinner he got up from his chair and turned
a glazed picture to the wall ; his brain could not bear
the reflected light. He looked flushed and haggard,
126
and passed a silent and abstracted evening. That
night he was heard walking about his room nearly
the whole night, apparently in great agitation. It
was in those wakeful hours he settled his resolve. He
was dressed and out of his room early the next morn-
ing (22d June), and walked down, before breakfast,
to Riviere, a gunmaker in Oxford Street, near Re-
gent Street. Here he bought one of a pair of pistols.
He came home about 9 a. m., breakfasted alone,
then went to his painting-room, and probably wrote
the letters to his children, his will, and his " last
thoughts." As his mother and sister passed the paint-
ing-room door on their way to their rooms, about
10:30 A. M.^ they tried the door — it was locked —
and he called out very fiercely, " Who's there? " A
few minutes after, as if regretting the tone in which
he had spoken, he came up to his mother's room,
kissed her affectionately, and lingered about the room
as if he had something to say. But he said little, ex-
cept to ask her to call that day on an old friend (one
of the executors he had just named in his will) and,
returned to his painting-room, deliberately wrote in
his journal : —
** God forgive me. — Amen ! '"
In a few moments he had destroyed himself.
'Stoddard: " Haydon's Life, Letters and Table
Talk."
Hazlitt (William, essayist and critic), 1778-
1830. " I have led a happy life."
127
Xast Mor53 of
Heine (Heinrich, German poet and author),
1800-1856. "Set your mind at rest, Dieu me par-
donnera, c'est son metrer."
Some hours before he died a friend came into his
room to see him once more. Soon after his entry he
asked Heine if he was on good terms with God. " Set
your mind at rest," said Heine, " Dieu me pardon-
nera, c'est son metrer."'
Stigand: " Life, Work and Opinions of Heine."
Catherine Bourlois, Heine's nurse, says in a letter
to Mrs. Charlotte Embden, that Heine's last words
often repeated were, " I am done for." She en-
deavored to comfort him with such kind and relig-
ious words as came to her mind, but all that she
said had little effect.
Heloise or Eloise (a beautiful and accomplished
French woman ; the niece of Fulbert, canon of Notre-
Dame. She became successively the pupil, mistress
and wife of Abelard. After her marriage she became
prioress of Argenteuil, and acquired a high reputa-
tion for piety. Her letters, written in elegant Latin,
and printed with those of Abelard, are the expres-
sions of a noble and fervent spirit), about 1 100- 1 164.
" In death at last let me rest with Abelard."
Heloise, when she felt the approach of death, di-
rected the sisterhood to place her body by the side of
that of Abelard, in the same coffin. It was commonly
reported and believed, such was the credulity of the
age, that at the moment when the coffin of Abelard
128
Distiiiouisbet) /IDen aii& Momen
was opened to lay her within, it, the arm of the skele-
ton stretched itself out, opened, and appeared to be
reanimated to receive the beloved one. They reposed
for five hundred years in one of the aisles of the
Paraclete, and after various changes, came to rest
at last in the beautiful cemetery of Pere-la-Chaise at
Paris.
Hemans (Felicia Dorothea), 1794-1835. "/
feci as if I were sitting with Mary at the feet of my
Redeemer, hearing the nmsic of his voice, and learn-
ing of Him to he meek and lowly."
Hendricks (Thomas A., Vice-President of the
United States), 1819-1885. " At rest at last. Now I
am free from pain."
Henry IV. (of France), 1553-1610. "I am
wounded," said when struck by the assassin Ra-
vaillac.
While the coach stopped, the attendants with the
exception of two, went on before; one of these two
advanced to clear the way, the other stopped to fasten
his garter. At that instant a wild-faced, red-haired
man in a cloak, who had followed the coach from the
Louvre, approached the side where the king sat, as
if endeavoring to push his way, like other passengers,
between the coach and the shops. Suddenly putting
one foot on a spoke of the wheel, he drew a knife,
and struck the king, who was reading a letter, be-
tween the second and third rib, a little above the
heart. *' I am wounded," cried the king, as the
129
Xast Mort)5 of
assassin, perceiving that the stroke had not been
effectual, repeated it. The second blow went directly
to the heart ; the blood gushed from the wound and
from his mouth, and death was almost instantaneous.
A tliird blow which the assassin aimed at his victim
was received by the Duke of Eperon in the sleeve.
The assassin's name was Francis Ravaillac, a
native of Angoumois, who had been a solicitor in
the courts of law. Whether the crime was prompted
solely by his own imagination, or whether he was
the instrument of any deep-laid conspiracy, was
never clearly ascertained, though the latter was the
general supposition. — Chambers' Miscellany.
Henry VIII. (second son of Henry VII. and
Elizabeth of York. The death of his elder brother
Arthur, in 1502, made him heir apparent to the
throne. He married his brother's widow, Catharine
of Aragon, and, upon his father's death in 1509, was
crowned king of England. The great event in his
reign was his divorcement of Catharine and his mar-
riage with Anne Boleyn, which led to the repudiation
of Romanism in England, and the organization of
the English or Episcopal Church), 1 491- 1547.
"Monks! Monks! Monks!" He was in all prob-
ability thinking of the time when he abolished the
monasteries and turned the monks out of doors.
Henry (Patrick, American statesman and ora-
tor), 1 736- 1 799. " I trust in the mercy of God, it is
not now too late."
130
BistlnouisbeD /IDen m\t> Moinen
Henry (Philip, English dissenting clergyman.
He was the father of Matthew Henry, the eminent
English divine and commentator), 163 1- 1696. " O
death, where is thy — " Here his speech failed, and
in a few moments he breathed his last.
Henry (Matthew, commentator on the Bible),
1 662- 1 7 14. " A life spent in the service of God, and
communion with Him, is the most comfortable and
pleasant life that any one can live in this present
world."
He was twenty-five years pastor of a church at
Chester, and during that time went through the
Bible three times in the course of expository lectures.
" At the commencement of his ministry he began
with the first chapter of Genesis in the forenoon, and
the first chapter of Matthew in the afternoon. Thus
gradually and steadily grew his ' Exposition ' of the
Bible. A large portion of it consists of his public
lectures, while many of the quaint sayings and pithy
remarks with which it abounds, and which give so
great a charm of raciness to its pages, were the
familiar extempore observations of his father at
family worship, and noted down by Matthew in his
boyhood."
Herbert (George, author of some of the finest
sacred lyrics in the English language), 1 593-1632.
" I am nozv ready to die. Lord, forsake me not, now
my strength faileth me; hut grant me mercy for the
131
Xast Mor^s ot
merits of my Jesus. And now Lord — Lord, now
receive viy soul."
With these words he breathed forth his divine
soul, without any apparent disturbance, Mr. Wood-
not and Mr. Bostock attending his last breath, and
closing his eyes.
Thus he lived, and thus he died like a saint, un-
spotted of the world, full of alms-deeds, full of hu-
mility, and all the examples of a virtuous life ; which
I cannot conclude better, than with this borrowed
observation :
All must to their cold graves ;
But the religious actions of the just
Smell sweet in death, and blossom in the dust.
Izaak Walton.
Herder ( Joliann Gottfried von, court-preacher at
Weimar, and one of the most brilliant and delight-
ful of German authors), 1744- 1803. He died writing
an " Ode to the Deity; " his pen had just reached the
last line. His last spoken words were " Refresh
me with a great thought."
Hervey (James, English divine, author of the
once popular book, " Meditations Among the
Tombs"), 1713-1758. '' Precious salvation! "
Leaning his head against the side of the easy-chair,
without a sigh, or groan, or struggle, he shut his
eyes and died.
Heylin (Peter, author of " Life of Bishop
Laud " and " Defence of the Church of England "),
1600- 1662. ^' I go to my God and Saviour."
132
S)!stinoufsf)e^ /IDen an^ Momen
Hill (Rev. Rowland, a popular, pious, but eccen-
tric preacher), 1745-1833. "Christ also hath once
suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he
might bring us unto God."
HoBBES (Thomas, philosopher and translator),
1 588- 1679. " Nozv am I about to take my last voy-
age— a great leap in the dark."
Some say Hobbes's last words were : " I shall be
glad to find a hole to creep out of the world at."
He clung warmly to his friends, had a horror of
being left alone in his illness, bequeathed all his prop-
erty to the faithful servant and friend who had been
his amanuensis. He was not afraid of death but
said he should willingly " find some hole to creep
out of the world at," and was wont to amuse himself
with choosing for the epitaph to be graven on his
tombstone, " This is the true philosopher's stone."
Alger's " Genius of Solitude."
Hodge (Charles, American theologian, for fifty-
six years President of Princeton Theological
Seminary, His " Systematic Theology " in three vol-
umes, is one of the ablest compends of divinity in
the English language. His " Commentary on the
Epistle to the Romans " has been greatly prized by
Bible-students), 1797- 1878. "My zvork is done,
the pins of the tabernacle are taken out."
A moment later he was heard to whisper:
" A guilty, zveak, and helpless worm,
On Thy kind arms I fall"
Xast *CClor&0 of
HoFER (Andreas, Tyrolese patriot), 1 767-1810.
" I stand in the presence of my Creator, and stand-
ing I zuill render back my spirit to God zvho gave it.
Fire! " to the officer who directed him to place him-
self on his knees.
The first six shots wounded him but slightly.
Dropping on his knees he received the remaining six,
and was still struggling convulsively when a cor-
poral, discharging a pistol close to his head, put an
end to his sufferings. — Markham.
Hogg (James, "the Ettrick Shepherd"), 1772-
1835. "It is likely you may never need to do it
again," to his wife, whom he had asked to watch by
his bedside during the night.
Hood (Thomas), 1798-1845. " Dying, Dying."
Like poor Yorick. he was " a fellow of infinite jest;
of most excellent fancy." In his genius were united
the intensely pathetic and the exquisitely humorous.
His life was one of toil and suffering, and yet he was
always joking and making those around him laugh.
His wit did not forsake him on his death-bed; it is
recorded that when a mustard plaster was applied
to his attenuated feet, he was heard feebly to remark
that there was " very little meat for the mustard."
He died on the 3d of May, 1845, ^"^i on a July
day nine years later Monckton Milnes unveiled the
monument which stands above his grave in Kensal
Green Cemetery. Beneath the bust there runs the
legend, " He sang the Song of the Shirt," and on
134
2)istinauf5be& /IDen an& Momen
either side of the pedestal are bas-relief medallions of
" Eugene Aram's Dream " and " The Bridge of
Sighs " — all pertinent reminders of the fact that
there was a serious as well as a humorous side to the
genius of Hood. He himself, there can be no doubt,
would have elected to live by his serious verse.
Hooker (Richard, eminent English clergyman),
1553-1600. "Good Doctor, God has heard my
daily petitions, for I am at peace zvith all men, and
he is at peace with me; and from which blessed as-
surance I feel that inivard joy zvhich this world can
neither give nor take away."
Some say his last words were, " My days are past
as a shadow that returns not."
Hooper (John, Bishop of Gloucester and later
Bishop of Worcester in commendam) , about 1495-
1555- '^ yo^^ ^^"^^ ^^^y soul, away with it!"
In January, 1555, he was condemned on three
charges : for maintaining the lawfulness of clerical
marriage, for defending divorce and for denying
transubstantiation. He called the mass " the iniquity
of the devil." He was sentenced to die at the stake
in Gloucester, whither he was conveyed. He met his
death firmly and cheerfully. To a friend bewailing
his lot, the martyr replied in the oft-quoted words,
" Death is bitter, and life is sweet, but alas ! consider
that death to come is more bitter, and life to come is
more sweet." In another conversation he said, " I
am well, thank God; and death to me for Christ's
135
Xast imov^s of
sake is welcome." His martyrdom was witnessed by
a large throng of people. The martyr w^as forbidden
to address the crowd. A real or pretended pardon
being promised if he would recanc, he spurned it
away, saying, " If you love my soul, away with it."
His agony was greatly prolonged and increased by
the slow progress of the fire on account of the green
faggots, which had to be rekindled three times before
they did their work.
Rev. D. S. Schaff- in the Religions Encydopcrdia.
Some authorities say Bishop Hooper's last words
were, " Good people, give me more fire." Other au-
thorities have it, " Lord Jesus, receive my spirit."
Hopkins (Rev. Samuel, D. D., distinguished
theologian and controversialist : founder of the so-
called " Hopkinsian Theology "), 1721-1803. "My
anchor is well cast, and my ship, though weather-
beaten, will outride the storm."
HoTMAN (William, Revolutionary soldier and pa-
triot, the record of .whose noble and courageous spirit
is preserved upon a grave-stone at Groton, Con-
necticut), -1 78 1. " We will endeavor to crazvl to
this line; we will completely wet the powder with our
blood; thus zvill zve, with tJie life tliat remains in us,
save the fort and the magazine, and perhaps a few
of our comrades who are only wounded! "
The entire inscription upon the stone reads thus :
"On the 20th of October, 1781, four thousand
English fell upon this town with fire and sword —
136
'a)fstfnoui6be^ /iDen anC) Momen
seven hundred Americans defended the fort for a
whole day, but in the evening about four o'clock, it
was taken. The commander declined delivering up
his sword to an Englishman, who immediately
stabbed him ! All his comrades were put to the
sword. A line of powder was laid from the magazine
of the fort to be lighted to blow the fort up into the
air. William Hotman, who lay not far distant,
wounded by three stabs of a bayonet in his body,
beheld it, and said to one of his wounded friends,
who was still alive, ' We will endeavor to crawl to
this line; we will completely wet the powder with
our blood ; thus will we, with the life that remains
in us, save th/^ fort and the magazine, and perhaps a
few of our comrades who are only wounded ! ' He
alone had strength to accomplish this noble design.
In his thirtieth year he died on the powder which
he overflowed with his blood. His friend, and seven
of his wounded companions, by that means had their
lives preserved. Here rests William Hotman."
Hough (John, Bishop of Oxford, afterward
Bishop of Worcester), 1651-1743. "We part to
meet again, I hope, in endless joys," to some friends
who were with him at the time of his death.
Houston (Samuel, known as " Sam," com-
mander-in-chief of the Texan army and " Hero of
San Jacinto," President of Texas, and, after annexa-
tion, United States Senator), 1793-1862. "Texas!
137
Xast XRIlorDs ot
Texas! " — after a pause, he faintly breathed the
name of his wife, " Margaret," and passed away,
Howard (Wilham, Viscount Stafford. Having
been accused by Titus Oates of compHcity in the
Popish Plot, he was convicted of treason and exe-
cuted December 29th, 1680. It is believed that he
was innocent), 16 12- 1680. " / do forgive you."
Having embraced and taken leave of his friends,
he knelt down and placed his head on the block :
the executioner raised the axe high in the air, but
then checking himself suddenly lowered it. Stafford
raised his head and asked the reason for the delay.
The executioner said he waited the signal. " I shall
make no sign," he answered; " take your own time.''
The executioner asked his forgiveness. " I do for-
give you," replied Stafford, and placing his head
again in position, at one blow it was severed from
his body. — BclCs " Chapel and Tower.'
Howard (John, distinguished philanthropist),
1726-1790. " Suifer no pomp at my funeral, nor
monumental inscription where I am laid. Lay me
quietly in the earth and put a sun-dial over my grave,
and let me he forgotten." ^
* Tacitus said, " At my funeral let no tokens of sorrow be
seen, no pompous mockery o£ woe. Crown me with chaplets,
strew flowers on my grave, and let my friends erect no vain
memorial to tell where my remains are lodged."
Ludovious Cortesius, a rich lawyer at Padua, commanded
by his last will, that no man should lament; but, as at a
Distinoui0be& /iDen an& Momen
A rude obelisk is erected over his grave, bearing
the brief Latin inscription, " Vixet propter alios " —
he lived for the good of others.
He may have lived for others but it is recorded of
him that he was a tyrant in his own house ; that his
cruel treatment caused the death of his wife; and that
he was in the habit of punishing his only son with
the greatest severity. Dr. Forbes Winslow thinics
Howard was insane, and there is much to justify that
opinion.
Hull (Isaac, commodore), 1775-1843. "I
strike my Hag."
Humbert I. (King of Italy), 1844-1900. " It is
nothing." These words were spoken as he sank into
the arms of his aide, upon receiving the third bullet
from the revolver of the assassin Bressi, at Monza,
where he attended a gymnastic fete and distributed
prizes.
" The King at once took his place on the platform
amid the tumultuous cheering of the people. He
wore civilian attire, and appeared to be in excellent
health and spirits. In distributing the prizes, his
wedding, music and minstrels to be a delight to the people,
should be provided ; and instead of black mourners, he ordered
that twelve virgins clad in green should carry him to the
church.
The Hon. T. G. Shearman wrote in his diary (read at his
funeral in Plymouth church, Brooklyn, N. Y.) under date
of May 21, 1894: "Give me an unostentatious, cheery funeral,
in no darkened room, and with no dreariness of any kind."
Xast Mor&s of
Majesty made a speech which he conckided by
saying :
" ' It gives me great pleasure to be among my
own people after so long an absence from Monza.'
" These, as it proved, were the last words King
Humbert uttered publicly. The distribution of the
prizes ended at 10:30 o'clock, and on leaving the
platform the King entered the first of the two four-
wheeled court carriages that were waiting. He sat
on the right of Lieut.-Gen. Ponziovaglia, his chief
aide.
" As the carriage began to move the members of
the various gymnastic societies gathered round and
cheered the King enthusiastically. His Majesty,
smiling and acknowledging the demonstration,
brought the carriage to a temporary halt.
" It was beginning to start again when three re-
volver shots rang out, startling every one. The
horses were frightened and began to rear, and almost
simultaneously the people saw that the King had
fallen into the arms of his aides, bleeding from his
neck and breast.
" The murderer was instantly recognized and the
enraged people fell upon him with the evident inten-
tion of killing him. He was kicked, cuffed and beaten
with canes. He would not have escaped alive if
carbiniers and members of the fire brigade had not
rushed through the crowd and seized the culprit.
They formed a cordon round him and conveyed him
to jail amid the execrations of the crowd.
140
D(9tfnGUt5be& /ll>en an& Momen
" Meantime the King was taken with all speed to
the royal castle, while the second carriage was sent
to the local hospital for surgeons. Before these
could reach the castle the King had died.
" Upon receiving the terrible news the Archbishop
of Milan hastened to Monza and solemnly blessed the
corpse.
" Each of the three bullets had hit the King. One
struck him on the left collarbone, another between
the fifth and sixth ribs on the right side, while
the one that inflicted the fatal wound entered the
heart.
" As he fell the King said to his aide : ' It is noth-
ing.' These were the last words he uttered, and he
was dead when the carriage arrived at the palace.
" The body was borne tenderly up a long flight of
steps and carried into a chamber and placed on a bed.
The King's eyes were open, but he gave no sign of
life. The Queen threw herself on the body of her
husband, alternately calling to him in tones, filled
with anguish, and praying the doctors to tell her the
truth. When they were convinced that the King
was dead the Queen submitted to be led gently away.
The surgeons then removed the King's clothing and
examined his wounds. The Queen afterward re-
turned and kept her vigil beside the body, praying
until a late hour.
" Bystanders say the assassin rushed through the
crowd and raised the revolver. Several attempted
to seize the weapon, but Bressi fired before they could
141
Xast Timor&6 ot
do so. He was captured with the smoking revolver
still in his hand, and exultingly admitted his guilt."
Carriere Delia Sera.
Humboldt (Friedrich Heinrich Alexander,
Baron von, author of the " Cosmos"), 1769-1859.
" How grand the sunlight! It seems to beckon earth
to heaven."
Hunt (James Henry Leigh, English poet and
litterateur), 1784-1859. "Deep dream of peace."
Hunter (William, a young man of nineteen,
burned at the stake for his faith, in the time of Mary
I., of England), 1536-1555. "Lord, Lord, Lord,
receive my spirit ! "
" William said to his mother: — ' For my little pain
which I shall suffer, which is but a short braid,
Christ hath promised me, mother (said he), a crown
of joy ; may you not be glad of that, mother? ' With
that his mother kneeled down on her knees, saying,
* I pray God strengthen thee, my son, to the end ; yea,
I think thee as well-bestowed as any child that ever
I bare.'
" Then William Hunter plucked up his gown and
stepped over the parlor groundsel and went forward
cheerfully; the sheriff's servants taking him by one
arm and his brother by another. And thus going in
the way, he met with his father according to his
dream, and he spake to his son saying, ' God be with
thee, son William ; ' and William said, ' God be with
142
H)fstfnouisbe5 /IDen an^ Momen
you, good father, and be of good comfort ; for I hope
we shall meet again when we shall be merry.' His
father said, ' I hope so, William,' and so departed.
So William went to the place where the stake stood,
even according to his dream, where all things were
very unready. Then William took a wet broom fag-
got, and kneeled down thereon, and read the fifty-
first Psalm till he came to these words, ' The sacrifice
of God is a contrite spirit; a contrite and a broken
heart, O God, thou wilt not despise ! '
" Then said the sheriff, ' There is a letter from the
Queen, If thou wilt recant thou shalt live; if not,
thou shalt be burned.' ' No,' quoth William, ' I will
not recant, God willing.' Then William rose and
went to the stake, and stood upright to it. Then
came one Richard Ponde, a bailiff, and made fast the
chain about William.
" Then said master Brown, ' There is not wood
enough to burn a leg of him.' Then said William,
' Good people ! pray for me, and make speed and
despatch quickly ; and pray for me while you see me
alive, good people ! and I will pray for you likewise.'
'Now?' quoth master Brown, 'pray for thee! I
will pray no more for thee than I will pray for a
dog.'
" Then was there a gentleman which said, * I pray
God have mercy upon his soul ! ' The people said,
' Amen, amen.'
" Immediately fire was made. Then William cast
his psalter right into his brother's hand, who said,
143
Xast Morbs of
* William ! think of the holy passion of Christ, and
be not afraid of death.' And William answered, ' I
am not afraid.' Then lifted he up his hands to heaven
and said, ' Lord, Lord, Lord, receive my spirit,' and,
casting down his head again into the smothering
smoke, he yielded up his life for the truth, sealing it
with his blood to the praise of God."
Fox's " Book of Martyrs."
Hunter (Dr. William, distinguished anatomist
and physiologist. He is chiefly remembered by his
" Anatomy of the Human Gravid Uterus," consist-
ing of thirty-four plates engraved by the most emi-
nent artists of the day, with explanations in English
and Latin), 1717-1783. " // / had strength to hold
a pen I ivould write down hoiv easy and pleasant a
thing it is to die."
Huntington (Selina, Countess of, an English
lady, eminent for her piety and munificence), 1707-
179 1. '' My work is done; I have nothing to do but
to go to my Father."
Huss (John, burnt at the stake July 6, 1415),
1 370- 141 5. When the chain was placed around the
neck of John Huss he exclaimed with a smile, *' Wel-
come this chain, for Christ's sake!" The faggots
having been piled up to his neck, the Duke of Ba-
varia, in a brutal manner, called on him to recant.
" No" cried the martyr, " I take God to witness I
144
Dfstinguisbet) /IDen an& Momen
preached none hut his own pure doctrines, and what
I taught I am ready to seal zvith my blood"
Ignatius (surnamed Theophorus, early Christian
Father, and one of the immediate successors of the
apostles), — 107, "I am the wheat of Christ; I am
going to he ground with the teeth of wild heasts, that
I may he found pure hread." These words he is
said to have uttered when he heard the roaring of
the lions that were to devour him.
He had a burning desire for the martyr's crown,
and went to his death with a shout of triumph. Of
the same spirit was Germanicus, who actually pro-
voked the wild beasts to rush upon him, that he
might at once be delivered from this wretched life
and receive a martyr's reward.
Ilitchewski (Alexander Demainowitch, the
Russian poet). "/ ha-ve found at last the object of
my love," a line written by the poet just before his
death, and found on a table near his bed. The poet
was haunted all his life by an ideal of womanly
beauty which he sought in vain among the living,
and the above line would seem to indicate that he had
at last found the object of his dreams. It is supy-
posed that he died from excess of joy at the dis-
covery.
Illeppy (Solyman, the Turkish peasant who as-
sassinated General Kleber), — 1800. " Tayhip!"
(That is good).
145
ttast Morbs of
The assassin suffered death by having the flesh
burned off his right hand, and by being impaled, in
which situation he hved one hour and forty minutes ;
dying without showing any fear, and declaring to
the last, " that the act which he had done was meri-
torious, and one for which he should be made happy
in the other world." He continued exclaiming, from
the moment of his hand being burnt, to that of his
death, " Tay hip!" — The Percy Anecdotes.
Ingersoll (Robert Green, an American lawyer
and orator, distinguished as an opponent of Chris-
tianity), 1 833- 1 899. " O, better," in response to his
wife's question, " How do you feel now ? "
After the war he became an ardent Republican,
and gained fame as a lawyer, serving as attorney-
general of Illinois for several years. He was a dele-
gate to the National Republican convention of 1876,
when he became famous as an orator by proposing
the name of James G. Blaine for President in his cele-
brated " Plumed Knight " speech. He was offered
the post of minister to Germany, but refused it.
About the year 1877 he removed to New York, and
was soon in great demand as a lecturer and orator.
Among his most celebrated cases was his defense of
the " Star route conspirators " in 1883.
Some of the most beautiful of Col. Ingersoll's
orations were those that he delivered over the bodies
of his friends. Among his best known books are
" The Gods," 1878, " Ghosts," 1879, " Some Mis-
146
H>istfn9Ui6be& /IDen anb Momen
takes of Moses," 1879, and several volumes of
lectures.
Irving (Rev. Edward, an able and eccentric
preacher, and the founder of the " Catholic Apostolic
Church"), 1792-1834. "// / die, I die unto the
Lord. Amen." Some say his last words were:
" In life and in death, I am the Lord's."
Irving (Washington, distinguished American au-
thor), 1 783- 1 859. "I must arrange my pillows for
another weary night," said on retiring. A moment
later he tried to say something more but could pro-
nounce only the word *' end," after which he uttered
a slight cry as of pain, and fell to the floor. When
the physician arrived life was extinct.
It was on November 28th, 1859, when Irving was
seventy-six years old, that his death came. He had
been in poor health for some months, suffering much
from sleeplessness and a shortness of breath, but at
the last a weakness of the heart brought the sudden
end. Lacking to-day a man of letters who holds
such a place in the affections of his countrymen as
Irving held, it is difficult for us to realise the im-
pression made by his death. It was as if a President
or a great soldier had died in these later years.
Flags on shipping and buildings in New York flew
at half-mast, and the Mayor and Council recognised
the event as a public grief. A multitude of people
bore witness to their own sense of loss at the Sleepy
Hollow Cemetery. The day of the funeral, Decem-
147
Xast Mor&s ot
ber 1st, had the fullest beauty and suggestion of
Indian summer — " one of his own days," the people
said. It is to Longfellow,
" No singer vast of voice ; yet one who leaves
His native air the sweeter for his song,"
that we instinctively turn for the words :
IN THE CHURCHYARD AT TARRYTOWN.
Here lies the gentle humorist, who died
In the bright Indian summer of his fame!
A simple stone, with but a date and name,
Marks his secluded resting-place beside
The river that he loved and glorified.
Here in the autumn of his days he came.
But the dry leaves of life were all aflame
With tints that brightened and were multiplied.
How sweet a life was his ; how sweet a death !
Living, to wing with mirth the weary hours.
Or with romantic tales the heart to cheer;
Dying, to leave a memory like the breath
Of summers full of sunshine and of showers,
A grief and gladness in the atmosphere.
Isaiah (spelled in the New Testament Esaias
which means " salvation of Jehovah." He is the
greatest of the Hebrew Prophets, and his poetical
genius is ranked with that of Homer), b. c. 765-
660. " Go ye to the coimtry of Tyre and Sidon,
for the Lord hath mixed the cup for me alone."
There is a tradition that the prophet Isaiah suf-
fered martyrdom by a saw. The ancient book en-
titled, " The Ascension of Isaiah the Prophet,"
accords with the tradition. It says : " Then they
seized Isaiah the son of Amos and sawed him with
148
2)fstfnguf9f)e^ /ll>en an& Momen
a wooden saw. And Manasseh, Melakira, the false
prophets, the princes and the people, all stood look-
ing on. But he said to the prophets who were with
him before he was sawn, * Go ye to the country of
Tyre and Sidon, for the Lord hath mixed the cup
for me alone.' Neither while they were sawing him
did he cry out nor weep, but he continued address-
ing himself to the Holy Spirit until he was sawn
asunder."
Jackson (Thomas Jonathan, " Stonewall Jack-
son," distinguished Confederate general), 1824-
1863. " Let us go over the river, and sit under the
refreshing shadow of the trees."
He was accidentally shot and mortally wounded
by his own soldiers, in the darkness of night. His
last words were spoken in delirium.
James II. (of England), 1633-1701. "Grateful
— in peace! " Louis XIV. visited James II. when
the latter was upon his death-bed, and moved, no
doubt, by pity, said to him in the presence of cour-
tiers who ill concealed their surprise : " I come to
tell Your Majesty, that whenever it shall please
God to take you from us, I will be to your son
what I have been to you, and will acknowledge him
as King of England, Scotland and Ireland." James
was so near death that he was hardly sensible of
what was said to him, but it was thought he mur-
mured with much that was irrelevant the words,
" Grateful — in peace ! "
149
Xast Morbs ot
The final disposition of the remains of James II.
is involved in some uncertainty. Stanley in His-
torical Memorials of Westminster Abbey says:
" The body had been placed in the Chapel of the
English Benedictines at Paris, and deposited there
in the vain hope that, at some future time, they
would be laid with kingly pomp at Westminster
among the graves of the Plantagenets and Tudors."
Clarke, in his Life of James II. says that at his
burial the rites of the Church of England were not
used, but this is contradicted by the account pre-
served in Herald's College. The King's brains, it
is said, were deposited in an urn of bronze-gilt stand-
ing upon the monument raised to him in the Chapel
of the Scotch College in the Rue des Fosses Saint
Victor. This, according to a correspondent of the
Notes and Queries, Vol. ii, p. 281, was "smashed,
and the contents scattered about during the French
Revolution." Pettigrew, in his Chronicles of the
Tombs, says : " It is conjectured that portions of
the King's body were collected together, and en-
tombed at St. Germain en Laye, soon after the
termination of the war in 18 14; but it being neces-
sary to rebuild the church, the remains were ex-
humed and re-interred in 1824."
The following curious account was given in 1840
by Mr. Fitzsimmons, an Irish gentleman upward
of eighty years of age, who taught French and Eng-
lish at Toulouse and claimed to be a runaway monk :
" I was a prisoner in Paris, in the convent of the
150
2)i0tinoufsbet> /iDen ant> Momen
English Benedictines in the Rue St. Jacques, during
part of the Revohition. In the year 1793 or 1794,
the body of King James II. of England (died 1701)
was in one of the chapels there, where it had been
deposited some time, under the expectation that it
would one day be sent to England for interment
in Westminster Abbey. It had never been buried.
The body was in a wooden coffin, inclosed in a
leaden one; and that again inclosed in a second
wooden one, covered with black velvet. While I
was a prisoner the sans-culottes broke open the
coffins to get at the lead to cast into bullets. The
body lay exposed nearly a whole day. It was
swaddled like a mummy, bound tight with garters.
The sans-culottes took out the body, which had
been embalmed. There was a strong smell of vine-
gar and camphor. The corpse was beautiful and
perfect. The hands and nails were very fine. I
moved and bent every finger. I never saw so fine a
set of teeth in my life. A young lady, a fellow
prisoner, wished much to have a tooth; I tried to
get one out for her, but could not, they were so
firmly fixed. The feet also were very beautiful.
The face and cheeks were just as if he were alive.
I rolled his eyes; the eye-balls were perfectly firm
under my finger. The French and English prisoners
gave money to the sans-culottes for showing the
body. The trouserless crowd said he was a good
sans-culotte, and they were going to put him into a
hole in the public churchyard like other sans-culottes ;
Xast "Mov^s of
an3 he was carried away, but where the body was
thrown I never heard. King George IV. tried all
in his power to get tidings of the body, but could
not. Around the chapel were several wax moulds
of the face hung up, made probably at the time of
the king's death, and the face of the corpse was
very like them. The body had been originally kept
at the palace of St. Germain, from whence it was
brought to the convent of the Benedictines."
James V. (of Scotland), 15 12- 1542. *' It came
zvith a lass, and it zvill ga with a lass." He referred
to the Scotch crown.
Jefferson (Thomas, third President of the
United States), 1743- 1826. "/ resign my spirit to
God, my daughter to my country."
His death was very remarkable: it occurred on
July 4, 1826, while the nation was celebrating the
fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independ-
ence, which he had written. On the same day,
and almost at the same hour, John Adams, the
second President, who had signed with him the
Declaration, died in New England.
Jerome (of Prague, the companion of John
Huss, was born at Prague in the latter half of the
fourteenth century, and suffered at the stake, May
30, 1416). '"Bring thy torch hither; do thine office
before my face; Jiad I feared death I might have
avoided it." These brave words were addressed to
152
Dlstinaufsbet) /IDen an^ Momen
the executioner who was about to kindle the fire
behind him. Some give his last words thus : " This
soul in flames I offer, Christ, to thee."
Jewell or Jewel (John, Bishop of Salisbury),
1 522- 1 57 1. " This day let me see the Lord Jesus."
Joan of Arc (Jeanne d'Arc, surnamed " the
Maid of Orleans," burned at the stake May 31,
143 1, in the twenty-first year of her age. "The
Virgin-Martyr of French Liberty"), 1410-1431.
"Jesus! Jesus!"
She died declaring that her " voices " had not de-
ceived her, and with the name of Jesus on her lips.
Johnson (Dr. Samuel, " Colossus of English
literature"), 1709- 1784. "God bless you, my
dear! " to Miss Morris.
Joseph II. (of Germany), 1741-1790. " Let my
epitaph he, Here lies Joseph, zvho was unsuccess-
ful in all his undertakings."
Josephine (Marie Joseph Rose Tascher de la
Pagerie, wife of Napoleon I. of France), 1763-
18 14. "Napoleon! Elba! Marie Louise!"
JuDSON (Adoniram, missionary to Burmah and
translator of the Bible into the language of that
country), 1788-1850. "Brother Ranney, will you
bury me? bury me? — quick! quick!" These words
were prompted perhaps by the thought of burial at
153
Xast mov^5 ot
sea. A moment later he said to his servant, " Take
care of poor mistress," meaning Mrs. Judson.
JuDSON (Mrs. Ann Hasseltine, wife of Adoniram
Judson, and with him a missionary in Burmah),
1 789- 1 826. " / feel quite well, only very weak."
JuGURTHA (an African prince carried in chains
to Rome where he was cast into the Mamertine
prison and starved to death). " Heracles, hoiv cold
your bath is! " Jugurtha referred to the cold and
dark prison into which he was plunged as into an icy
bath. " Heracles " is the ordinary Greek interjec-
tion, and is not here an address to a god. Long-
fellow in his little poem " Jugurtha," has substituted,
it is hard to say by what authority, the name of
Apollo for that of Heracles :
How cold are thy baths, Apollo !
Cried the African monarch, the splendid,
As down to his death in the hollow
Dark dungeons of Rome he descended.
Uncrowned, unthroned, unattended;
How cold are thy baths, Apollo !
How cold are thy baths, Apollo !
Cried the Poet, unknown, unbefriended,
As the vision, that lured him to follow,
With the mist and the darkness blended,
And the dream of his life was ended;
How cold are thy baths, Apollo ! — Longfellow.
The Jugurthine war, which was terminated b. c.
106, is the subject of one of the histories of Sallust.
154
DistinguisbeD /IDen anD Momen
Julian (Julianus Flavius Claudius, surnamed
" The Apostate," on account of his renunciation of
Christianity. He was Roman emperor from 361
to 363), 331-363. " Thou hast conquered, O Gali-
lean! thou hast conquered! " Some authorities give
his last words thus: " Sun, thou hast betrayed me! "
Julian was a worshipper of the sun.
And Julian being carried to his tent, he took a
handful of the blood which flowed from his wound,
and flung it into the air, exclaiming with his last
breath, " Thou hast conquered, O Galilean ! thou
hast conquered ! " Then the demons received his
parting spirit. — Mrs. Jameson.
The historian, Ammianus Marcellinus, who was
in the army of Julian, states that when he was
wounded his admirers compared the scene that fol-
lowed in his tent to that which Plato has drawn in
the prison of Socrates; not without the confession
that it was an affected imitation. This testimony
is preferable to the imaginary pictures of Christian
orators of the apostate clutching the sand and cry-
ing, " O Galilean, thou hast conquered! " The real
triumph of Christianity needs no such melodramatic
inventions conceived in the spirit of an age of ornate
rhetoric. — Smith's " Universal History, Hi, 717/'
Kalakaua (David, King of the Hawaiian
Islands), 1836-1892. The monarch was unconscious
of what was going on around him, and seemed to
be dreaming of his early days. Colonel Baker heard
155
Xast 1KIlor&8 of
him murmur something and leaning over the bed-
side could make out that he was speaking to him-
self in his native tongue of the oceans and moun-
tains and natural scenery of Hawaii.
He died at San Francisco, Cal., while on a visit
to the United States.
Kant (Immanuel, one of the greatest of German
metaphysicians, founder of the Critical or Trans-
cendental school of philosophy), 1 724- 1 804. " Es!^
ist gut," said as he declined a refreshing draught,
offered him by one who thought he was suffering
from thirst.
Keats (John), 1 796-1 821. "/ feel the Howers
growing over me." Some say his last words were:
" I die of a broken heart."
The severity of an article written by Gifford in
review of " Endymion " in the Quarterly Review
affected the young poet very deeply, and is even said
to have occasioned the consumption from which he
died at Rome where he had but just completed his
twenty-fourth year.
Over the grave of Keats in the Old Protestant
cemetery at Rome is the inscription : " 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 tombstone : ' Here
lies one whose name was writ in water.' February
24, 1821."
156
S)f5tinautsbe& /TOen an& Momen
In the " Letters and Memorials of Archbishop
Trench," occurs the following distressing letter on
the last days of Keats, addressed to Trench by a
friend in Rome:
" I have made Severn's acquaintance. He is a
very fine fellow, and I like him amazingly. My
only introduction to him was our common admira-
tion of Keats, whose memory he cherishes most
affectionately, and of whom he is never tired of
speaking when he finds one who listens with glad-
ness. I sat in his studio for hours while he painted
a design which Keats suggested to him, and all the
while he was telling me particulars of his last days.
His sufferings were terrible and prolonged. Shelley
and Hunt had deprived him of his belief in Christi-
anity, which he wanted in the end, and he en-
deavored to fight back to it, saying if Severn would
get him a Jeremy Taylor he thought he could believe ;
but it was not to be found in Rome. Another time
(which is to me peculiarly painful, though it shows
at the same time how little way he had proceeded
in a particular line of thought), having been be-
trayed into considerable impatience by bodily and
mental anguish, he cried, on recovering himself,
* By God, Severn, a man ought to have some super-
stition, that he may die decently.' "
Ken (Thomas, Bishop of Bath and Wells, author
of several volumes of sermons and of some very
beautiful hymns, among which is the famous Doxo-
^57
Xast *omor&s of
logy, " Praise God, from whom all blessings flow "
— the Protestant " Te Deum laudamus"), 1637-
171 1. "God's will be done."
Bishop Ken was one of the seven bishops com-
mitted to the Tower for disobedience by James II.,
but proved his loyalty by refusing to take the oaths
to William and Mary, and was therefore deprived of
his bishopric. He was a man of devoted piety,
expansive benevolence, and great tenderness of
spirit. — Allihone.
King (Thomas Star, Unitarian clergyman),
1 824- 1 864. "Dear little fellow — he is a beautiful
boy." This he said of his little son who had been
brought in to see him.
KiNGSLEY (Charles, clergyman, novelist, and
poet), 1819-1875. "Thou knowest, O Lord, the
secrets of our hearts; shut not Thy merciful ears to
our prayer, but spare us, O Lord most holy, 0 God
most mighty, 0 holy and merciful Saviour, Thou
most worthy Judge Etertml, suffer us not at our
last hour, from any pains of death, to fall from
Thee." — Episcopal " Burial Service."
In the night he was heard murmuring, " No more
fighting : no more fighting." Then followed intense
earnest prayers, which were his habit when alone.
His warfare was accomplished; he had fought the
good fight; and, on one of his last nights on earth,
his daughter heard him exclaim, " How beautiful
God is ! " The last morning, at five o'clock, just
158
2)istfnoufsbe^ /iDen an^ TKIlomen
after his eldest daughter and his physician, who had
sat up all night, had left him, and he thought him-
self alone, he was heard, in a clear voice, repeating
the Burial Service. He turned on his side after this,
and never spoke again.
" Letters and Memoirs of Charles Kingsley," by
his wife.
Klopstock (Friedrich Gottlieb), 1724- 1803.
He died reciting his own beautiful verses, descrip-
tive of the death of Mary, the sister of Lazarus. The
Song of Mary was sung at the public funeral of the
poet.
Knox (John, Scotch reformer), 1505- 1572.
" Now it is come." Some give his last words thus :
" Live in Christ, live in Christ, and the flesh need
not fear death."
Labedoyere (Charles Angelique Huchet de,
Count and French general " noted for graceful man-
ners and chivalrous spirit." He was charged with
treason, rebellion and military seduction, and was
executed as one of the " authors and instigators of
the horrible plot which had brought back Buona-
parte "), 1786-1815. "■ Above all do not miss me! "
At half past six in the evening Labedoyere was
escorted to the plain of Crenelle by a strong detach-
ment of gen d'armerie. On arriving at the place of
execution, he knelt down and received the benedic-
tion of the confessor who accompanied him. He
159
Xast Mor&s of
then rose, and, without waiting for his eyes to be
bandaged, uncovered his breast to the veterans who
were to shoot him, and exclaimed, " Above all do
not miss me ! " In a moment after he was no
more.
Christopher Kelly: " The Battle of Waterloo."
Lacordaire (Jean Baptiste Henri, French eccle-
siastic celebrated for his funeral orations), 1802-
1861. "Open to me, O God!"
La Harpe or Laharpe de (Jean Frangois,
French critic and dramatist), 1739-1803. "I am
grateful to Divine Mercy for having left me suf-
ficient recollection to feel how consoling these
prayers are to the dying." These are his last re-
corded words, and refer to the prayers for the sick
to which he was attending, but later he conversed
with M. Fontanes, and did not die until the next
day.
Lambert (John, English teacher of languages
who suffered as a martyr. His true name was
Nicholson, but he changed it for greater safety in
time of persecution), — 1538. "None hut Christ!
none hut Christ! "
After his legs were consumed to the stumps, two
inhuman monsters who stood on each side of him
pierced him with their halberds, and lifted him up
as far as the chain which fastened him to the stake
would reach, while he raised his half consumed
160
H)fstinGVU5be& /IDeu aiiD Moincn
hands dripping with blood and fire, and said, " None
but Christ ! none but Christ ! "
Latimer (Hugh, early English reformer and
martyr), about 1472- 1555.
" Be of good comfort, Master Ridley, and play
the man; we shall this day light such a candle by
God's grace, in England, as I trust shall never be
put out."
Latimer and Ridley suffered martyrdom at Ox-
ford at the same time, October 16, 1555.
Laud (William, Archbishop of Canterbury and
favorite minister of Charles L), 1 573-1645. " Lord,
receive my soul," spoken to the headsman as a signal
to strike. According to some authorities his last
words were : " I am coming, O ! Lord, as quickly as
I can. I know I must pass through death before
I can come to Thee, but it is only a mere shadow —
a little darkness upon nature. Thou hast broken
the jaws of death."
Laud was declared guilty of treason, and executed
on Tower Hill, January 10, 1645.
Laurentius (" Saint," a deacon of Rome who
was roasted alive on a gridiron before a slow fire),
about a. d. 258. " Assatus est; jam versa et man-
duca " {1 am roasted, — now turn me, and eat me. )
According to some authorities he said later : " I
thank thee, O my God and Saviour, that I have been
found worthy to enter into thy beatitude."
161
Xast mot^s (St
Lee (Robert Edmund, distinguished Confederate
general, and President of Washington College, at
Lexington, Virginia), 1806- 1870. " Tell Hill he
must come up." During his last hours his mind
wandered, and he was living over again in his dis-
ordered imagination the military campaign through
which he had passed.
His body lies in the mausoleum erected at the
rear of the College chapel, and beside him are laid
his wife and his daughter Agnes. Above the tomb,
and visible from the chapel hall, is Valentine's re-
cumbent marble figure of Lee the soldier taking his
rest, with his sword sheathed at his side and his
martial cloak around him. — White.
Leo X. (Cardinal Giovanni de' Medici, elected
Pope March 11, 15 13), 1 475-1 521. "I have been
murdered; no remedy can prevent my speedy death."
It is believed that he was poisoned.
The circumstances attending the death of the
pontiff are involved in mysterious and total ob-
scurity, and the accounts given of this event by
Varillas and similar writers in subsequent times, are
the spurious offspring of their own imagination.
Roscoe " Life of Leo the Tenth."
Leo X. expired upon the ist day of December,
1 52 1. The vacillating game he played in European
politics had just been crowned with momentary suc-
cess. Some folk believed that the Pope died of joy
after hearing that his Imperial allies had entered the
162
S)i3ttnouisbe^ /IDen m\b Moinen
town of Milan; others thought that he succumbed
to poison. We do not know what caused his death.
But the unsoundness of his constitution, overtaxed
by dissipation and generous Hving, in the midst of
pubHc cares for which the man had hardly nerve
enough, may suffice to account for a decease cer-
tainly sudden and premature.
Symond: " Life of Michelangelo Buonarotti."
LiEBER (Francis, German author, political refu-
gee, and, later, Professor of History and Political
Science in Columbia College, New York), 1800-
1872.
On the afternoon of the 26. of October, 1872, he
was sitting quietly, listening to his wife, who was
reading aloud to him as was her custom, when he
gave one cry and immediately died. *
Perry's " Life and Letters of Lieher."
LiNDSEY (Theophilus, English Unitarian clergy-
man), 1 723-1808. "No, whatever is, is best," —
said to a friend who suggested that his fortitude
sprang from his recollection of the maxim, " What-
ever is, is right."
LiGNE (Charles Joseph, Prince de, "The Friend
of Kings," author of " Commentaries on the Art of
' It has been thought that Lieber's death was occasioned
by rupture of the heart. See the last words of Charles
Sumner and the foot note on his sudden death. See also the
last words of John Palmer and the account of his death
appended from the Annual Register.
163
%a3t Mor&s ot
War." He was a brave and good soldier, but a
great beau and dandy), 1734-18 14. " Back, thou ac-
cursed phantom! " As he felt the approach of death
he sprang from a recumbent to a sitting posture,
and ordered the door to be closed; but finding that
he could not prevent the last great enemy from
entering, he gave the phantom battle; and in the
midst of the conflict he threw up his arms and cried,
" Back thou accursed phantom! " In a moment he
was dead.
At seventy-two he was still a fop and still a
gallant. " His delicately malicious and gayly ironic
wit," wrote Count OuvarofY, who knew him only in
old age, " was allied with a sweetness of char-
acter and an equality of temper that were unparal-
leled." Gravity only was distasteful to him, and
he would always turn the conversation with a word
or a nod from too serious a topic, Plis pride was
flattered by the eagerness wherewith the curious
pointed their finger at him in the street, and he was
yet anxious to attract the attention which was his
due. He would walk abroad in the Field Marshal's
cloak, which became his youthful figure, or, still
more splendid, he would drive in his gray coach,
whose white horses were the wonder of all Vienna.
His happiness had suffered no eclipse; his talk was
as marvelous as when he astonished the Court of
Versailles, and not even his wrinkles obscured the
dazzle of his smile. The best of life had been his,
and he waited the end in placid content, and it is
164
2)istinguisbet) /IDen an& Momen
in his triumph in Vienna, rather than in his cum-
brous books, that you catch the last glimpse of the
Prince de Ligne."
Charles Whihley: " The Pageantry of Life."
LiPPARD (George, American author), 1822- 1854.
"Is this death?" to his physician,
Lippard wrote a number of sensational novels,
and a book on " Washington and his Generals." He
was the founder of the once strong and useful
Brotherhood of the Union, a secret charitable insti-
tution.
Lisle (Sir George, English royalist officer, taken
prisoner at Colchester, where he was put to death
August 29th, 1648), — 1648. "I have been nearer
to you when you have missed me," said to a soldier
of the squad appointed to shoot him, and who had,
to Sir George Lisle's request that he would not miss
or merely wound him, replied, " I'll warrant, sir,
we will hit you." Lisle thought the distance be-
tween himself and the firing party was too great and
he wished the soldiers to come nearer to him.
Fairfax sullied his victory by an act of great
cruelty. In a council of war, it was resolved that
Sir Charles Lucas, Sir George Lisle, and Sir Bernard
Gascoign, the governors of Colchester, should be
put to death : but the life of Gascoign was spared,
on account of his being a foreigner. When the other
two were brought out to be shot, Lucas gave the
word to fire, as if he had been at the head of his
165
Xast Mor^s of
own company. Lisle kissed him eagerly after he
was dead; and desired the executioners to come
nearer. — The Percy Anecdotes.
Livingstone (David, distinguished missionary,
traveler and discoverer), i8i 3-1873. His last
words, which are not recorded, were about Chil-
anebo's village, in Ilala, and the neighboring coun-
try, and especially about the Luapula. His mind
wandered, and the questions were often disconnected
and indistinct, but his last thoughts were of Africa.
His attendants constructed for him a rude hut, and
when it was completed they took him into it and
laid him upon a rough bed — the best they could pro-
cure. He spoke only once or twice during the night.
Next day he lay undisturbed. He asked a few
wandering questions about the country — especially
about the Luapula. His people knew that the end
could not be far off. Nothing occurred to attract
notice during the early part of the night, but at four
in the morning, the boy who lay at his door called
in alarm for Susi, fearing that their master was
dead. By the candle still burning they saw him,
not in bed, but kneeling at the bedside with his head
buried in his hands upon the pillow. The sad yet
not unexpected truth soon became evident: he had
passed away on the furthest of all his journeys, and
without a single attendant. But he had died in the
act of prayer — prayer offered in that reverential atti-
tude about which he was always so particular; com-
166
H)tstln(}ui5be^ /IDcn an& Momen
mending his own spirit, with all his dear ones, as
was his wont, into the hands of his Saviour; and
commending Africa — his own dear Africa — with
all her woes and sins and wrongs, to the Avenger
of the oppressed and the Redeemer of the lost.
So soon as the death of Livingstone was known
to his men, they resolved to carry their master's re-
mains to Zanzibar. Arrangements were made for
drying and embalming the body, after removing the
heart and other viscera. For fourteen days the body
was dried in the sun. After being wrapped in calico,
and the legs bent inward at the knees, it was enclosed
in a large piece of bark from a Myonga tree in the
form of a cylinder; over this a piece of sail-cloth
was sewed; and the package was lashed to a pole,
so as to be carried by two men. Jacob Wainwright
carved an inscription on the Moula tree under which
the body had rested, and where the heart was buried,
and Chitambo was charged to keep the grass cleared
away, and to protect two posts and a cross-piece
which they erected to mark the spot.
The remains were brought to Aden on board the
" Calcutta," and thereafter transferred to the
steamer " Malwa," which arrived at Southamp-
ton on the 15th of April. Mr. Thomas Livingstone,
eldest surviving son of the Doctor, being then in
Egypt on account of his health, had gone on board
at Alexandria. The body was conveyed to London
by special train and deposited in the rooms of the
Geographical Society in Saville Row.
167
Xast imov^Q ot
In the course of the evening the remains were
examined by Sir William Fergusson and several
other medical gentlemen, including Dr. Loudon, of
Hamilton, whose professional skill and great kind-
ness to his family had gained for him a high place
in the esteem and love of Livingstone. To many
persons it had appeared so incredible that the re-
mains should have been brought from the heart of
Africa to London, that some conclusive identifica-
tion of the body seemed to be necessary to set all
doubt at rest. The state of the arm, the one that
had been broken by the lion, supplied the crucial
evidence. " Exactly in the region of the attach-
ment of the deltoid to the humerus " (wrote Sir
William Fergusson in a contribution to the Lancet,
April 1 8, 1874), "there were the indications of an
oblique fracture. On moving the arm there were
the indications of an ununited fracture. A closer
identification and dissection displayed the false joint
that had so long ago been so well recognized by
those who had examined the arm in former days.
. . . The first glance set my mind at rest, and
that, with further examination, made me as positive
as to the identification of these remains as that there
has been among us in modern times one of the
greatest men of the human race — David Living-
stone."
The black slab that now marks the resting-place
of Livingstone in Westminster Abbey bears this in-
scription :
168
Distinciufsbe^ /iDen ant) Momen
BROUGHT BY FAITHFUL HANDS
OVER LAND AND SEA,
HERE RESTS
DAVID LIVINGSTONE,
MISSIONARY, TRAVELER. PHILANTHROPIST,
BORN MARCH 19, 1813,
AT BLANTYRE, LANARKSHIRE.
DIED MAY 4,' 1873,
AT CHITAMBO'S VILLAGE, ILALA.
For thirty years his life was spent in an unwearied effort to
evangelize the native races, to explore the undiscovered
secrets,
and abolish the desolating slave-trade of Central Africa,
and where, with his last words he wrote:
" All I can say in my solitude is, may Heaven's rich blessing
come down on every one — American, English, Turk —
who will help to heal this open sore of the
world."
Along the right border of the stone are the words :
TANTUS AMOR VERI, NIHIL EST QUOD NOSCERE MALIM
QUAM FLUVII CAUSAS PER S.«CULA TANTA LATENTES.
And along the left border :
OTHER SHEEP I HAVE WHICH ARE NOT OF THIS FOLD,
THEM ALSO I MUST BRING, AND THEY SHALL HEAR MY VOICK.
Blaikie's " Personal Life of Livingstone."
The late E. J. Glane, who crossed Africa in the
interest of The Century, makes the following entry
in his journal :
July 9. To-day I revisited the tree where Living-
* In the Last Journals the date is May ist ; on the stone.
May 4th. The attendants could not quite determine the day.
169
Xast Mor^s of
stone died, and in order to guide others to the exact
spot, in case this tree should disappear from any
cause, I selected another big tree likely to last many
years, cleared away two and a half square feet of
its bark, and in the space marked as follows : " This
tree is magnetic southwest of the tree where Living-
stone's remains are buried, and is forty-five paces
from it." I brought away a bit of the bark of the
memorable tree — a dead part, so as not to be guilty
of vandalism.^
Livingstone's grave is in a quiet nook, such as he
himself desired, in the outskirts of a forest border-
ing on a grass plain where the roan buck and eland
roam in safety. When I visited the place turtle-
doves were cooing in the tree-tops, and a litter of
young hyenas had been playing near by ; in the low
ground outside the hole leading to the cave were
their recent tracks; they had scampered into safety
at our approach.
Locke (John, author of the celebrated " Essay
Concerning the Human Understanding"), 1632-
1704. " O, the depth of the riches of the goodness
and knoivledge of God! "
Some authorities say his last words were, " Cease
now ; " to Lady Masham who was reading to him
a Psalm of David.
^ The section of the tree containing the inscription made
by Jacob Wainwright has been brought to England and
deposited in the house of the Geographical Society.
170
2)t0tinoufsbeb /Kien an& Momen
Longfellow (Henry Wadsworth), 1807- 1882.
" Nozv I know that I must he very ill, since you have
been sent for," said to his sister who came from
Portland, Me.
His last written lines (nine days before his death)
were:
" Out of the shadows of night,
The world rolls into light ;
It is daybreak everywhere."
— The Bells of San Bias.
Louis L (Louis le Debonnaire), 778-840. " Huz!
huz! "
He turned his face to the wall and twice cried,
" Huz ! huz ! " ( " Out ! out ! " ) and then died.
Bouquet.
Louis IX. (" Saint Louis," canonized by Pope
Boniface VHL in 1297), 1215-1270. "I will enter
now into the house of the Lord."
Some authorities say his last words were " We
will go to Jerusalem."
Louis XHL (son of Henry IV. and Marie de
Medicis), 1601-1643. " Well, my God, I consent
with all my heart," to his physician who told him
he had but two hours to live.
Louis XIV. (surnamed Le Grand, often called
Louis QuATORZE, the most magnificent of the Bour-
bon Kings), 1638-1715. " Why weep ye? Did you
think I should live forever? " then after a pause, "I
171
Xast '(KIlor^0 of
thought dying had been harder." Some say his last
words were : " O God, come to mine aid ! O Lord,
make haste to help me ! "
On Sunday, August 31, towards eleven o'clock in
the evening, the prayers for the dying were said
for Louis XIV. He recited them himself in a louder
voice than any of the spectators; and seemed still
more majestic on his death-bed than on his throne.
When the prayers were ended he recognized Car-
dinal de Rohan and said to him, " These are the
graces of the Church." Several times he repeated:
" Nunc et in hora mortis." Then he said, " O God,
come unto mine aid; O Lord, make haste to help
me." These were his last words. The agony was
beginning. It lasted all night, and on Sunday, Sep-
tember I, 1715, at a quarter past eight in the morn-
ing, Louis XIV., aged seventy-seven years lacking
three days, during sixty-two of which he had been
a king, yielded his great soul to God.
Imbert de Saint- Amand.
Louis XV. (of France), 17 10- 1774. "Repeat
those zvords Monsieur the almoner, repeat them,"
to Cardinal de La Roche-Aymon, who read aloud
the public apology made by the sovereign to his
people.
Some authorities give his last words thus : " I
have been a great sinner, doubtless, but I have ever
observed Lent with a most scrupulous exactness; I
have caused more than a hundred thousand masses
172
H)i0tlnouisbe& /IDen an6 Momen
to be said for the repose of unhappy souls, so that
I flatter myself I have not been a very bad Chris-
tian."
A candle burning in the King's chamber, which
was to be extinguished at the same moment as the
life of the King, was the signal agreed on for the
measures to be taken and the orders to be given as
soon as he should have breathed his last. The candle
was put out at two o'clock in the afternoon of May
lo, 1774. Instantly a great tumult, comparable to
a clap of thunder, shook the arches of Versailles.
It was the crowd of courtiers leaving the antecham-
bers of the dead man and noisily hastening to meet
the new monarch.
Imhert de Saint-Amand: " The Last Years of
Louis xvr
Louts XVI. (guillotined by a wild and blood-
thirsty mob, called the French Republic, the 21st of
January, 1793), 1754-1793. " Frenchmen, I die in-
nocent of all the crimes ivhich have been imputed to
inc. I forgive my enemies; I implore God, from the
bottom of my heart, to pardon them, and not to take
vengeance on the French nation for the blood about
to be shed."
He was proceeding, when Santerre, who was on
horseback near the scaffold, made a signal for the
drums to beat, when the assistants seized the vic-
tim, and the horrid murder was completed.
When the king's head was severed from the body,
173
one of the executioners held it up by the hair, danc-
ing at the same time around the scaffold, with the
most savage exultation.
Contemporary History of the French Revolution.
Louis XVII. (second son of Louis XVI. He be-
came dauphin at the death of an elder brother in
1789, and was recognized as king in January, 1793,
by the French royalists and several foreign courts,
but he was closely confined by the Jacobins. The
cruel treatment which he received in prison hastened
his death), 1785-1795. ''I have something to tell
you."
k Louis XVIII. (Louis Stanislas Xavier), 1755-
1824. "A King should die standing." I'
Louise (Auguste Wilhelmine Amelie, Queen of
Prussia), 1776-1810. " / am a Queen, but have no
power to move my arms."
LovAT (Lord Fraser of Lovat, Scottish Jacobite
conspirator. In the rebellion of 1745 he was de-
tected in treasonable acts against King George, for
which he was executed), about 1666- 1747.
He was beheaded on Tower Hill. On reaching
the scaffold, he asked for the executioner, and pre-
sented him with a purse containing ten guineas. He
then asked to see the axe, felt its edge, and said he
thought it would do. Next he looked at his coffin,
on which was inscribed :
174
Distinouisbet) /ir^en an& Momen
Simon, Dominus Fraser De Lovat,
Decollat April 9, 1747
^tat suae 80.
After repeating some lines from Horace, and next
from Ovid, he prayed, then bade adieu to his solici-
tor and agent in Scotland ; finally the executioner
completed his work, the head falling from the body.
Lord Lovat was the last person beheaded in England.
Andrezvs: " Bygone Punishments. "
LucAN or LucANus (Marcus Annseus, Roman
epic poet, nephew of the philosopher Seneca), 38-65.
Lucan exhibited great apparent serenity at the ap-
proach of death. After the veins of his arm had
been voluntarily opened, and he had lost a large
quantity of blood, he felt his hands and his legs losing
their vitality. As the hour of death approached, he
commenced repeating several lines out of his own
" Pharsalia," descriptive of a person similarly situ-
ated to himself. These lines he repeated until he
died :
^'Asunder Hies the man —
No single wound the gaping rupture seems,
J V here trickling crimson Hows the tender streams;
But from an opening horrible and zvide
A thousand vessels pour the bursting tide:
At once the winding channel's course was broke,
Where zvandering life her macy journey took."
Winslow: " Anatomy of Suicide."
175
Xast Timorbs of
Lucas (Sir Charles. He commanded the right
wing of the royal army at Marston Moor, was taken
prisoner at Colchester, where he was put to death
August 29th, 1648), — 1648. '' Soldiers, -Rre!" to
the soldiers appointed to shoot him.
LuLLi or LuLLY (Jean Baptiste, Italian composer,
called "the Father of French Dramatic Music"),
1633-1687. "Sinner, thou must die." In sign of
his repentance he died with a halter around his neck,
repeating and, sometimes singing, with tears of re-
morse, " Sinner, thou must die."
Luther (Martin, the greatest of the Protestant
reformers), 1484- 1546. " Yes," in response to the
question whether he stood by the doctrines of Scrip-
ture as he had taught them.
The same man who could scold like a fishwife
could be as gentle as a tender maiden. At times he
was as fierce as the storm that uproots oaks; and
then again he was as mild as the zephyr caressing
the violets. . . . The refinement of Erasmus,
the mildness of Melancthon, could never have
brought us so far as the godlike brutality of brother
Martin. — Heine.
Lyttelton (George, first Lord, English states-
man, author of " Dialogues of the Dead," and " His-
tory of Henry II."), 1709-1773. " Be good, he vir-
tuous, my lord, you must come to this," to his son-
in-law. Lord Valentia.
176
H)i8tingufsbe6 /IDen an& Momen
Macaulay (Thomas Babington, Lord), 1800-
1859. "I shall retire early; I am very tired," said
to his butler, who asked him if he would not rest on
the sofa.
His mother resolved to spend the night at Holly
Lodge. She had just left the drawing-room to make
her preparations for the visit (it being, I suppose, a
little before seven in the evening), when a servant
arrived with. an urgent summons. As we drove up
to the porch of my uncle's house, the maids ran, cry-
ing, out into the darkness to meet us, and we knew
that all was over. We found him in the library,
seated in his easy chair, and dressed as usual; with
his book on the table beside him, still open at the
same page. He had told his butler that he should
go to bed early, as he was very tired. The man pro-
posed his lying on the sofa. He rose as if to move,
sat down again, and ceased to breathe. He died as
he had always wished to die — without pain ; without
any formal farewell ; preceding to the grave all
whom he loved ; and leaving behind him a great and
honorable name, and the memory of a life every
action of which was clear and transparent as one of
his own sentences. — G. Otto Trevelyan.
Maccail (his given name has not been preserved,
a Scots Covenanter who expired under torture in the
time of Charles IL of England), 1668. He died in
an ecstasy of joy, and his last words were: "Fare-
well sun, moon and stars; farewell, world and time;
177
%nst "MovbB of
farewell, weak and frail body; welcome, eternity;
welcome, angels and saints; welcome, Saviour of the
world; welcome, God, the Judge of all."
Machiavelli, or Macchiavelli, sometimes
Machiavel (Nicholas, a celebrated atheist, and the
author of "The Prince"), 1469- 1530. ''I desire
to go to hell, and not to heaven. In the former place
I shall enjoy the company of popes, kings, and
princes, while in the latter are only beggars, monks,
hermits, and apostles."
Mackintosh (Sir James, philosopher and poli-
tician), 1765-1832. "Happy!"
Malherbe (Frangoie de, the " Father of French
lyric poetry"), 1555-1628. ''Hold your tongue;
your ivretched style only makes me out of conceit
with them," to his confessor, who was presenting the
joys of heaven in vulgar and trite phrases.
His ruling passion was purity of diction. He
would destroy a quire of paper in composing a single
stanza; and it is said that during the twenty-five
most prolific years of his life he made only about
thirty-three verses a year.
Marat (Jean Paul, court-physician, author of
several scientific works, and later the main promoter
of the Reign of Terror in France), 1743- 1793.
"Help, my dear — help!" As Marat uttered these
words he fell at the feet of Charlotte Corday, and im-
mediately expired.
178
Bistinoufsbeb /IDen an& TKHomen
Charlotte, motionless, and as if petrified at her
crime, was standing behind the window curtain. The
transparent material allowed her form to be easily
distinguished. Laurent, taking up a chair, struck
her a clumsy blow on the head, which knocked her
to the floor, where Marat's mistress trampled her
under foot in her rage. At the noise that ensued,
and the cries of the two women, the occupants of
the house hastened thither, neighbors and persons
passing in the streets ascended the staircase and
filled the room, the courtyard, and very speedily the
whole quarter, demanding, with fierce exclamations,
that they would throw the assassin out to them, that
they might avenge the dead — yet still warm — body
of the people's idol. Soldiers and national guards
entered, and order was, in some measure, re-estab-
lished. Surgeons arrived, and endeavored to stanch
the wound. The reddened water gave to the san-
guinary democrat the appearance of having died in a
bath of blood. — Larmartine.
The veneration for the monster Marat knew no
bounds. Hymns were written in his honor. On
divers stamps he was placed by the side of Christ.
Men swore by the sacred heart of Marat. The new
worship was complete, it had prostitutes for god-
desses, and a man of violence and blood for a martyr
and a saint. All it yet lacked was to engage in
persecution; and it failed not in this worthy busi-
ness.— De Pressensi.
179
Xast Mort)s ot
Marcus (of Arethusa), being hung up in a basket
smeared with honey, to be stung to death by bees,
exclaimed,^ " How am I advanced, despising you
that are upon the earth!"
^ To some of the most distinguished of our race death has
come in the strangest possible way, and so grotesquely as
to subtract greatly from the dignity of the sorrow it must
certainly have occasioned. -^schylus, whose seventy trage-
dies, to say nothing of his many satiric dramas, have given
their author an immortal name, was killed by the fall of a
tortoise on his bald head from the talons of an eagle high
in the air above him.
There was a singular propriety in the death of Anacreon
by choking at a grape stone or a dried grape. The poet
whose sweetest and most enticing lines celebrate wine and
love came to his death at the ripe age of eighty-five from the
fruit of the vine. Agathocles, the tyrant of Syracuse, was
given by the treacherous Maenou a poisoned toothpick which
soon rendered his mouth incurably gangrened, and deprived
him of the power of speech. While in this miserable and
helpless condition he was stretched upon the funeral pile
and burned alive.
Fabius, the Roman praetor, died from the same cause that
occasioned the death of Anacreon. A single goat hair in
the milk he was drinking, lodged in his trachea and choked
him. Chalchas, the soothsayer, outlived the time predicted
for his death, which struck him as so comical that he burst
into a fit of most immoderate laughter from which he died.
Thus also died the famous Marquette, who was convulsed
with a fatal merriment on seeing a monkey trying to pull
on a pair of boots. Philomenes was seized with an equally
disastrous merriment when he came suddenly upon an ass
that was devouring with greediness the choice figs that had
been prepared for his own desert.
Laughter killed the great Zeuxis, of whom Pliny relates
the story of a trial of skill with the painter Parrhasius.
i8o
Btstfnaufsbet) /IDen an& Momen
Margaret (of Scotland, wife of Louis XL of
France), 1420-1445. " Fi de la vie! qu'on ne m'en
parlc plus."
Margaret was devoted to literature, and, while she
lived, patronized men of learning and genius. Her
admiration for the poet Alain Chartier is said to
have induced her to kiss his lips as he sat asleep one
day in a chair. Her attendants being astonished at
this act of condescension, the princess replied that
" she did not kiss the man, but the lips which had
given utterance to so many exquisite thoughts." She
died at the age of twenty-five, before her husband
had ascended the throne.
Mrs. Hale's " Sketches of Distinguished Women."
Margaret (of Valois, Queen of Navarre and sis-
ter of Francis L, of France), 1492-1549. "Fare-
well, and remember me." Some say, upon what
authority I do not know, that the queen's last words
were : " I never departed from the true church,"
The former painted a bunch of grapes that were so natural
a bird endeavored to eat the fruit. Charles VIII., while
gallantly conducting his queen into the tennis court, struck
his head against the lintel and died soon after from the acci-
dent.
Frederick Lewis, Prince of Wales, was struck by a cricket
ball, which caused his death. A pig occasioned the death
of Louis VI., the creature ran under the monarch's horse
causing it to stumble. But of all strange deaths that of
Itadach is the strangest. He expired from thirst while toiling
in the harvest field, because, in obedience to the rule of St.
Patrick, he would not drink " a drop of anything."
181
Xast Mor&6 ot
She inclined to the Protestant faith, but Roman
CathoHc writers assert that before her death she ac-
knowledged her religious errors, and De Remond
even goes so far as to imply that she denied on her
death-bed having ever swerved from the standard of
Roman authority. — Memoir of Margaret, attached
to the EnglisJi translation of her Heptamcron.
She was a brilliant writer in both prose and verse,
and was called the " Tenth Muse." Several authors
speak of her as " Margaret the Pearl, surpassing all
the pearls of the Orient." She composed a religious
work called " Miroir de I'ame Pecheresse," which
was condemned by the Sorbonne, on the ground that
it inclined to Protestant doctrines. She also wrote
the " Heptameron, or Novels of the Queen of
Navarre."
Marie Antoinette (Marie Antoinette Josephine
Jeanne de Lorraine, daughter of Francis I., Em-
peror of Germany, and Maria Theresa, and wife of
Louis XVL, of France; she was guillotined October
1 6, 1793), 1755-1793- "Farewell, my children, for-
ever. I go to your father."
The king perished on the scaffold January 21,
1793. The queen had four children, Marie Therese
Charlotte, who married the oldest son of Charles X. ;
the dauphin, Louis, born in 1781 and died in 1789;
Charles Louis, who died a victim to the brutality of
the cobbler Simon; and a daughter who died in in-
fancy,
182
Martineau (Harriet, English author, and trans-
lator of " The Positive Philosophy of Auguste
Comte"), 1802-1876. ''I have had a noble share
of life, and I do not ask for any other life. I see no
reason why the existence of Harriet Martineau
should be perpetuated."
During the last one-and-twenty years of her life,
death was the idea most familiar and most welcome.
It was spoken of and provided for with an easy free-
dom that I never saw approached in any other home,
yet she never expressed a wish respecting a place of
burial. But a few days before her death, when asked
if she would be laid in the burial-place of her family,
she assented; and she lies with her kindred, in the
old cemetery at Birmingham.*
Maria Weston Chapman.
' Her Will, by which her personalty, sworn under iio.ooo,
is suitably divided among her brothers and sisters, an old
servant, and a few friends, contains one peculiar provision
which indicates the desire of the testatrix, even when dead,
to benefit the living. " It is my desire," she says, " from an
interest in the progress of scientific investigation, that my
Skull should be given to Henry George Atkinson, of Upper
Gloucester Place, London, and also my Brain, if my death
should take place within such distance of his then present
abode, as to enable him to have it for the purposes of
scientific observation." By the second codicil, dated October
Sth, 1872, this direction is revoked; "but," the codicil pro-
ceeds, " I wish to leave it on record that this alteration in
my testamentary directions is not caused by any change of
opinion as to the importance of scientific observation on such
subjects, but is made in consequence merely of a change of
circumstances in my individual case." The " circumstances "
183
Xast milor&6 ot
Mary (Queen of Scots), 1542-1587. " O Lord,
into Thy hands I commend my spirit."
alluded to were doubtless these. When the removal of Miss
Martineau to London took place, the " Burke and Hare "
murders, and " body-snatching " generally, were the special
horrors of the day. The only authorized supply of " sub-
jects" for dissection was from the gallows; and philan-
thropic persons sought by selling the reversion of their bodies
(a transaction which, legally, does not hold good), or like
Jeremy Bentham, leaving them to some institution, or medical
expert, by a special bequest (also nugatory), to dissolve the
association of disgrace with the necessary procedure of dis-
section. The difficulty was, in great measure, relieved by
the passing of Mr. Warburton's Bill; and hence the necessity
for such an arrangement as that made by Miss Martineau
ceased to exist. The singular provision, had however, be-
come known ; and shortly after the execution of the docu-
ment, the testatrix received a letter from the celebrated
aurist, Mr. Toynbee, asking her point-blank to bequeath him
a " legacy of her ears." She had suffered from deafness all
her life; a large amount of mischief and misery was caused
by the ignorance of surgeons with regard to the auditory
apparatus; and this ignorance could only be removed by such
means as he proposed. The lady to whom this strange request
was made, says with grim humour, that she felt " rather
amused when she caught herself in a feeling of shame, as it
were, at having only one pair of ears, — at having no dupli-
cate for Mr. Toynbee, after having disposed otherwise of her
skull." She, however, told him how the matter actually stood ;
and a meeting took place between the doctor and the legatee,
" to ascertain whether one head could, in any way, be made
to answer both their objects."
An autopsy of her body was eventually made by Dr. T.
M. Greenhow, of Leeds ; a full detail of the appearances at
which will be found in the British Medical Journal, for April
14th, 1877, p. 449. — William Bates in "The Maclise Portrait
Gallery."
184
5)f0tin0ufsbe& /IDen an& Momen
The first blow of the executioner inflicted a ghastly
wound on the lower part of the skull. Not a scream
nor groan, not a sigh escaped her, but the convulsion
of her features showed the horrible suffering caused
by the wound. The eye-witness of the execution,
whose account is published, thus relates this incident :
" Thereupon the headsman brought down his axe,
but missing the proper place, gave her a horrible
blow upon the upper extremity of the neck ; but, with
unexampled fortitude, she remained perfectly still,
and did not even heave a sigh. At the second stroke
the neck was severed and the head held up to the
eaze of bystanders with ' God save Queen Eliza-
beth!' " — Meline's ''Mary Queen of Scots."
When the psalm was finished she felt for the
block, and laying down her head muttered : " In
manus, Domine, tuas commendo animam meam."
The hard wood seemed to hurt her, for she placed
her hands under her neck. The executioners gently
removed them lest they should deaden the blow, and
then one of them, holding her slightly, the other
raised the axe and struck. The scene had been too
trying even for the practised headsman of the Tower,
His arm wandered. The blow fell on the knot of the
handkerchief and scarcely broke the skin. She
neither spoke nor moved. He struck again, this time
effectively. The head hung by a shred of skin, which
he divided without withdrawing the axe, and at once
a metamorphosis was witnessed strange as was ever
wrought by wand of fabled enchanter. The coif fell
185
Xast Timor^s of
off and the false plaits ; the labored illusion vanished ;
the lady who had knelt before the block was in the
maturity of grace and loveliness. The executioner,
when he raised the head as usual to show it to the
crowd, exposed the withered features of a grizzled,
wrinkled old woman.
Fronde's " History of England."
Mary (Countess of Warwick), — 1678. " Well,
ladies, if I were one hour in heaven, I would not he
again with you, as much as I love you."
She is the author of the famous question : " Why
are we so fond of that life which begins with a cry,
and ends with a groan ? "
Mary I. (Queen of England, commonly called
" Bloody Queen Mary " on account of her violent
and cruel persecution of the Protestants), 15 17-
1558. " After I am dead, you will find Calais writ-
ten upon my heart."
The loss of Calais just before her death affected
her deeply.
Of the first Mary, long and too deservedly known
by the title of " Bloody Mary," we confess we can
never think without commiseration. Unamiable she
certainly was, and deplorably bigoted. She sent
two hundred and eighty-four people to the stake dur-
ing a short reign of five years and four months ;
which, upon an average, is upwards of four a week !
She was withal plain, petty of stature, ill-colored, and
fierce-eyed, with a voice almost as deep as a man's;
186
IDistinouisbet) /IDen an& TRUomen
had a bad blood; and ended with having nobody to
love her, not even the bigots in. whose cause she
lost the love of her people.
Leigh Hunt: " Men, Women and Books."
Mary II. (Queen of England and wife of Wil-
liam III.), 1662- 1 694. " My Lord, why do you not
go on? I am not afraid to die." Said to Arch-
bishop Tillotson who, reading to her, when she was
upon her death-bed, the commendatory prayer in
the office for the sick, was so overcome by grief that
he was compelled to pause.
Masaniello (Tommaso Aniello, the fisherman
of Amalfi, who headed the revolt which occurred in
Naples in 1647 against the Spanish viceroy, the
Duke of Arcos. His victory lasted nine days, dur-
ing which time he had one hundred and fifty thou-
sand men under arms and at his command. He was
murdered by his own soldiers), 1623- 1646. " Un-
grateful traitors! " said to the assassins.
Mather (Cotton), 1633- 1728. "I am going
where all tears zvill be iviped from my eyes," to his
wife, who wiped his eyes with her handkerchief.
Just before this he exclaimed: "Is this dying?
Is this all ? Is this all that I feared when I prayed
against a hard death ? Oh ! I can bear this ! I can
bear it ! I can bear it ! "
He was a masterful man, abundant in labors, the
organizer of over twenty charitable societies, a
187
leader of all movements in church and state, an om-
nivorous reader, and the author of 382 separate
publications, besides his enormous " Biblia Ameri-
cana," which remains to this day in manuscript. He
surmounted the prejudices of his age in defending
inoculation, but not with regard to witchcraft and
some other matters. His character was marred by
certain restless infirmities ; " it was his unconcealed
grief that he was never elected to preside over Har-
vard." His greatest work, '* Magnalia Christi
Americana," 1702, was reprinted in two volumes,
with memoir, and translations of the numerous He-
brew, Greek, and Latin quotations, Hartford, 1855.
Biographical Dictionary.
Mather (Increase, distinguished New England
divine), 1639-1723. '' Be fruitful."
Mather (Richard, celebrated Congregational
minister in Dorchester, Mass. He was a voluminous
author), 1596- 1669 "Far from well, yet far better
than mine iniquities deserve/' in response to a ques-
tion about his health.
Mathews (Charles, English Comedian), 1776-
1836. " / am ready."
Maurice (John Frederick Denison, English di-
vine and leader of the Broad Church party). 1805-
1872. *''' The knowledge of the love of God — the
blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and
188
Diatinguisbe^ /iDen anC> TKIlomen
the Holy Ghost be amongst you — amongst us — and
remain ivith us forever."
During the early days of his last sickness he suf-
fered greatly in mind, but as the end approached the
sky cleared as after a shower, and his spirit passed
away under the bright rainbow of hope.
Mazarin (Jules, cardinal and chief minister of
France during the minority of Louis XIV.), 1602-
166 1. " O, my poor soul, zvhat is to become of theef
Whither wilt thou go ? "
Mazarin (Hortense Mancini, sister of the cele-
brated cardinal), 1 647- 1 699. "Debt!"
She was so heavily in debt at the time of her death
that her body was seized by her creditors.
Maximilian I. (Emperor of Germany), 1459-
15 19. His last words are not recorded, but just
before his death he left directions that as soon as he
was dead all his hair should be plucked out of his
body, all his teeth should be drawn, and that both
his teeth and his hair should be burned. His body
was to be scourged, and then wrapped in quicklime,
after which, clad in silk and damask, it was to be
buried under the high altar in such position that the
priest who said mass should always rest his feet
above the emperor's breast. His body is entombed
in Wienerisch Neustadt under the altar as he
directed.
189
Xast Mor&s of
Maximilian (Ferdinand Joseph, Emperor of
Mexico and Archduke of Austria), 1832- 1867.
"Lotte." His last word would seem to indicate that
he was thinking of his wife, the unfortunate Car-
lotta, daughter of Leopold, King of Belgium.
In 1865 Maximilian was tempted by Napoleon
III. to act the part of Emperor of Mexico, then partly
governed by the republican President Juarez and
partly conquered by the French. He arrived at the
Mexican capital in June 1864. He issued a decree
that all who adhered to the republic or resisted his
authority should be shot. Many prisoners, including
General Orteaga, accordingly suffered death by his
order. According to the " New York Evening
Post " of July 1st, 1867, he ordered the enslave-
ment of the whole laboring population of Mexico.
The United States refused to recognize him as Em-
peror, and required Napoleon to withdraw his army.
Maximilian was embarrassed by want of money, and
offended the clerical party (which had favored
him) by refusing to restore the property of the
Church, which had been confiscated by the Liberals.
The French troops departed about the end of 1866.
after which the republicans gained several victories
and the empire quickly collapsed. Maximilian was
captured at Queretaro, and shot on the 19th of June
1 867. — Lippincott.
Melanchthon (Philip. His original German
name was Schwarzerdt, which he Grecized into
190
Distinouisbeb /IBen anb Momen
Melanchthon, or, as he sometimes spelled it Melan-
thon. Both names denote "black earth"), 1497-
1568. "^ Nothing else but heaven," in answer to a
friend who enquired if he wanted anything further.
Mericourt (Anne Joseph Theroigne de, the fa-
mous "Goddess of Reason"^), 1760-1817. This
woman's last words were partly reminiscent and
partly the incoherent ravings of a disordered brain.
The old scenes rose before her with startling vivid-
ness.
" Died, within these few days, in the hospital of
* Mile. Maillard, the actress, is mentioned by Lamartine as
one of the Goddesses, who was compelled to play the part
much against her will. " Chaumette, assisted by Lais, an actor
of the Opera, had arranged the fete of December 20, 1793.
Mademoiselle Maillard, an actress, brilliant with youth and
talents, played the part of the goddess. She was borne in a
palanquin, the canopy of which was formed of oak branches.
Women in white, with tri-colored sashes, preceded her. At-
tired with theatrical buskins, a Phrygian cap and a blue
chlamys over a transparent tunic, she was taken to the foot
of the altar and seated there. Behind her burnt an immense
torch, symbolizing ' the flame of philosophy,' the true light
of the world. Chaumette, taking a censer in his hands, fell
on his knees to the goddess, and offered incense, and the
whole concluded with dancing and song." — Lamartine.
There was also a Goddess of Liberty. The wife of Momoro
went attended by the municipal officers, national guards and
troops of ballet girls to the cathedral of Notre Dame de Paris.
Gobet (the archbishop of Paris), and nearly all the bishops,
vicars, canons, priests, and cures of Paris stripped them-
selves of their canonicals, donned the red nightcap, and joined
in this blasphemous mockery.
191
Xast 'lKIlor&6 ot
pauper lunatics of Saltpetriere, where she had lived
unpitied and unknown for many years, the famous
Theroigne de Mericourt (the Goddess of Reason),
the most remarkable of the heroines of the revolu-
tion."— A Paris paper of August i, 1817.
Met AST ASIC (Pietro Bonaventura, originally
named Trapassi, but changed to Metastasio,
" a changing," in allusion to his adoption by
the celebrated jurist Gravina, from whom he re-
ceived a large property), 1698- 1782. After he had
received the sacrament, and a few minutes before his
death, the poet uttered with unusual enthusiasm the
following beautiful stanzas :
" T'offro il tuo propria Figlio,
Che gia d'amore in pegno,
Racchiuso in picciol segno
Si voile a noi donar.
A lui rivolgi il ciglio.
Guardo chi t'oifro, e pot
Lasci, Signor, se vuoi,
Lascia di perdonar."
I offer to Thee, O Lord, Thy own Son, who already has
given the pledge of love, inclosed in this thin emblem ; turn
on Him thine eyes ; oh ! behold whom I offer to Thee and
then desist, O Lord ! if Thou canst desist from mercy.
MiRABEAu (Honore Gabriel Riquetti, Comte
de), 1 749- 1 79 1. '" When nature has abandoned an
unhappy victim, when a miracle only can save his
life, hoiv can you have the barbarity to let him expire
on the wheel? " spoken in support of a request for
laudanum.
192
S)istin0uisbe& /IDen an& Momen
At daybreak he said to Cabanis : — " My friend I
shall die to-day. When one is in this situation,
there remains but one thing more to do, and that
is to perfume me, to crown me with flowers, to en-
viron me with music, so that I may enter sweetly
into that slumber wherefrom there is no awaking." ^
* Jeremy Bentham, when he firmly believed that he was
near his last hour, said to one of his disciples, who was
watching over him: — "I now feel that I am dying. Our
care must be to minimize the pain. Do not let any of the
servants come into the room, and keep away the youths. It
will be distressing to them, and they can be of no service.
Yet I must not be alone, and you will remain with me, and
you only, and then we shall have reduced the pain to the
least possible amount."
Bentham dreaded the silence and darkness of the grave,
and wished to remain even after his death in a world o£
living men. He left his body to Dr. Southwood Smith who
was to perform certain experiments to ascertain that no life
remained. After these experiments the following disposition
was to be made of his remains : " The skeleton Dr. Smith
shall cause to be put together in such manner that the whole
figure may be seated in a chair usually occupied by me when
living, in the attitude in which I am sitting when engaged
in thought in the course of the time employed in writing. I
direct that the body, thus prepared, shall be transferred to
my executor, and that he shall cause the skeleton to be clothed
in one of the suits of black usually worn by me. The body
so clothed, together with the chair and the staff in my later
years borne by me, he shall take charge of, and for containing
the whole apparatus he shall cause to be prepared an appro-
priate box or case, and shall cause to be engraved in con-
spicuous characters on a plate to be affixed thereon, and also
in the glass case in which the preparations of the soft parts
of my body shall be contained, as, for example, in the manner
used in the case of wine decanters ; my name at length with
Xast Ximor^0 ot
Later in the day he uttered these memorable words :
— " I carry in my heart the dirge of the monarchy,
the ruins whereof will now be the prey of the
factions."
His death, although that of a sceptic, had some-
thing in it sublime. He was no stranger to his ap-
proaching dissolution; but, far from being intimi-
dated by the prospect, he gloried in the name he was
to leave. Hearing the cannon discharge upon some
public event, he exclaimed, " I already hear the
funeral obsequies of Achilles — after my death, the
factions will tear to shreds the remnants of the
the letters oh: followed by the day of my decease. If it
should so happen that my personal friends and other disciples
should be disposed to meet together on some day, or days of
the year for the purpose of commemorating the founder of
the Greatest Happiness System of Morals and Legislation,
my executor shall cause to be conveyed into the room in
which they meet the case with its contents."
Humphry Repton, author of a delightful book on " Land-
scape Gardening and Landscape Architecture," requested that
his remains might be deposited in a " garden of roses." He
selected a small enclosure by the church of Aylsham, in Nor-
folk, one of the most lovely spots in all England, where were
a number of roses and vines, as his last resting place. On
the monument over his grave, after his name and age, are
these lines written by himself: —
" Not like the Egyptian tyrants — consecrate,
Unmixt with others shall my dust remain;
But mouldering, blended, melting into earth,
Mine shall give form and colour to the rose;
And while its vivid blossoms cheer mankind,
Its perfum'd odour shall ascend to heaven."
194
monarchy." His sufferings were severe at the close
of his illness : at one period, when the power of
speech was gone, he wrote on a slip of paper the
words of Hamlet, " To die is to sleep." " When a
sick man is given over, and he suffers frightful
pains, can a friendly physician refuse to give him
opium?" "My pains are insupportable; I have an
age of strength, but not an instant of courage." A
few hours before his death, the commencement of
mortification relieved his sufferings. " Remove
from the bed," said he, " all that sad apparatus. In-
stead of these useless precautions, surround me with
perfumes and the flowers of spring; dress my hair
with care; let me fall asleep amidst the sound of
harmonious music." He then spoke for ten minutes
with such vivid and touching eloquence, that every
one in the room was melted into tears. " When I
am no more," said he, " my worth will become
known. The misfortunes which I have held back
will then pour on all sides upon France; the crimi-
nal faction which now trembles before me will be
unbridled. I have before my eyes unbounded pre-
sentiments of disaster. We now see how much we
erred in not preventing the commons from assuming
the name of the National Assembly; since they
gained that victory, they have never ceased to show
themselves unworthy of it. They have chosen to
govern the King, instead of governing by him ; but
soon neither he nor they will rule the country, but a
vile faction, which will overspread it with horrors."
195
Xast Mor^B of
A spasm, attended with violent convulsions, having
returned, he again asked for laudanum. " When
nature," said he, " has abandoned an unhappy vic-
tim, when a miracle only can save his life, how can
you have the barbarity to let him expire on the
wheel ? " His feet were already cold, but his coun-
tenance still retained its animation, his eye its wonted
fire, as if death spared to the last the abode of so
much genius. Feigning to comply, they gave him a
cup, containing what they assured him was lauda-
num. He calmly drank it off, fell back on his pillow,
and expired.
Alison's " History of Europe."
Mohammed (The name signified " the praised,"
and was assumed by the founder of Islam. He was
originally called Halabi), about 570-632. *' O Allah,
be it so! Henceforth among the glorious host of
paradise." Some give his last words thus, " O
Allah, pardon my sins. Yes, I come, among my
fellow labourers on high."
In his last wanderings he only spoke of angels
and heaven. He died in the lap of Ayeshah, about
noon of Monday, the twelfth (eleventh) of the third
month, in the year 1 1 of the Hedyrah (June 8, 632).
His death caused an immense excitement and dis-
tress among the faithful, and Omar, who himself
would not believe in it, tried to persuade the people
of his still being alive. But Abu Bekr said to the
assembled multitude : — " Whoever among you has
196
Dfstfngufsbeb ffX^cn an& Momen
served Mohammed, let him know that Mohammed
is dead ; but he who has served the god of Mo-
hammed, let him continue in his service, for he is
still alive and never dies."
Chambers' Encyclopaedia.
Montcalm ( Saint- Veran de Marquis), 1712-
1759. " So much the better! I shall not then live to
see the surrender of Quebec," on being told that he
was dying.
MoNTEFiORE (Sir Moses, wealthy and distin-
guished Jewish philanthropist), 1785- 1885. '' Thank
God! Thank Heaven! "
Montezuma II (Montegumatin, "the sad or
severe man " — the last of the Aztec emperors),
about 1470- 1 520. "/ confide to your care my be-
loved children, the most precious jewels I can leave
you. The great monarch beyond the ocean zvill inter-
est himself to see that they come into their inherit-
ance, if you present before him their just claims. I
knozv your master zvill do this, if for no other reason,
then for the kindness I have shozvn the Spaniards,
though it has occasioned my ruin. For all my mis-
fortunes, Malinchc} I bear you no ill zvill." Some
give his last words thus : " And do you think I, then,
am taking pleasure in my bath ? "
^ Malinche, Montezuma's name for Cortes, was borrowed
from the original name of the conqueror's mistress and inter-
preter, known in the Spanish records as Marina. See " Death
of Montezuma," in Prescott's " Conquest of Mexico."
Xast Mor^s ot
MoNTFORT DE (Simon, Earl of Leicester), 1208-
1265. " Commend your souls to God, for our bodies
are the foes' ! " To his followers, when he saw the
advance of the enemy at the battle of Evesham.
Moody (Dwight Lyman, distinguished Ameri-
can evangelist), 1837- 1899, ' ^ ^^^ earth receding;
Heaven is opening; God is calling me." ^
As the noonday hour drew near, the watchers at
the bedside noticed the approach of death. Several
times Mr. Moody's lips moved as if in prayer, but
the articulation was so faint that the words could
not be heard.
Just as death came Mr. Moody awoke as if from
slumber, and said, with much joyousness. " I see
earth receding; Heaven is opening; God is calling
me,'' and a moment later he had entered upon
what one of his sons described as " a triumphal
march into heaven." — New York Times, Dec. 2;^,
1899.
Moore Sir John, British general, whose death
is beautifully commemorated in an ode by Rev.
* The world recedes. It disappears.
Heaven opens to my eyes. My ears
With sounds seraphic ring.
Lend, lend your wings! I mount! I fly!
O grave, where is thy victory !
O death, where is thy sting !
— Pope: " The Dying Christian tc his Soul.'
198
H)i6tinouf0beC) /iDen m\^ Momen
Charles Wolfe. Byron pronounced this ode the best
in the EngHsh language)/ 1 761- 1809.
He said to Colonel Anderson, who for one and
twenty years had been his friend and companion in
arms : " Anderson, you know that I always wished
to die in this way." He frequently asked, " Are the
French beaten? " And at length, when he was told
they were defeated in every point, he said. " It is a
great satisfaction to me to know we have beaten the
French. I hope the people of England will be sat-
isfied. I hope my country will do me justice." Hav-
ing mentioned the name of his venerable mother,
and the names of some other friends, for whose
welfare he seemed anxious to offer his last prayers,
the power of utterance was lost, and he died in a few
minutes without a struggle. — The Book of Death.
The last words that passed his dying lips were a
message to Lady Hester Stanhope, the niece of Pitt,
afterwards so famous for her eccentricity, as her
father had been before her. To her, to whom he is
said to have been deeply attached, if not engaged, he
sent his dying remembrances by her brother, one of
his aides-de-camp, and then passed peacefully into
the presence of his God. — Cornhill Magazine.
^ It has been generally supposed that the burial of Sir John
Moore, who fell at the battle of Corunna, in 1809, took place
during the night, an error which doubtless arose from the
statement to that effect in Wolfe's celebrated lines. Rev. Mr.
Symons, who was the clergyman on the occasion, states, how-
ever, in " Notes and Queries," that the burial took place in
the morning, in broad day-light.
199
Xast Mor^s ot
More (Sir Thomas, author of "Utopia." He
succeeded Wolsey as lord chancellor, a dignity never
before filled by a common lawyer. He refused to
take the oath to maintain the lawfulness of the mar-
riage of Henry VHI. with Anne Boleyn, and was
therefore adjudged guilty of high treason, and con-
demned to death. He was beheaded July 6, 1535),
1480-1535. " / pray you see me safe up the scaffold;
as for my coining doivn, let me shift for myself."
Some say his last words were these, addressed to the
executioner, " Stay friend till I put aside my beard,
for that never committed treason."
More (Hannah, poet, essayist and moralist),
1744-1833- "Joy."
Morris (Gouverneur, American Statesman),
1752-1816.
Courageously he had lived, and courageously he
met the great change, with entire resignation to the
Divine will. " Sixty-four years ago," he said just
before his death, " it pleased the Almighty to call
me into existence — here, on this spot, in this very
room ; and now shall I complain that he is pleased to
call me hence? " On the day of his death he asked
about the weather, and, on being told that it was fair,
he replied : " A beautiful day, yes, but —
" ' Who, to dumb forgetfnlness a prey,
This pleasing, anxious being e'er resign'd;
Left the warm precincts of the cheerful day.
Nor cast one longing lingering look behind?'"
— Diary and Letters of Gouverneur Morris.
200
Dtstfnc5ulsbe& /iDen ant) Momen
Morton (Oliver Perry, American Statesman),
1823-1877. ""/ am dying, I am worn out," to Dr.
Thompson who was standing by his bed and holding
his hand,
MoTHE LE Vayer de LA (This learned man's
favorite amusement consisted in the study of dis-
tant countries), 1588- 1672. " Well, my friend,
what news from the Great Mogul f" The question
was addressed to Bernier, the traveller, who had
entered his room to bid him an affectionate and last
farewell.
Motley (John Lothrop, distinguished historian),
1814-1877. " / am ill — very ill, I shall not recover."
About two o'clock in the day he complained of a
feeling of faintness, said he felt ill and should not
recover; and in a few minutes was insensible with
symptoms of ingravescent apoplexy. There was ex-
tensive hemorrhage into the brain, as shown by post-
mortem examination, the cerebral vessels being
atheromatous. The fatal hemorrhage had occurred
into the lateral ventricles, from rupture of one of the
middle cerebral arteries.
'Sir William W. Gull's account of Motley's death.
Mozart (Johann Chrysostom Wolfgang Ama-
deus, one of the most eminent of musical com-
posers), 1 756- 1 792. The last words which he ad-
dressed to Sophie Haibl were, " I have the flavour
of death on my tongue. I taste death; and who will
201
Xast Mor^s ot
support my dearest Constanze if you do not stay
with her?" Later he conversed with Siissmayer
Over the Requiem and was heard to say, " Did I not
say that I was writing the Requiem for myself f "
This he said with tears in his eyes as he looked at
the notes.
Just before death he demanded to hear again the
Requiem. Dr. Clossel, his physician, nodded his
consent. Siissmayer sat down at the piano, Schack
sang the soprano, Hofer the tenor, Gorl the bass,
and the dying Mozart the aUo. Softly swelled forth
the ineffable music of the sweet, sorrowful, sacred
death song. After this the chamber was silent as the
grave. Only the clock ticked softly on the shelf,
as it marked the weary hours of the passing night.
— Condensed from Sill's translation of Rail's Bio-
graphical Romance of Mozart.
After all consciousness had gone, still Mozart's
fancies were busy with the Requiem, blowing out his
cheeks to imitate the trumpets and drums. Toward
midnight he raised himself, opened his eyes wide,
then lay down with his face to the wall and seemed
to fall asleep. At one o'clock he expired.
The swelling of Mozart's body after death led to
the suspicion that he had been poisoned. But there
was no other ground for the suspicion than Mozart's
diseased fancies, which gave rise to the most shame-
ful and unfortunate distrust of Salieri, who, it was
reported, acknowledged upon his deathbed having
administered poison to Mozart. All these suspicions
202
2)istinouisbe& /iDen an& Momen
were fully laid to rest by Carpani in the Biblioteca
Italiana, 1824. *
Muhlenberg (Rev. William Augustus, founder
of St. Luke's Hospital in New York, and author of
the hymn, "I would not live alway"), 1796-1877.
" Good morning," spoken to a friend who entered
the room.
Murphy (Arthur, dramatic author, and trans-
lator), 1 728- 1 805. He died repeating the lines of
Pope:
" Taught, half by reason, half by mere decay,
To zvclcome death, and calmly pass away."
Nadir Shah (Kouli Khan, celebrated Persian
conqueror), 1688- 1747. "Thou dog!" addressed
to one of the conspirators who slew him in his tent,
June 19, 1747.
When Nadir invaded India in 1739, he arrived
first at Lahore ; where the governor immediately
surrendered the city to him, and treated him with
princely honours. At night Nadir, whose only
' A common undistinguished grave received the coffin, which
was then left without memorial — almost forgotten — for nearly
twenty years ; and when, in 1808, some inquiries were made
as to the precise spot of the interment, all that the sexton
could tell was that, at the latter end of 1791, the space about
the third and fourth row from the cross was being occupied
with graves ; but the contents of these graves being from time
to time exhumed, nothing could be determined concerning
that which was once Mozart. — Home's " Life of Mozart."
203
Xast Mor&6 ot
couch, for months past, had been a horse-blanket,
with a saddle for a pillow, was conducted to a mag-
nificent bed, with piles of cushions; and twelve
young damsels were in attendance to shampoo his
limbs and fan him to sleep. Nadir started from
his luxurious couch, roared for his secretary, and
gave orders that the drums should be beat, and a
proclamation made that Nadir had conquered all
India. The astonished scribe ventured to hint that
this conquest had not yet been accomplished. " No
matter," said Nadir, " where the chiefs of the people
choose to live in this effeminate manner, it will cost
me little trouble to conquer them." And his antici-
pation was fully verified. After he had taken the
city of Delhi, he visited the discomfited Emperor,
who received him in fear and trembling. Nadir
was seated in the chair of state, and the attar of roses
and other perfumes were brought, according to cus-
tom and presented to him. Nadir had not changed
his clothes or taken off his armor for many days,
and his person was by no means free from vermin. He
asked contemptuously what was the use of perfum-
ing a soldier's garments; and, thrusting his hand
into his bosom, drew forth a number of lice, which
he told the astonished Emperor were better com-
panions than all his sweet scents. Nadir had or-
dered a splendid mausoleum to be built for himself
at Mush'hcd, in Khorassan ; and on his return from
India he went to see it. The night before he visited
his intended resting-place, some unfriendly wag
204
2)lstinguisbeD /iDen an& Motnen
wrote above the spot destined for his grave —
" Welcome, conqueror of the world ! your place here
has long been empty." The wag had in mind
Nadir's common salutation to a friend who had
been long absent, " Your place has been long empty."
Nadir offered a reward for the discovery of the
writer, but never succeeded in finding out who he
was. The place was not long empty, for Nadir was
assassinated soon after; and here his remains rested
till they were dug up and desecrated by Agha Mo-
hammed.
Welhy: " Predictions Realised in Modern Times."
Nani (Giambattista Felice Gasparo, author of
" Istaria della Republica Veneta"), 1616-1678.
" Hozv beautiful! "
Napoleon I. (Napoleon Bonaparte), 1 769-1 821.
" Mon Dieu! La Nation Frangaise! Tete d'armee,"
He died on the island of St. Helena, May 5, 182 1.
In 1840 his remains were removed to France and
deposited in the Hotel des Invalides. ^
During the last nine days of his life he was con-
stantly delirious. On the morning of May 5th he
uttered some incoherent words, among which
^ The heart of the first Napoleon had a narrow escape from
disappearing forever, elsewhere than in the tomb. It is
recorded that when he died at St. Helena his heart was
extracted for preservation. The English physician who had
charge of it placed it in a silver basin containing water, and
leaving tapers burning beside it retired to rest. Sleep, how-
205
Xast Mor&5 of
Montholon fancied that he distinguished, " France
. . . armee . . . tete d'armec." As the patient
uttered these words he sprang from the bed, dragging
Montholon, who endeavored to restrain him, on the
floor. It was the last effort of that formidable energy.
He was with difficulty replaced in bed by Montholon
and Archambault, and then lay quietly till near six
o'clock in the evening, when he yielded his last
breath. A great storm was raging outside, which
shook the frail huts of the soldiers as with an earth-
quake, tore up the trees that the Emperor had
planted, and uprooted the willow under which he
was accustomed to repose. Within, the faithful
Marchand was covering the corpse with the cloak
which the young conqueror had worn at Marengo.
Lord Rosehery.
Napoleon III. (Louis Napoleon, " The Little,"
" Ratipole," " The Man of Sedan," " The Man of
December," " Boustrapa," " Badinguet " and " The
Comte d'Arenenberg "), 1808-1873. "Were you
at Sedan? " He asked the question of Dr. Conneau.
It was at Sedan that he surrendered his sword to the
King of Prussia,
ever, visited him not, and suddenly, breaking the silence, he
heard first a rustling, then a plunge in the water of the
basin, then a fall with a rebound on the floor, all in quick
succession. Springing from his couch, the physician saw
an enormous rat dragging Bonaparte's heart to its hole ; in
a few moments more it would have formed a meal for rats.
206
H)istfnouisbe& /iDen an^ Momen
Nares (Rev. Edward, "Thinks I to myself"),
1 762- 1 84 1. " Good-hye."
Naruszewicz (Adam Stanislas, "The Polish
Tacitus"), 1 733- 1 796. "Must I leave it unfin-
ished^" He referred to his " History of Poland."
Neander (Johann August, the celebrated church
historian. He was of Jewish descent, but early in
life embraced the Christian faith, and at his baptism
assumed the name " Neander," from two Greek
words signifying a new man), 1789-1850. "/ am
weary; I will now go to sleep. Good night! "
Nelson (Horatio), 1758-1805. "Thank God,
I have done my duty." He died in battle. Some
say his last words were : " Kiss me, Hardy." Others
give them thus : " Tell Collingwood to bring the
fleet to anchor."
His ever-memorable signal to his fleet, immedi-
ately before the battle commenced, had been; " Eng-
land expects every man to do his dut}'-," and if ever
a man lived and died in earnest, fearless, unselfish
discharge of his duty to his country, it was Admiral
Nelson, victor of the Nile, Copenhagen and
Trafalgar. — Appletons Cydopcedia of Biography.
Nero (Lucius Domitius Claudius C?esar, Em-
peror of Rome), 37-68. " Qualis artifex pereo!"
The poor wretch who, without a pang, had caused
so many brave Romans and so many innocent Chris-
207
Xast Mor&0 ot
tians to be murdered, could not summon up resolu-
tion to die. He devised every operatic incident of
which he could think. When even his most degraded
slaves urged him to have sufficient manliness to save
himself from the fearful infamies which otherwise
awaited him, he ordered his grave to be dug, and
fragments of marble to be collected for its adorn-
ment, and water and wood for his funeral pyre, per-
petually whining: "What an artist to perish!"
Meanwhile a courier arrived for Phaon. Nero
snatched his dispatches out of his hand, and read that
the Senate had decided that he should be punished
in the ancestral fashion as a public enemy. Asking
what the ancestral fashion was, he was informed
that he would be stripped naked and scourged to
death with rods, with' his head thrust into a fork.
Horrified at this, he seized two daggers, and after
theatrically trying their edges, sheathed them again,
with the excuse that the fatal moment had not yet
arrived! Then he bade Sparus begin to sing his
funeral song, and begged some one to show him
how to die. Even his own intense shame at his
cowardice was an insufficient stimulus, and he whiled
away the time in vapid epigrams and pompous quo-
tations. The sound of horses' hoofs then broke on
his ears, and venting one more Greek quotation, he
held the dagger to his throat. It was driven home
by Epaphroditus, one of his literary slaves. At this
moment the centurion who came to arrest him
rushed in. Nero was not yet dead, and under pre-
208
2)l5tinoui5be& /IDen an& Moinen
tense of helping liini, the centurion began to stanch
the wound with his cloak. " Too late," he said; " is
this your fidelity? " So he died; and the bystanders
were horrified with the way in which his eyes seemed
to be starting out of his head in a rigid stare. He
had begged that his body might be burned without
posthumous insults, and this was conceded by Icelus,
the freedman of Galba.
Farrar: " Early Days of Christianity."
It was the remark of Nero's father, Ahenobarbus,
that nothing but what was hateful and pernicious
to mankind could ever come from Agrippina and
himself. Yet the story of a strange hand that
strewed flowers upon the tomb of this tyrant is well
known.
Newell (Harriet, missionary in India), 1793-
1812. "' The pains, the groans, the dying strife.
How long, O Lord, how long? "
Newport (Francis, once famous as an opponent
of Christianity). " Oh, the insufferable pangs of hell
and damnation! " Died 1692.
Newton (John, English divine. His early life
was that of a profligate sailor engaged in the Afri-
can slave-trade. After his conversion he became the
friend of the poet Cowper, and with him wrote the
" Olney Hymns"), 1725-1807. "/ am satisfied
with the Lord's will." Last recorded words.
209
Xast Mor50 of
Newton (Richard, an English divine, founder of
Hertford College, Oxford), 1676-1753. ''Christ
Jesus the Saviour of sinners and life of the dead. I
am going, going to Glory! Farezvell sin! Farewell
death! Praise the Lord!"
NoTT (Eliphalet, American clergyman, Presi-
dent of Union College, Schenectady, N. Y., for more
than sixty years), 1773- 1866. "One word, on€
word — Jesus Christ! "
NouRSE (Rebecca, a good and brave woman who,
in the old Puritan-days, suffered as a witch at Salem,
Mass.), 162 1- 1692. Her last words are not pre-
served, but it is recorded that just before her death
she declared her innocence and appealed to the judg-
ment of Almighty God. The story of her death
forms one of the saddest of the many distressing
chapters in the history of early New England.
Mrs. Nourse was a very devout woman, and prob-
ably the hardest blow of all was the action of the
First Congregational Church, of which she was a
member. The records still preserved read as follows :
" After Sacrament the elders propounded to the
church, and it was by unanimous vote consented to,
that our Sister Nourse, being a convicted witch, and
condemned to die, be excommunicated, which was
accordingly done in the afternoon, she being
present."
The scene presented on this occasion must have
210
DistinouisbeC) /IDen an& Momen
been as impressive at the time, as it is shocking
to us in the retrospect. The spacious meeting-house
was filled with people. The sheriff, accompanied by
his deputy brought in the prisoner, manacled, with
the chains clanking from her side. The two elders,
Higginson and Noyes, as the clergy were then called,
delivered an address over the sorrow-burdened
form condemning her to eternal punishment.
Then came the day of execution, July 19, 1692.
At an early hour the little village was bristling with
activity. " The devil's angel on earth " was to be
punished with the death she deserved, and so the
Puritan maidens attired themselves in holiday dress
to honor the event. The procession to the gallows
was a long one, scores of people from the neighbor-
ing tow^ns and villages taking part. The victim,
manacled and guarded by the sheriff and his deputy,
headed the line, while close behind followed troops
of men and women who laughed, deeming it rare
sport to see the agonized faces of the terror-stricken
family as they watched the mother and wife grow
pale, and tremble as she began the ascent of the
rocky cliff whose top was crowned with the instru-
ment of death. It is impossible in words to depict
the scene of the execution in the horrible colors in
which tradition has painted it. With firm steps and
eyes upturned to heaven, the gray-haired woman
took her place on the drop. Silently the hangman
tied the rope before the eager waiting assembly;
then a momentary hush passed over the crowd —
211
Xast Mor^s of
the executioner's duty was done. A moment later all
that was left to tell the story was the body of the
aged woman swinging gently in the summer wind.
Seldom has a woman met with a harder fate. Her
body was thrown with the previous victims into a
hole in a crevice of the rocks, and hastily covered
with earth. Then the masses of spectators turned
homeward, leaving the bereaved family at the home-
stead uncared for and ignored by their once firm
friends.
It is a family tradition that in some way the re-
mains of Mrs. Nourse were recovered by her hus-
band and sons and interred in the spot which is now
pointed out on the estate as her grave. Imagination
only can recall the details of the event, so sad and
awful. In the darkness of night the sons hasten
to the new-made grave, throw off the slight covering
of earth, and by the feeble light of a lantern discover
the remains. What feelings of revenge and sorrow
must have stirred their hearts as they raised their
mother's soulless frame tenderly in their arms, and
carried it along through woods and valleys, over
highways and fields to the homestead, where, on the
following night, the three pronounced the only burial
service over the remains, as they lowered the body
into a newly-made grave in their own consecrated
grounds, which down through the generations has
been reverently guarded.
A beautiful shaft of granite has been erected over
her grave by her descendants. The monument is of
212
S)fstfn(jufsbe& /iDeu an^ Momen
Rockport and Quincy granite, and is eight and a half
feet high. The base and apex are of Rockport gran-
ite, and the die of Quincy granite, poHshed and let-
tered as follows :
REBECCA NOURSE.
YARMOUTH, ENGLAND.
162I.
SALEM, MASS.
1692.
O Christian martyr, who for truth could die,
When all about thee owned the hideous lie,
The world redeemed from superstition's sway,
Goes breathing freer, for thy sake, to-day.
(On the reverse.)
Accused of witchcraft, she declared, " I am inno-
cent, and God will clear my innocency." Once ac-
quitted, yet falsely condemned, she suffered death
July 19, 1692.
In loving memory of her Christian character, even
then fully attested by forty of her neighbors, this
monument is erected July, 1885.
Ney (famous French marshal, "The bravest of
the brave"), 1769-1815. "Soldiers — fire!" said
to the soldiers appointed to dispatch him.
Some say his last words were : " Comrades,
straight to the heart, fire ! " While repeating these
words, he took ofif his hat, it is said, with his left
hand, and placed his right hand upon his heart.
The officer gave the signal with sword at the same
moment, and the marshal instantly fell dead, pierced
213
Xast Mor^s of
with twelve balls, three of which took effect in the
head.
NoYES (John, the martyr). '" We shall not lose
our lives in this fire, but change them for a better,
and for coals, have pearls," said to a fellow martyr.
Oates (Titus), about 1619-1705. "It is all the
same in the end."
Titus Oates was the son of an anabaptist minister,
but was educated for the Church of England, and
received an appointment as chaplain in the royal
navy. He was dismissed in disgrace from the
navy, and united with the Jesuits. Later he rejoined
the Church of England, and revealed a pretended
popish plot, which resulted in the execution and im-
prisonment of many innocent persons. For this he
received a large pension, and was granted a resi-
dence at Whitehall, where he lived until the death of
Charles II. Under King James he was convicted of
perjury and publicly whipped. William III. pen-
sioned him.
An old acrostic, in a book published by Nat.
Thompson, the bookseller, " at the entrance into the
Old Spring Garden near Charing Cross," during the
reign of Charles II., has this choice description of
Titus Oates :
Trayter to God, damn'd source of. blasphemy,
Insect of hell, grand mass of perjury;
Thorough-pac'd villain, second unto none,
Unless to Judas (if by him out-done),
214
E>tstiuoui5bet) riDen ant> Momen
Satan's black agent, hell's monopoly,
Of all that's called sin and villainy;
Accursed parent of an hell-bred brood,
Teacher of lies, spiller of guiltless blood;
England's dark cloud, eclipsing all her glory ;
Satan's delight, and hell's repository.
O'Carolan, or Carolan (Turlough, famous
Irish bard and musical composer), 1670- 1738. "It
would he hard indeed if zve two dear friends should
part after so many years, without one szveet kiss."
These words were spoken to a bowl of wine which he
kissed when he was no longer able to drink.
Oliver (Francois, Chancellor of France), 1497-
1560. " O Cardinal! thou zcilt make us all to be
damned/' to Cardinal Lorrain under whom he had
condemned to death many innocent men for their
faith. He fell sick through remorse, and in his de-
lirium charged Cardinal Lorrain with bringing down
upon him the wrath of God.
Orange (William, Prince of, called "William
the Silent," founder of the Dutch Republic), 1533-
1584. "I do" in response to his sister's question,
" Dost thou commend thy soul to Jesus Christ? "
William staggered and fell into the arms of an
equerry. All crowded round. " I am wounded,"
said William in a feeble voice. . . . God have
mercy on me and on my poor people ! " He was all
covered with blood. His sister, Catherine of
Schwartzburg, asked, " Dost thou commend thy soul
to Jesus Christ?" He answered, in a whisper, "I
215
Xast Mor^s of
do." It was his last word. They placed him on one
of the steps and spoke to him, but he was no longer
conscious. They then bore him into a room near by,
where he died. — De Amicis: "Holland."
The assassin was put to death by the Dutch, but
his parents were ennobled and richly rewarded by
Philip II. of Spain. Philip had offered a reward
for the prince's murder, and five separate attempts
had been made previously to kill him.
Orleans (Louis Philippe Joseph, Due d', sur-
named "figalite"), 1747- 1793. "They will come
off better after: let us have done," to the executioner
who was about to draw off the duke's boots.
Owen (Robert, socialistic writer and philanthro-
pist), 1771-1858. "Relief has come"
Owen (John, English non-conformist divine and
author, chaplain to Cromwell, Dean of Christ Church,
Oxford, in 1651, Vice-Chancellor of the University
of Oxford. He was a man of great ability and de-
voted piety), 1616-1683. The first sheet of his
" Meditations on the Glory of Christ " had passed
through the press under the superintendence of the
Rev. William Payne ; . . . . and on that per-
son calling on him to inform him of the circum-
stances, on the morning of the day he died, he ex-
claimed with uplifted hands, and eyes looking up-
ward, " I am glad to hear it; but, 0 brother Payne!
the long-wished-for day is come at last, in zvhich I
216
5)i0tf noui6be^ fft^cn an^ Momen
shall see that glory in another manner than I have
ever done, or zvas capable of doing, in this zvorld."
From Quotation in Allibone.
Paine (Thomas, author of " Common Sense,"
" The Rights of Man " and " The Age of Reason *'),
1 737- 1 809. " I have no ivish to believe on that sub-
ject.'' These words were in answer to his physi-
cian's inquiry : " Do you wish to beheve that Jesus
is the Son of God? "
There is a dispute with regard to Paine's death.
Some writers say he recanted and became a Chris-
tian, while others affirm that he died as he lived —
an avowed Deist. In his last will and testament he
says : "I have lived an honest and useful life to
mankind ; my time has been spent in doing good ;
and I die in perfect composure and resignation to
the will of my creator, God." On the other hand
some authors say that he was grossly intemperate
and licentious, and that he discarded Christianity,
not so much from conviction as from a base desire to
lead a bad life.
" In 1802, he (Paine) returned to America and
resided a part of the time on a farm at New Rochelle,
presented to him by the State of New York for his
Revolutionary service. Paine became very intem-
perate, and fell low in the social scale, not only on
account of his beastly habits, but because of his blas-
phemous tirade against Christianity."
Lossing in " Our Countrymen."
217
Xast 1RIlort>s ot
Of Paine's last hours Rev. O. B. Frothingham
speaks as follows :
" The truth is, that Paine, though not rich, was in
comfortable circumstances. He had considerable
property, which is specified in his will. His sick
bed was surrounded by friends who ministered to his
wants, witnessed the firmness and calmness of his
last hours,- and attested the sincerity and sufficiency
of his convictions. Not even the impertinent intru-
siveness of the clergy disturbed the entire serenity of
his death."
The commonly received opinion, and most likely
the correct one, with regard to Paine is this which
we excerpt from Appleton's Cydopccdia of Biog-
raphy:
" His attacks upon religion had exceedingly nar-
rowed his circle of acquaintance; and his habitual
intemperance tended to the injury of his health and
the ultimate production of a complication of dis-
orders, to which he fell a victim in 1809. The
Quakers refused to admit his remains among their
dead, and he was buried on his own farm. Cobbett
boasted of having disinterred him in 18 17, and of
having brought his body to England; many, how-
ever, assert that Cobbett did not take that trouble, but
brought over from America the remains of a crim-
inal who had been executed."^
* The effects of Mr. Cobbett were sold by auction, in 1836;
and the bones brought forward to be offered for competition.
The auctioneer, however, refused to put them up; and they
218
S)t0tfnautsbe& /iDen anD Momen
Palmer (John, English actor of considerable
merit), 1742-1798. "There is another and a better
world."
His death took place on the stage of the Liverpool
were withdrawn, and remained in the possession of the re-
ceiver. This gentleman, desiring to be relieved, awaited the
orders o£ the Lord Chancellor ; but the latter, upon the matter
being mentioned to him in court, refused to recognize them as
part of the estate, or make any order respecting them. The
receiver thus continued to hold them ; but finding that none
of the creditors would relieve him of them, or, indeed, make
inquiry about them, he transferred them, in 1844, to a Mr.
Tilley, who retained them in his possession until a public
funeral could be arranged. I have never heard that this
has been done, and know nothing more of these Thomae
venerabilis ossa. — William Bates: " The Maclise Portrait
Gallery."
Ode to the Bones of the Im-mortal Thomas Paine, newly
transported from America to England, by the no less Im-
mortal IVilliam Cobbett, Esq., by Thomas Rodd, Senr., the
Bookseller (London, 1819, 4to). A Brief History of the Re-
mains of the late Thomas Paine, from the time of their dis-
interment, in 1819, by the late William Cobbett, M.P., down
to the year 1846 (London, Watson, 1847) ; and Notes and
Queries, Fourth Series.
" How Tom gets a living now ... I know not, nor
does it much signify. He has done all the mischief he can in
the world ; and whether his carcase is at last to be suflfered
to rot on the earth, or to be dried in the air, is of very little
consequence. Whenever or wherever he breathes his last, he
will excite neither sorrow nor compassion ; no friendly hand
will close his eyes, not a groan will be uttered, not a tear will
be shed. Like Judas, he will be remembered by posterity ;
men zvill learn to express all that is base, malignant, treacher-
ous, unnatural, and blasphemous, by the single monosyllable-^-
Paine ! " — Life of Thomas Paine, by William Cobbett.
219
Xast 'Qmort)s of
Theatre while he was performing the character of the
Stranger, and his last words were a line in the play.
Palmer was a man of acute and affectionate feel-
ings, which had been much exercised by the course
and events of his life. He had recently lost his wife
and a favorite son, labored in consequence under pro-
found grief and depression of mind which he strove
to overcome, and had expressed a conviction that
these mental sufferings would very shortly bring him
to his grave. During some days he seemed, how-
ever, to bear up against his misfortunes, and per-
formed in some pieces, including The Stranger, with
much success. About a week afterward he appeared
a second time in that character, when he fell a victim
to the poignancy of his feelings. On the morning
of the day he was much dejected, but exerted him-
self with great effect in the first and second acts of
the play. In the third act he showed evident marks
of depression ; and in the fourth, when about to re-
ply to the question of Baron Steinfort relative to his
children, appeared unusually agitated. He endeav-
ored to proceed, but his feelings overcame him. The
hand of death arrested his progress, and he fell on
his back, heaved a convulsive sigh and instantly ex-
pired without a groan. Having been removed to
the scene-room, and medical aid immediately pro-
cured, his veins were opened, but yielded not a single
drop of blood, and every other means of resuscitation
was tried without effect. His death was by most
persons ascribed to apoplexy; but Dr. Mitchell and
220
Distfnaui9be& /IDen anb Momen
Dr. Corry gave it as their opinion that he certainly
died of a broken heart, in consequence of the family
afflictions which he had recently experienced.
Annual Register.
Park (Edwards Amasa, distinguished American
theologian, author and translator, professor in An-
dover Theological Seminary, and one of the editors
of the " Bibliotheca Sacra "), 1808- 1899. " These
passages may be found on the following pages."
His mind was wandering, and, like Dr. Adam, head
master at the High School in Edinburgh, he thought
himself once more in the class-room.
Parker (Theodore, Unitarian preacher and
writer), 18 10- 1869. ''It is all one, Phillips and
Clarke zvill come for my sake." He meant that
Wendell Phillips and James Freeman Clarke would
attend his funeral. He died at Florence, where he
had gone for his health. The character of Theodore
Parker was above reproach. His tone of morality
was high. His motives were elevated, and, appar-
ently, sincere. His firm grasp of some of the fun-
damental principles of natural religion, together
with his unfailing confidence in his own powers,
gave a strength to his utterances of truth and duty
which often stirred and swayed the moral nature of
his hearers. But in all his writings we find no ex-
pression of a consciousness of guilt and of need as a
sinner, and no recognition of Christ as a Saviour.
221
Xast Mor^B of
Of Theodore Parker, Lowell speaks thus wittily, in
his " Fables for Critics : "
His hearers can't tell you on Sunday beforehand,
If in that day's discourse they'll be Bibled or Koraned,
For he's seized the idea (by his martyrdom fired),
That all men (not orthodox) may be inspired;
Yet though wisdom profane with his creed he may weave in,
He makes it quite clear what he doesn't believe in.
While some, who decry him, think all kingdom come
Is a sort of a, kind of a, species of Hum,
Of which, as it were, so to speak, not a crumb
Would be left, if we didn't keep carefully mum.
And, to make a clean breast, that 'tis perfectly plain
That all kinds of wisdom are somewhat profane ;
Now P's creed than this may be lighter or darker,
But in one thing 'tis clear he has faith, namely — Parker.
And this is what makes him the crowd-drawing preacher.
There's a background of God to each hard-working feature.
Parkman (Francis, American author), 1823-
1893. He died peacefully about noon on the 8th of
November, 1893, and was buried in the Mount
Auburn Cemetery. The last book he read was
" Childe Harold," and his last words were to tell that
he had just dreamed of killing a bear. Though
suffering extremely, he yet maintained to his last
hour an impressive degree of dignity, firmness, gen-
tleness and serenity.
Farnham: " Life of Francis Parkman."
Pascal (Blaise, one of the most profound thinkers
and accomplished writers of France), 1623-1662.
" May God never forsake me! "
2.2,2.
Bfstfnoufsbet) jflDen anb Momen
Payson (Rev. Edward, American Congrega'
tional divine), 1783-1827. "Faith and patience
Jwld out." These words were spoken with extreme
difficulty and in great pain. Some report his last
words thus : '' I feel like a mote in the sunbeam."
Dr. Payson directed that when he was dead a label
should be attached to his breast on which should be
written, " Remember the words I spake unto you
while I was yet present with you," that all who came
to view his dead body might receive from him one
more sermon. The same words were at the request
of his people engraven upon the plate of the coffin.
Pellico (Silvio, Italian poet, author of " Fran-
cesca da Rimini " and " My Prisons "), 1789- 1854.
'' O Paradise! O Paradise! At last comes to me the
grand consolation. My prisons disappear; the great
of earth pass azvay; all before me is rest."
Pembo (the hermit), ''I thank God that not a
day of my life has been spent in idleness. Never
have I eaten bread that I have not earned with the
szveat of my brozv. I do not recall any bitter speech
I have made for which I ought to repent now."
This suggests the prayer of the Pharisee, " God, I
thank thee that I am not as other men are, extor-
tioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
T fast twice in the week; I give tithes of all that I
possess." — Luke xviii: 11, 12.
Penn (William, founder of Pennsylvania), 1644-
17 18. "To be like Christ is to be a Christian."
223
Xast 1imor&s of
Perceval (Spencer, distinguished statesman, as-
sassinated on the nth of May, 1812, in the lobby of
the House of Commons, by John Belhngham), 1762-
1812. " O my God!"
Pestel (Paul, Russian revolutionist, author of
" Pestel's Hymn." He was a brave man who loved
liberty, and desired to establish it upon the ruins of
Russian absolutism), 1794-1826. '' Stupid country,
where they do not even know hozv to hang." These
words were spoken when the rope broke by which he
was to be hanged.
Peter (His original name was Simon; but when
he became a disciple of Christ he received the name
Peter, which in Greek signifies a " rock." He was
sometimes called Cephas. He was one of the most
distinguished of the twelve apostles of our Lord, and
is the author of two epistles included in the canon of
Scripture), — 65, ''Remember the Lord Jesus
Christ." These words which rest upon the author-
ity of Eusebius, Peter is said to have addressed to
his wife on seeing her going to martyrdom. Some
suppose that he was himself at the time suspended
upon the cross,^
Peter I. (of Russia, " Peter the Great "), 1672-
1725. "/ believe. Lord, and confess; help my un-
belief."
^ It is said that Peter was crucified with his head down,
himself so requesting, because he thought himself unworthy
to be crucified in the same manner as his Lord.
224
Distinouisbet) /IDen an& Momen
Peter III. (Feodorovitch, of Russia, grandson of
" Peter the Great." He drew down upon himself,
by his innovations, the enmity of the nobles and
clergy, and was in consequence dethroned and stran-
gled by conspirators, of whom his wife, the profli-
gate, cruel and infamous Catherine II. was an ac-
complice), 1728-1762. "It zvas not enough to de-
prive me of the Crown of Russia, but I must he put
to death."
Peters (Hugh, distinguished clergyman and
politician, pastor of the First Congregational Church
in Salem, Mass., succeeding Roger Williams,
" whose doctrines he disclaimed and whose adher-
ents he excommunicated." In 1637 he was ap-
pointed overseer of Harvard. In 1641 he returned
to England, where he joined the Parliamentary
party, and became a chaplain in the army. After
the restoration of Charles II. Peters was committed
to the Tower, and indicted for high treason. He
was executed in London, Oct. 16, 1660), 1599-
1660. "Friend, you do not zvcll to trample on a
dying man."
When Hugh Peters was carried on a sledge to the
scaffold, he was made to sit within the rails, and see
the execution of Mr. Cook. When the latter was
cut down to be quartered. Colonel Turner ordered
the sheriff's men to bring Mr. Peters near, that he
might see it; and when soon after the hangman
rubbed his blood-stained hands together, he taunt-
225
Xast Mort>0 ot
ingly asked, " Come, how do you like this work, Mr.
Peters? " He cahnly replied, " Friend, you do not
well to trample on a dying man."
The Percy Anecdotes.
It was alleged that Peters was one of those that
stood masked on the scaffold when the king was be-
headed, and to render him more odious, it was re-
ported that he was the executioner. During his im-
prisonment he wrote several letters of advice to his
daughter, which were published under the title of
" A Dying Father's Legacy to an Only Child," of
which his great-nephew, Samuel, said : " It was
printed and published in Old and New England, and
myriads of experienced Christians have read his
legacy with ecstasy and health to their souls." After
execution his head was stuck on a pole and placed on
London bridge. . . . His private character
has been the subject of much discussion. He was
charged by his enemies with gross immorality, and
the most bitter epithets have been applied to him.
Of late years he has been estimated more favorably.
Appleton's Cyclopcodia of American Biography.
Philip II. (of Spain), 1527-1598. '' / die like
a good Catholic, in faith and obedience to the Holy
Roman church."
Soon after these last words had been spoken, a
paroxysm, followed by faintness, came over him,
and he lay entirely still. They had covered his face
with a cloth, thinking that he had already expired,
226
S)i5tinouisbe& /IDen an& Momen
when he suddenly started with great energy, opened
his eyes, seized the crucifix again from the hand of
Don Fernando de Toledo, kissed it, and fell back
again in agony . . . He did not speak again,
but lay unconsciously dying for some hours, and
breathed his last at five in the morning of Sunday,
the 13th of September.
Motley: " History of the United Netherlands."
Philip III. (of Spain), 1578-1621 : "Oh zvould
to God I had never reigned! Oh, that those years I
have spent in my kingdom I had lived a solitary life
in the zuilderness! Oh, that I had lived alone with
God! Hozv mueh more secure should I nozv have
died! With lioiv much more confidence should I
have gone to the throne of God! What doth all my
glory profit, hut that I have so much the more tor-
ment in my death? "
Pius IX. (Cardinal Giovanni Maria Mastai-Far-
retti, elected Pope June 17th, 1846), 1792- 1878.
*"' Guard the church I loved so well and sacredly."
Some say his last words were, " Death wins this
time."
Phocion (Athenian statesman and general, un-
justly condemned on a charge of treason, and put
to death), b. c. 402-317. "No resentment."
Pitt (William), 1759- 1806. "0 my country,
how I leave thee! "
227
Xast 11xaor&s of
PiZARRO (Francisco, the conqueror of Peru),
about 1 475- 1 54 1. "Jcsu!" He was assassinated
in his palace, June 26, 1541, and was killed only
after desperate resistance.
Plotinus (Greek philosopher ot the Neo-Pla-
tonic school), 204-270. "/ am laboring to return
that which is divine in us, unto that Divinity which
informs and enlivens the whole universe."
He was intensely religious, and if he had come a
century later would, instead of a heathen philos-
opher, have been one of the first names among the
saints of the church. — Hallam.
PoE (Edgar Allan, American poet, author of
" The Raven "), 181 1-1849. '' Lord help my soul! "
Dr. Moran, resident physician of the Marine
Hospital, where Poe died, wrote to Mrs. Clemm,
under date of November 15th, 1849, ^^^ account
of Poe's last hours, in which he represents him as
having been wildly delirious, sometimes " resisting
the efforts of two nurses to keep him in bed, until
Saturday, when he commenced calling for one
' Reynolds,' which he did through the night until
three on Sunday morning. At this time a very
decided change began to affect him. Having be-
come enfeebled from exertion, he became quiet and
seemed to rest for a short time ; then gently moving
his head he said, ' Lord help my soul ! ' and ex-
pired."
228
c//^ aLiU A^ ^<io/^30.J?
5^^^
S)istinoui9be^ /iDen an& TRIlomen
PoLYCARP (" Saint," Christian Father and martyr
and the reputed disciple of the Apostle John), burned
at the stake, 169. " O Father of Thy beloved and
blessed Son, Jesus Christ! 0 God of all prin-
cipalities and of all creation! I bless Thee that Thou
hast counted me worthy of this day, and of this
hour, to receive my portion in the number of the
martyrs, in the cup of Christ. I praise Thee for all
these things; I bless Thee, I glorify Thee, by the
eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ, Thy zvell-beloved
Son, through zvhom, and with whom, in the Holy
Spirit, be glory to Thee, both now and forever.
Amen."
Pope (Alexander), 1688- 1744. "I am dying, sir,
of a hundred good symptoms'' said to a friend who
called to inquire concerning his health. Some give
his last words thus : " Friendship itself is but a
part of virtue." ^
^ On some occasion of alteration in the church at Twicken-
ham, England, or burial of some one in the same spot, the
coffin of Pope was disinterred, and opened to see the state of
the remains. By a bribe to the sexton of the time, possession
of the skull was obtained for the night, and another skull was
returned in place of it. Fifty pounds were paid for the suc-
cessful management of this transaction. Whether this ac-
count is correct or not, the fact is that the skull of Pope figures
in a private museum. — IVilliain Howitt.
The head of the celebrated Due de Richelieu, like that of
Pope, the Mahdi, and Swendenborg, is above ground. At the
time of the revolution in France the body of the Duke was
exhumed from its grave in the Church of the Sorbonne. This
229
Xast Mor^s of
Pope (William, the notorious leader of a com-
pany of men who attracted considerable attention by
their open and continued abuse of sacred things. The
utterances of these men shocked community and
filled the minds of even open unbelievers with horror.
It was reported, but of that the compiler of this book
has no positive knowledge, that Pope and his as-
sociates diverted themselves by kicking the Bible
about the floor of the room in which they held their
infamous meetings. In his death chamber was a
scene of terror), — 1797. " I have done the damnable
deed — the horrible damnable deed! I cannot pray.
God will have nothing to do with me. I zvill not
have salvation at His hands. I long to be in the bot-
tomless pit — the lake which burneth zvith fire and
brimstone! I tell you I am damned! I will not
have salvation! Nothing for me but hell. Come,
having been subjected to numerous indignities, the head was
cut off, and the latter eventually came into the possession of a
grocer, who afterward sold it to M. Armez, the elder. M.
Armez, after the Restoration, offered the head to the then
Due de Richelieu, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who took
no notice whatever of the offer. The son of M. Armez in-
herited the skull. In 1846 the illustrious Montalembert, when
President of the Historical Committee of Arts and Monu-
ments, at the instance of his colleagues, did his best to recover
the head of the Duke, but without success. M. F. Feuillet de
Conches, in his " Causeries d'un Curieux," makes this com-
ment : " We accuse no one, still the fact is undeniable that
this terrible head, the personification of the absolute monarchy
killing the aristocratic monarchy, is wandering upon the earth
like a spectre that has straggled out of the domain of the
dead."
230
IDistinguisbet) /iDen anD Momen
eternal torments. O God, do not hear my prayers,
for I will not be saved. I hate everything that God
has made."
PoRTEUS (Beilby, Bishop of London. Among his
works are a " Life of Archbishop Seeker," " Ser-
mons," and a Seatonian prize poem on " Death." It
is said that he assisted Hannah More in the com-
position of " Coelebs in Search of a Wife "), 1731-
1808. '' O, that glorious sun! "
Preston (John, author of " Treatise on the
Covenant"), 1587- 1628. "Blessed he God, though
I change my place, I shall not change my company;
for I have walked zvith God while living, and now J
go to rest with God."
Priestly (Joseph, philosopher and writer),
1 733- 1 804. " / am going to sleep like you, but we
shall all azvake together, and I trust to everlasting
happiness," spoken to his grandchildren and attend-
ants.
To Priestly we owe our knowledge of oxygen,
binoxide of nitrogen, sulphurous acid, fluosilicic
acid, muriatic acid, ammonia, carburetted hydro-
gen, and carbonic oxide.
PusEY (Edward Bouverie, Regius professor of
Hebrew at Oxford, author with John Henry New-
man, of " Tracts for the Times." He favored
231
Xast Mor^B ot
auricular confession and many of the distinctive
doctrines and practices of the Roman Catholic
church), 1 800- 1 882. " My God! "
He repeated again and again during his last hours
the words, " The body of our Lord Jesus Christ
which was given for thee, preserve thy body and
soul unto everlasting life." When a common cup
containing food was brought to him, he clutched it
with reverent eagerness, thinking in the bewilder-
ment of his mind, that it was the chalice. When he
saw the friends about his bed kneeling in prayer, he
raised his hand, with the words, " By His authority
committed unto me, I absolve thee from all thy sins."
At last, gazing about him as though he saw what
the dear ones by his bedside could not see, he cried
out, " My God ! " and ceased to breathe. His He-
brew Bible lay open on a little table near his bed
just as he had left it a few days before, at i Chron.
xvi, where is described David's triumphant restora-
tion of the ark of God to its place in the reverent
worship of Israel.
QuARLEs (Francis, quaint English poet, author
of "Emblems"), 1592-1644. "What I cannot
utter zvith my month, accept, Lord, from my heart
and soul."
QuiN (James, actor), 1693-1766. "I could wish
this tragic scene were over, hut I hope to go through
it with becoming dignity."
232
2)istinaufsbe& /IDen ant) Momen
Quick (John, actor), 1748-1831. "Is this
death r "
Rabelais (Frangois), about 1483-1553. "Let
doivn the curtain, the farce is over." Some say his
last words were, " I am going to the great perhaps."
Raleigh or Rawleigh (Sir Walter), 1552-1618.
" This is a sharp medicine, hut a sure remedy for all
evils! " These words he said upon the scaffold,
when permitted to feel of the edge of the axe. Some
say that later he was asked which way he chose to
place himself on the block, and that he replied. " So
the heart be right, it is no matter which way the head
lies." Others say that his last words were these ad-
dressed to the hesitating headsman, " Why dost thou
not strike? Strike! "
The lovers of tobacco will remember that it was
Sir Walter Raleigh who introduced their "delight-
ful weed " into Europe. So fond was he of the weed
that he used it upon the scaffold. The snuff-box out
of which he took a pinch just before his head rested
upon the block was in constant use by the Duke of
Sussex, and was disposed of at his sale for £6.
Mr. Van Klaes whose will is celebrated all over
Holland was not to be behind Sir Walter Raleigh in
his devotion to tobacco. After his bequests to rela-
tives and charities, he has this paragraph in his will :
" I wish every smoker in the kingdom to be in-
vited to my funeral in every way possible, by letter,
circular and advertisement. Every smoker who
233
Xast Mort)s of
takes advantage of the invitation shall receive as a
present ten pounds of tobacco, and two pipes on
v^hich shall be engraved my name, my crest, and
the date of my death. The poor of the neighbor-
hood who accompany my bier shall receive every
year on the anniversary of my death a large package
of tobacco. I make the condition that all those who
assist at my funeral, if they wish to partake of the
benefits of my will, must smoke without interruption
during the entire ceremony. My body shall be placed
in a coffin lined throughout with the wood of my
old Havana cigar-boxes. At the foot of the coffin
shall be placed a box of French tobacco called
Caporal and a package of our old Dutch tobacco.
At my side place my favorite pipe and a box of
matches, . . . for one never knows what may
happen. When the bier rests in the vault, all the
persons in the funeral procession are requested to
cast upon it the ashes of their pipes, as they pass it
on their departure from the grounds."
The wishes of the testator were fulfilled to the
letter. The funeral went off gloriously in dense
clouds of smoke. Mr. Van Klaes' cook, Gertrude,
to whom was left in a codicil to the will a large sum
of money on condition she should overcome her
aversion to tobacco, walked in the funeral procession
with a cigarette in her mouth.
Randolph (John, an able but eccentric Ameri-
can statesman), 1773-1833. " Write that word ' Re-
234
S)lstlnouisbeC) /iDen an& 'Momen
morse; ' show it to me." These words rest upon
doubtful authority.
Raphael (Sanzio, most illustrious of painters.
" The Transfiguration " at Rome, and the " Ma-
donna di San Sisto " at Dresden are accounted his
master-pieces), 1483-1520. "Happy — /
" Once again Raphael revived, and, supported by
tvi^o friends, arose and looked around with wide-
open eyes. ' Whence comes the sunshine ? ' mur-
mured he.
" * Raphael,' cried I, and extended both hands to-
ward him, ' do you recognize me ? '
" For a moment it seemed as if he had not heard
me, then he spoke again, and the holy calm of his
expression, in spite of the death-struggle, bore testi-
mony to his words, ' Happy — .' He tried to finish
the sentence, but could not. He never uttered an-
other word, but it was full night when a voice broke
through the long stillness : ' Raphael is dead ! ' "
Cardinal Bibbiena in a letter to his niece Maria di
Bibbiena.
Ravaillac (Frangois, the assassin of Henry IV.
of France), 1578-1610. " I receive absolution upon
this condition." Ravaillac asked absolution of Dr.
Filesac, who answered, " We are forbidden to give
it in the case of a crime of high treason, unless the
guilty one reveals his abettors and accomplices."
Ravaillac replied, " I have none. It is I alone that
235
Xast MorC)S ot
did it. Give me a conditional absolution. You can-
not refuse this." " Well, then," said Dr. Filesac,
" I give it to you, but if the contrary be true, instead
of absolution I pronounce your eternal damnation.
Look to it." Ravaillac answered, " I receive absolu-
tion upon this condition."
On May 27, 1610, Ravaillac was declared by the
Parliament guilty of divine and human high
treason ; condemned to have his flesh torn with hot
pincers and the wounds filled with melted lead, boil-
ing oil, etc. ; to have his right hand, holding the
regicidal knife, burned in a fire of sulphur; to be
afterward torn to pieces alive by four horses, to
have his members reduced to ashes and the ashes
thrown to the winds. The same decree ordered that
the house in which he was born be demolished ; that
his father and his mother leave the kingdom in
fifteen days, with orders not to return, under penalty
of being hung and strangled; and finally that his
brothers, sisters, uncles, etc., give up the name of
Ravaillac and take another, under pain of the same
penalties.
Ravaillac, most fearless of fanatics and devotees,
said, when interrogated before Parliament as to his
estate and calling, " I teach children to read, write,
and pray to God." At his third examination, he
wrote beneath the signature which he had affixed to
his testimony the following distich :
" Que toujours, dans mon coeur,
Jesus soit le vainqueur ! "
236
S)i5tfnGui6be^ /IDcn an& Momen
and a member of Parliament exclaimed on reading
it, " Where the devil will religion lodge next! " ^
Raymond (John Howard, President of Vassar
College), 1 8 14 — . " Hozu easy — hoiu easy — hoiv
easy to glide from work here to the work " there,
he evidently wished to add, but his voice failed him.
Reade (Charles, author of " Peg Woffington,"
"The Cloister and the Hearth," "Very Hard
Cash," " Griffith Gaunt " and " Put Yourself in His
Place"), 18 14- 1884. "Amazing, anianing glory!
I am having Paul's understanding." He referred
to 2 Cor. xii, 1-4, which had previously been a sub-
ject of conversation with a relative. In the epitaph
which he wrote for his own tombstone, he shows his
complete reliance for future happiness on the merits
and mediation of Christ :
HERE LIE,
BY THE SIDE OF HIS BELOVED FRIEND,
THE MORTAL REMAINS OF
CHARLES READE,
DRAMATIST, NOVELIST AND JOURNALIST.
HIS LAST WORDS TO MANKIND ARE
ON THIS STONE.
^ John Chastel was torn to pieces sixteen years before, for
attempting the life of the same monarch. Salcede, the
Spaniard, endeavored to assassinate Henri III., and was ac-
cordingly dismembered. Nicholas de Salvado and Baltha/ar de
Gerrard suffered in the same way for attacking William,
Prince of Orange. Livy records that Mettius Suffetius was
dismembered by chariots for deserting the Roman cause.
xast ^lmor^s ot
" I hope for a resurrection, not from any power
in nature, but from the will of the Lord God Om-
nipotent, who made nature and me. He created me
out of nothing, which nature could not do. He can
restore man from the dust, which nature cannot.
" And I hope for holiness and happiness in a fu-
ture life, not for any thing I have said or done in
this body, but from the merits and mediation of
Jesus Christ.
" He has promised his intercession to all who
seek him, and he will not break his word ; that inter-
cession, once granted, cannot be rejected : for he is
God, and his merits infinite; a man's sins are but
human and finite.
" ' Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast
out.' * If any man sin, we have an Advocate with
the Father, Jesus Christ the Righteous, and he is
the propitiation for our sins.' "
Renan (Ernest, Orientalist and critic), 1823-
1892. "/ have done my work. It is the most
natural thing in the world to die; let us accept the
Laws of the Universe — the heavens and the earth
remain."
Some authorities give his last words thus : " Let
us submit to the Laws of Nature of which we are
one of the manifestations. The heavens and the
earth abide."
He began to study for the priesthood, but re-
nounced that profession because he doubted the
238
DfstinouiBbet) /IDen ant> Monten
truth of the orthodox creed. He displayed much
learning in his " General History of the Semitic
Languages," was admitted into the Academy of In-
scriptions in 1856, and was sent to Syria in i860
to search for relics of ancient learning and civiliza-
tion. Soon after his return he was appointed pro-
fessor of Hebrew in the College of France, but was
suspended in 1862, in deference to the will of those
who considered him unsound in faith. He admits
the excellence of the Christian religion, but dis-
credits its supernatural origin and rejects the
miracles. — Lippincott's Biographical Dictionary.
Reynolds (Sir Joshua, celebrated portrait
painter), 1723-1792. "I have been fortunate in
long good health and constant success, and I ought
not to complain. I know that all things on earth
must have an end, and nozv I am come to 7nine."
Richelieu (Armand Jean du Plessis, Cardinal
and French statesman), 1585-1642. ''Absolutely,
and I pray God to condemn me, if I have had any
other aim than the zvelfare of God and the state," in
reply to the question whether he pardoned his ene-
mies.
His last words are sometimes incorrectly given
thus : " I have no enemies except those of the
State."
Richmond (Leigh, a clergyman of the English
Church, and author of " Annals of the Poor " and
239
Xast Morbs of
" The Fathers of the English Church "), 1772- 1827.
" Brother, brother, strong evidences, 7iothing but
strong evidences will do in such an hour as this. I
have looked here and looked there for them, and all
have failed me, and so I cast myself on the sovereign,
free and full grace of God in the covenant by Jesus
Christ; and there, brother, there I have found
peace"
RiCHTER (Jean Paul Frederich, German author),
1763-1825. "My beautifid Hozvers, my lovely flow-
ers! "
His wife brought him a wreath of flowers that a
lady had sent him, for every one wished to add some
charm to his last days. As he touched them care-
fully, for he could neither see nor smell them, he
seemed to rejoice in the images of the flowers in
his mind, for he said repeatedly, *' My beautiful
flowers, my lovely flowers ! "
Although his friends sat around the bed, as he
imagined it was night, they conversed no longer ; he
arranged his arms as if preparing for repose, which
was to be to him the repose of death, and soon sank
into a tranquil sleep. ... At length his res-
piration became less regular, but his features always
calmer, more heavenly. A slight convulsion passed
over the face; the physician cried out. "That is
death ! " and all was quiet. The spirit had departed.
Robertson (Frederick William, an English
clergyman of singular purity and depth of religious
240
2)tstfnauisbe& /iDen an& Momen
feeling-, and of great ability), 1816-1853. " t can-
not bear it; let me rest. I must die. Let God do his
work."
A member of his congregation, a chemist, asked
him to look at his galvanic apparatus. He took the
ends of the wire, completed the circuit, experiencing
the tingling. He then held the end of the wire to
the back of the head and neck, without a single sen-
sation being elicited. Then he touched his forehead
for a second. " Instantly a crashing pain shot
through, as if my skull was stove in, and a bolt of
fire were burning through and through." In the
same letter he writes, " My work is done." Some
hope might have been entertained if he could have
had a curate to help him with his work. But the
then Vicar of Brighton, rather an unsympathetic
man, refused to let him have the curate on whom
his heart was set. So he sank, unrelieved, into
death. The dark secrets of the hospital of torture
hardly reveal greater suffering than Robertson en-
dured in those last hours. When they sought to
change his position, he said, " I cannot bear it ; let
me rest. I must die. Let God do his work." These
were his last words.
He was only thirty-seven years old when he died ;
an age when he had not reached the climax of his
powers, or the complete development of his char-
acter and views. It is an interesting circumstance
that after his death an inhabitant of Brighton who
had stood aloof from his teaching during his life-
241
Xast MorC)s ot
time, read his sermons and was so struck with the
beauty of his teaching that in gratitude he placed
a marble bust of the great preacher in the Pavilion.
London Society.
For six years he continued to preach sermons,
the like of which, for blending of delicacy and
strength of thought, poetic beauty and homely lu-
cidity of speech, had perhaps never been heard be-
fore in England. Robertson was unhappily (for his
comfort) not very "orthodox;" consequently he
was long misunderstood, and vilified by the " pro-
fessedly religious portion of society; " but so true, so
beautiful was his daily life and conversation that he
almost outlived those pious calumnies, and his death
(from consumption) threw the whole town in
mourning. — Chambers' Encyclopcedia.
Rob Roy (whose original name was Macgregor,
was a friend and follower of the " Pretender " in the
Rebellion of 171 5. He is the hero of one of Scott's
novels), about 1660-1743.
Tradition relates that Rob Roy was visited on his
death-bed by a person with whom he was at enmity,
and that as soon as the visitor, whom he treated with
a cold, haughty civility during their short confer-
ence, had departed, the dying man said, " Now all
is over — let the piper play 'Ha til mi tididh' (we
return no more) " — and he is said to have expired
before the dirge was finished. — Francis Jacox.
242
I)fBtfnouisbe^ /IDen an^ XlGlomen
RoYER-CoLLARD (Pierre Paul, French philoso-
pher and statesman ) , 1763-1845. " There is nothing
solid and substantial in the world but religious
ideas"
Rogers (John, Vicar of St. Pulchers, and reader
of St. Paul's in London. He was burnt at the
stake, — 1555. "Lord, receive my spirit."
Roland (Marie Jeanne Philipon, Madame. "The
Spirit of the Girondin Party"), 1754-1793. "Go
first; I can at least spare you the pain of seeing my
blood ftozv."
When she arrived in front of the Statue of Lib-
erty, she bent her head to it, exclaiming-, " Oh Lib-
erty, how many crimes are committed in thy name ! "
At the foot of the scaffold she said to her companion,
an old and timid man, whom she had been encourag-
ing on the way, " Go first ; I can at least spare you
the pain of seeing my blood flow."
RoMAiNE (William, English theologian, for
thirty years rector of Blackfriars), 1714-1795.
" Holy, holy, holy, blessed Lord Jesus! to Thee be
endless praise! "
Rosa (Salvator, Italian painter), 1615-1673.
" To judge by what I now endure, the hand of death
grasps me sharply." Last recorded words.
243
Xast Mot^s ot
RossETTi (Dante Gabriel, English painter and
poet, leader in the Pre-Raphaelite movement), 1828-
1882. " I think I shall die to-night." These are
his last recorded words,
Dante Gabriel Rossetti is buried near the waves
of his beloved German Ocean in the churchyard of
Birchington, a small village on the Isle of Thanet.
He died in 1882 at his bungalow, on a cliff near by,
and his grave is marked by a tall Celtic cross of
stone, carved with designs by Ford Madox Brown.
The head and arms of the cross are decorated with
a spray ending in leaves, and two leafy branches
right and left. The shaft has four panels, with re-
liefs. The upper compartment has a figure of Christ,
fronting, and two figures right and left in profile.
The panel below has a kneeling bull, with wings, to
represent the Evangelist. Below that is a kneeling
painter, with canvas and easel before him and his
palette on his arm. The lowest panel is filled with a
decorative scroll. There is a stained-glass window
to his memory in the little church.
Rousseau (Jean Jacques, the famous author of
"La Nouvelle Heloise," " fimile," " Du Contrat
Social " and " Confessions "), 1712-1778. '' Throw
up the window that I may see once more the mag-
nificent scene of nature.'*
Rutherford (Rev. Samuel), 1695-1779. " //
he shoidd slay me ten thousand times, ten thousand
244
2)istinouisbe& /IDen anC> Momen
hmes I'll trust him. I feci, I feel, I believe in joy,
and rejoice; I feed on manna. O for arms to em-
brace him! O for a well-tuned harp! "
Rutherford (Rev. Thomas), 1712-1771, "He
has indeed been a precious Christ to me; and nozv I
feel him to be my rock, my strength, my rest, my
hope, my joy, my all in all."
Sabatier (Raphael Bienvenu, French surgeon),
1 732- 181 1. " Contemplate the state in which I am
fallen, and learn to die," said to his son.
He was ashamed of his bodily infirmities and of
his approaching mortality.
Samson (one of the judges of Israel, of the tribe
of Dan, and the son of Manoah), about b. c. 1155.
" Let me die with the Philistines." After perform-
ing several wonderful deeds of strength, he was
made prisoner, and deprived of sight by the Philis-
tines, a great number of whom he subsequently de-
stroyed, along with himself, by pulling down the
temple in which they were assembled.
See Judges, xvi.
Sand (" George," pseudonym of Madame Dude-
vant), 1804-1876. " Laissez la verdure" — mean-
ing, " Leave the tomb green, do not cover it over
with bricks or stone."
Sanderson (Robert, English prelate, chaplain to
Charles I., and later Bishop of London), 1 587-1663.
245
Xast TImor^5 ot
"My heart is fixed, 0 God! my heart is fixed where
true joy is to be found."
Sarpi (Fra Paolo, author of " History of the
Council of Trent," and opponent of the doctrine of
the infallibility of the Pope), 1552-1623. "Be thou
everlasting." These words were spoken in refer-
ence to his country, Venice.
Saunders (Lawrence, suffered martyrdom dur-
ing the reign of Queen Mary). " Welcome the cross
of Christ, welcome everlasting life."
Away went Mr. Saunders, with a merry courage,
toward the fire. He fell to the ground and prayed;
he rose up again and took the stake to which he
should be chained in his arms and kissed it, saying :
" Welcome the cross of Christ, welcome everlast-
ing life." Being fastened to the stake he fell full
sweetly asleep in the Lord.
Fox's " Book of Martyrs.'*
Savonarola (Girolamo, celebrated preacher and
political, as well as religious, reformer of Florence),
1 452- 1 498. " O Florence, zvhat host thou done to-
day f " He was strangled and burnt by the com-
missioners of the Pope, May 23, 1498. His last
words are sometimes given thus : " The Lord has
suffered as much for me."
While he and his companions, all three barely
covered by their tunics, with naked feet and arms
bound, were being slowly led from the ringhiera to
246
H)istinoui0be& /iDeu anb Momen
the gibbet, the dregs of the populace were allowed to
assail them with vile words and viler acts. Savona-
rola endured this bitter martyrdom with unshaken
serenity. One bystander, stirred with compassion,
approached him and said a few comforting words, to
which he benignantly replied : " At the last hour,
God alone can give mortals comfort." A certain
priest, named Nerotto, asked him, " in what spirit
dost thou bear martyrdom?" He said: "The
Lord hath suffered as much for me." He then kissed
the crucifix, and his voice was heard no more.
Villari: " Life and Times of Savonarola."
Sax (Hermann Maurice, Marshal of France),
1 696- 1 750. " The dream has been short, but it has
been beautiful."
ScARRON (Paul, the creator of French bur-
lesque), 1610-1660. "Ah! mes enfans, you cannot
cry as much for me as I have made you laugh in my
time!" Some say that a few moments later he
added, " I never thought that it was so easy a matter
to laugh at the approach of death."
The life of Scarron was one of extreme wretched-
ness. He was, like Heine, a miserable paralytic ; his
form, to use his own words, " had become bent like
a Z." " My legs," he says, " first made an obtuse
angle with my thighs, then a right and at last an
acute angle ; my thighs made another with my body.
My head is bent upon my chest; my arms are con-
247
Xast MorOs ot
tracted as well as my legs, and my fingers as well as
my arms. I am, in truth, a pretty complete abridg-
ment of human misery." At the time of his mar-
riage (to the beautiful and gifted Mademoiselle
d'Aubigne, afterward Madame de Maintenon, the
wife for thirty years of Louis XIV.) he could only
move with freedom his hand, tongue and eyes. His
days were passed in a chair with a hood, and so
completely was he the abridgment of man he
describes himself that his wife had to kneel to look
in his face. He could not be moved without scream-
ing from pain, nor sleep without opium. The epitaph
which he wrote on himself is touching from its
truth :
Tread softly — make no noise
To break his slumbers deep ;
Poor Scarron here enjoys
His first calm night of sleep.
— Russell: Library Notes.
Schiller (Friedrich, " the only German poet
who can contest the supremacy of Goethe"), 1759-
1805. " Many things are growing plain and clear
to my understanding."
Of his friends and family he took a touching but
tranquil farewell ; he ordered that his funeral should
be private, without pomp or parade. Some one in-
quiring how he felt, he said, " Calmer and calmer; "
simple but memorable words, expressive of the mild
heroism of the man. About six he sank into a deep
sleep; once for a moment he looked up with a lively
248
5)t0ttnaufsbet) /iDen anC) "Cdomen
air and said, " Many things are growing plain and
clear to my understanding." Again he closed his
eyes, and his sleep deepened and deepened till it
changed into the sleep from which there Is no
awakening, and all that remained of Schiller was a
lifeless form soon to be mingled with the sods of the
valley. — Carlyle's " Life of Schiller."
Dunzer says, in his " Life of Schiller " : " During
Schiller's delirium, from May 5th to ]\Iay 9th, 1805,
he repeated passages from his ' Demetrius,' and be-
fore falling asleep he called out, ' Is that your hell?
Is that your heaven? ' and then looked upward with
a calm smile: ' Liehc, gute' (Dear, good one), ad-
dressed to his wife, were the last words he uttered."
Schiller's last words are sometimes given thus :
" Einen Blick in die Sonne."
ScHiMMELPENNiNCK (Mary Anne, author of
"Memoirs of Port-Royal"), 1778-1856. " O, I
hear such beautiful voices, and the children's are the
loudest."
ScHLEGEL (Karl Wilhelm Friedrich, von, Ger-
man philosopher and author), 1772-1829. ''But
the consummate and perfect knoivledge — "
ScHLEiERMACHER (Fricdrich Ernst Daniel, dis-
tinguished German pulpit orator and theologian),
1 768- 1 834. " Nozv I can hold out here no longer.
Lay me in a different posture."
On the last morning, Wednesday, February 12,
249
XaBt Mor^s of
his sufferings evidently became greater. He com-
plained of a burning inward heat, and the first and
last tone of impatience broke from his lips : " Ah,
Lord, I suffer much ! " The features of death came
fully on, the eye was glazed, the death-struggle was
over ! At this moment, he laid the two fore-fingers
upon his left eye, as he often did when in deep
thought, and began to speak : " We have the atoning
death of Jesus Christ, his body and his blood." Dur-
ing this he had raised himself up, his features began
to be reanimated, his voice became clear and strong ;
he inquired with priestly solemnity : " Are ye one
with me in this faith?'' to which we, Lommatzsch
and a female friend who were present, and myself,
answered with a loud yea. " Then let us receive the
Lord's Supper! but the sexton is not to be thought
of ; quick, quick ! let no one stumble at the form ; I
have never held to the dead letter ! "
As soon as the necessary things were brought in
by my son-in-law, during which time we had waited
with him in solemn stillness, he began — with fea-
tures more and more animated, and with an eye to
which a strange and indescribable lustre, yea, a higher
glow of love with which he looked upon us, had re-
turned,— to pronounce some words of prayer intro-
ductory to the solemn rite. Then he gave the bread
first to me, then to the female friend, then to Lom-
matzsch, and lastly to himself, pronouncing aloud to
each, the words of institution (Matt xxvi, etc.; i
Cor. xi. 23-29), — so loud indeed, that the children
250
DistinguisbeC) /IDen an^ IKHomen
and Muhlenfels (late Professor in the London Uni-
versity), who kneeled listening at the door of the
next room, heard them plainly. So also with the
wine, to us three first, and then to himself, with the
full words of institution to each. Then, with his
eyes directed to Lommatzsch, he said : " Upon these
words of Scripture I stand fast, as I have always
taught; they are the foundation of my faith." Af-
ter he had pronounced the blessing, he turned his
eye once more full of love on me, and then on each
of the others, with the words : " In this love and
communion, we are and remain one.'"
He laid himself back upon his pillow ; the anima-
tion still rested on his features. After a few minutes
he said : " Now I can hold out here no longer," and
then, " Lay me in a different posture." We laid him
on his side, — he breathed a few times, — and life
stood still ! Meanwhile the children had all come in,
and were kneeling around the bed as his eyes closed
gradually.
Account of Schlciermacher's Death prepared by
his wife.
ScHWERiN VON (Kurt Christoph, Count and
Field-marshal), 1684-1757. "Let all brave Prus-
sians follow me" said'just before he fell dead, having
been struck by a cannon ball.
Scott (James, Duke of Monmouth, natural son
of Charles IL, of England), 1649-1685. "There
2^1
Xast Mor^s of
are six guineas for you, and do not hack me as you
did my Lord Russell. I have heard that you struck
him three or four times. My servant will give you
more gold if you do your work well," said to the
headsman, who, notwithstanding these words, be-
ing unnerved, inflicted several blows before the neck
was severed.
Scott (Thomas, Privy Councillor of James V. of
Scotland). "Begone, you and your trumpery; un-
til this moment I believed there was neither a God
nor a hell. Nozv I know and feel that there are both,
and I am doomed to perdition by the just judgment
of the Almighty," said to a priest who w^ished to
point out to him the way of salvation.
Scott (Sir Walter), 1771-1832. "God bless
you all! " to his family. Some give his last words
thus : " I feel as if I were to be myself again."
Still others say his last words were these, ad-
dressed to Lockhart, " My dear, be a good man, — be
virtuous, — be religious, — be a good man. Nothing
else can give you any comfort, when you come to
lie here."
It is also said by some authorities that his last
words were, " There is but one book ; bring me the
Bible." These words it is represented were ad-
dressed to Lockhart who had asked him what book
it was he wished to have read to him.
252
DistinguisbeD /IDen anb Momcn
Scott (Winfield, distinguished American gen-
eral), 1 786- 1 866. "James, take good care of the
horse."
As Frederick the Great's last completely con-
scious utterance was in reference to his favorite Eng-
lish greyhound, Scott's was in regard to his magnifi-
cent horse, the same noble animal that followed in his
funeral procession a few days later. Turning to his
servant, the old veteran's last words were: " James^
take good care of the horse." In accordance with
his expressed wish, he was buried at West Point on
the first of June 1866, and his remains were accom-
panied to the grave by many of the most illustrious
men of the land, including Gen. Grant and Admiral
Farragut.
Appleton's Cyclopcedia of American Biography.
Serment (Mile, de, called "The Philosopher,"
because of her rare attainments in literature and of
her wide acquaintance with ethics). She died of
cancer of the breast, and expired in finishing these
lines which she addressed to Death :
" Nee tare clausa sito,
Dignutn tantorum pretium tulit ilia laborum."
Servetus (Michael. He calls himself Serveto
alias Reves, adding his family name to his own, in
the title of his earliest book. For twenty years of
his life, during his residence in France, he was
known only as Michael de Villanovanus, from the
253
Xast Mor&s of
assumed name of his birthplace), 1509 or 151 1-
1553. " Jesiis, Son of the eternal God, have mercy
on me! "
The sentence was drawn out at great length on
the 26th of October. Servetus did not know it till
the next day, Friday, two hours before the execu-
tion. On a rising ground near the lake, a little to the
eastward of the city, he was chained to a stake, and,
the oldest account (that in Sandius) says, for more
tlian two hours, while stifling in the fumes of straw
and brimstone, suffered the torture of a fire of
" green oak fagots, with the leaves still on," the wind
blowing the flame so that it would only scorch, not
kill, till the crowd, in horror, heaped the fuel closer.
His last cry was, " Jesus, Son of the eternal God,
have mercy on me ! " Farel's retort was, " Call
rather on the Eternal Son of God ! " " I know well,"
he had written not long before, " that for this thing
I must die, but not for that does my heart fail me
that I may be a disciple like the Master."
Joseph Henry Allen in the Nezu World, Dec. 1892.
Seton (Elizabeth Ann, philanthropist, foundress
and first Superior of the Sisters of Charity in the
United States), 1 774-1 821. ''Soul of Christ,
sanctify me; Body of Christ, save me; Blood of
Christ, inebriate me; Water out of the side of Christ,
strengthen me." A few moments after she had
spoken these words she murmured, ''Jesus, Mary,
Joseph," and expired.
254
DlstlnanlsbeC) /IDen an& Momen
Severus (Bishop of Ravenna), — 390. "My
dear one, with whom I lived in love so long, make
room for me, for this is my grave, and in death zve
shall not be divided." The last words of Severus
are purely traditional.
Severus. Bishop of Ravenna, prepared a tomb for
himself in his church. In it he placed the bodies of his
wife, Vincentia, and of his daughter, Innocentia.
After some years he was premonished that his time
to die had come. He held service with the people,
dismissed them and closed the cathedral doors.
Then, clothed in his episcopal robes, with one at-
tendant, he went to the sepulchre of his family.
They raised the stone from the tomb, and Severus,
looking in, said : " My dear one, with whom I lived
in love so long, make room for me, for this is my
grave, and in death we shall not be divided." Im-
mediately he descended into the tomb, laid him-
self down beside his wife and daughter, crossed his
hands upon his breast, looked up to heaven in prayer,
gave one sigh and fell asleep.
Sheppard (Jack, the noted highwayman, the
hero of many a chap-book of his day, and the hero
and title of a novel by Defoe, and one by Ains-
worth), 1701-1724. "I have ever cherished an
honest pride; never have I stooped to friendship
with Jonathan Wild, or ivith any of his detestable
thief-takers; and though on nndntiful son I never
damned my mother's eyes."
255
Xa0t Morbs ot
Jack Sheppard was a popular idol followed by
praise and applause even to the gallows. " There
was scarce a beautiful woman in London who did
not solace him during his prison hours with her
condescension, and enrich him with her gifts. Not
only did the President of the Royal Academy deign
to paint his portrait, but (a far greater honor) Ho-
garth made him immortal. Even the King dis-
played a proper interest, demanding a full and pre-
cise account of his escapes. The hero himself was
drunk with flattery; he bubbled with ribaldry; he
touched off the most valiant of his contemporaries
in a ludicrous phrase. But his chief delight was to
illustrate his prowess to his distinguished visitors,
and nothing pleased him better than to slip in and
out of his chains."
Not a few of the highwaymen of the day were
" gentlemen " and " coxcombs." We have from
Swift a picture of one such in his sketch of " Clever
Tom Clinch," who
While the rabble were bawling,
Rode stately through Holborn to die of his calling;
He stopped at the George for a bottle of sack,
And promised to pay for it — when he came back.
His waistcoat and stockings and breeches were white.
His cap had a new cherry ribbon to tie't :
And the maids at doors and the balconies ran
And cried " Lac-a-day ! he's a proper young man ! "
Sheridan (Richard Brinsley), 1751-1816.
" Did you know Burke f " He referred to Ed-
256
mund Burke, the celebrated orator, statesman and
philosopher.
Sherman (John, distinguished American states-
man, United States senator, and secretary of state),
1823-1900. "I think you had better send for the
doctor — / am so faint."
At three o'clock yesterday morning, Mr. Sherman
took a decided turn for the worse. At that hour he
complained of feeling faint and asked that his physi-
cian be called. During the next hour the patient
had several fainting spells and during the day these
continued at short intervals. His doctor found him
very weak and prescribed a stimulant, but the medi-
cine had very little effect, and the patient sank slowly.
All day his condition grew worse, but he retained
consciousness till about nine o'clock last night. From
time to time, yesterday, Mr. Sherman attempted to
speak, but his words were not intelligible.
Albany Evening Journal, Oct. 22, 1900.
SiCKiNGEN (Franz von, Protestant leader and a
brave German soldier. He championed the cause of
learning and protected Ulrich von Hutten, Reuchlin,
and others from the rage and oppression of Romish
ecclesiastics), 1481-1523. "I have already con-
fessed my sins to God," to his chaplain who inquired
whether he desired to confess. He was killed while
defending his castle of Neustall.
257
Xast Mor&s of
Sidney (Algernon, English republican patriot),
1622-1683. " Not till the general resurrection:
strike on!" to the executioner who, asked him if
he would like to rise again, after laying his head
on the block.
Sidney (Sir Philip, English gentleman, soldier
and author), 1554- 1586. " In me behold the end of
the world with all its vanities."
He was mortally wounded at Zutphen, Septem-
ber, 1586. After he was wounded he called for
some drink, which was brought, but before he had
tasted it, he gave the bottle to a wounded soldier,
saying, " Thy necessity is greater than mine."
Smalridge (George, Bishop of Bristol), 1663-
17 19. ''God be thanked, I have had a very good
night."
Smith (Joseph, founder and first prophet of the
Mormon Church), 1805- 1844. " That's right,
Brother Taylor; parry them off as zvell as yon can"
to the Mormon Apostle John Taylor who was de-
fending Smith and endeavoring to drive back the
mob.
Smith amassed a large fortune, assumed the title
of lieutenant-general and president of the church,
and exercised absolute authority over his " saints."
He provoked the popular indignation by attempts
to seduce the wives of other men, and was arrested
258
3Di5tinoui0be& /IDen ant> Momen
ana confined in jail at Carthage. In June, 1844, ^
mob broke into the jail and killed Joseph Smith.
Lippincott's Biographical Dictionary.
" I was sitting at one of the front windows of the
jail, when I saw a number of men, with painted
faces, coming round the corner of the jail and aim-
ing toward the stairs.
" As Hyrum fell he cried, ' I am a dead man,' and
spoke and moved no more. As he fell Joseph leaned
over him, and in tones of deep and sad sympathy
exclaimed, ' Oh ! my poor, dear brother Hyrum ! '
While I was engaged in parrying the guns, Brother
Joseph said, ' That's right, Brother Taylor ; parry
them ofif as well as you can.' These were the last
words I ever heard him speak on earth."
Martyrdom of Smith, by Apostle John Taylor.
It was believed that sacred as the tomb is always
considered to be, there were persons capable of
rifling the grave in order to obtain the head of the
murdered Prophet for the purpose of exhibiting it,
or placing it in some phrenological museum — the
skull of Joseph Smith was worth money. This
apprehension, in point of fact, proved true, for the
place where the bodies were supposed to be buried
was disturbed the night after the interment. The
coffins had been filled with stones, etc., to about the
weight which the bodies would have been. The
remains of the two brothers were then secretly
buried the same night by a chosen few, in the vaults
beneath the temple. The ground was then levelled,
259
and pieces of rock and other debris were scattered
carelessly over the spot. But even this was not con-
sidered a sufficient safeguard against any violation
of the dead, and on the following night a still more
select number exhumed the remains, and buried
them beneath the pathway behind the Mansion
House. The bricks which formed the pathway were
carefully replaced and the earth removed was car-
ried away in sacks and thrown into the Mississippi.
If this last statement is true, the bodies must have
been removed a third time, as, since writing the
above, the author has it on unquestionable authority
that they now repose in quite a different place.
Brigham Young has endeavored to obtain possession
of the remains of the Prophet, that they might be
interred beneath the temple at Salt Lake.
" Early Days of Mormonism " by J. H. Kennedy.
Socrates, 470-400 b. c. " Crito, I ozve a cock to
^scidapiiis, zvill you remember to pay the debt? "
He walked about until, as he said, his legs began
to fail ; and then he lay on his back, according to the
directions, and the man who gave him the poison now
and then looked at his feet and legs, and after awhile
he pressed his foot hard and asked him if he could
feel, and he said " No ; " and then his leg, and
so upward and upward, and showed us that he was
cold and stifif. And he felt them himself, and said,
" When the poison reaches the heart that will be the
end." He was beginning to grow cold about the
260
Dlstlnauisbe^ /flben anD TKHomen
groin, when he uncovered his face, for he had cov-
ered himself up, and said (they were his last words)
— he said : " Crito, I owe a cock to ^sculapius,
will you remember to pay the debt?" "The debt
shall be paid," said Crito. " Is there anything
else?" There was no answer to this question, but
in a minute or two a movement was heard and the
attendants uncovered him; his eyes were set, and
Crito closed his eyes and mouth.
From Jozvett's " Dialogues of Plato."
SoPHONiSBA (the wife of Syphax, King of
Numidia). "If my husband has for his nezv zvife
no better gift than a cup of death, I bozv to his zvill
and accept zvhat he bcstozvs. I might have died
more honorably if I had not zvedded so near to my
funeral."
Sophonisba was taken prisoner by Masinissa who
had been formerly her lover. He married her, but,
yielding to Scipio, who feared that she would influ-
ence her husband in favor of Carthage, he sent her
a cup of poison, bidding her remember her birth and
estate.
SouTHCOTT (Joanna, a religious impostor who
was probably of unsound mind), 1750-1814. ''If
I have been deceived, doubtless it was the work of a
spirit; whether that spirit zvas good or bad I do not
know." Last recorded words.
261
In the last year of her Hfe she secluded herself
from the world, and especially from the society of
the other sex, and gave it out that she was with
child of the Holy Ghost; and that she would give
birth to the Shiloh promised to Jacob, which should
be the second coming of Christ. Her prophecy was
that she was to be delivered on the 19th of October,
1814, at midnight; being then upwards of sixty
years of age.
This announcement seemed not unlikely to be
verified, for there was an external appearance of
pregnancy ; and her followers, who are said to have
amounted at that time to 100,000, were in the highest
state of excitement. A splendid and expensive cradle
was made, and considerable sums were contributed in
order to have other things prepared in a style worthy
of the expected Shiloh. On the night of the 19th
of October a large number of persons assembled in
the street in which she lived, waiting to hear the
announcement of the looked-for event ; but the hour
of midnight passed over, and the crowd were only
induced to disperse by being informed that Mrs.
Southcott had fallen into a trance.
Chambers' Miscellany.
After the death of Joanna Southcott, her followers
refused to believe her dead, and consented to a post-
mortem examination of her body, only when decom-
position had actually commenced. After her burial
they formed themselves into a religious society which
they called the Southcottian church, and professed to
262
Dlstinguisbeb men an& momen
believe that she would rise from the dead and bring
forth the promised Shiloh.
Spinoza (Baruch, his Hebrew name which he
translated into Latin as Benedictus), 1632- 1677.
There can be no certainty with regard to the last
hours of Spinoza. There was with him at the time of
his death but one friend who refused to make any
disclosure, and who chose to pass to his own grave
in silent possession of the secret. Nevertheless a re-
port prevailed, and was for a time believed, that
Spinoza died in great fear and distress of mind, and
that with his last breath he cried out : "" God have
mercy upon me, and be gracious to me, a miserable
sinner!" Another report, equally without founda-
tion, represented the great Dutch philosopher as re-
sorting to suicide when he saw death drawing near.
Spinoza is regarded as the ablest of modern pan-
theistic philosophers. Dugald Stewart goes so far
as to call him an Atheist : " In no part of Spinoza's
works has he avowed himself an Atheist ; but it will
not be disputed by those who comprehend the drift
of his reasonings, that, in point of practical tendency,
Atheism and Spinozism are one and the same."
During his life he awakened in the minds of some of
the ablest men of letters and religion a bitter hatred
it is now difficult to understand. It is but fifty years
ago that Karel Luinman, at that time minister of
the Reformed church at Middleburg, said : " Spit
on that grave — there lies Spinoza." Later Froude,
263
Xast Mor^s of
Lewes and Maurice have described him as a calm,
brave man who lived nobly, and confronted disease
and death with a deeply religious faith. Coleridge
pronounced the Pantheism of Spinoza preferable to
modern Deism, which he held to be but " the hypoc-
risy of Materialism." Schleiermacher vindicated the
memory of the great philosopher after the following
fashion : " Offer up reverently with me a lock of
hair to the manes of the rejected but holy Spinoza !
The great Spirit of the Universe filled his soul ; the
Infinite to him was beginning and end ; the Universal
his sole and only love. Dwelling in holy innocence
and deep humility among men, he saw himself mir-
rored in the eternal world, and the eternal world not
all unworthily reflected back in him. Full of religion
was he, full of the Holy Ghost; and therefore it is
that he meets us standing alone in his age, raised
above the profane multitude, master of his art, but
without disciples and the citizen's rights." Probably
the truth of the matter is that Spinoza was a man of
pure, brave and simple life; of gentle disposition;
and of rare philosophical abilities and attainments;
but whose system, though possessed of much that is
true and good, is yet essentially opposed to God's
revelation of himself in the sacred Scriptures, and in
the person of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
" Even people who lived in the same house with
him never suspected how rapidly death was approach-
ing. He had come down, as he generally did in the
evening, and talked for a long time with his com-
264
Distfnonisbeb /IDen an& Momen
panions about the sermons which they had just heard.
That evening he went to bed earher than usual. The
next day, February 23, 1677, he came once more
downstairs, before church-time to speak with his
friends. In the meantime Dr. Ludwig Meyer, of
Amsterdam, to whom Spinoza had written, arrived.
He gave his suffering friend such medical assist-
ance as he could ; and, amongst other orders, desired
the landlady to kill a chicken, that Spinoza might
have some soup for dinner. This was done, and Spi-
noza ate the soup with a good appetite. When Van
der Spyck and his wife returned from the afternoon
service, they heard that Spinoza had died about three
o'clock. Nobody was with him in his last hours ex-
cept the doctor from Amsterdam, who went away
again the same evening."
Kimo Fisher's Lecture on " The Life and Char-
acter of Spinoza."
Stael-Holstein (Anna Louise Germaine Necker,
Baroness de), 1766- 18 17. "I have loved God, my
father and liberty.^'
Stafford (William Howard, Viscount of),
16 1 2-1680. " This block zvill be my pillow, and I
shall repose there zvell, zvithout pain, grief or fear."
He was accused by Titus Oates of complicity in the
Popish Plot, and was convicted of treason. He was
probably innocent. His last words were spoken at
the place of execution, and show how noble and calm
was his spirit in the presence of death.
265
Xast miov^s of
Stafford's brother accompanied him to the place of
execution, weeping. " Brother," said he, " why do
you grieve thus; do you see anything in my Hfe or
death which can cause you to feel any shame? Do
I tremble like a criminal or boast like an Atheist?
Come, be firm, and think only that this is my third
marriage, that you are my bridesman."
Lamartine's Cromwell.
Stambuloff (Stefan N., ex-Prime Minister of
Bulgaria, called "The Bismarck of Bulgaria"),
1853-1895. " God protect Bulgaria."
Stanley (Arthur Penrhyn, Dean of Westmin-
ster, and the leader of the " Broad Church " party),
18 1 5- 188 1. ''So far as I have understood zuliat the
duties of my office zvere supposed to he, in spite of
every incompetence, I am yet humbly trustful that I
have sustained before the mind of the nation the
extraordinary value of the Abbey as a religious, na-
tional and liberal institution." Later he said : '' The
end has come in the zvay in zvliich I most desired it
should come. I could not have controlled it better.
After preaching one of my sermons on the beatitudes,
I had a most violent fit of sickness, took to my bed,
and said immediately that I wished to die at West-
minster. I am perfectly happy, perfectly satisfied;
I have no misgivings." His last recorded words
were : " I zvish Vaughan to preach my funeral ser-
mon, because he has knozvn me longest."
266
Distlnguisbeb /IDen anb Momen
Steele (Miss Anne, the author of many beautiful
and familiar hymns), 1716-1778: "I knoiv that
my Redeemer liveth." The following lines are in-
scribed on her tomb :
Silent the lyre, and dumb the tuneful tongue,
That sung on earth her dear Redeemer's praise ;
But now in heaven she joins the angelic song,
In more harmonious, more exalted lays.
Stephen (first Christian martyr), " Lord, lay not
this sin to their charge/' — Acts vii: 60.
Stevens (Thaddeus, American statesman and
opponent of slavery; a man of great ability and
nobleness of spirit), 1793-1868.
Two colored clergymen called and asked leave to
see Stevens and pray with him. He ordered them to
be admitted ; and when they had come to his bedside,
he turned and held out his hand to one of them.
They sang a hymn and prayed. During the prayer he
responded twice, but could not be understood. Soon
afterward the Sisters of Charity prayed, and he
seemed deeply affected. The doctor told him that he
was dying. He made a motion with his head, but no
other reply. One of the sisters asked leave to baptize
him, and it was granted, but whether by Stevens or
his nephew is not clear. She performed the cere-
mony with a glass of water, a portion of which was
poured upon his forehead. The end came before the
beginning of the next day. He lay motionless for a
few moments, then opened his eyes, took one look,
267
Xast TKIlor&s ot
placidly closed them, and, without a struggle, the
great commoner had ceased to breathe.
Samuel IV. McCall: " Life of Stevens/'
On his monument reared over his grave are in-
scribed by his direction, these words : " I repose in
this quiet and secluded spot, not from any natural
preference for solitude, but finding other cemeteries
limited as to race by charter rules, I have chosen this,
that I might illustrate in my death the principles
which I advocated through a long life, (the) equality
of Man before his Creator."
/ Stevenson (Robert Louis, English author),
1850-1894. "What is that?" He felt a sudden
pain in his head, and, clasping his forehead with
both hands, he exclaimed, " What is that? " and soon
after ceased to breathe. ^
* According to a writer in the Chicago " Open Court," the
main cause of the death of Robert Louis Stevenson was prob-
ably his consumption of tobacco. Two years before his death
he confessed that his bill for cigars amounted to $450 a year;
and during the last six months of his life he smoked an aver-
age of forty cigarettes per day, and often as many as eighty
in twenty-four hours. Can any one wonder that this frightful
habit induced chronic insomnia, to cure or lessen which he
smoked all night, till narcosis of the brain brought on stupe-
faction and temporary loss of consciousness — for weeks his
nearest approach to refreshing slumber. His physician warned
him in vain that he was burning life's candle at both ends,
for he tried to write in spite of his misery ; but he stuck to
nicotine as the only specific for his nervousness, with the re-
sult that was inevitable, — his death a year afterwards. —
Mathews: " Nugw Litterariw."
268
Bistinouisbeb /IDen anb Momen
The Academy tells this of Stevenson : " An old
friend had set his beautiful lines to music:
Under the wide and starry sky
Dig the grave and let me lie.
Glad did I live, and gladly die,
And I laid me down with a will.
This be the verse you grave for me:
Here he lies where he longed to be ;
Home is the sailor, home from the sea.
And the hunter home from the hill.
" He said one evening at his happy home in Mer-
ton Abbey, before he started on his last journey, that,
when out in the Sudan, he crooned himself to sleep
night after night with those lines which had been
set to music by his friend. It is fitting that he should
lie at rest out there in the spacious country, under the
wide and starry sky."
Stonehouse (Sir James, English physician and
clergyman ) , 1 7 1 6- 1 795. " Precious salvation I "
Strozzi (Filippo, Florentine statesman), 1488-
1538. He committed suicide while imprisoned by
Cosmo de' Medici, the first Great Duke of Tuscany.
As he was dying he cut with the point of his sword
upon the mantel-piece, this line from Virgil :
" Exariare aliquis nostris ex ossibus iiltor."
Sumner (Charles, distinguished United States
Senator and opponent of slavery. He was a man of
269
Xast Motbs of
great learning in history, political science and polite
literature; and, notwithstanding the rare culture of
his mind and tastes, he was always the defender of
the poor and enslaved), i8i 1-1874. " Sit down/' to
his friend, Hon. Samuel Hooper, As he uttered
these words his heart ruptured, a terrible convulsion
shook his frame, and death came at once. ^
A few hours before Sumner died Judge Hoar
gave him a message from Ralph Waldo Emerson,
to which Sumner replied with some difficulty, " Tell
Emerson that I love and revere him." Over and
over again he said to Judge Hoar, " Do not let the
Civil Rights bill fail ! " To the last his mind was
engaged upon the great problems of national interest
that had occupied him during all the stormy days
of the Civil War.
* Rupture of the heart, it is believed, was first described by
Harvey; but since his day several cases have been observed.
Morgagni has recorded a few examples : Amongst them that
of George II., who died suddenly, of this disease in 1760; and,
what is very curious, Morgagni himself fell a victim to the
same malady. Dr. Elliotson, in his Lumleyan Lecture on
Diseases of the Heart, in 1839, stated that he had only seen
one instance; but in the Cyclopaedia of Practical Medicine,
Dr. Townsend gives a table of twenty-five cases, collected
from various authors. Generally this accident is consequent
upon some organic disease, such as fatty degeneration ; but it
may arise from violent muscular exertion, or strong mental
emotions. — Welhy: "Mysteries of Life, Death and Futurity."
Dr. William Stroud endeavors to prove, in his " The Phy-
sical Cause of the Death of Christ," that our Saviour died
upon the cross from rupture of the heart, produced by agony
of mind. He says : " In the garden of Gethsemane Christ
endured mental agony so intense that, had it not been limited
270
2)istlnoui5beC) /IDen ant) Momen
SvETCHiNE, or SwETCHiNE (Sophia Soymonof,
a Russian lady and writer), 1782- 1857. Madame
Svetchine's last words were, " // will soon be time for
mass. They must raise me." She was a most de-
voted Roman Catholic.
SwARTZ (Frederick Christian, Missionary in
India), 1726- 1798. "Had it pleased my Lord to
spare me longer I should have been glad. I should
then have been able to speak yet a zvord to the sick
and poor; but His will be done! May He, in mercy,
but receive me! Into Thy hands I commend my
spirit; Thou hast redeemed me, 0 Thou faithful
God." After this his Malabar helpers sang a portion
of a hymn and he endeavored to sing with them, but
his strength failing, he soon expired in the arms of a
native Christian.
SwEDENBORG (Emanucl, Swedish seer, philoso-
pher and theologian), 1688- 1772. "It is well; I
thank you; God bless you." He told the Shear-
smiths on what day he should die; and the servant
by divine interposition, it would probably have destroyed his
life without the aid of any other sufferings ; but having been
thus mitigated, its effects were confined to violent palpitation
of the heart, accompanied with bloody sweat. On the cross
this agony was renewed, in conjunction with the ordinary suf-
ferings incidental to that mode of punishment ; and having at
this time been allowed to proceed to its utmost extremity with-
out restraint, occasioned sudden death by rupture of the heart,
intimated by a discharge of blood and water from his side,
when it was afterward pierced with a spear."
271
Xast Ximort)5 ot
remarked : " He was as pleased as I should have
been if I was to have a holiday, or was going to some
merry-making.''
His faculties were clear to the last. On Sunday
afternoon, the 29th day of March, 1772, hearing the
clock strike, he asked his landlady and her maid, who
were both sitting at his bed-side, what o'clock it was ;
and upon being answered it was five o'clock, he said
— " It is well ; I thank you ; God bless you ; " and a
little after, he gently departed. ^
White's " Life and Writings of Szvedenborg."
Swift (Jonathan, Dean of Saint Patrick's, Dub-
lin, and author of " The Tale of a Tub," and
^ Swedenborg was buried in the vault of the Swedish
Church in Prince's Square, on April 5, 1772. In 1790, in order
to determine a question raised in debate, viz., whether Sweden-
borg was really dead and buried, his wooden coffin was opened,
and the leaden one was sawn across the breast. A few days
after, a party of Swedenborgians visited the vault. " Various
relics" (says White: "Life of Swedenborg," 2nd ed., 1868, p.
675) "were carried off: Dr. Spurgin told me he possessed
the cartilage of an ear. Exposed to the air, the flesh quickly
fell to dust, and a skeleton was all that remained for subse-
quent visitors. ... At a funeral in 1817, Granholm, an
officer in the Swedish Navy, seeing the lid of Swedenborg's
coffin loose, abstracted the skull, and hawked it about amongst
London Swedenborgians, but none would buy. Dr. Wahlin,
pastor of the Swedish Church, recovered what he supposed
to be the stolen skull, had a cast of it taken, and placed it in
the coffin in 1819. The cast which is sometimes seen in
phrenological collections is obviously not Swedenborg's : it is
thought to be that of a small female skull."
272
S)istinoutsbe& /IDen an& Momcn
"Travels of Lemuel Gulliver"), 1667-1745. "It
is folly; they had better leave it alone/' to his house-
keeper who informed him that the usual bonfires and
illuminations were preparing to do honor to his birth-
day. Some say his last words were, '' Ah, a Ger-
man! a prodigy, admit him! " spoken as Handel was
announced.
Talleyrand-Perigord (Charles Maurice, cele-
brated French diplomatist), 1 754-1838, "I am suf-
fering, sire, the pangs of the damned." Said to the
king, Louis Phillippe, who enquired his condition.
Louis Blanc (Histoire de Dix Ans. v. 290J says
that when Louis Philippe called upon Talleyrand
during that prince's last hours, he enquired if he suf-
fered : " Yes, comme im damne," answered Talley-
rand; at which the king said under his breath,
" What, already? " (Quoi, deja?)
Talma (Frangois Joseph, "The Garrick of the
French Stage "), 1770-1826. " The worst is I can
not see."
He was interred, according to his own directions,
in the cemetery of Pere-la-Chaise, Paris, without any
religious ceremony, but funeral orations by Jouy and
Arnault were delivered at the grave. To change, it is
alleged, his resolution on this score, the Archbishop
of Paris had sought an interview, but in vain. Tal-
ma's conduct, it is supposed, proceeded from his
resentment at the excommunication pronounced by
the Roman Catholic Church against actors.
273
Tasso (Torquato), 1544-1595. ''Lord, info Thy
hands I commend my spirit."
When a guest of Rome, lodged in the Vatican,
waiting to be crowned with laurel — the first poet so
honored since Petrarch — he sighed to flee away and
be at rest. Growing very ill, he obtained permission
to retire to the Monastery of Saint Onofrio. When
the physician informed him that his last hour was
near, he embraced him, expressed his gratitude for so
sweet an announcement, and then, lifting his eyes,
thanked God that after so tempestuous a life he was
now brought to a calm haven. The Pope having
granted the dying poet a plenary indulgence, he said,
" This is the chariot on which I hope to go crowned,
not with laurel as a poet into the capital, but with
glory as a saint into heaven."
Alger's " Genius of Solitude."
Just before his death he requested Cardinal Cyn-
thia to collect his works and commit them to the
flames, especially his " Jerusalem Delivered."
Taylor (Bayard, traveller, poet and lecturer; the
translator of Goethe's "Faust"), 1825-1878. "I
want, oh, you know what I mean, the stuff of life."
Taylor (Edward T., an American preacher
known as "Father Taylor"), 1793-1871. "Why,
certainly, certainly ! " These words were spoken to a
friend who asked him if Jesus was precious. He be-
came a sailor, and was for many years the chaplain
of the Seamen's Bethel, Boston.
274
2)tsttnoutBbe5 ^en anb Momcn
Taylor (Jane, writer for the young), 1783- 1823.
" Are we not children, all of usf "
Taylor (Jeremy, distinguished bishop in the Eng-
lish Church, and author of " Holy Living and
Dying." He has been called " The Shakspeare of
Divines "), 1613-1667. " My trust is in God."
Taylor (John, " The Water Poet." He followed
for a long time the occupation of waterman on the
Thames, and later kept a public house in Phoenix
Alley, Long Acre), 1580-1654. "How sweet it is
to rest! "
Taylor (Rev. Dr. Rowland), -1555. He said
as he was going to martyrdom, " I shall this day de-
ceive the worms in Hadley churchyard." ^ And
when he came within two miles of Hadley, " Now,"
said he, " lack I but two stiles ; and I am even at my
' Being asked by the sheriflf to explain these words, he said :
" I am as you see, a man that hath a very great carcass, which
I thought should have been buried in Hadley churchyard, if
I had died in my bed, as I well hoped I should have done.
But herein I see I was deceived. And there are a great num-
ber of worms in Hadley churchyard, which should have had
jolly feeding upon this carrion which they have looked for
many a day. But now I know we be deceived, both I and
they; for this carcass must be burnt to ashes, and so shall
they lose their bait and feeding that they looked to have had
of it." Fox, the martyrologist, adds that, " when the sheriff
and his company heard these words they were amazed, and
looked at one another, marvelling at the man's constant mind,
that thus without all fear made but a jest at the cruel torment
and deaih now at hand prepared for him."
Xast Mort)6 of
Father's house." His last words were, " Lord, receive
my spirit."
Taylor (Zachary, American general and twelfth
President of the United States), 1784- 1850. " I am
about to die. I expect the summons soon. I have en-
deavored to discharge all my official duties faithfully.
I regret nothing, hut am sorry that I am about to
leave my friends."
Tenderden (Lord), " Gentlemen of the jury, you
will now consider of your verdict."
Tennent (William, Pastor of Presbyterian
Church in Freehold, N. J. His name has been ren-
dered famous by his peculiar experience which at the
time attracted the attention of the entire country.
During an attack of fever, he fell into a trance which
continued three days. He was supposed to be dead,
and was prepared for burial ; but suddenly he recov-
ered, and gave a description of what he had seen in
the Heavenly world. He never doubted to the last
day of his life that he had seen the New Jerusalem
during the three days of his trance. Elias Boudinot
published a circumstantial account of the wonder-
ful vision), 1 705- 1 777. ""/ am sensible of the vio-
lence of my disorder, and that it is accompanied
zvith symptoms of approaching dissolution; but,
blessed be God, I have no wish to live, if it should he
His will to call me hence."
276
Df6tinaui9be& /IDen ant) Momen
Tennyson (Alfred, Lord, Poet-laureate of Eng-
land), 1809- 1892. " I have opened it/* These are
the last words of the poet that have been made public ;
later he bade his family farewell, but what he said
has never been published.
His last food was taken at a quarter of four, and
he tried to read, but could not. He exclaimed, " I
have opened it." Whether this referred to the
Shakspeare, opened by him at
Hang there like fruit, my soul,
Till the tree die,
which he always called among the tenderest lines in
Shakspeare, or whether one of his last poems, of
which he was fond, was running through his head I
cannot tell:
Fear not, thou, the hidden purpose of that Power
Which alone is great.
Nor the myriad world, his shadow, nor the silent
Opener of the Gate.
He then spoke his last words, a farewell blessing to
my mother and myself.
For the next hours the full moon flooded the room
and the great landscape outside with light; and we
watched in solemn stillness. His patience and quiet
strength had power upon those who were nearest and
dearest to him ; we felt thankful for the love and the
utter peace of it all; and his own lines of comfort
from " In Mernoriam " were strongly borne in upon
us. He was quite restful, holding my wife's hand,
277
Xast Mor^s ot
and, as he was passing away, I spoke over him his
own prayer, " God accept him ! Christ receive him ! "
because I knew that he would have wished it.
Alfred, Lord Tennyson, a Memoir by his son.
Terchout (Adele — "La Comete"). The gay
and thoughtless life of this beautiful young woman
ended in sad regrets and bitter remembrances, and
yet there is some slight hope that there was with her
at last a thought real, if not deep, of better things.
Does any one remember a beautiful girl who went
by the nickname of " La Comete," and flashed
through the Parisian world during the last year of
the Second Empire? She was called " Comet " on
account of the exceeding length and loveliness of her
golden hair. Theophile Gautier wrote a sonnet to
her, Cabanel painted her portrait, Worth dressed
her, and Leon Cugnot took her as the model of his
statue, " La Baigneuse." Her real name was Adele
Terchout, and just before the Franco-German war
broke out she declined an offer of marriage from
an elderly duke, with a very ancient escutcheon. At
that time she owned one of the finest mansions in
the Champs Elysees, had twelve horses in her stables
and a bushel of diamonds in her dressing-case. Last
week this dazzling creature died in a Parisian hospi-
tal absolutely destitute, and the disease which carried
her off was the most hideous that could befall a
pretty woman — a lupus vorax, or cancer in the face,
which totally disfigured her. Like Zola's " Nana,"
278
the only vestige left of her beauty when she died was
her matchless hair, which measured nearly five feet.
London Truth.
Theophrastus (eminent Greek philosopher. He
was a favorite pupil of Aristotle whom he succeeded
as President of the Lyceum b. c. 322), about b. c.
374-286. This philosopher's last words are not re-
corded, but on his death-bed he accused Nature of
cruelty. He charged her with having given a long
life to stags and crows, and only a short one to men
and women who are so much better able to use for
their own good and that of others length of days.
He declared that human beings needed long life for
the perfection of art. He complained that as soon
as he had begun to perceive the beauty of the world
he was called upon to die. *
Theresa or Teresa (" Saint," Spanish nun, au-
thor of a number of devotional books, a visionary of
whom many wonderful miracles are related. She
was canonized by Pope Gregory XV.), 15 15-1582.
" Over my spirit Hash and Hoat in divine radiancy
fhc bright and glorious visions of the world to zuhich
I go." The claim of celestial illumination was made
by her throughout her entire life and in the hour of
death, but just what were her last words is very un-
certain.
' Thus also did Themistocles, the most renowned of Grecian
generals, grieve that when he had acquired the wisdom neces-
s.Ty for a useful life, it was time to die.
279
Xast Mor&s ot
At her death-bed the bystanders beheld her already
in glory ; to one she appeared in the midst of angels,
another saw floating over her head a heavenly light
that descended and hovered about her/ another dis-
covered spiritual beings clothed in white entering her
cell, another saw a white dove fly from her mouth up
to heaven, while at the same time a dead tree near the
sacred spot suddenly burst into the fullness of
bloom.^
' The luminous faces and bodies of martyrs and saints are
common enough in the chronicles of mediaeval miracles. Some
modern physicians think there were physiological causes for
the strange and, at the time, startling phenomena.
Bartholin, in his treatise " De Luce Hominum et Brutorum "
(1647), gives an account of an Italian lady whom he desig-
nates as " mulier splendens," whose body shone with phos-
phoric radiations when gently rubbed with dry linen ; and
Dr. Kane, in his last vo^'age to the polar regions, witnessed
almost as remarkable a case of phosphorescence. A few cases
are recorded by Sir H. Marsh, Professor Donovan and other
undoubted authorities, in which the human body, shortly be-
fore death, has presented a pale, luminous appearance.
On the eve of St. Alcuin's death (May 19th, 804), the entire
monastery was enveloped in a mysterious light, so that many
thought the building was on fire. The soul of the saint was
seen to ascend in the form of a dove, and the spectators heard
celestial music in the air. — Early Superstitions.
The soul of St. Engelbert while going up to heaven was so
bright that St. Hermann mistook it for the moon.
Andrew Jackson Davis (the " Poughkeepsie Seer") records
that while in the clairvoyant condition he saw the entire pro-
cess of the soul's disengagement from the body. — " The Great
Harmonia," vol. i, p. 163.
' It was commonly believed that the immortal soul escaped
280
2)istfn(}ufsbet> ^en ant) Momen
After her death she appeared to a nun and said that
she had not died of disease, but of the intolerable fire
of divine love.
Salazar: " Anamnesis Sanctorum Hispanorum."
Thoreau (Henry David, American author and
naturalist ) , 1 8 1 7- 1 862. '' / leave th is ivorld zvithout
a regret."
He was bred to no profession; and it is said that
he never went to church, never voted, and never paid
a tax to the state though he was imprisoned for not
doing so. He ate no flesh, drank no wine, never
knew the use of tobacco, and never (though a natur-
alist) used either trap or gun. — Emerson.
He lived in the simplest manner; he sometimes
practised the business of land-surveyor. In 1845 he
built a small frame house on the shore of Walden
Pond, near Concord, where he lived two years as a
hermit, in studious retirement. He published an ac-
count of this portion of his life, in a small book en-
titled " Walden." — Lippincott.
Thoreau was a kind and good man, but a multitude
of eccentricities separated him from the average life
from the dead body through the mouth. Sometimes it passed
out under the form of a bird, and sometimes it seemed to be
a vapor. The appearance of the departing soul is mentioned
as a known fact, by the celebrated mystic, Jacob Bohmen, in
his curious book, " The Three Principles," where it is de-
scribed as that of " a blue vapor going forth out of the mouth
of a dying man, which maketh a strong smell all over the
chamber."
281
Xa0t Mortis of
of man and removed him from the common sympathy
of his race. His Httle house on the shore of Wal-
den Pond he constructed with his own hands, be-
cause he thought that men should be able to do as
much as the birds who build their own nests. The
entire house cost him less than thirty dollars ; and in
it he lived at an expense of about twenty-seven cents
a week. The house had neither lock nor curtain, and
was unprotected day and night. The door was sel-
dom closed, and the window was often wide-open in
the midst of a winter storm. " I am no more lonely,"
he wrote, " than Walden Pond itself. What com-
pany has that, I pray? And yet it has not the blue
devils, but blue angels in it, in the azure tint of its
waters." It is said that he could tell the day of
each month by the trees and flowers.
Thurlow (Edward, Lord Chancellor in the reign
of George III.), 1732- 1806. " I'll he shot if I don't
believe I'm dying."
Tiberius (Claudius Nero, Roman Emperor), b.
c. 42 — A. D. 2)7 • Finding himself dying, he took his
signet ring ofif his finger, and held it awhile, as if he
would deliver it to somebody ; but put it again on his
finger, and lay for some time, with his left hand
clenched, and without stirring; when suddenly sum-
moning his attendants, and no one answering the call,
he rose; but his strength failing him. he fell down at
a short distance from his bed. — Seneca.
282
BistingufsbeD /IDen anJ> XKaomen
He died without appointing his successor, but the
people cared little for that. They rejoiced at his
death, and ran through the streets of Rome crying,
" Away with Tiberius to the Tiber."
TiLDEN (Samuel Jones, distinguished American
lawyer and politician. He was twice a representa-
tive in the Legislature of the State of New York, a
member of two Constitutional Conventions, Gover-
nor of the State of New York for two years, and a
candidate for the Presidency of the United States),
i8t4-t886. " Water."
During the closing hours of life he suffered greatly
from thirst.
TiMROD (Henry, American poet), 1829- 1867.
" Never mind, I shall soon drink of the river of
Eternal Life," on finding that he could no longer
svv'allow water."
" An unquenchable thirst consumed him. Nothing
could allay that dreadful torture. He whispered as
I placed the water to his lips, ' Don't you remember
that passage I once quoted to you from " King
John ? " I had always such a horror of quenchless
thirst, and now I suffer it ! ' He alluded to the
passage : —
And none of you will let the Winter come,
To thrust his icy fingers in my maw !
" Just a day or two before he left on a visit to you
at * Copse Hill,' in one of our evening rambles he had
283
Xast Mort)6 ot
repeated the passage to me with a remark on the
extraordinary force of the words.
" Katie took my place by him at five o'clock (in
the morning), and never again left his side. The last
spoonful of water she gave him he could not swallow.
' Never mind,' he said, ' I shall soon drink of the
river of eternal Life.'
" Shortly after he slept peacefully in Christ."
From a letter by Timrod's sister.
TiNDAL (Matthew, celebrated author and infidel),
1657-1733. '' O God — // there he a God — / desire
Thee to have mercy on me."
Tindal is particularly celebrated for two publica-
tions, the first, issued in 1706, being entitled, "The
Rights of the Christian Church Asserted against the
Romish and all other Priests ; " and the other, pub-
lished in 1730, called, " Christianity as Old as the
Creation, or the Gospel a Republication of the Re-
ligion of Nature."
Titus (Flavins Vespasianus, Roman Emperor.
He was called by his subjects, " The love and delight
of the human race"), 40-81. "My life is taken
from me, though I have done nothing to deserve it;
for there is no action of mine of zuhich I should re-
pent, but one." What that one action was he did
not say.
ToPLADY (Rev. Augustus Montague, English
Calvinistic clergyman and vicar of Broad Henbury,
284
Distinouisbe^ /IDen an& TKHomen
Devonshire. He was the author of several contro-
versial works and of a number of beautiful hymns,
chief among- which is " Rock of Ages "), 1740- 1778.
" No mortal man can live after the glories which God
has manifested to my soul." ^
TuRENNE (Henry de la, Vicomte, famous French
general, killed at Salzbach in July, 1675), 161 1-
1675. "I do not mean to be killed to-day." Said
just before he was struck by a cannon-ball.
Tyndale, or TiNDALE (William, the venerable
martyr and translator of the Bible), 1484- 1536.
" Lord, open the eyes of the King of England." He
was first strangled and afterward burnt.
The merits of Tyndale must ever be recognized
' Dr. Moore states that when the vital flame was flickering,
the heart was faltering with every pulse, and every breath
was a convulsion, he said to a dying believer, who had not
long before been talking in broken words of undying love,
" Are you in pain ? " and the reply, with apparently the last
breath, was, " It is delightful ! " In another person, in whom
a gradual disease had so nearly exhausted the physical powers
that the darkness of death had already produced blindness,
the sense of God's love was so overpowering, that every ex-
pression for many hours referred to it in rapturous words,
such as, " This is life — this is heaven — God is love — I need not
faith — I have the promise." It is easy to attribute such ex-
pressions to delirium ; but this does not alter their character,
nor the reality of the state of the soul which produces them.
Whether a dying man can maintain any continued attention
to things through his senses, we need not inquire. It is enough
for him, if, in the spirit, he possesses the peace and joy of
believing. — The Use of the Body in Relation to the Mind.
285
Xast Mor&B of
and honored by all who enjoy the English Bible, for
their authorized version of the New Testament has
his for its basis. He made good his early boast, that
plough-boys should have the Word of God. His
friends speak of his great simplicity of heart, and
commend his abstemious habits, his zeal and his in-
dustry ; while even the imperial procurator who pros-
ecuted him styles him " homo, doctus, pius et bonus."
Tyndall (John, English physicist, author of many
scientific books, chief among which are " Heat Con-
sidered as a Mode of Motion," '' Forms of Water in
Qouds and Rivers, Ice and Glaciers," and " Floating
Matter in the Air"), 1820- It is uncertain what
were the last words of Prof. Tyndall, but the last
words which he wrote for publication were in re-
sponse to a request from an American syndicate for a
Christmas message to his American friends. The
message closed with these words : " I choose the
nobler part of Emerson, when, after various disen-
chantments, he exclaims, ' I covet truth ! ' The glad-
ness of true heroism visits the heart of him who is
really competent to say that."
Tyng (Dudley A., a young and gifted clergyman
whose last words furnished the inspiration for Rev.
Dr. Dufifield's popular hymn, " Stand up for Jesus ").
" Knoiv Him? He is my Saviour — my all. Father,
stand up for Jesus! "
Leaving his study for a moment, he went to the
286
S)f5tingufBbe^ /IDen anb XKHomen
barn floor, where a mule was at work on a horse-
power, shelling corn. Patting him on the neck, the
sleeve of his silk study gown caught in the cogs of
the wheel, and his arm was torn out by the roots.
His death occurred in a few hours. When he was
dying his father said to him, " Dudley, your mother
has your hand in hers, can you press it a little that she
may know you recognize her?" The young man
made no response. Later his father said, " Dudley,
do you know the Lord Jesus Christ?" He started,
and said, " Know Him ? He is my Saviour — my all.
Father, stand up for Jesus ! "
Usher (James, Archbishop), 1580-1656. "Lord,
forgive my sins; especially my sins of omission."
His last words are sometimes given thus, " God be
merciful to me, a sinner."
Valdes (Gabriel de la Concepcion, commonly
known as Placido), — 1844. "Here! fire here!"
Valdes was a full-blooded negro. He was exe-
cuted with twenty other persons, for conspiracy to
liberate the black population, the slaves of the Span-
ish inhabitants of Cuba. The execution took place
at Havana, July, 1844. Seated on a bench, with his
back turned, as ordered, to the soldiers appointed to
shoot him, he said : " Adios, mundo ; no hay piedad
para mi. Soldados, fuego." " Adieu, O world; here
is no pity for me. Soldiers, fire." Five balls entered
his body. He arose, turned to the soldiers, and said,
287
Xast Ximort)s of
his face wearing an expression of superhuman cour-
age:— "Will no one have pity on me? Here!"
pointing to his heart, " fire here! " At that instant
two balls pierced his heart and he fell dead. Little
is known of him but his death, which was described
in the Hcraldo, of Madrid. " The Poems of a Cuban
Slave," edited by Dr. Madden, are believed to have
been the composition of the gifted Valdes.
Vanderbilt (Cornelius "Commodore," Presi-
dent of New York Central Railroad under whose
management that road was consolidated with the
Hudson River Railroad. He laid the foundation of
an extensive railroad system and of an immense fam-
ily fortune), 1794- 1877. " Yes, yes, sing that for
me. I am poor and needy," to one who was singing
to him the familiar hymn, " Come, ye sinners, poor
and needy."
Vane (Sir Henry), 1612-1662. "Blessed he God,
I have kept a conscience void of offence to this day,
and have not deserted the righteous cause for which I
suffer."
Vane was condemned for treason, and beheaded
June 14, 1662.
Vane, young in years, but in sage counsels old,
Than whom a better senator ne'er held
The helm of Rome, when gowns, not arms, repelled
The fierce Epirat and the African bold,
Both spiritual power and civil thou hast learned:
Therefore on thy firm hand religion leans
In peace, and reckons thee her eldest son. — Milton.
288
2)fstinGuisbe& /iDen an& Momen
Vanini (Lucilio), 1585-1619. " Illi in ex-
tremis prae timore imbellis sudor; ego imperturbatus
morior." See Gramniond, Hist. Gal. Hi. 211,
After travelling through Germany, Holland and
England, he went to Toulouse, where he was ar-
rested and condemned by the parliament to be burned
alive. He wrote " Amphitheatrum ^ternae Provi-
dentiae," and '' De Admirandis Naturae Arcanis,"
for which latter work he suffered in 1619.
y Vespasian (Titus Flavius, Roman Emperor),
9-79. " An Emperor ought to die standing." A
short time before this he said in attending to the
apotheosis of the emperors, " I suppose I shall soon
be a god." / .
Veuster de (Joseph, the " Leper-Priest of Molo-
kai." When he became " religious " he took the
name of Damien, after the second of two brothers,
Cosmos and Damien, both physicians, martyrs and
saints in the Roman Catholic Church. He is com-
monly known as "Father Damien"), — 1889.
" Well! God's zvill he done. He knows best. My
work zvith all its faults and failures, is in His hands,
and before Easter I shall see my Saviour."
There has been much discussion with regard to the
character and work of Damien. The Rev. C. M.
Hyde, D. D., of Honolulu, a missionary of high re-
pute, and who had personal knowledge of the leper-
289
Xast Mor^5 of
priest, wrote a letter to the Rev. H. B. Gage, which
was pubHshed in " The Sydney Presbyterian " of
October 26, 1889. In that letter he said:
" The simple truth is, he (Father Damien) was a
coarse, dirty man, headstrong and bigoted. He was
not sent to Molokai, but went there without orders;
did not stay at the leper settlement (before he be-
came himself a leper), but circulated freely over the
whole island (less than half the island is devoted to
the lepers), and he came often to Honolulu. He had
no hand in the reforms and improvements inaugu-
rated, which were the work of our Board of Health,
as occasion required and means were provided. He
was not a pure man in his relations with women, and
the leprosy of which he died should be attributed to
his vices and carelessness. Others have done much
for the lepers, our own ministers, the government
physicians, and so forth, but never with the Catholic
idea of meriting eternal life."
To the statements of Dr. Hyde, Robert Louis
Stevenson replied in most violent language, of which
the following is a sample:
" You remember that you have done me several
courtesies for which I was prepared to be grateful.
But there are duties which come before gratitude,
and offences which justly divide friends, far more
acquaintances. Your letter to the Rev. H. B. Gage
is a document which, in my sight, if you had filled me
with bread when I was starving, if you had set up
290
2)istinoui5bet) /IDen an^ Momen
to nurse my father when he lay a-dying, would yet
absolve me from the bonds of gratitude."
After this and more vituperation follows an analy-
sis of Dr. Hyde's letter, and an elaborate defense of
Father Damien„ Men will differ in their opinions of
the leper-priest, and, no doubt, much may be said
on both sides of the case ; but to the compiler of this
work, who, in his own home, heard the story in all
its details from the lips of Dr. Hyde, the beatification
of Damien is, to say the least, a grotesque absurdity.
Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria, Queen of Eng-
land and Ireland and Empress of India), 1819-1901.
It is said, though upon what authority the compiler
is unable to discover, that the last words of Queen
Victoria were, " Oh, that peace may come." It is
understood that the Queen was opposed to the war
in South Africa, and her last words would seem
to indicate that her thoughts, even in the hour of
death, were busy with the unhappy conflict,
ViDOCQ (Eugene Frangois, famous French detect-
ive), 1775-1857. "How great is the forgiveness
for such a life! "
He was successively a thief, soldier, deserter, and
gambler before he entered the public service, and was
often imprisoned for his offences. About 181 o he
enlisted in the police at Paris. His success as a de-
tective has scarcely been paralleled in history.
Lippincott: " Biographical History."
291
Xast Mor&s of
He retired to Paris and there lived quietly in lodg-
ings until 1857, when, at the great age of eighty-
two, he was struck down with paralysis. On finding
his end near, he sent for a confessor, and — so whim-
sical a thing is human nature — he greatly edified the
holy man by dying like a saint. One trifling pec-
cadillo he perhaps forgot to mention. The breath
had scarcely left his body, when ten lovely damsels,
each provided with a copy of his will, which left her
all his property arrived. Alas for all the ten!
Vidocq had always loved the smiles of beauty, and
had obtained them by a gift which cost him nothing.
He had left his whole possessions to his landlady.
Smith: " Romance of History."
ViLLARS DE (Claude Louis Hector, famous French
general), 1653- 1734. "I ahvays deemed him more
fortunate than myself." Said to his confessor, who
told him that the Duke of Berwick had perished by
a cannon ball.
ViLLiERS (George, First Duke of Buckingham.
He was assassinated by John Felton in 1628), 1592-
1628. " God's zvounds! the villain hath killed me."
John Felton, gentleman, having watched his op-
portunity, thrust a long knife, with a white heft, he
had secretly about him, with great strength and vio-
lence, into his breast, under his left pap, cutting the
diaphragma and lungs, and piercing the very heart
itself. The Duke having received the stroke, and
292
IDistinguisbeD /IDen an& Tliaomen
instantly clapping his right hand on his sword-hilt,
cried out, "God's wounds! the villain hath killed
me." — Book of Death.
Virgil (Publius Virgilius Marc, most illustrious
of Latin poets), b.c. 70-19.
Upon a visit to Megara, a town in the neighbor-
hood of Athens, he was seized with a languor, which
increased during the ensuing voyage ; and he expired
a few days after landing at Brundisium, on the 22d
of September in the fifty-second year of his age. He
desired that his body might be carried to Naples,
where he had passed many happy years ; and that the
following distich, written in his last sickness, should
be inscribed upon his tomb :
Mantua me genuit : Calabri rapuere, tenet nunc
Parthenope, Cecerie pascua, rura, duces.
ViTELLius (Aulus, Emperor of Rome), 15-69.
" Yet I was once your emperor/' to the soldiers of
Vespasian who were putting him to death by a lin-
gering torture whilst they were dragging him by a
horse into the Tiber.
Voltaire (a name capriciously assumed by Fran-
cois Marie Arouet, and made by him more celebrated
than any other of which we read in the literary his-
tory of the eighteenth century), 1694-1778. " Adieu
my dear Maraud; I am dying," said to his valet.
According to a document discovered by Mr.
Schuyler, American Consul at Moscow, bearing on
293
Xast Tlmor^s of
the death of Voltaire, and which was forwarded to
M. Taine, and pubHshed in the Journal des Dchats,
the last words of Voltaire were, " Take care of
Maria," meaning his niece, Madame Denys. These
words were addressed to one of his servants.
It has also been said that his last words were :
" For the love of God, don't mention that Man —
allow me to die in peace ! " to one who called his
attention to our Saviour.
There are several widely divergent accounts of the
last hours of Voltaire, and perhaps it is not possible
to know just what measure of truth is to be found
in any one of them. It is said that on his death-bed
he cursed D'Alembert and denounced his infidel
associates; that he made in the presence of Abbe
Gaultier, the Abbe Mignot, and the Marquis de Vil-
leveille a declaration of his wish to be reconciled to
" the church ; " that he spent much time in alter-
nately praying and blaspheming. These facts, if
facts they really are, rest upon the statements of
Mons. Tronchin, the Protestant physician from
Geneva, who attended him almost to the last, and
who was so horrified at what he witnessed that he
said, " Pour voir toutes les furies d'Oreste, il n'y
avait qu'a se trouvcr a la mort de Voltaire." The
Marechal de Richelieu, also, was terrified at what
he saw and heard, and left the bed-side of Voltaire
declaring that his nerves were not strong enough
to endure the strain. Tronchin's statements are de-
nied by Vilette and Monke, who represent the last
294
DistincjuisbeJ) /IDen an& Momen
hours of the great Frenchman as calm and peaceful.
The exact truth will, it is most likely, never be
known beyond all question, and yet, to the compiler
of this book, the weight of evidence seems to be
with Tronchin rather than with those who have im-
peached his testimony.
Wagner (Richard Wilhelm, German composer,
among whose works are " Rheingold," " Valkyria,"
"Siegfried" and "The Twilight of the Gods"),
i8 1 3- 1 883. "Mir ist schr schlecht."
At three o'clock he went to dinner with the fam-
ily, but just as they were assembled at table and the
soup was being served he suddenly sprang up, cried
out, " Mir ist sehr schlecht (I feel very bad)," and
fell back dead from an attack of heart disease.
Waller (Edmund, English poet), 1605- 1687.
He died repeating lines from Virgil.
Warham (William, Archbishop of Canterbury),
1450- 1 532. " That is enough to last till I get to
Heaven." Said to his servant who told him he had
still left thirty pounds.
Warner (Charles Dudley, author and lecturer),
1829- 1 900. "/ am not well, and should like to lie
doivn — will you call me in ten minutes? Thank
you. You are very kind — in ten minutes — remem-
ber! "
Among Mr, Warner's acquaintances was a col-
ored man, to whom he gave books to encourage his
295
Xast mor&0 ot
desire to read, particularly books connected with the
history of the colored race, upon which Mr. Warner
was an authority.
Mr. Warner probably intended to call on this man,
as he was in the neighborhood of his house when he
was stricken. Feeling ill, he asked permission at a
house to sit down, then to lie down, requesting to
be called in ten minutes. When the woman of the
house went to call him he was dead.
Washington (George, "the Father of His
Country," ^ and the first President of the United
States), 1 732- 1 799. "It is ivell." Some say his
last words were, " I am about to die, and I am not
afraid to die."
Washington said to Mr. Lear, his secretary, " I
am just going; have me decently buried, and do not
let my body be put into the vault until three days
after I am dead — do you understand me? " On his
secretary's replying that he did, the dying man
added, " It is well." About an hour later he quietly
withdrew his hand from Mr. Lear's, and felt his
own pulse, and immediately expired without a strug-
gle.
^ " And Meonothai begat Ophrah : and Seraiah begat Joab,
the father of the Valley of Charashim; for they were crafts-
men."— I Chronicles iv: 14; Julius Caesar was called the
Father of his country; Cosmo de Medici is so described on
his tombstone; Andrea Doria has upon his statue at Genoa,
Pater Patrice; and Louis XVIII. of France was commonly
called the Father of the Country.
296
Distinouisbet) /IDen auD Moinen
A coffin of mahogany, lined with lead and cov-
ered within and without with black velvet, was made
on the following day at Alexandria. On a plate at
the head of the coffin was inscribed '" Surge ad Judi-
cium; " on another, in the middle, " Gloria Deo"
while on a small silver plate in the form of an
American shield appeared the inscription :
GEORGE WASHINGTON.
Born Feb. 22, 1732.
Died Dec. 14, 1799.
His body was first placed in the family vault on
the Mount Vernon estate. In his will, Washington
left directions and plans for a new vault, which was
built afterward, and to which his remains were
transferred in 1832. The front of his tomb has an
ante-chamber, built of red brick, about twelve feet
in height, with a large iron gateway. It was erected
for the accommodation of two marble coffins, or
sarcophagi, one for Washington, the other for Mrs.
Washington ; they stand in full view of the visitor.
Over the gateway, upon a marble slab, are the words :
" Within this enclosure rest the remains of General Georgb
Washington."
Over the vault door inside, are the w^ords :
" He that Believeth in Me, Though he were Dead, yet
Shall he Live Again."
Napoleon, who was then First Consul of the
French, issued the following order under date of
297
Xast TRIlort>0 of
February i8, 1800 : " Washington is no more! That
great man fought against tyranny. He firmly es-
tabHshed the hberty of his country. His memory will
be ever dear to the French people, as it must be to
every friend of freedom in the two worlds, and es-
pecially to the French soldiers, who, like him and
the Americans, bravely fight for liberty and equality.
The First Consul in consequence orders that, for ten
days, black crepes shall be suspended to all the stand-
ards and flags of the Republic."
Watts (Isaac, English divine and sacred poet.
He is the author of many beautiful and popular
hymns), 1674- 1748. ''It is a great mercy to me
that I have no manner of fear or dread of death. I
could, if God please, lay my head hack and die zvith-
out terror this afternoon."
Webster (Daniel), 1782- 1852. "/ still live!"
This was his last coherent utterance. Later he mut-
tered something about poetry, and his son repeated
to him one of the stanzas of " Gray's Elegy." He
heard it and smiled.^
He inquired whether it were likely that he should
* The United States has produced no greater orator than
Daniel Webster ; nevertheless, in the minds of many, he fell
from his most exalted station as the interpreter of the public
conscience, when he delivered, March 7, 1850, his famous
speech, assenting to the Fugitive Slave Law. It was this
speech that called forth Whittier's poem " Ichabod," which
has been often compared with Bro.wning's " Lost Leader."
298
5)i6tinguisbet) /IDen an& TKIlomcn
again eject blood from his stomach before death,
and being told that it was improbable, he asked,
" Then what shall you do? " Being answered that
he would be supported by stimulants, and rendered
as easy as possible by the opiates that had suited him
so well, he inquired, at once, if the stimulant should
not be given immediately; anxious again to know
if the hand of death were not already upon him.
And on being told that it would not be then given,
he replied, " When you give it to me, I shall know
that I may drop off at once."
Being satisfied on this point, and that he should,
therefore, have a final warning, he said a moment
afterwards, " I will, then, put myself in a position
to obtain a little repose." In this he was successful.
He had intervals of rest to the last; but on rousing
from them he showed that he was still intensely
anxious to preserve his consciousness, and to watch
for the moment and act of his departure, so as to
comprehend it. Awaking from one of these slum-
bers, late in the night, he asked distinctly if he were
alive, and on being assured that he was, and that his
family was collected around his bed, he said in a
perfectly natural tone, as if assenting to what had
been told him, because he himself perceived that it
was true, " I still live." These were his last co-
herent and intelligible words. At twenty-three min-
utes before three o'clock, without a struggle or a
moan, all signs of life ceased to be visible.
— Louis Gaylord Clark.
299
Xast Mort)6 ot
Webster (Thomas, Professor of Geology in the
London University, and author of " Encyclopaedia
of Domestic Economy"), 1773-1844. '' Examine
it for yourself."
Webster (William, English clergyman and au-
thor of " The Life of General Monk "), 1689-1758.
"Peace/'
Weed (Thurlow, American journalist and poli-
tician. He wrote " Letters from Europe and the
West Indies," and for many years edited with
marked ability, "The Albany Evening Journal"),
1 797- 1 882. '" / ivant to go home"
During his last hours his mind wandered, and he
thought himself in conversation with President Lin-
coln and General Scott with regard to the Southern
Confederacy.
Wesley (Charles, English hymn-writer whose
sacred songs are sung, in original or translation, all
over the Christian world. He is the author of " Love
divine, all love excelling," " Jesus, lover of my soul,"
and " Christ, the Lord, is risen to-day "), 1708- 1788.
" I shall be satisfied with Thy likeness — satisfied! "
Wesley (John, founder of the Methodist Episco-
pal Church), 1 703- 1 79 1. " The best of all is God
is zvith US."
His body lay in a kind of state in his chapel at
London the day previous to his interment, dressed in
300
Bisttnouf5be^ /IDen an& Momcn
his clerical habit, with gown, cassock, and band, the
old clerical cap on his head, a Bible in one hand, and
a white handkerchief in the other. The funeral serv-
ice was read by one of his old preachers. When
he came to the part of the service, " Forasmuch as
it hath pleased God to take unto himself the soul of
our dear brother," his voice changed, and he substi-
tuted the word " father ; " and the feeling with which
he did this was such, that the congregation, who
were shedding silent tears, burst at once into loud
weeping. — "Southey's Life of Wesley."
Wesley (Sarah, wife of Charles Wesley).
" Open the gates! Open the gates! "
Whitaker (William, English theologian, pro-
fessor of Divinity at Cambridge, and translator of
the " Liturgy of the Church " and " Nowell's Cate-
chism " into Greek), 1547-1595. "Life or death
is welcome to me; and I desire not to live, hut so far
as I may he serviceable to God and His church."
White (Joseph Blanco. In Spain, where he was
born, he was called Blanco, which he exchanged for
its English equivalent. He wrote many interesting
and useful books, but will be remembered longest
for his exquisite sonnet, entitled "Night"), 1775-
184 1. "Now I die."
He remained some days longer, chiefly in the state
of one falling asleep, until the morning of the 20th,
when he awoke, and with a firm voice and great
301
Xast MorC)3 ot
solemnity of manner, spoke only these words : " Now
I die." He sat as one in the attitude of expectation,
and about two hours afterward — it was as he had
said.
There was no apparent pain or struggle, and it was
an inexpressible relief to behold, shortly after, the
singular beauty and repose of features lately so wan
and suffering; but there took place in the act of ex-
piring, what we had observed in other cases after
long exhaustion, but had never seen described. A
sudden darkness beneath the surface, like the cloud-
ing of a pure liquid from within ; the immediate
shadow of Death was passing from the forehead
downwards, and leaving all clear again behind it as it
moved along.
Thorn's " Life of Joseph Blanco White."
Compare the death-bed of the Deist, Joseph Blanco
White, with that of poor Keats, and I think it must
be admitted that both in faith and fortitude the
former has immeasurably the advantage. It ought,
however, to be recollected that Blanco White was
older, and had had more time to gain strength of
mind. But he was also of a more religious turn
from the first.
Memoirs and Letters of Sara Coleridge.
Whitefield (George, founder of the Calvinistic
Methodist Church, and chaplain to the Countess of
Huntingdon), 1 714-1770. '' / am dying." He
was standing by the open window gasping for
302
2)lstinoufsbe& /Iften an^ Momen
breath, as he uttered these words. A friend per-
suaded him to sit down in a chair, and have a cloak
thrown over him, and thus seated he quietly passed
away.
" David Hume pronounced Whitefield the most
ingenious preacher he had ever heard, and said it
was worth while to go twenty miles to hear him.
But perhaps the greatest proof of his persuasive
powers was when he drew from Benjamin Frank-
lin's pocket the money which that clear, cool reasoner
had determined not to give." — Robert Southey.
Whitman (Walt, American poet and army
nurse), i8 19-1892. " 0, he's a dear, good fellow,"
said of Thomas Donaldson, one of his most enthu-
siastic friends, and later his biographer.
There was a most pathetic incident connected with
Mr. Whitman's death. It was related to me by
" Warry " Fritzinger, his nurse. Warry had ar-
ranged a rope above Mr. Whitman's head, in the bed,
which was attached to a bell below. He would pull
this rope after he became weak, and thus ring the
bell to attract attention. Prior to this time he had
used his heavy cane to pound the floor with. This
brought assistance at once. Just before he died, as
the great change came over him — he was conscious
that it was a great change, a something unusual
(Mrs. Davis and Warry were by his side) — he
seemed as if groping for something. Death had
called for him, and as the call came, he attempted to
303
Xast imov^s of
reach above his head with one of his hands and feel
for the rope, as if to call for help. In an instant the
arm dropped, and soon he was dead.
Donaldson: " Walt Whitman the Man."
Whitman has, amid the fleshly and physical poems,
much that is deeply spiritual ; amid the tuneless and
formless, much noble thought fitly voiced. The
higher mood and the higher work may be seen in " O
Captain ! my Captain ! " " Reconciliation," " Vigil
on the Fields," " The City Dead-House," " Song of
the Broad Axe," " Proud Music of the Storm,"
" The Mystic Trumpeter," " Seashore Memories,"
and the death-carols of the " Passage to India."
Welsh:" Digest of English and American Litera-
ture"
Whittier (John Greenleaf, distinguishd Ameri-
can poet), 1 807- 1 892. "I have known thee all the
time," to his niece in response to her question, " Do
you know me ? "
Others say his last words were, " Give my love to
the world."
Upon the silver cofifin-plate was the inscription:
" John Greenleaf Whittier, December 17, 1807, Sep-
tember 7, 1892." The face of the dead man wore an
expression of peace and perfect repose. All around
his head and body was a delicate fringe of maiden-
hair fern. Directly over his breast was a superb
wreath of white roses, carnations and maidenhair
ferns from that other loved poet and dear friend, for
S04
2)i5tinoutsbe^ /IDen an& Women
whom Whittier wrote his last poem, Dr. Oliver Wen-
dell Holmes. Upon the lid was a cluster of white
carnations from Mrs. Elizabeth Stuart Phelps Ward,
and at the foot were two crossed palms with white
lilies. At the last were roses and maidenhair ferns.
A broad white satin ribbon encircled the palms and
sprays, and upon the ends, delicately painted, were
the inscriptions : " In memory of John Greenleaf
Whittier, September 7, 1892," and this verse:
" Some sweet morning, yet in God's
Dim aeonian periods.
Joyful I shall wake to see
Those I love, who rest in Thee,
And to them, in Thee allied,
Shall my soul be satisfied."
Upon the card were these words : " In memoriam
of my husband's dear friend. This verse of Andrew
Rykman's prayer was used for consolation by him
who wrote it in the hour of death. Mrs. Daniel
Lathrop."
N. Y. Tribune, September 12, 1892.
WiELAND (Christoph Martin, celebrated German
poet, first translator of Shakspeare's works into the
German language, founder and editor of the
" Deutscher Mercur." His most celebrated poem
is " Oberon "), 1733-1813. "To sleep — to die."
WiLBERFORCE (William, British statesman and
philanthropist), 1759-1833. "Heaven!" Some
say his last words were : " I now feel so weaned
305
Xast morbs of
from earth, my affections so much in heaven, that I
can leave you all without regret; yet I do not love
you less, but God more."
Wild (Jonathan, noted highwayman, the hero of
many a chap-book of his day, and the hero and title
of a novel by Fielding), 1682-1725. "Lord Jesus
receive my soul! " Unfortunately there is some
doubt as to the genuineness of these pious words,
for they come to us through the chaplain of the
prison, Rev. Thomas Pureney, a man of whom we
have this description in Charles Whibley's " Book of
Scoundrels : "
" Pureney yielded without persuasion to the pleas-
ures denied his cloth. There was ever a fire to extin-
guish at his throat, nor could he veil his wanton eye
at the sight of a pretty wench. Again and again the
lust of preaching urged him to repent, yet he slid
back upon his past gaiety, until ' Parson Pureney '
became a by-word. Dismissed from Newmarket in
disgrace, he wandered the country up and down in
search of a pulpit, but so infamous became the habit
of his life that only in prison could he find an audi-
ence fit and responsive."
WiLLARD (Frances Elizabeth, American reformer
and temperance advocate), 1839 — . "How beauti-
ful to be zvith God."
Shortly before Frances Willard's death she took
notice of Hoffman's picture of Christ on the wall,
which had been given to her by Lady Henry Somer-
306
2>isttnouisbe& ^en nnt> momen
set, and directed that it be taken back to Lady Henry
with this inscription : " Only the golden rule of Christ
can bring the golden age of man." Her last words
were " How beautiful to be with God."
Rev. C. C. Carpenter.
William I. (of England, surnamed " The Con-
queror"), 1025-1087. "/ commend myself to the
blessed Lady Mary, hoping by her intercessions to
be reconciled to her most dear Son, our Lord Jesus
Christ/'
William HI. (of England), 1650-1702. "Can
this last long? " to his physician.
WiLMOT (John, Earl of Rochester, witty and prof-
ligate courtier and author, and a great favorite with
Charles H. Notwithstanding his evil life, he was a
brave soldier and had many attractive qualities),
1 647- 1 680. " The only objection against the Bible
is a bad life."
Wilson (Alexander, distinguished ornithologist),
1766-1813. His last words are not recorded, but
just before his death he asked to be buried where the
birds might sing over his grave. ^
' Walter von der Vogelweid requested that he might repose
where a leafy tree should cast its shadow, and the light of the
summer day should linger long; and that the birds might be
fed every day from the stone over his grave. See Longfellow's
beautiful poem, " Walter von der Vogelweid."
Xast mott>B of
WiNKELRiED (Arnold von, Swiss patriot who
broke the Austrian phalanx at the battle of Sem-
pach in 1385, by rushing against the points of their
spears, and gathering within his arms as many as he
could. He fell pierced with many wounds, but the
Swiss were victorious). "Friends, I am going to
lay dozvn my life to procure you victory. All I
request is that you provide for my family. Folloiv
me and imitate my example."
A column surmounted by a lion, erected on the
five hundredth anniversary of the victory marks the
spot where Arnold von Winkelried fell.
WisHART (George), 1502-1546. "For the sake
of the true gospel, given one by the grace of God, I
suffer this day with a glad heart. Behold and con-
sider my visage. Ye shall not see me change color.
I fear not this Hre." He was burned at the stake
for preaching the doctrines of the Reformation.
A few moments before he uttered his last words
the executioner said to him, " Sir, I pray you to
forgive me, for I am not guilty of your death," to
which the martyr, having replied, " Come hither to
me," and then kissed him on the cheek, said : " Lo,
here is a token that I forgive thee."
Witt (Cornelius de). "This man, who had
bravely served his country in war, and who had been
invested with the highest dignities, was delivered
into the hands of the executioner, and torn in pieces
by the most inhuman torments. Amidst the severe
308
Distlnoutsbe^ /IDen an& Momen
agonies which he endured he frequently repeated an
ode of Horace/ which contained sentiments suited
to his deplorable condition." — Hume.
WoLCOTT, or WoLCOT (John, " Peter Pindar,"
witty and scurrilous satiric poet. " The most un-
sparing calumniator of his age." — Sir Walter Scott),
1738- 1 819. "Give me back my youth/' to Taylor
who had asked him " Is there anything I can do for
you?"
Wolcott is well described by Gifford in these lines :
Come, then, all filth, all venom, as thou art,
Rage in thy eye, and rancour in thy heart ;
Come with thy boasted arms, spite, malice, lies,
Smut, scandal, execrations, blasphemies.
Wolfe (Charles, Irish clergyman and poet, author
of " Burial of Sir John Moore," w^iich is regarded
as one of the most finished poems of its kind in the
English language) , 1 79 1 - 1 823. " Close this eye, the
other is closed already; and now farewell! "
On going to bed he felt very drowsy; and soon
after the stupor of death began to creep over him.
He began to pray for all his dearest friends indi-
vidually ; but his voice faltering, he could only say —
" God bless them all ! The peace of God and of
Jesus Christ overshadow them, dwell in them, reign
in them ! " " My peace," said he, addressing his
sister (the peace I now feel), "Be with you!" —
" Thou, O God, wilt keep him in perfect peace whose
' Horace lib. iii, Ode 3.
Xast "mov^s ot
mind is stayed on Thee." His speech again began to
fail, and he fell into a slumber; but whenever his
senses were recalled he returned to prayer. He re-
peated part of the Lord's prayer, but was unable to
proceed; and at last, with a composure scarcely
credible at such a moment, he whispered to the dear
relative who hung over his death-bed, " Close this
eye, the other is closed already; and now farewell! "
Then, having again uttered part of the Lord's prayer,
he fell asleep.
Rev. John A. Russell: " Remains of Rev. Charles
Wolfe."
Wolfe (James, a celebrated English officer, killed
in the battle of Quebec ) , 1 726- 1 759. "' / die happy."
On being told of the defeat of the French.
Some give his last words thus : " Support me,
let not my brave soldiers see me drop; the day is
ours ! Oh ! keep it ! " Said to those who were near
him when he received his wound. He feared the
effect of his death upon his troops.
WoLLSTONECRAFT (Mary, afterwards Mrs. God-
win, English authoress) , 1759- 1797. '' I knozv zvhat
you are thinking of, but I have nothing to communi-
cate on the subject of religion," to her husband who
was endeavoring to tell her death was near and to
sound her mind in the matter of a spiritual world.
WoLSEY (Thomas, known in history as Cardinal
Wolsey), 147 1- 1 530. " Master Kingston, farewell!
ZDistingutsbe^ /IDeu ant) Momen
My time drawcth on fast. Forget not zuhat I Imve
said and charged you zvithal; for when I am dead ye
shall, pcradventitre, understand my words better."
D'Auhigne's "History of the Reformation."
On the morning of the second day, as Cavendish
was watching near Wolsey, he inquired the hour,
and being told eight o'clock, — " That cannot be," he
replied, " for at eight o'clock you will lose your
master : my time is at hand, and I must depart this
world." His confessor, who was standing near,
requested Cavendish to enquire if he would be con-
fessed. "What have you to do with that?" an-
swered the Cardinal, angrily; but was appeased by
the interference of the confessor. He continued to
grow weaker all that day : about four o'clock the
next morning, he asked for some refreshment, which
having received, and made his final confession, Sir
William Kingston entered his room, and enquired
how he felt himself: " I tarry," said the dying man,
" but the pleasure of God, to render up my poor soul
into His hands. I have now been eight days together
troubled with a continual flux and fever, a species
of disease which, if it do not remit its violence within
that period, never fails to terminate in death." Then
follows his message to the King, concluding with,
" Had I served my God as diligently as I have served
the King, He would not have given me over in my
grey hairs." He then continued, for a short time,
to give Sir William some advice, concluding with,
" Forget not what I have said ; and when I am gone,
311
Xast MorOs ot
call it often to mind." Towards the conclusion, his
accents began to falter; at the end, his eyes became
motionless, and his sight failed. The abbot was
summoned to administer the extreme unction, and
the yeomen of the guard were called to see him die.
As the clock struck eight he expired, on the 29th of
November, 1530.
Welhy: "Predictions Realized."
He was a scholar, and a ripe and good one;
Exceeding wise, fair spoken and persuading;
Lofty and sour to them that loved him not.
But, to those men that sought him, sweet as summer.
And though he was unsatisfied in getting,
(Which was a sin), yet in bestowing, madam,
He was most princely. — Shakspeare.
Wood (Rev. John George, English naturalist,
author of " Man and Beast Here and Hereafter "),
1 827- 1 889. " Give me a large cup of tea."
At six o'clock he complained of thirst and asked
for a cup of milk. Still his mind was perfectly clear,
for, finding that he could no longer raise his head
to drink, he asked whether there happened to be
an invalid's cup in the house, and, finding that there
was not, suggested that a small milk jug would an-
swer the purpose instead. This was procured, and
he drank his milk, asking immediately afterward for
a large cup of tea, which he drank also. And almost
immediately afterward he turned his head upon one
side, and quietly passed away.^ — Theodore Wood.
* Sir Charles Blagden, the distinguished English physician
and chemist (1748-1820) died so quietly and peacefully that
2)tstinGuisbe& /iDen ant) Momen
WooDviLLE (William, English physician and
author of a work on *' Medical Botany"), 1752-
1805. " I shall not live more than two days, there-
fore make haste," last recorded words said to a car-
penter v/ho had come to measure him for a coffin.
WooLSTON (Thomas, English theologian), 1669-
'^72>?)- " This is a struggle zuhieh all men must go
through, and which I bear not only zvith patience,
but with willingness."
WooLTON (John, Bishop of Exeter), 1535- 1594.
" A Bishop ought to die on his legs." He insisted
upon standing up to die, as did also the Rev. Patrick
Bronte,
Wordsworth (William, distinguished English
poet), 1 770- 1 850. "God bless you! Is that you.
Dora? "
Mrs. Wordsworth, with a view of letting him
know what the opinion of his medical advisers was
concerning his case, said gently to him, " William,
you are going to Dora!" More than twenty-four
hours afterward one of his nieces came into the room,
and was drawing aside the curtain of his chamber,
not a drop of cofifee in the cup which he held in his hand
was spilt. He was sitting in his chair at a social meal with
his friends, Monsieur and Madame Berthollet, and Gay
Lussac. Dr. Joseph Black, also a famous physician, died
whilst eating his customary meal of bread and milk, and so
quiet and peaceful was his departure that he did not even
spill the contents of a spoon which he held in his hand.
Xast Mort)s ot
and then, as if awakening from a quiet sleep, he said,
"Is that you Dora?"^
Memoirs of Wordsworth, Vol. ii, p. 506.
' William Wordsworth died April 23rd, 1850, at the age of
80, and was buried in the little centry-garth of St. Oswald's,
Grasmere, between, as De Quincey records, " a yew-tree of
his own planting, and an aged thorn." On his tombstone is
an inscription from the pen of Keble, in which he is styled,
" a chief minister, not only of noblest poesy, but of high and
Sacred truth." Surely the tender lover of Nature, and high-
priest of her mysteries, could have no fitter resting-place than
this Westmoreland churchyard, where, as some one has writ-
ten, " the turf is washed green by summer dew, and winter
rain, and in early spring is beautifully dappled with lichens
and golden moss?" This reads very prettily, and represents
the thing as it should be. But what are the facts? The liter-
ary pilgrim who may chance to visit the spot will follow a
narrow muddy path among the grave mounds, till he reaches
a gloomy dingy corner, with a group of blue-black head-stones
of funereal slate. Everything round the place is decayed and
blighted ; no green grass is there ; all is dull, dark and de-
pressing. The poet's corner is ill-drained; and there is a tiny
moat of water round the base of the stone curb, in which is
fixed the iron railing that surrounds the grave. Yet here is
a remarkable group of memorial tombs. Near to the poet lie
all the beloved members of his household. Here slumbers his
favorite sister, Dorothy ; here, too, Mrs. Wordsworth, — Dora
Wordsworth, — her husband, Edward Quillinan, the poet, and
translator of the Lusiad, — the two infant children of Words-
worth,— and behind these. Hartley Coleridge, that " inheritor
of unfulfilled renown," whose bier the poet followed one
snowy day in January, unwitting that, before the trees were
again clad with verdure, he would be borne along the same
narrow path to his own long rest. Surely something should
be done to rescue the poet's monument from decay, and render
it more in accordance with the verdant foliage and the sun-
bright hills around, of which he sung so lovingly and so well.
William Bates.
H)istinGuisbe5 /IDen ant) XRHomen
WoTTON (Sir Henry, English diplomatist, author
of some very beautiful short poems and of a number
of books, chief among which are " The State of
Christendom," and " The Characters of Some of the
English Kings"), 1568-1639. "I nozv draw near
to the harbor of death — that harbor that ivill rescue
me from all the future storms and waves of this
restless world. I praise God, I am willing to leave
it, and expect a better — that world wherein dwelleth
righteousness, and I long for it."
Wyatt (Sir Thomas, the younger), 1520- 15 54.
On the scaffold he said to the people : " Whereas it
is said abroad that I should accuse my Lady Eliza-
beth's grace and my Lord Courtenay; it is not so,
good people, for I assure you that neither they nor
any other now yonder in bold endurance was privy
of my rising a commotion before I began." Weston,
his confessor, shouted, " Believe him not, good peo-
ple! he confessed otherwise before the council."
Wyatt answered : " That which I said then I said,
but that zvhich I say now is true." These were
Wyatt's last words.
Wycherley (William, author of "The Plain-
dealer," " The Country Wife," and several other
comedies), 1640-1715. ''Promise me you will
never again marry an old man," said to his wife.
When he was over seventy years old he married a
young woman, but he survived his marriage only
eleven days.
Xast Mor&s ot
XiMENES DE CiSNEROS (Francisco, Spanish cardi-
nal), 17 19- 1 774. " This is death."
Yancey (William Lowndes, American politician,
secessionist and commissioner to Europe to secure
recognition of the Southern Confederacy. He was
called "The Fire-Eater"), 1815-1863. "Sarah,"
his wife's name.
YvART (J. A. Victor, called " The Arthur Young
of France"), 1764-1831. "Nature, how lovely
thou art! "
Zane (Giacomo, a Venetian poet), 1529- 1560.
" / should like to live." There is dispute about these
words; some writers say his last words were: "I
should not like to live."
Zeisberger (David, German missionary among
the American Indians, author of a number of books
in the language of the Delaware Indians), 1 721- 1808.
" I am going, my people, to rest from all my labors
and to be at home with the Lord. He has never for-
saken me in distress, and will not forsake me nozv.
I have reviewed my whole life, and found that there
is much to be forgiven."
Zeno, or Zenon (Greek philosopher and founder
of the school of the Stoics), about b, c. 355 — about
B. c. 257. " Earth, dost thou demand mef- I am
ready." Last recorded words.
316
H)fstfnoufsbe& /iDen anb Momen
The occasion of the philosopher's death is related
as follows : " One day, as he was coming out of his
school, he ran against some object and broke his
finger; this he considered as an intimation from the
gods that he must soon die; and, immediately strik-
ing the ground with his hand, he said, * Earth, dost
thou demand me? I am ready.' Instead of seeking
to have his finger healed, he deliberately strangled
himself.
" He had taught publicly forty-eight years with-
out intermission ; and, reckoning from the time when
he commenced his studies under Crates, the Cynic,
he had devoted himself to philosophy for sixty-eight
years." — Fenelon.
ZiMMERMANN (Johann Georg von, eminent
Swiss physician of the eighteenth century, and au-
thor of a famous essay on " Solitude "), 1728-1795.
'' / am dying; leave me alone."
He was completely deranged for some time before
his death.
ZiNZENDORF (Nicolaus Ludwig, Count and Lord
of Zinzendorf and Pottendorf, founder of the Mo-
ravian Church, and the author of a number of beau-
tiful hymns), 1700- 1760. Around his bed more than
a hundred members of the community gathered to
receive his blessing, and hear his last council and
encouragement. When he had spoken kindly to
them all he said to his son-in-law : " Now, my dear
317
Xast Morbs
son, I am going to the Saviour. I am ready; I am
quite resigned to the zvill of my Lord. If He is no
longer willing to make use of me here I am quite
ready to go to Hint, for there is nothing more in my
way." His son-in-law offered prayer, and as he
closed with the petition, " Lord, now lettest Thou
Thy servant depart in peace," the great and holy
man fell asleep in his Saviour,
ZwiNGLE, or ZwiNGLius (a Swiss Reformer who
was killed at the battle of Cappel), 1 484-1 531.
" Can this he considered a calamity? Well! they
can, indeed, kill the body, hut they are not ahle to
kill the soul." Said after receiving a mortal
wound.
318
EPILOGUE
Great men may by their courage and virtue fortify
us against the terrors of death, if by their vices, and
fears begotten of vices, they do not distress us ten-
fold more than we were distressed before; they may
point the way from a present twiHght to the infinite
day-dawn beyond ; and yet in the end must every pil-
grim choose for himself the road over which he is
to journey. The foregoing pages give only the ex-
periences of others. Nevertheless, they may soften
in our minds the dark outlines of the landscape, and
cast a rav of light into the great unseen. Happy is
the soul that in an age of doubt and uncertainty can
trust, even though it be with trembling faith, One
greater than the greatest, and Who has named Him-
self the Resurrection and the Life!
Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me!
And may there be no moaning of the bar.
When I put out to sea,
But such a tide as moving seems asleep.
Too full for sound and foam.
When that which drew from out the boundless
deep
Turns again home.
319
Bpilogue
Twilight and evening bell,
And after that the dark!
And may there be no sadness of farewell,
When I embark;
For tho' from out our bourne of Time and Place
The flood may bear me far,
I hope to see my Pilot face to face
When I have crost the bar.
Tennyson.
320
INDEX
Index
Above all do not miss me! 159
Absolutely, and I pray God to
condemn me if I have, 239
Adieu, my dear Maraud ; I am
dying, 293
Adieu, O world ; here is no
pity for me. Soldiers, fire,
287
Adios, mundo ; no hay piedad
para mi. Soldados, fuego,
287
After I am dead you will find
Calais written upon my
heart, 186
Ah, Jesus ! 61
Ah ! mes enfans, you cannot
cry as much for me, 247
Ah ! my child, let us speak of
Christ's love, 43
Ah ! poor humpback, thy
many long years, 70.
Ah ! very well, 16
Ah, a German ! a prodigy, ad-
mit him ! 273
All I request of you, gentle-
men, is that you bear wit-
ness, 12
All is well! 97
All is well, all is well — the
Seed of God reigns over all,
lOI.
All my life I have carried my-
self gracefully, 52
All my possessions for one
moment of time, 91
Amazing, amazing glory ! I
am having Paul's under-
standing, 237
Amen, 48
An Emperor ought to die
standing, 289
And must I then die? Will
not all my riches save me?
25
Anderson, you know that I
always wished to die, 199
Are the doctors here? 123
Are the French beaten? 199
Arc we not children, all of us?
275
Artery ceases to beat, The,
122
Assatus est ; jam versa et
manduca, 161
" Asunder flies the man," 175
At least, I may die facing the
enemy, 23
At rest at last. Now I am free
from pain, 129
At the last hour God alone
can give mortals comfort,
247
Away ! Away ! Why do you
thus look at me? 26
Ay, Jesus ! 62
Back, thou accursed phantom,
164
Be fruitful, 188
Be good, be virtuous, my lord,
176
Be of good comfort, brother,
for we shall have a merry
supper, 43
Be of good comfort, Master
Ridley, and play the man,
161
Be quick about it, 22
Be serious, 119
Be thou everlasting, 246
Begone, thou wretched beast,
^^6
irn&ei
Begone, you and your trum-
pery; until this moment,
252
Behold then, the recompense
reserved, 80
Beloved Bickus, the principle
of existence and mutability,
no
Best of all is, God is with us,
The, 300
Bishop ought to die on his
legs, A, 313
Blessed be God, I have kept a
conscience void of oflfence,
288
Blessed be God, though I
change my place, 231
Body of Our Lord Jesus
Christ, which was given,
The, 232
Bring thy torch hither; do
thine office before my face.
152
Brother, brother, strong evi-
dences, nothing but strong
evidences, 240
Brother Ranney, will you bury
me? bury me? quick! quick!
153
But the consummate and
perfect knowledge — , 249
Can this be considered a cal-
amity? Well, they can, 318
Can this last long? 307
Carry my bones before you on
your march, 88
Catholic faith is, to love God
and to love man. The, 66
Christ also hath suffered for
sins, 133
Christ Jesus the Saviour of
sinners and life of the dead,
210
Clasp my hand, my dear
friend, I die ! 9
Close this eye, the other is
closed already, 309
Come, my son, and see how a
Christian can die, 126
Come to me, 85
Commend your souls to God,
for our bodies are the foes !
198
Comme un dernier rayon,
comme un dernier zephyre,
63
Contemplate the state in which
I am fallen, and learn to
die, 245
Crito, I owe a cock to .^scu-
lapius, 260
Dear gentlemen, let me die,
no
Dear little fellow — he is a
beautiful boy, 158
Death wins this time, 227
Debt! 189
Deep dream of peace, 142
Did I not say I was writing
the Requiem for myself?
202
Did you know Burke? 256
Did you think I should live
forever? 171
Do not let the Civil Rights bill
fail! 270
Do you hear the music? 37
Don't let poor Nelly starve !
60
Domine ! Domine ! fac finem !
fac finem ! 98
Dream has been short, The,
247
Dying, dying, 134
Dying man. can do nothing
easy, A, 102
Earth, dost thou demand me?
I am ready, 316
Einen Blick in die Sonne, 249
End has come in the way in
which I most desired. The,
206
Erravi cum Petro, sed non
flevi cum Petro, 108
Est ist gut, 156
Et tu. Brute ! 52
Examine it for yourself, 300
Exariare aliquis nostris ex
ossibus ultor, 269
324
•ffn^ci
Faith and patience hold out
223
Far from well, yet far better
than mine iniquities de-
serve, 188
Farewell, and remember me,
181
Farewell, my children, for-
ever. I go to your father,
182
Farewell, O farewell, all
earthly things, and welcome
heaven, 30
Farewell sun, moon, and
stars, 177
Fear not true Pharisees, but
greatly fear painted Phari-
sees, 9
Fi de la vie ! qu'on ne m'en
parle plus, iSi
Fifty years have passed since
I became Caliph, 2
Food is palatable. The, 100
For the love of God, don't
mention that man ! 294
For the name of Jesus and the
defense of the Church, 26
For the sake of the true gos-
pel given once by the grace
of God, 308
Frenchmen, I die innocent of
all the crimes, 178
Friend, you do not well to
trample on a dying man, 225
Friendship itself is but a part
of virtue, 229
Friends, I am going to lay
down my life, 308
Gentlemen of the jury, you
will now consider of your
verdict, 276
Give Day Rolles a chair, 63
Give me a large cup of tea^
312
Give me back my youth, 309
Give my love to the world,
304
Give the boys a holiday, 11
Give them the cold steel, boys,
16
" Glory be to the Father, and
to the Son, and to the Holy
Ghost," 27
Glory hallelujah! I am going
to the Lordy ! I come !
Ready! Go! 119
Glory to God for all things,
Amen, 64
Go first; I can at least spare
you the pain, 243
Go ye to the country of Tyre
and Sidon, 148
" God be merciful to me, a
sinner," 287
God be thanked, I have had a
very good night, 258
God bless you, 49
God bless you all ! 252
God bless you ! Is that you,
Dora? 313
God bless you, my dear ! 153
God forgive me. — Amen I 126
God have mercy upon me, and
be gracious to me, 263
God preserve the emperor,
120
God protect Bulgaria, 266
God, who placed me here, will
do what he pleases with me
hereafter, 38
God will continue to support
me, 102
God's will be done, 158
God's wounds ! The villain
hath killed me, 292
Good-bye, 207
Good-bye, General ; I'm done.
I'm too old, 90
Good Doctor, God has heard
my daily petitions, 135
Good morning, 203
Good people, give me more
fire, 136
Grateful — in peace, 149
Grenadiers ! lower your arms,
otherwise you will miss me,
97
Guard the church I loved so
well, 227
Guilty, weak, and helpless
worm, A, 133
325
1^n^eI
Ha til mi tulidh, 242 I
Had it pleased my Lord to
spare me longer, 271 I
Happy, 178
Happy, 235 I
He, 126
He has indeed been a precious I
Christ to me, 245 I
He that loves God ought to I
think, 2,1 I
Heaven ! 305 I
Help, my dear — help! 178
Heracles, how cold your bath I
is, 154
Here ! Fire here ! 287 I
Here, then, we have come to
the last stage of my jour- I
ney, 37
Here thou art then ! 64 I
Herr Jesu, to thee I live ;
Herr Jesu, to thee I die ! I
104
Hold your tongue ; your
wretched style only makes, I
178
Holy, holy, holy, blessed I
Lord Jesus ! 243
How am I advanced, despis-
ing you that are upon the I
earth ! 180
How beautiful ! 205 I
How beautiful God is! 158
How beautiful to be with God, I
306
How easy — how easy — how I
easy to glide from work
here, 237 I
How grand the sunlight ! It
seems to beckon earth to I
heaven, 142
How great is the forgiveness I
for such a life ! 291
How sweet it is to rest ! 275 I
Huz! Huz! 171
I
I always deemed him more
fortunate than myself, 292 I
I am a Queen, but have no I
power to use my arms, 174 I
I am a priest ! Fie ! Fie ! all I
is gone, 25
326
am about to die, and I am
not afraid to die, 296
am about to die. I expect
the summons soon, 276
am almost dead ; lift me up a
little higher, 87
am almost in eternity, 43
am almost well, 22,
am done for, 128
am dying, 302
am dying, I am worn out,
201
am dying; leave me alone,
317
am dying, sir, of a hundred
good symptoms, 229
am glad to hear it ; but, O
brother Payne ! 216
am going, my people, to rest
from my labors, 316
am going to sleep like you,
but we shall all awake to-
gether, 231
am going to the great per-
haps, 233
am going where all tears
will be wiped from my eyes,
187
am grateful for your pres-
ence, 57
am grateful to Divine
Mercy, 160
am ill — very ill, I shall not
recover, 201
am just going; have me
decently buried, 296
am laboring to return that
which is divine, 228
am lost, and there is no use
to deny it, 107
am not well, and should like
to lie down, 295
am not in the least afraid to
die, 7y
am now ready to die. Lord,
forsake me not, 131
am perfectly resigned, 116
am ready, 96
am ready, 188
am ready at any time — do
not keep me waiting, 45
UnDei
I am ready — let there be no
mistake and no delay, 36
I am roasted — now turn me,
and eat me, 161
I am satisfied with the Lord's
will, 209
I am sensible of the violence
of my disorder, 276
I am suffering, sire, the pangs
of the damned, 273
I am sweeping through the
gates, 68
I am the wheat of Christ, 145
I am very ill. Is it not strange
that these people, 55
I am weary; I will now go to
sleep, Good night ! 207
I am wounded, 129
I believe. Lord, and confess,
224
I cannot bear it ; let me rest.
I must die, 241
I carry in my heart the dirge
of the monarchy, 194
I commend myself to the
blessed Lady Mary, 307
I confide to your care, my be-
loved children, 197
I could wish this tragic scene
were over, 232
I desire to go to hell, and not
to heaven, 178
I did not think that they
would put a young gentle-
man to death, 22
I die a martyr and willingly
— my soul shall mount up
to heaven, 46
I die happy, 310
I die like a good Catholic,
26
I die not only a Protestant,
but with the heart-hatred of
popery, 16
I die of a broken heart, 156
I die unprepared, 41
I do, 215 _
I do forgive you. 138
I do not fear death, 36
I do not mean to be killed to-
day, 285
fear not death ; death is not
terrible to me, 59
feel as if I were sitting with
Mary at the feet of my Re-
deemer, 129
feel as if I were to be myself
again, 252
feel like a mote in the sun-
beam, 223
feel now that I am dying, 29
feel (juite well, only very
weak, 154
feel the flowers growing
over me, 156
give thee thanks, O God, for
all they benefits, 89
go to my God and Saviour,
132
have already confessed my
sins to God, 257
have always endeavored to
the best of my ability, 66
have been false to my God,
31
have been fortunate in long
good health and constant
success, 239
have been murdered ; no
remedy can prevent my
speedy death, 162
have been nearer to you
when you have missed me,
165
have done my work. It is
the most natural thing in
the world to die, 238
have done the damnable
deed. 230
have enough, brother; try to
save your own life, 120
have ever cherished an
honest pride ; never have I
stooped, 255
have found at last the object
of my love, 145
have had a noble share of
life, 183
have had wealth, rank and
power, but if these were all, 7
have known thee all the
time, 304
Z^l
1In&ei
have led a happy life, 127
have loved God, my father
and liberty, 265
have loved justice and hated
inquity, 118
have no enemies except
those of the state, 239
have no religious joys; but
I have hope, 106
have no wish to believe on
that subject, 217
have not so behaved myself,
ID
have often read and thought
of that scripture, 51
have opened it, 277
have pain — there is no ar-
guing against sense, 23
have Paul's understanding,
237
have peace of mind, 10
have peace, perfect peace, 51
have something to tell you,
177
have taught men how to
live, 66
have the flavor of death on
my tongue, I taste death,
201
heard your voice ; but did
not understand what you
said, 119
hope the people of England
will be satisfied, 199
know that it will be well
with me, 100
I know that my Redeemer
liveth," 167
know what you are think-
ing of, but I have nothing,
310
leave this world without a
regret, 281
II be shot if I don't believe
I'm dying, 282
must arrange my pillows
for another weary night, 147
must now hasten away since
my baggage has been sent,
20
must sleep now, 51
never departed from the true
church, 281
never thought that it was so
easy a matter to laugh, 247
now draw near to the har-
bor of death. 315
now feel so weaned from
earth, my affections so
much in heaven, 305
now feel that I am dying.
Our care must be, 193
only regret that I have but
one life to give to my coun-
try! 121
pray you all pray for me, 25
pray you see me safe up the
scaffold, 200
receive absolution upon this
condition, 235
repent of my life except that
part, 85
resign my spirit to God ; my
daughter to my country, 152
see earth receding ; Heaven
is opening; God is calling
me, 198
shall be glad to find a hole
to creep out of the world
at, 133
shall be satisfied with thy
likeness, 300
shall gladly obey His call,
13
shall hear in heaven, 28
shall not live more than two
days, therefore make haste.
313
shall not long hesitate be-
tween conscience and the
Pope, 29
shall retire early ; I am very
tired, 177
shall this day deceive the
worms in Hadley church-
yard, 275
should like to live, 316
should like to record the
thoughts of a dying man, 24
should not like to live, 316
stand in the presence of my
Creator, 134
328
IfnDei
still live! 298
strike my flag, 139
suffer nothing, but feel a
sort of difficulty of living
longer, loi
suffer the violence of pain
and death, 41
suppose I shall soon be a
god, 289
take God to witness I have
preached, 144
thank God that not a day of
my life has been spent, 223
thank thee, O my God and
Saviour, 161
thank you for all your faith-
ful services; God bless you,
53.
think I shall die to-night,
244
think you had better send
for a doctor, 257
thought dying had been
harder, 172
trust in the mercy of God,
it is not now too late, 130
want, oh, you know what I
mean, the stuff of life, 274
want to go away, 57
want to go home, 300
were miserable, if I might
not die, 85
will enter now into the house
of the Lord, 171
will have no rogue's son
in my seat, 91
will lie down on the couch,
64.
wish I had the power of
writing, T2>
wish Vaughan to preach my
funeral sermon, 266
wish you to understand the
true principles of govern-
ment, 124
f he should slay me ten thou-
sand times, 244
f I die, I die unto the Lord,
Amen, 147
f I had strength to hold a
pen I would write, 144
If I have been deceived,
doubtless it was the work
of a spirit, 261
If my husband has for his
new wife no better gift, 261
If you think it will be of serv-
ice, 123
If you love my soul, away
with it! 135
Illi in extremis prae timore
imbellis sudor, 289
In death at last let mc rest
with Abelard, 128
In me behold the end of the
world, 258
Indeed, no more medicine, 99
Independence forever ! 2
In life and in death, I am the
Lord's, 147
" In manus tuos, Domine,
commendo spiritum meum,"
66
In the name of modesty, cover
my bosom ! 92
Is it not true, dear Hammel,
that I have some talent after
all? 28
Is Lawrence come? — Is Law-
rence come? 106
Is not this dying with cour-
age and true greatness? 31
Is there no priest at the
chateau? 97
Is this death? 165
Is this death? 233
Is this dying? Is this all? Is
this all that I feared? 187
It came with a lass, and it will
go with a lass, 152
It grows dark, boys. You
may go, 1
It is folly ; they had better
leave it alone, 273
It is a great consolation for
a dying poet, 38
It is a great consolation to
me, in my last hour, 106
It is a great mercy to me,
298
It is a great satisfaction to me
to know, 199
329
llnOei
It is all one, Phillips and
Clarke will come for my
sake, 221
It is all the same in the end, 214
It is beautiful, 45
It is delightful to see those
whom I love still able to
swallow, 73
It is done! 116
It is likely that you may never
need to do it again, 134
It is not painful, Paetus, 18
It is nothing, 139
It is safest to trust to Jesus, 29
It is small, very small indeed,
38
It is the last of earth ! I am
content ! 2
It was not enough to deprive
me of the crown, 225
It is well, 296
It is well; I thank you; God
bless you, 271
It matters little to me ; for if
I am but once dead, 47
It matters not where I am
going, whether the weather,
90
It will be but a momentary
pang, II
It will soon be time for mass.
They must raise me, 271
It would be hard indeed if we
two dear friends should
part, 215
James, take good care of the
horse, 253
Jefferson survives, 2
Jesu ! 228
Jesus ! Jesus ! 153
Jesus, Mary, Joseph, 254
Jesus ! precious Saviour ! y:^
Jesus, Son of the eternal God,
have mercy on me ! 254
Joy, 200
" Justum et tenacem propositi
virum," 82
King should die standing, A,
177
Kiss me. Hardy, 207
Know Him? He is my
Saviour, 286
Knowledge of the love of God
— the blessing of God Al-
mighty, The, 188
La montagne est passee, nous
irons mieux, 105
Laissez la verdure, 245
Let all brave Prussians follow
me, 251
Let down the curtain, the
farce is over, 233
Let me die with the Phili-
stines, 245
Let my epitaph be, " Here
lies Joseph, who was un-
successful," 153
Let this word of mine be kept
by you, 13
Let us go over the river, and
sit under the refreshing
shadow, 149
Let us submit to the laws of
nature, 238
Liebe, gute, 249
Life or death is welcome to
me, 301
Life spent in the service of
God, A, 131
Live in Christ, live in Christ,
159
Live mindful of our wedlock,
Livia, 19
Lord, 69
Lord, forgive my sins; especi-
ally my sins of omissions,
287
Lord has suffered as much for
me. The, 246
Lord, have mercy upon me.
Wilt thou break a bruised
reed? 12
Lord help my soul ! 228
Lord, into thy hands I com-
mend my spirit, 62
Lord, into thy hands I com-
mend my spirit, 118
Lord, into thy hands I com-
mend my spirit, 274
330
1[n^eI
Lord, Lord, Lord, receive my
spirit ! 142
Lord, receive my soul, 161
Lord Jesus, receive my spirit,
136
Lord Jesus, receive my soul !
306
Lord ! Jesus I Yet more
trouble, 65
Lord, lay not this sin to their
charge, 267
Lord, make haste ! 122
" Lord, now let thy servant
depart in peace," 43
Lord, open the eyes of the
King of England, 285
Lord, receive my soul, 161
Lord, receive my spirit, 243
Lord take my spirit, 89
Lotte, 190
Luis de Moscoso, 80
Madame, 50
Mais quel diable de mal veux
— te que cela me fosse? 83
Many things are growing
plain and clear to my under-
standing, 248
Master Kingston, farewell !
My timedraweth on fast, 310
May God never forsake me I
222
May God's will be done, 30
Mir ist sehr schlecht. 295
Molly, I shall die! 116
Mon Dieu ! Mon Dieu ! 113
Mon Dieu ! La Nation Fran-
gaise, Tete d'armee, 205
Monks ! Monks ! Monks ! 130
More light! More light! 114
Murder of the Queen had
been represented to me,
The, 19
Must I leave it unfinished? 207
My anchor is well cast, and
my shio, 136
My beautiful flowers, my
lovely flowers ! 240
My beloved ! they are not
mine. No I they are not
mine! 33
My children, these fearful
forests and these barren
rocks, 114
My Christ, 45
My dear, be a good man, 252
My dear one, with whom I
lived in love so long, 255
My dear wife, my dear chil-
dren, do not weep, 57
My desire is to make what
haste I may to be gone, 71
My friend, I shall die to-day.
When one is in this situ-
ation, IQ3
My friend, it is only from
cold, 21
My God! 232
"My God, my Father, and my
Friend," 84
My heart is fixed, O God ! my
heart is fixed, 246
My heart is resting sweetly
with Jesus, 72
My life is taken from me,
though I have done nothing,
284
My Lord, why do you not go
on? I am not afraid to die,
187
My soul I resign to God, my
body to the earth, 48
My trust is in God, 275
My work is done, 133
My work ia done ; I have
nothing to do but to go to
my Father, 144
Napoleon ! Elba ! Marie
Louise, 153
Nature, how lovely thou art !
316
Nectare clausa suo, 253
Never heed ; the Lord's power
is over all weakness, loi
Never mind, I shall soon
drink of the river of Eternal
Life, 283
No, 14
No ; it was one Tom Camp-
bell, 54
No, it is not, 115
331
1[n&ex
No, No! 44
No mortal man can live after
the glories which God, 285
No resentment, 227
No, whatever is, is best, 163
No, your Majesty, to-morrow
you will not see me here,
57
Nobody, nobody but Jesus
Christ, 49
None but Christ! 160
Not , 95
Not till the general resurrec-
tion, 258
Nothing else but heaven, 191
Now all is over — let the piper
play " Ha til mi tulidh,"
242
Now am I about to make rny
last voyage — a great leap in
the dark, 133
Now comes the mystery, 28
Now God be praised, only one
hour! 112
Now God be with you, my
dear children, 45
Now I am going, 99
Now I can hold on no longer.
Lay me in a different pos-
ture, 249
Now I die, 301
Now I know that I must be
very ill, since you have been
sent for, 171
Now it is come, 159
Now lack I but two stiles ;
and I am' even at my
Father's house, 275
Now, Lord, I go, 62
Now, my dear son, I am go-
ing to the Saviour, 317
Now, O God, thou dost let
thy servant depart in peace,
112
Nurse, nurse, what murder !
what blood ! Oh ! I have
done wrong, 61
O Allah, be it so ! Hence-
forth among the glorious
host of paradise, 199
O Allah, pardon my sins.
Yes, I come, among my fel-
low laborers, 196
O, better, 146
O, cardinal ! thou wilt make
us all to be damned, 215
O come in glory ! I have long
waited for thy coming, 91
"O death where is thy ,"
131
" O Father of thy beloved and
blessed Son, Jesus Christ!"
229
O Florence, what hast thou
done to-day? 246
O God come to mine aid ; O
Lord make haste to help me,
172
O God have mercy upon me,
and upon this poor nation,
215
O God — if there be a God — I
desire Thee to have mercy
on me, 284
O ! he's a dear, good fellow,
303
O Hobbima, Hobbima, how I
do love thee ! 72
O, I hear such beautiful
voices, 249
O Lord Almighty, as thou
wilt ! 48
O Lord, forgive the errata ! 43
O Lord, into Thy hands I
commit my spirit, 184
O Lord, save my country ! O
Lord, be merciful, 122
Oh, Lord, shall I die at all ? 19
O my country, how I leave
thee, 227
O my God ! 224
O, my mother ! how deep will
be thy sorrow at the news,
68
O, my poor soul, what is to
become of thee? 189
O, my poor soul, whither art
thou going? 3
O Paradise ! O Paradise ! At
last comes to me the grand
consolation, 223
332
1fn&ei
O, that beautiful boy! 93
O, that glorious sun! 231
O the depths of the riches of
the goodness and knowl-
edge of God ! 170
O, to die for liberty is a pleas-
ure and not a pain, 42
O, what triumphant truth, 88
O wretched virtue ! thou art
a bare name ! 47
Observe how they are swelled.
Oh, the insufferable pangs of
hell and damnation, 209
Oh death, why art thou so
long in coming? 75
Oh, don't let the awkward
squad fire over me ! 50
Oh Gabrielle, how much better
would it have been,^ 98
Oh God, what then is man,
122
Oh Puss, chloroform — ether —
or I am a dead man, 50
Oh, that peace may come, 291
Oh, would to God I had never
reigned ! 227
On the ground, 83
One hundred and forty-four,
78
One word, one word — Jesus
Christ ! 210
Only objection against the
Bible is a bad life. The, 307
Open the gates ! Open the
gates ! 301
Open to me, O God ! 160
Over my spirit flash and float
in divine radiancy, 279
Pains, the groans, the dying
strife. The, 209
Peace ! 42
Peace ! 300
People mv trust, The, 108
Poor little boys I 48
Pourquoi est-ce que vous me
quittez, 113
Pray, pray ! 122
Precious salvation, 132
Precious salvation! 269
Promise me you will never
again marry an old man, 315
Put me there, 122
Qualis artifex pereo ! 207
Refresh me with a great
thought, 132
Rejoice ! We rejoice ! 98
Relief has come, 216
Remember, 59
Remember that I die as be-
comes a British officer, 12
Remember the Lord Jesus
Christ, 224
Repeat those words Monsieur
the almoner, 172
Righteous wait expectant till
1 receive my recompense,
The, 102
" Rock of Ages cleft for me,"
8
Sarah, 316
See in what peace a Christian
can die, 2
Set your mind at rest, Dieu
me pardonnera, 128
Shall I sue for mercy? —
Come, come, no weakness,
51
Sinner, thou must die, 176
Sister ! sister ! sister ! 79
Sit down, 270
Six feet of earth for my body,
and the infinite heavens for
my soul, 41
Sixty-four years ago it
pleased the Almighty to
call, 200
So far as I have understood
what the duties of my office
were, 266
So much the better ! I shall
not then live to see the sur-
render, 197
So the heart be right, it is no
matter which way the head
lies, 233
Soldiers — fire ! 176
Soldiers, fire, 213
333
UntJei
Soul of Christ, sanctify me ;
Body of Christ, save me,
254
South! The South! God
knows what will become of
her! The, 53
Stand up for Jesus, 286
Stay, friend, till I put aside
my beard, 200
Stop, go out of the room ; I
am about to die, loi
Stopped. 116
Strike here ! Level your rage
against the womb, 7
Strike, if it be for the Ro-
man's good, 107
Strange sight, sir, an old man
unwilling to die, 93
Stupid country, where they do
not even know, 224
Suffer no pomp at my funeral,
nor monumental inscription,
138
Sun, thou hast betrayed me,
ISS
Support me, let not my brave
soldiers see me drop, 310.
Tay hip! 145
Take care of poor mistress,
154
Take care of Maria, 294
" Taught, half by reason, half
by mere decay," 203
Tell Collingwood to bring the
fleet to anchor, 207
Tell Emerson that I love and
revere him, 270
Tell Hill he must come up,
162
Tell them to go forward and
do a good work, 73
Texas ! Texas ! Margaret, 137
Thank God, I have done my
duty, 207
Thanic God ! Thank Heaven !
197
Thank God, to-morrow I shall
join the glorious company
above, 87
Thank you, my child, 31
Thanks be to God, T>,
That is enough to last till I
get to heaven, 295
That's right. Brother Taylor ;
parry them off as well as
you can, 258
That which I said then I said,
but that which I say now is
true, 315
Then I am safe, 71
There are six guineas for you,
and do not hack me, 251
" There is another and a bet-
ter world," 219
There is but one book; bring
me the Bible, 252
There is no other life but the
eternal, 44
There is no time to be lost, ^^
There's nothing to beat that,
Hugh, 87
There is nothing solid but re-
ligious ideas, 243
These passages may be found
on the following pages, 221
They will come off better af-
ter, 216
Think more of death than of
me, 14
This block will be my pillow,
26s
This day let me see the Lord
Jesus, 153
This is a beautiful world, lOi
This is a sharp medicine, but
a sure remedy, 233
This is a struggle which all
men must go through, 313
This is death, 316
This is not my home, 16
This is the toilette of death,
68
This soul in flames I offer,
Christ, to thee, 153
This unworthy right hand, 70
Those are the spirits of my
little girls, 109
Thou dog, 203
Thou hast conquered, O Gali-
lean ! thou hast conquered !
155
334
1In&ei
Thou hast said truly, consum-
matum est, 27
Thou knowest, O Lord, the
secrets of our hearts, 158
Thou, Lord, bruisest me; but
I am abundantly satisfied,
53
Throw a quilt over it, 105
Throw up the window that
I may see once more, 244
Thy creatures, O Lord, have
been my books, 19
" Thy kingdom come, thy
will be done," 65
Tired — very tired — a long jour-
ney— to take, 124
To be like Christ is to be a
Christian, 223
To judge by what I now en-
dure, the hand of death, 243
To sleep — to die, 305
Toffro il tuo proprio Figlio,
192
Trotter will tell you, loi
Trust in God and you need
not fear, 89
Under the feet of my friars,
8S
Ungrateful traitors ! 187
Useless ! Useless ! 39
Very little meat for the mus-
tard, 134
Vex me not with this thing,
but give me a simple cross,
55
Vos plaudite, 19
Wally, what is this? It is
death, my boy, 112
Water, 116
Water, 283
We are all going to heaven,
and Vandyke is of the com-
pany, 106
We are ready — soldiers, fire !
78
We part to meet again, I hope,
irv endless joy, 137
We return no more. 242
We shall not lose our lives in
this fire, 214
We shall then desire nothing,
42
We will endeavor to crawl to
this line, 136
We will go to Jerusalem, 171
Weep not for me, 6
Weep not for me, but for
yourselves, 48
Welcome the Cross of Christ,
welcome everlasting life,
246
Well ! God's will be done.
He knows best, 289
Well, ladies, if I were one
hour in heaven, 186
Well, my friend, what news
from the Great Mogul?
201
Well, my God, I consent with
all my heart, 171
Were the Church of Christ
what she should be, 53
Were you at Sedan? 206
What an idle piece of cere-
mony, 43
What ! art thou, too, one of
them ! Thou, my son ! 52
What can it signify? 70
What I cannot utter with my
mouth, 232
What is that? 268
When I am dead, my children,
74
When I think of the exist-
ence which shall commence,
55
When nature has abandoned
an unhappy victim, 192
While there is life, there is
will, 44
Who is near me? 64
Why, certainly, certainly ! 274
Why dost thou not strike?
Strike ! 233
Why weep ye ? Did you think
that I could live forever?
271
Will no one have pity on me?
Here, fire here ! 288
335
flnDei
Will you tell the archdea-
con .'' 9
With all my heart : I would
fain be reconciled to my
stomach, 98
Whose house is this? What
street are we in? 47
Wonderful, wonderful, this
death, 98
Worst is I cannot see, The,
273
Write the word " Remorse " ;
show it to me, 234
Yes ! 102
Yes! 176
Yes, it would be rash to say
that they have no reasons,
56
Yes, yes, sing that for me, 288
Yes, comme un damne, 273
Yet I was once your emperor,
293
You are fighting for an earthly
crown, 107
You are good fellows, but you
can do nothing for me, 23
You make me drink. Pray
leave me quiet, 62
You may go home, the show
is over, 79
You need not be anxious con-
cerning to-night, 58
You see what is man's life, no
You will show my head to the
people, 77
Young man, keep your record
— 115
Young man, you have heard
no doubt, how great are the
terrors, 22
336
ill Hill II!
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