Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-04-20
HEARTS OUT OF BODIES.
The Human Heart at One Time Not
An Uncommon Legacy.

The Human Heart at One Time Not
An Uncommon Legacy.
James Payne in the Independent:
A curious advertisement has lately been
inserted in the daily papers: "A dau-
phin's heart, 1892, to be sold by auction
or privately disposed Of" This can
only refer to the unhappy son Of Louis
XVI. and before I became its purchaser
would require a good deal of proof as
to its commences. The human heart
was at one time a not uncommon leg
acy, and since, in addition to its Senti-
mental associations, it was generally
inclOSed in a golden casket, it was
found acceptable to legatees. 1t was
generally, however, beQueathed to a
hospital, not for dissection but for pre-
servation, or to a church. The earl Of
Mellent in Ills, caused his heart to
be thus placed, preserved in SALT" in
the hospital at Braclley; and the coun-
tess of Pembroke, in 1899,
caused hers to be placed before
the high altar at Tewksbury, the rest
Of her emains being buried at Beaulieu.
The heart Of John Ballot, lord Of Barn
ard castle, who died in 1869, was en-
ba1med and inclosed in an ivory casket
by his widow and placed on her table
at every meal; it was afterward placed
on her own lifeless bosom near the
altar in New Abbey.
But the most curious coincidence con-
nected with the subject is that the
hearts of those great rivals, Edward l.
Dol aI
by their possessors on their death
beds for the holy sepulcher. Edward
charged his son to accompany it to
Palestine with 40 knights and left
1000 pounds of silver for the expenses
of the expedition. He also pronounced
eternal damnatiOn on him who should
spend the money on any other purpose:
but his son took no notice of the he
quest, and pocketed the coin. Brucc's
heart, as we all know, started OH its
journey in custody of MS faithful
friend, Sir James Douglas, who carried
it in a silver casket round his Irtk.
Being OverpOWered by the MoIS Isl
Spain, he threw it before him, cXcl'Inl-
ling, Pass on as thou vert wont:
will follow" which he did to his j. AN.
| R"uce's heart was horne to Scotland,
! and deposited beneath the altar in
Melrose abbey. The last instance On
, record Of this preservation Of a heart
was that of Paul Whitehead, secretary
of the Medmenham club, who be-
queathed it, says the Book of Days.,
| ito his noble friend, Lord Despencer,
to be placed in his mausoleum at West
! Wycombe,' which was done with no
little ceremony in 1774 Upon the urn
which contained it were inscribed these
lines
Unhallowed hands this urn forbear,
No gems or ancient spoil
| Lie here concealed; but what's more
| rare
A heart that knew no guile.
Notwithstanding this notice. the
heart, which used to be shown to visit
ors, was stolen from the urn in 1929
| and never recovered.
| The brutality Of our ancestors was
evidenced by their treatment of the
hearts Of persons found guilty Of high
treason. Bacon mentions the case of
such person who, after his heart was
ecutioner, was yet heard to utter few
| words Of prayer. Purchas, speaking of
the human sacrifices in New Spain,
where the heart was offered to the sun,
| tells the like story Of a victim who,
after the operation, walked downstairs
and observed to the Spaniards in his
language, ''They have slain me-" 1t
may be said of these utterances that
they were not true, but at all events
they were extemporaneous, not learned
| by heart