The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1895-06-22
The VENERABLE .BEDE.
He Died While Engaged Il Finishing
His Version OF st. Johns Gospel. II

= IT,
His Version OF St. Johns Gospel. ii
Few passages in the history Of liter-
allure have more touching and pathetic
interest than those relating to the last
scenes in the lives of men OF letters who
have. retained their grasp upon the pen
until death has given them release.
torian Green in his account Of the death
oi Baeda, or the Venerable Bede, the
father OF Eaglish history The good
monk was engaged at the time in his yer
|tsipn of st. Johns Gospel. 1t was two
weeks before the Easter Of IT'S that the
shadows began to creep over him.
d II don't want my boys to read a lie
he answered those who would have had
him rest, :" or to work to ITO purpose afte;
[ am gone. = fas ,3 3sItf3 &, sa# " X Vi. u
I a few days before Ascension tide his
sickness grew upon him, but he spent the
whole day in teaching, only saying cleer-
fully to his scholars: az, Il ~.
Learn with what speed you may, I
know not how long I may last. !, Y ] he
dawn broke upon another s1eep1ess night
and again the old man called his sc1ol-
a,rs around them and babe them write.
There Is still a chapter wanting said
the scribe, as the morning drew. on, land
it is hard for thee to question 5thyself
longer Nj. T@:
lit is easily done,' said .Baeda, "taks
thy pen and write" s5.s4
Amid tears and farewells the day wore
on to the eventide There il one SEN
tence unwritten, dear master said the
boy. .5
Write 1t quickly" bade the dying
man. 5 81 ~
'It is finished now. said the little
scribe, at last it'd s. ,zs X ' 3,., 4.
G '*Yuo speak the truth said the mas
ter: "all Is finished now @r. l3S
Placed upon the pavement, his head
supported in his scholars arms, his face
turned TO the spot where he was wont to
pray Baeda chanted the solemn, lory
to Cod AS. his voice reached the close
Of his song he passed quietly away. f
1t seems somewhat strange that Green
himself shauld have ended his days In q
manner SO like that Of the monk OF Var
row, and not lacking In The same pathetic
incidents. The historian was the victim
Of an incurable rnalady, and for The last
year 81 his life worked under the shadow
Of death itself. He was told by his ply
stefan that the end might come at any
hour Gt was during the aWseks and
months Of waiting and sad 1lnceta ainty
that he completed the volume on THE
Conquest at England He then re-
viewed the work and resolved to make a
number OF important changes IN the orig
31lA plan. The book was recalled from
thespress, and the labor Of revision and
alteration began. At times he was SO
weak that ne .cclld only dictate almost
In whisper the words to be written.
~ have d work to do that ! know ID
goOd, he said, when he beard that. he
had only a few more days to ave::t III will,
try and win but one more week to WritAs
come part Of 1t dawn. g s' 5s A. 3lsass
Ss$ But the week was not won The Iale3
words he wrote were those chat closs
The eighth ehapter OF the Conquest
England, Z as now published, bringing
nesWnrk down to- the close Of the Lasi-2
ish conquest. When he q laid down His
pen for he last time heshad not sllsl Client
stfength remaining 10 II cad over the pas
sage he Had last written. Isl 3s sss
sssS am ~ ssar can s,NoT i, 81
more, 4 & IL said, and % be- lid
HE and h.z5Is s epEe
Il llile iskensng % me- AZ I'M
phs men ia b M 81, iii ss
Nun pIs3anII
& L e.