The Sun.
London, England, 1855-10-13 00:00:00

LETTER FROM MR. LVCAS, M.P.

The Freeman's Journal thus introduces the fol-
lowing letter from Mr. Lucas :
" We publish with a melancholy satisfaction a letter
addressed by Frederick Lucas to his friend, Father Toni
O'Shea. It will be read by Irishmen with deep emotion,
and many a manly heart will melt to tears as the eye
rests on the words of joyous resignation with which a mail
who never swerved from the path of honour and duty
can contemplate the probable close of his earthly career.
Thank God, the last accounts from England are more
cheering, and indicate a favourable change, which giveo
us yet to hope that our friend may be spared to his
family and his adopted country :—.

" Staines, Sept. 28.
"a My dear Father Tom—l don't know whether lam
glad or sorry that your notion of my disorder is so mis-
taken. The truth is that it is pretty fairly spread over
tnostof the organs of my body--that I am now suffering
under enlarged heart, bronchitis, congested liver, inert
kidneys, a stomach that refuses food, asthma that for-
bids sleep, and, to crown all, the dropsy, As Sidney
Smith says in one of his letters, " I have seven or eight
complaints, but in all otherrespects I am perfectly well."
In plain and sober seriousness, my dear Father Tom, I
have given up all hopes of life, have received the last
sacraments, and though, perhaps, not immediately to
die—for this is in God's band, yet I have now no other
business than to make the best preparation I can for the
judgment-seat of the Almighty, and to request all the
prayers of my friends to help me through this fearful
passage, which I hope may be from death to life.
" ' Thank God, I have no wish to live. I ask for no
prayers for restoration to health. I have never valued
life very much, and now less than ever. Dear Father
Tom, it would be a great pleasurefor me to see you again
before I die. We have fought many a battle together,
at your imminent peril ; and I never found in you less
than the courage of a hero, perfect unselfishnesg, zeal
untiring, and a devotion to the cause of God and the poor
which it will be difficult to surpass. Now, when per-
haps I am presently to stand face to face with my Crea-
tor and Redeemer, I esteem it an honour to have fought
so often by your side ; and though I do not regret for a
!moment that my exertions have tended to shorten my
iife, I do most bitterly regret that your nobleness and
heroism have brought on you so sad a persecution. How-
ever, my Father Tom, let me say to you, and to our
friends of your diocese, not to be downcast or disheart-
ened. As sure as God is in heaven your cause is the
cause of truth and honour ; and when your last I our
comes, you will all feel what consolation it gives a man
never to have !Inched in the worst of times—as I may
say of you—or given way in the public service to selfish
and personal considerations.

" dear Father Tom, I would give a little world
to pre,s your hand once more, and to receive your bles-
sing. Make my kindest adieus to all our friends, parti-
cularly to Father Keefe, your good brother, the archdea-
con, Faiiker Aylward, our friends in Tipperary, and my
most worthy and venerated friend, the Archdeacon of
Rathkeale.

" Your business, as far as it depends on my state-
ments, is not yet quite complete. • I am sorry for it, but
I have done my best; and I have left such instructions
as I hope will turn to the Lest account what I have been
able to do. It I die you will hear through one of my
friends how the matter stat.ds ; at present I can add no
more than that I am, my dear Father Tom, most affec-
tionately yours, "F. Lucas.' "