The Express.
London, England, 1847-05-25 00:00:00

a sold in heaven—
the mercy of God

The Journal des Diboll gives the following extratt
of a letter from Genoa:

MAY 16 —He (Mr.O'Connell) only spoke a very few words
to his physician ; and these were to make an earnest request
that the coffin should not be closed too soon over himemams,
because be was sure (be aid) that he would have the appear-
lieCa of being dead before yielding up his last sigh. His most
ardent wish was to reach Rome, and to receive the bmedic-
lion of Pius IX. • and in the coon. of his journey he ex.
pressed a wish that, if he shculd die on the way, his heart
would at least be sent to the capital of the Catholic world.
This idea is said to have been suggested to him by the re-
collection of Robert Bruce, who, before dying, requested that
his heart might be deposited in the Holy Sepulchre. The
wish of O'Connell will be fulfilled, and, in conformity also
with his last wishes, his body
.will be carried to Ireland.
The Times of this morning publishes the following
letter, received from a gentleman to whom it was ad-
dressed
from Genoa, with permission to publish it :
GENOA, MAY 18, 1847.—Intent on visiting the tombs of
the apostles, and paying his homage, as a Catholic, to Pius
IX., O'Connell was interrupted at this stage of his pilgrim-
sge by fatal illness, and expired at the Hotel Feder, in tLis
city, about sn hour and a half after sunset, on Saturday, the
16th instant.

His life is for history, which will take care of it, but this
memorandum of what occurred since his last Wien seined
him will be received, perhaps, with some interest, were It
only fur it, complete exactness. It has been read for the
approval of Mr. O'Connell's friends and physicians who at-
tended him; they sanction it as correct.
For two days after his arrival hers from Marseilles, by
the Lombardo steamer, the friends of the illustrious inlmim
observed with joy that the improvement in his health, wMch
they began to date from Avignon, went on increasing; but
on Saturday, the Bth, it became necessary to have recourse
to the same aperient remedies which had been for soma time
past adopted to relieve him, and always with complete suc-
cess. Diarrhea, however, set in some time after the reme-
dies applied on Saturday night had produced the desired
result, and as it still continued on Monday morning (star a
partial cessation on Sunday), it was deemed expedient to
call in additional medical aid. The English physician
resident here, Dr. Duff, and Dr. Berretta, of this city,
met in consultation, with Dr. Latour, the phy-
sician who had accompanied O'Connell from Lyons.
The diarrhea was regarded as rather fortunate than other.
wise, u helping to relieve the head, where they wen of
opinion the ehiefdanger was to be apprehended.
With this view (which coincided exactly with that taken
of O'Connell's case from first to last, by the meet eminent
physicians of France), their remedies were mainly directed to
cheek the congestion, which they judg-d to have been gain-
ing ground in the brain from a period considerably distant.
The success with which their efforts wars attended was sot
lasting. However, even after a fourth physician, Dr. Vneianl,
was called in on Friday, there still were hope Nevertheless.
it misjudged prudent to be prepared for the worst ; and on
Friday night the last rites of the church were received by the
illustrious sufferer, with a serenity and a fervour of piety
which produced upon the members of the clergy and his
friends who surrounded his bed the most profound and edify-
ing impression.
Towards three p.m. on Saturday he called his own man,
and, taking him warmly by both hands, to acknowledge the
rare fidelity with which he had served him, he said, "As'.
amyet I the
r. dying
Miley ( ; but
his two htt)ou raw laterom
hhee called
he
had bent down over hint, the better to hear his fast-sinking
voice, "I am dying, my dear friend!"
The physicians were still in attendance; but from that
moment the prayers and other offices of religion, which bad
not been interrupted from the preceding night, were pursued
with redoubled earnest/lase by his friends and the chief mem-
bers of the clergy. At first his voice was wilted in the
prayers and responses; but, as it became less and lets dis-
tinct, his hands clasped in fervour—his eyes, his countenance
revealed how his soul responded to the litanies for the dsing,
which they were mingling with their tears around hi. bed.
Occasionally, during this, his last illness, as the brain 64-
came mon and more invaded, there was a momentary wan-
dering of the mind, from which, however, the slightest word
nestled him. lie never murmured, though his internal
sufferings, at times, at least, must have been great. Every
one was struck with his serenity, his recollection, and fervour
in receiving the last rites of religion. The adorable name of
Jesus, and the prayer of St. Bernard to our Blessed Lady,
mingled from time to time with yen s from the Psalms, anti
the most erne and contrite aspirations, were almost per-
petually upon his lips. Up to a few moments before he ex-
pired he continued to recognise his contessor, and to respond
to his suggestions.
Far from surprising him, he bad been long, long
familiarised with the contemplation of his last end, prepared
for it perfectly, and almost eager for its advent. When that
spirit, so mighty, which seemed to glory in and to sway the
tempests which agitate oar being, took its flight, there was
no more tram or sign of pain or struggle than when the babe
in smiling sinks to slumber upon the mother's breast.
It will be a lasting, though still a sorrowful consolation,
for his friends and family, that no resource of skill or climate
calculated to prolong the existence of this extraordinary man
has been left untried. The professional advice obtained for
him was always the beet that could be procured.
His body in to be embalmed, and conveyed to Ireland.
His heart he b• gentled to Rome. The autopsy demon-
strated singularly the corrsctaess of the view taken of his
case, and how wonderfully sucoesefal had been the remedies
recommended in pompoeing the fatal event.
His obsequies commenced from the moment of his decease,
and are still continued, with princely pomp, in the church
of our Blessed Lady delis Vigne. They are to close to-
morrow with a r rand requiem mime, at which his Excellesey
the Oovernor-Oeneral, the foreign consuls, and Mr. R.
Cobden, are invited to be present.