Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1859-09-24
THE DEA1H-BED OF HORACE MANN.

'llow am |, doctor DO you think | shall re-
cover soon? Are the symptoms favorable?
we though. last night, replied the doctor, that
the disease might, perhaps, take favorable
turn; and indeed we have all the time thought
your recovery possible but Mr. Mann's eye
carefully watched the face of the doctor while
making the foregoing answer and when he hes
itated he sternly said, But ,chm! Don't hes
itate. Go on, doctor; say what you were going
to- Il will leave Mrs Mann to say the rest
NO, doctor, say it yourself If | am going to
die, would like to know it. / have a great
many things to say, and it will take some time
to say them. lie was then told that he could
live but Il few hours more, and whatever he had
to say must be said speedily. All then left the
room but his wife and two younger sons, (the
older one being absent,) with whom he conyers-
ed for nearly an hour. He was perfectly calm,
perfectly free from all excitement. lie scarcely
even alluded to his own suffering; betrayed no
symptoms or fear-no misgivings for the future,
nor any solicitation for the happiness of that
future. lie spoke not of himself-thoughtn not
of himself His care was for others-his anx-
iety was for Others. He spoke confidently, but
firmly; and with that same sweet voice, clear
accent and melodious cadence with which he so
often charmed and thrilled the scholar and the
multitude. After having given his parting ad-
vice to his family and three or four of his more
immediate friends and attendants, he sent for
all tie students who were remaining in town.
He spoke with each one from three to five or six
minutes. With some few his interviews were
private, but to most of them he spoke so as to
be heard by several others. He gave to each
one of them such advice as seemed appropriate
One pale, slender student was advised to be
more careful of his health-to bathe, to exercise
and to go more in lively company.
Another one, who was wearing himself away
by too constant application, was advised to study
with less intensity, and take more recreation
Another one who was prone to lose some time
lettering, was admonished that "as time is one
of the most precious gifts bestowed upon man
kind, it should always be industriously used
but never wasted" Another was cautioned
against "allowing his appetites and passions to
control him." To one he said, "Hold your head
closer. Let me see, once more before / die
that mammoth brain-that brain full of elec-
tricity and fire! oh! if / had possessed a head
like that, | could have accomplished a far great
er amount of good for the human race! That
brain is capable of doing an immense amount
OF good, or an immense amount of evil Con-
secrate it! Consecrate itw To one poor student
who had been working his way through college,
and had borrowed some money from him, he
said, "Mrs Mann will return your note to YOU
You need never pay it." To another one he
said, 81 have no special advice to you. You
know it already You knoW what is right, and
have determin, ID to do it. You have made a
glorious beginning Your future success is al
most certain. A good, solid, honest, industri-
Gus, heroic Young man. Perge atque cepisti.'