The Shasta courier., 1872-12-07
LAST WORDS.

However Psychologists may question the
importance Of the feeble utterances of the
dying, it is certain that mankind in gener-
al finds deep significance in the last
words Of those who are vanishiDg into the
unknown life.
"He Iavesw said the physician, when
DR. Adams, Rector of the high School Of
Edinburgh, was passing away; but as we
catch the last words Of the raving, our own
eyes are dimned sIt grows dark, boys, u
stretching forth his hand "you may 60. y
Gan my possessions for moment of time !!
moaned Queen Elizabeth Wesley, calm
er, said as he died, "The best Of all is, God
is with u.s." And deaf Beethoven, whose
soul had ever been filed with harmony, ex.
claimed gladly, II shall hear!'
"Is your mind at ease?" Goldsmith was
asked by his physicians. "No, it is not !"'
was the mournful reply, and he spoke no
more. How different the parting words OF
Dr. William Hunter "If had strength
TO hold pen, would write how easy and
pleasant thing it is to die" Or the as
surance of President Edwards, as his dying
grasp ioosened on hard forms of dogma,
"T'rust IN God and you need not fear"
Byron said YEARLY, 81 must sleep now,
and Goethe, turning to his wife, called
"Light, more Light |"
DR.. johnson died in tumult of uneasi-
2ess and dread. Cowper sank to rest as
peacefully as child. IL am taking fear
full leap il tbs dark" cried Hobbies the
Deist and "Now, Lord, receive my soul 2
whispered Herbart OF his last ssweet day. ,
Politeness was no longer ruling passion,
but chrism, when Chesterfield in dying
said, "Give Dayrolles chair" and surely
something was forgiven of Charles the Sec
ond, when he bade farewell to earth's
pomp. and wickcdasss in "Don't let poor
Nelly starve'
Haller'a las. words were, feeling his own
pulse, "The artery ceases to beat" Pc
trarch died suddenly and silently in his
library, his head upon book, and Sir Isaac
Newton winding his watch when he was
ushered into the life that hath no end.
Talma, the great actor, exclaimed pitiful-
ly and as lie went, 1.-THE worst of all is,
can not see;" and John Locke murmured,
90 the depths of the riches Of the goodness
and knowledge of God p' The dying ad
monition of the learned Grotius to his race
was, "Be serious" Scarron, the French
wit, said family to his weeping friend, 'Ahv
mes enfans, you cannot cry as much for me
as have made you laugh IN time; and
Lord Thurlow in reckless wonder exclainl-
ed, "I'm shot, if l don't believe I'm dy-
ing!"
When poor Robert Burns gasped with
his last breath, don't let the awkward squad
fire over me ? he did not alude TO his CON-
mentators and critics, yet what siguiG-
canoe should the words have for them =
And how little Anne Boleyn thought, VII en-,
awaiting the execution, she clasped her
fair throat that at is but small, very
small" would link her forever to the heart
of Christendom
Yes, we can not doubt that many of the
most eloquent sermons mankind has e7er
listened to have fallen from lying lips
Caesars grieved "And thou Brntrs.,' John
Quincy Adams, "This is the last of earth;"
Mirabeau's frantic cry of Emusic" after
his life of discord; George Washington .
at is welf'-do they not grow richer in
meaning every day? And is it not still
blessed 70 remember the las: moments of
Melanothon, the friend of Luther ? "Do
yor want anything7" asked his loved oncs
eagerly. "Nothing but heaven" he an
swered gently, and went smiling on his
way.