Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-09-26

mortal disease within the system, The in-
fluence OF religion to calm the feelings
cannot be denied. But it is rarely per-
ceplble when death is actually impend.
ing. Whether it comes to the old, who
are ready,
Like ripe fruit, to drop
Into the mothers lap"
or TO the Lefcyrc of Stcrne. where the
soldier after the tongue is silent. clocks
first at his son and then nj my uncle To-
by" To those who retain NIL their facul-
ties, or others who make no sign, the
dread is removed and the change well
coined.
In regard to the prcmonitionS of death
there is ample room for skepticism. The
disease OF Fletcher, which caused him TO
send for sculptor and order his tomb;
the >alutalion of Wolscy to the Abbot Of
Leicester, lrama,izcd by the great mas.
ter: the prediction Of the reno ned con
rcsSor. Philip Howard, Earl OF Arundel; 4;
the whining cant of Fooic, when Weston
died. "Soon shall others say poor Foolen"
The last picture of lIogar,h, which he en-
titled the "enA of all things" adding,
this is the eud :" and hundred like re-
cords of old hiographcrs, are to be re.
gartled aS merely curious coinrdences,
If not old wives fables John Hunter
said upon this subject. with his usual terse
rlcarness. 1--WE sometimes feel within
ourselves that we shall not live; for liv
inc power becomes weak, and the nerves
communicate The intelligence to the
brain" His own case was of the mar.
wells of which he offered this rational eX-
PLANTATION. He was aware that he had
long labored under disease of the heart,
and that the disorder had reached q
point ut which any sharp agitation would
bring on the crisis On the 10th of Oc-
tober, 1898, the Board, with whom he
had difference, was TO meet, and Hun.
ter prepared to keep his promise. lie
was aware of the risk he ran, if, rs was
likely, he should he opposed; for he had
no control over his temper, and he ex-
pressed fears That dispute would prove
fatal to his iic Arrived ut St. Georges
Hospital, he found the Board assembled,
and entering the room, presented the pc
lilion OF the young men, and proceeded
10 urge the propricty OF their being adj
mittcd. In tho course ot his remarks he
made some observations which one Of
his colleagues fatty contradictcd. Hun
ter Immediately ceased speaking, retired
from the table, seemed struggling to re-
press his emotions. turned into an adj
joining loom, and fell dead upon the
floor
There are many versions Of the pre-
monition said to have been received by
Thomas Lord Lyttlcton. That which
seems to be authentic is by VIM. Russell,
an organisl, of Guillord, whose company
was much courted on account of his mu-
steal talent, and who was visitor al Pitt
Place on the night of Lord Lytllcton's
death. Ii is rs follows:
"My lord dreamed that Mrs. Amphlc,t.
mother of lady he had seduccd, ap.
pcarcd to him and predicted his death al
twelve at night on the third day follow.
iug. Lord Lyttleton was at this time in
Il very bad state of health, in conse-
qncnce of his excesses, and was subject
To nervous hystcria On the ioretold
third day he had party OF friends to
dinner. He was in state Of some agita-
ton, and told the story Of his dream. The
guests sat late over their wine. Lyttle
ton referred constantly to his dream, until,
during his temporary absence from the
table. they determined to set forward The
clock. Upon returning, one of them
said, you have iockoyed the ghost, my
lord; its past twelve" He Immediately
went to bed. sending his valet for some
mint water. During the servants ab-
seucc the clock of The parish church
pealed the true midnight hour, and upon
his return he found Lord Lytteton dead"
In this case the reaction from a state
Of fancied security to that of dreaded
danger no doubt caused the very catas-
trophc his friends had endeavored TO
forcstal
In old age life is sngularly marked by
the same phenomena with which it be-
gan. The circulation first announced ex-
istcnce it ceases last. The right aurlcle
pulsates first at birth and stops only at
death. Reason loses its faculty of rs.
sociation; recollections take the place of
Judgment; the senses vanish in success
sion; what has been the prevailing pas.
sion, though concealed since childhoodis
now unveiled; and the thoughts of ado
lescencc, bounded by the old limits, con-
fused and incapable OF Judgment or will.
dwarf the man to his second childhood.
With Incompatible skill, Shakespeare
makes Mrs. Quickly describe not only the
meanderlngs OF old age but the prognos-
ties OF death, in her account of Falstaft's
death:
"a made finer end, and went away
as if it had been cbristom child, al
parted even just before twelve and one,
cen at turning OF the tide; for alter
saw him tumble with the sheets, and play
with flowers, and smile upon his fingers
ends, knew there was but ono way fol
his nose was sharp as pen. o q babbled