The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1898-10-12
PREMONlTlONS OF DEATH.

Men Who Have Foretold the Coming of
Their Own End.
The first symptom of approaching
death with some is the strong PRESENT.
ment that they are about to die.
Ozanam, the mathematician, while
in apparent health rejected pupils from
the feeling that he was on the eve Of
resting from his labors, and he expired
soon after of an apoplectio stroke.
Fletcher, the divine, had dream
which shadowed out his impending dis
solution, and believing it to be the
merciful warning of heaven be sent for
a sculptor and ordered his tomb. "Be-
gin your work forthwith" he said at
parting. "There is no time to lose.
And unless the artist had obeyed the
admonition, death would have proved
the quicker workman of the two. No
zart wrote his Requiem under the
conviction that the monument he was
raising to his genius would, by the power
Of association prove universal monu-
ment to his remains. When life was
Testing very fast, he called for the score
and musing over it said, "Did I not
tell you truly that it was for myself
that composed that death chant?''
Another great artist in a different
department, convinced that his hand
was about to lose its cunning, chose a
subject emblematical Of the coming
event. His friends inquired the nature
of his coming design, and Hogarth re-
piled, "The end Of all things" "1n
that case" rejoined one, "there will be
an end Of the painter" What was ut
tered in jest was answered in earnest,
with solemn look and heavy sigh.
"There WILL" he said, land the sooner
my work is done the better" He COM
menced next day, labored upon the
drawing with unremitting diligence,
and when be had given it the last touch
seized his palette, broke it in pieces,
and said, 81 have finished" The print
was published in March under the title
of "Finis," and in October the curious
eyes which saw the manners in the face
were closed in the dust. Our ancestors,
who were prone to look in the air for
causes which were to be found upon the
earth, attributed these intimations to
various supernatural agencies.
John Hunter has solved the mystery,
if mystery it can be called. in single
sentence. "We sometimes" he says,
"feel within ourselves that we shall
not live, for the living powers become
weak, and the nerves communicate the
intelligence to the BRAIN
His own case has often been quoted
among the marvels Of which he offered
this rational explanation. He intimated,
on leaving home, that if discussion
which awaited him at the hospital took
an angry turn it would prove his death.
A colleague gave him the lie. the coarse
word verified the prophecy, and he ex.
pired almost Immediately in an adjoin-
ing room. There was everything to la
ment in the circumstance, but nothing
at which to wonder.
Circumstances which at another time
would excite no attention are accepted
for an omen when health is failing.
The order for the requiem with Mozart,
the dream with Fletcher, turned the
current of their thoughts to the grave.
Foote, prior to his departure for the
continent, stood contemplating the pic
ture Of brother author and exclaimed,
his eyes full of tears, "Poor Weston"
In the same detected tone be added, aft
er a pause, "Soon others shall say,
Poor Foote!'" And to the surprise Of
his friends few days proved the Justice
of his prognostication. The expectation
of the event had share in producing it,
for slight shock completes the destruc'
tion of PROSTATE energies.
The case of Wolsey was singular. Thv
morning before he died he asked of Cav.
endish the hour and was answered..
"Past g." "Eight Of the clock?" re
piled Wolsey. "That cannot be. Eight
of the clock-nay, nay, it cannot be s
Of the clock, for by s of the clock you
shall lose your master.
The day be misca!culated; the hour
came true. On the following morning,
as the clock struck s, his troubled spirit
passed from life. Cavendish and the by
ISLANDERS thought he must have had a
revelation Of the time of his death, and
from the way in which the fact had
taken possession Of his mind we suspect
that be relied on astrological prediction,
which had the credit of revelation IN
his own esteem Household WordsL