The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-03-07
voitaire's DeAahbed,

Voltsires DeAthbed.
DISCOVERY BY THE AMERICAN CONSUL AT MOSCOW.
new document has just been published at
Paris, bearing on one OF the most contested sub.
jecis OF literary history--the death OF Voltaire.
The "Histoire de Ia Literature Anglsisen has
given 10 the world new and contemporary &C.
count of the death of the great Frenchman.
This account was forwarded to N. raine by Afr.
Schuyler, the American consul at Moscow, who
discovered IL among the Russian archives. IL
was originally sent by Prince Ivan Bsrisntnsky,
the Russian ambassador at Paris at the time Of
Voltaires death. to the Empress Catherine III.
The ambassador says: " Knowing that your i'm.
perial majesty takes a deep interest 10 all that
concerns this great maa. have had prepared
for your majesty the following account of the
death OF Voitaire, by one of my friends who was
well acquainted with all the eiaiis." The mar.
ratve is not signed from internal evidence NJ
Tame judges il 10 have been written by doc.
tor. "At all events" he says, 1T is perfectly
authentic and of great interest" TIE whole as.
count fills more than three columns of the De.
bats. but the Pail Mall Gazette translates the
material passages:
In the first part of the dispatch the writer states
what was already kno ST, that Voltaire fastened
bis death by an over desc Of opium, which he
took to alleviate the palms brought on by his
abuse Of coffee. Tue most impor ant part OF the
new account is that relating TO the Lass moments
of VcltaiIe, and the difficulties with which his
burial was attended. Voltaire, at the desire OF his
relatives, who were anxious that he should have
a Christian burial, confessed himself and made a
sort of recantation, said by the Russian dispatch
to bave been In the following terms: |. the IN
deIsigned. certify and Protest that die in the
Catholic, Roman and ApoStocal Church. IL il
has happened that have caused scandal. by nv
works, 10 the church and to religion, I ask Gods
pardon for ii, hoping that in his goodness he sil
vouchsafe TO pardon my FAULTS Nothing could
well be more vague; there is no word of belief
mn a LAMA Of md 4.
the priests we've but half satisfied. On Saturday
the 30ih Of May l77S, all hope of his recovery
beng abandoned. Voitaire's nephew, the Able
Nignot, seEt for the cuIe of Saint Sulpice, Che
parish iD which Voltsire lay dying) and for the
Able Gautier, TO whom the aforesaid confession
had been made two months before. The new &C.
count says:
"These two priests came to NJ de voltaire's
house; he was then Ia state of lauRuor, exhaus
ton and slupor, quite irightful. He was, too, ex.
tremely weak from pain AMI from the want of
nourishment, his stomach being no longer able to
retain any food. When the two priests entered
M. de Voltaire's chamber, they found there M.
and NJ. -, both of them friends of M. de
Voltaire. These gentlemen asked the cure if
their presence would be Objectionable (de tropl
at 80 sad time. The cure replied no. Then the
arrival OF the cure was announced TO M. de Vol.
taire. The first time he appeared not to have
heard. On being told second time, he replied
Tell him respect him. and he passed his arm
round the cure. 10 mark his attachment. Then the
cure came nearer TO the bed. and, after having
spoken of God, of death. aud of the sick IN ans
approaching end, he asked in q pretty loud voice
(dune roiI dssez hGlde) Monsieur, do you re-
oognize the divinity OF Jesus Christi Thereupon
NJ. de Votsire seemed TO collect all his strength,
made an effort to cit up. Quilted brnsquely the
cure, whom be bad held almost 10 his embrace,
and using the same arm which he had thrown
round the cures neck, be made a gesture of
anger. and. appearing TO repulse the fauatical
~ priest, he said, in o strong marked voice,
Let me ole 10 peace and ut once turned bis |
back the cure The 4tter turning 10 those pres.
ent, said with readiness which no one would have |
expected from one whose head was so strangely |
troubled by superstition ~. Gentlemen Won see |
he Is not In his right mind (qu'a ma pas sa tete) |
he asked for pen and paper. and wrote permls-
sion 10 carry the body Of M. de Votaire wherever
IL might be desired, and In the same writing de.
clared that be 'absndoned'it. ca. Tame explains
in note that by the use of this term he meant to
deprive II Of ali rights of Christian burial The |
a ODE Gsutier, the confessor Of NJ. de Voltsire,
signed sort Of certificate of confession and the
two priests retired. This took place between six
and seven IN the evening, Soon after NJ. de Vol.
tsire called for one OF hjy old servants, took him
by the hand, and wished aim goodbye, aud added
In very distinct voice. Take care of Maria,
he was accustomed to call Nine. Denys, his niece.
by this n9me). These we're the last words he
uttered. BE died the same night at q quarter to
eeven O'Clock amidst the tears and sincere regrets
Of all his friends"
His body, after having been embslmed, was car.
RED to the abbey OF Ceieres. of which NJ. Mignot,
his nephew, was then abbot. The body when
laid IN the grave, was covered with two feet of
qucklime. This is narrated by the Russian dis.
patch on the evidence of an eyewitness who hsu.
pened TO be at Ceeres at the time OF the burial
The writer of the dispatch concludes by saying
: You nay rely on the accuracy Of these facts
have them ffom NJ. -. an intimate friend of
NJ. de Voltaire. and who did not quit him for an !
Instant throughout his illness. l owe also several
particulars TO my friend NJ. who saw M |
de Voltaire three or four times dav, and took
care TO have accurate Information of ali that hap.
pened during this sad time.r