, 1872-12-18
LAST WORDS OF FAMOUS MEN.

johnson that tho value of every story depends
upon its being true. That our books Of HISTORY
and biography are full of incidents and sayings
manufactured by historians aud biographers, is
fact familiar to every discerning or critical
reader. From the classic speeches Ill Thucydldes
and P1utarch, down to the dying words attributed
to h1r. Seward, at Auburn, the other day, the
writer's have over been prolific in Inventions.
Tho heroic and nelo-dramatic speech put into
tho mouth Of Cambronne at Waterloo: 'The
Guard dies but never surrenders," is now known
to have been invented by Rougemont, 9 prolific
author Of nlots, two days after the battle, In the
Independant newspaper. What Cambronue real
II did say when summoned by the becf-eattng
Englishman to surrender, is known to most
renders of that most powerful Of al Victor HUI
COS romanceB-s' Les Miserables."
The last hours and parting words Of great
men afford topic Of perennial interest to man
kind and perhaps this may help to account for
the great number OF striking sentences attrib-
uted to the dying, frequently upon very uncer-
say Just as he expired, II must sleep now, any
| more than Seward uttered the words, ''LoVe one
another" to his children and friends, just be-
fore bis eyes closed? =, Is WebsteEs LAST memoEa a.
the same skeptical criticism which has demolsh-
cd the credit of Canning reported last words,
j" Give me time-giye me time? Are We to
surrender Goethe's dying call for More light.
the current story that Rabelais exclaimed on his
death-bed, Drop the curtain: the farce Is
played out"2 Friedrich schlesel, they say, died
with the singleword "Aber" (but) in his mouth:
the English are discussing whether or no Pitts
heart was broken by the disaster OF Austerlltz,
! and whether he died e1claiming, Ny country,
! oh. my country!" The story Of Addison calling
Lord Lyttleton) to his bedside THAT he might
| SEQ how Christian could die" is long since
| abandoned as an afterthought, but must we also
give up Locke's last words" Life is & poor
r.. k@n1 AL hn-
ieye what no authority admitted to be adequate
has impeached, and accredit to John Quincy
Adams that fine saying, as he lay dying in the
Capitol, F" This is the last Of earth I am con-
| tent. -
by his physicians, demands q glass of white
vine, and, on its being presented to him, cried
out, "Au Is lost" and expired. The Phi1oso-
pher Hobbies, Of Nalmesbqry, it ia e said' Just
to take q great leap into the dark" More at
large it is related of Gassendi, the mathematt-
clan, that he said to @ friend who asked him Tor
his diving sentiments: H1 know not who
| brought me into the world, what I am here for,
| nor why am taken away"
r. The last words OF great soldiers arc often
quoted. Those Of General Wolfe, at the siege
Of Quebec on hearing in his last moments, the
exclamation Se9 hoy hpsu taey a nm, s1n "ere linen
1 Tho French General Montcalm, the antagonist
| of Wolfe received mortal wound while rally
] ing his men, and died the next day. When told
that his end vas approaching, he replied. 20 PC
Tho last words Of Lord Nelson were: "Thank
God, have done my duty
Napoleon at St. Helena, as has been thou
sand times repeated. expired amid visions Of
battle exclaiming with bis last breath, " 1ete
| ddrnee p
Whom Calanue aecended tho burning funeral
pile, aud Alexander asked him Il he we're IL need
| Lor tf N1thrr The 1nV
after tomorrow shall see you:" The predic-
ton was strangely verified, fol. Alexander died
| two days later.
An old woman Of Troyes, noted for her uaiaer-
" disposition, rowling from stupor she had
fallen into, blew out with her last breadth an
inch Of candle at her bedeide, "because," said
she, IS can see to die in the dark"
Several notable anecdotes are told in Law
and Lawyers Of Lord Northington, tho British
Lord Chancellor, who died in 1772, and had the
| reputation Of being one of the most profane men
in England The reader viii Judge whether tbs
character was well deserved: When at the point
dying!". His gardener having yentured to
! ignore Lord Northirssons order to cut
down some trees, during his last sickness,
the Chancellor aent for him and exclaimed,
| $50 d-n YOU. you've not dono as I ordered
you you think am going; SO I am, and be
| id to you, but you ahau 20 first here, strip
this fellow, and kick him out of doors /" When
very near his death, seeing his wife and daugh-
| EeTS NEEpluE aEOuHA A6 AHdA Gu OAt W LILO A0A90P
:Turn out all those sni7olinng fools. except
| Brideet!" In his last illness he sent for Lord
Carmarthen and asked him to recommend him
some able paraon whose advice he might take
"What do you think Of Doctor ?" said Car
marthen. 'Oh, name him not" retorted the
diving Lord Chancellor; "I shall actually ba
id for making that fellow Dean!"
The last words of Mrs. Anne O1dfeld, the Gel
ebrated actress Of the last century, were (direct-
! irr Al tn her layiue Outo, - One would not look
fright 1 after ono's death" Pope has para
phrased this incident in tho couplet:
Ono wena LOOK ny shG Gnss
Dr. Macleod, in the 'Annals of Highland
Parish, narrates how the old minister, Rory,
feeling 3 tear drop on his withered face while
dying, carefully wiped it of, and rebuked his
aughts who hsTaed had shsd it, h because it T. faas
should drop On the face Of a., good
man when he is dying. Then the old man
suddenly stretched forth his hand and exclaimed:
"I baptizo thee into the name Of the Father,
and Of the Son, and Of the Holy Ghost, )" and so
in the fervor Of the old baptiEmal service, fell
back and expired.
| Sir Thomas More said to his e1ecutioner, re-
marking that the scaffo1d on which he vas to
perish Was too weak, II pray you zee me up
safo, and, for my coming down, Let me shift for
myse1f." In like manner, Anne Boleyn demand
ed of her executioner If lie was master Of his
trade, and burst out laughing when be replied
|
The Earl Of Chesterfe1d's good breeding only
left him with his last breath. " Give Dayrollef
chair" said he to his valet, when that gentle.
mans name was announced as having come tc
see him die,
The French poet, Boleau, dying Of dropsy al
the age Of rs, bid friend who entered his room
at the supreme moment hail and farewell in the
same breath: Good day and adieu," said
he; " it will be very long adieu," and died In
stantly:
The dying address Of the Emperor Adrian te
. his soul has been immortalized by Pope, but sc
widely paraphrased as to be quite translated
into another sentiment The lines, which were
written one hour before death, are simple
pleasantly, expressive Of the utter ignorance o1
The writer as to where his soul YVES tending, ant
bis complete incredu1ity rs to the affairs Of the
other world. And SO, as, French writer ex
presses it, ho fell asleep in the arms of tht
muses."
It is related Of Pero Boul'ours, the Trench gram
marian, whose hypercritical attention to the mi
nutip Of letters was well known, that be Grief
out to his friends, when dying Je VAS, on j
vA1s mourir; run ou Pautre Sc dit!' 4 remarka
! ~ {be