Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-11-24
LAST WORDS.
An Interesting Chapter-SOme Of the
Last Ustexances of Famous Men.

DR.. johnson that the value of every story
depends upon its being true. That our
books of history and biography are full of
incidents and sayings manufactured by his
torians and biographers, is fact familiar
| to every discerning or critical reader. From
the classic speeches in Thucydides and Plu-
tarch, down to the dying words attributed
to Mr.. Seward, at Auburn, the other daY,
the writers have ever been prolific in invent
tons. The heroic and melo- dramatic speech
put into the mouth of Cambronne at Wat
erloo: "The Guard dies, but never surren-
GERS" Is now known to have been invented
by Rougemont, prolific author of naOts,
two days after the battle, in the Independ-
ant newspaper. What Cambronne really
did say when summoned by the Defeating
Engushmen to surrender, is known to most
readers of that most powerful of all Victor
Hugo's romances-"Les MiSerables."
The last hours and parting words of great
men afford topic of perennial interest to
mankind, and perhaps this may help to
account for the great number of striking
sentences attributed to the dying, frequent
ly upon very uncertain and precarious au-
thorlty. Did Byron really say, just as he
expired, II must sleep now" any more than
Seward uttered the words, Glove one an
|
fore bis eyes closed? Is Webster's last
memorable utterance, 81 still live,n to be
subjected to the same skeptical criticism
which has demolished the credit of Can
ning's reported last words, 'sGive me time
give me timer" Are we to surrender
G9the's dying call for "More light-more
| light" to the doubters who have disproved
the current story that Rabelais exclaimed
on his death bed, sDrop the curtain: the
farce is played out?" Friedrich Schleeel.
they say, died with the single word "Aber,'
| (but) in his mouth. But did he? The
Germans are doubling it, and the English
are discussing whether or no Pitts heart
was broken by the disaster of Austerlitz,
and whether he died excaimiDg, any coun-
try, oh, my countryp The story of Add
son calling the young Earl of Warwick
(others will have it Lord Lyttleton) to his
| bedside sthat he might see how a christian
could die" is long since abandoned as an af-
ter thought, but must we also give I'D
Locke's last words-"Llfe is a poor vanityr?
Let Us at least be permitted to believe what
no authority admitted to be adequate has
impesched, and accredit to John Quincy
Adams that fine saying as hs lay dying in |
the Capitol, "This is the last of earth; | |
am content"
Henry VIII of England, being given |
over by his physicians, demanded glass of |
white wine, and on its being presented to |
him, cried out, aAll is LOST" and expired, |
The philosopher Hobbies, of Malmesbury. |
it is said, just before his last breath, ex- |
claimed, 81 am about 10 take great lean |
into the dark" More at large it is related |
of Gassendi, the mathematician, that he |
said to friend who asked him for bis dy- |
ing sentiments: 81 know not who brought |
me into the world, what I sm here for. nor
why l am taken aTay.n
The last words Of great soldiers are Of |
ten quoted. Those of General Wolfe. at |
the siege of Quebec, on hearing, in his last |
moments, the exclamation 'sSee how they |
run " were, "Then God be praised! / |
shall die happy"
The French Gen. Montcalm, the antago-
mist OF Wolfe, received a mortal wound |
while railying his men, and died the next
day. When told that his end was approach
ing, he replied: go much the better; |
SHAH not I've then to see the surrender of
Quebec"
The last words of Lord Nelson were:
"Thank God, have done my duty"
Napoleon at st. Helena, as has been a
thousand times repeated, expired amid Wis
breath, "Tete Gdrmee!7
When Calanus assembled the burning fin.
neral pile, and Alexander asked him if he
were in need Of anything, he replied:
"NSthing. The day aftei tomorrow / shall
see you" The prediction was strangely
verified, for Alexander died two DAYS later.
An old woman of Troyes, noted for her
misery disposition, reviving from stupor
she had fallen into, blew out with her last
breath an inch of candle at her bedside,
"because," said she, =" | can see to die in
the dark"
Several notable anecdotes are told in
claw and Lawyers" Of Lord Northing-
ton, the British Lord Chancellor, who died
ID l712, and had the reputation of being
one OF the most profane men in England.
The reader will judge whether this
character was well deserved. When at the
point of death he exclaimed, "I'lI be id
If I'm not dying~ His gardener having
Ventured to ignore Lord Northipeton's
order to cut down some trees, during his
last sickness, the Chancellor sent for him
and exclaimed, $50, d-n you, you've not
done as l ordered you; you think am
going; so l am, and be id to
you, but yeu shall go first; here,
strip this fellow, and kick him out of
doors~ When very near his death. seeing
his wife and daughters weeping around, he
roared out to his nurse, "Turn ont all |
those sniveling fools, except Bridget!" In
bis last illness he sent for Lord Carmar-
then, and asked him to recommend him |
some able parson, whose advice he might
take respecting the future welfare of his
soul. "What do you think of Doctor
y" said Carmarthen. "Oh, name
him not" retorted the dying Lord Chan
cellor; 81 shall actually be id for max
ing that fellow Dean !"
The last words of Mrs. Anne Oldfeld.
5he celebrated actress OF the last century,
we're, directing as to her laying out,) "One
would not look frighIafter ones DEATH" {
Pope has paraphIosed this incident in the
,Ouplet: '
p Une Would you'd not sure look ugly when ones dead
{ ray, betty, give these checks a little red - I
ar: Macleod, in the "Annals OF "High- :
ana Parish, nsrrstes how the old minis I
er, Rory, feeling tear drop on his with. I
'red lace while dying, carefully wiped it off, y
'no reDuked his daughter, who had shed it, L
because II is Highland superstition that :.
10 tear should drop on the face of a GOOD e.
nan when he is dying. Then the old man v
uddenly stretched forth his hand and ey- S
damned: ~ baptize thee into the name of e
he Father, and of the Son, and of the HOLY l!
ihost," and SO in the fervor of the old ban 4
ismal service, fell back and expired. ri
Sir Thomas More said TO his execution
T, remarking that the scafFold on which he a
7as to perish was zoo weak, 81 pray Won Ii
ee me up safe, and for my corning down. O
It me shift for myself" In ike manner, 81
.nne Boleyn demanded Of her executioner, "
he was master of his trade, aud burst out "
.ughing when he replied in the afirnla- "
i've. al
The Earl of Chesterfeld's good breeding re
My left him with his last breath. "Give nc
,ayrolles chair" said be TO his valet, re
hen that gentlemsn's name was apnounc.
Z as having come TO see him die. D:
The French poet, B0ileau, diving of drop- Vi
at the age Of seventy FIVE, bid friend te
no entered bis room as the supreme mo. &c
tent, hail and farewell in the same breath: yt
Good day and adeu," said he, sit will be :.
very long adieu," and died Instantly. a
The dying address of the Emperor Adrian "
his soul has been immortalized by Pope, e.
ut SO widely paraphrased as to be quite III
anslated into another sentiment Tho 10