Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-08-20
Ex-MINIsTER LOWELL.
Wis Last Illness and Closing Momen
,da. /.

SIS Last Illness and Closing Moments
ooeI- Sketch of His Career.
irang,mes Russell Lowell, whose death at
nor hbridge, Mass, was announced in
pest weeks GAZETTE, was confined
no his house for month with the
govt and other infrmities incident to
old age. He never took the trouble to
learn for himself what his ailment was,
and his old-time robust health was un-
dermined so rapidly that his recovery
was despaired of several weeks ago.
This eminent poet was more than 70
| years old when he died. Until quite
recently he enjoyed vigorous health.
The death of his second wife in London
during his diplomatic service there
was the beginning of the downward
road. He has remained in his
library almost constantly for a year,
enjoying but few social pleasures.
Three old Boston friends and himself
formed whist club, and they played a
great deal formerly. Even this pleasure
had to be sacrificed couple of months
ago, although Mr.. Lowell never once
complained. His friends saw his illness
quicker than he.
For weeks he sat in his house and
read, but did no writing. His only liv-
ing child, Mrs. Edward Burnett, left her
own home TO care more closely for her
father. Not long ago he said to her,
after urging her not to keep SO close a
watch upon him,
"Why should I give you SO much
troubleg Why can you not let an old
man die?
Two weeks ago he became delirious,
and recovered consciousness only at
, brief intervals up until last Monday.
, lie seemed to think he was far away
/ from home, and appeared to long to get
; back to Elmwood and his family. Al
times, too, he fancied he was entertain
ing royal visitors. Though unquestion.
! ably the pain was very great, he made
no complaint. Last Sunday he seemed
better, and the delerium left him. On
| Monday week he appeared brighter thar
4 at any time during his long illness.
On Monday week, when the nurses
f changed the bedding, he suffered in
/ tensely when moved, and finally said
4 "Oh, why don't you let me die?" These
q words were his last.
I He sank into a comatose condition
a from which he never once rallied. Ht
/ expired very peacefully.
/ POET AND CRITIC.
: James Russell Lowell was born a
u Elmwood, Boston, on February ped
1919. He graduated, as more than q
of his ancestors had, at Harvard Uni
:. versity. Upon quitting college, in 1888
he studied law in Boston, and was ad
I mitted to the Massachusetts bar In two
years He practiccd but very little, ant
in a year or so gave it up entirely TO
literary pursuits He wrote great dea
N for the Boston Miscelldny, in which
monthly magazine appeared his onl,
- prose story, "My First Client,n In 1874
i "A Years Life,' his first volume o
=. poetry, was published.
i From that on he wrote volumlnously
y his most widely read poem and his las
= :, being 1.-THE Vision of Sir Launfal" an,
Z 1.-The Biglow Papers" His "Fable 70
;s Critics" which appeared anonymously
i. created immense comment throughou
: - the world.
+, In 1857 Mr.. Lowell was made edito
- of the Atlantic Monthly, and he wa
m subsequently editor of the North Amer
~ lean ReDteto. He was for many year
4 a professor of modern languages an
81 belles-lettres in Harvard University. |
as 1876 he was a Republican delegate fror
Massachusetts to the national conyen
~ ton.
a President Hayes appointed him mir
h lister TO Spain, which position he occu
-, pied for three years, and in 1850 he wa
=. transferred to the court of St. Jane
,is where he remained until recalled b
President Cleveland in 1885.