religious, reformer of Florence), 1452-1498. "_O Florence, what hast
thou done to-day?_" He was strangled and burnt by the commissioners of
the Pope, May 23, 1498. His last words are sometimes given thus: "The
Lord has suffered as much for me."
While he and his companions, all three barely covered by their tunics,
with naked feet and arms bound, were being slowly led from the ringhiera
to the gibbet, the dregs of the populace were allowed to assail them
with vile words and viler acts. Savonarola endured this bitter martyrdom
with unshaken serenity. One bystander, stirred with compassion,
approached him and said a few comforting words, to which he benignantly
replied: "At the last hour, God alone can give mortals comfort." A
certain priest, named Nerotto, asked him, "in what spirit dost thou bear
martyrdom?" He said: "The Lord hath suffered as much for me." He then
kissed the crucifix, and his voice was heard no more.
_Villari: "Life and Times of Savonarola."_
SAX (Hermann Maurice, Marshal of France), 1696-1750. "_The dream has
been short, but it has been beautiful._"
SCARRON (Paul, the creator of French burlesque), 1610-1660. "_Ah! mes
enfants, you cannot cry as much for me as I have made you laugh in my
time!_" Some say that a few moments later he added, "I never thought
that it was so easy a matter to laugh at the approach of death."
The life of Scarron was one of extreme wretchedness. He was, like Heine,
a miserable paralytic; his form, to use his own words, "had become bent
like a Z." "My legs," he says, "first made an obtuse angle with my
thighs, then a right and at last an acute angle; my thighs made another
with my body. My head is bent upon my chest; my arms are contracted as
well as my legs, and my fingers as well as my arms. I am, in truth, a
pretty complete abridgment of human misery." At the time of his marriage
(to the beautiful and gifted Mademoiselle d'Aubigne, afterward Madame de
Maintenon, the wife for thirty years of Louis XIV.) he could only move
with freedom his hand, tongue and eyes. His days were passed in a chair
with a hood, and so completely was he the abridgment of man he describes
himself that his wife had to kneel to look in his face. He could not be
moved without screaming from pain, nor sleep without opium. The epitaph
which he wrote on himself is touching from its truth:
Tread softly--make no noise
To break his slumbers deep;
Poor Scarron here enjoys
His first calm night of sleep.
--_Russell: Library Notes._
SCHILLER (Friedrich, "the only German poet who can contest the supremacy
of Goethe"), 1759-1805. "_Many things are growing plain and clear to my
understanding._"
Of his friends and family he took a touching but tranquil farewell; he
ordered that his funeral should be private, without pomp or parade. Some
one inquiring how he felt, he said, "Calmer and calmer;" simple but
memorable words, expressive of the mild heroism of the man. About six he
sank into a deep sleep; once for a moment he looked up with a lively
air and said, "Many things are growing plain and clear to my
understanding." Again he closed his eyes, and his sleep deepened and
deepened till it changed into the sleep from which there is no
awakening, and all that remained of Schiller was a lifeless form soon to
be mingled with the sods of the valley.--_Carlyle's "Life of Schiller."_
Dunzer says, in his "Life of Schiller": "During Schiller's delirium,
from May 5th to May 9th, 1805, he repeated passages from his
'Demetrius,' and before falling asleep he called out, 'Is that your
hell? Is that your heaven?' and then looked upward with a calm smile:
'_Liebe, gute_' (Dear, good one), addressed to his wife, were the last
words he uttered."
Schiller's last words are sometimes given thus: "_Einen Blick in die
Sonne._"
SCHIMMELPENNINCK (Mary Anne, author of "Memoirs of Port-Royal"),
1778-1856. "_O, I hear such beautiful voices, and the children's are the
loudest._"
SCHLEGEL (Karl Wilhelm Friedrich, von, German philosopher and author),
1772-1829. "_But the consummate and perfect knowledge--_"
SCHLEIERMACHER (Friedrich Ernst Daniel, distinguished German pulpit
orator and theologian), 1768-1834. "_Now I can hold out here no longer.
Lay me in a different posture._"
On the last morning, Wednesday, February 12, his sufferings evidently
became greater. He complained of a burning inward heat, and the first
and last tone of impatience broke from his lips: "Ah, Lord, I suffer
much!" The features of death came fully on, the eye was glazed, the
death-struggle was over! At this moment, he laid the two fore-fingers
upon his left eye, as he often did when in deep thought, and began to
speak: "We have the atoning death of Jesus Christ, his body and his
blood." During this he had raised himself up, his features began to be
reanimated, his voice became clear and strong; he inquired with priestly
solemnity: "Are ye one with me in this faith?" to which we, Lommatzsch
and a female friend who were present, and myself, answered with a loud
_yea_. "Then let us receive the Lord's Supper! but the sexton is not to
be thought of; quick, quick! let no one stumble at the form; I have
never held to the dead letter!"
As soon as the necessary things were brought in by my son-in-law, during
which time we had waited with him in solemn stillness, he began--with
features more and more animated, and with an eye to which a strange and
indescribable lustre, yea, a higher glow of love with which he looked
upon us, had returned,--to pronounce some words of prayer introductory
to the solemn rite. Then he gave the bread first to me, then to the
female friend, then to Lommatzsch, and lastly to himself, pronouncing
aloud to each, the words of institution (Matt. xxvi, etc.; I Cor. xi.
23-29),--so loud indeed, that the children and Muhlenfels (late
Professor in the London University), who kneeled listening at the door
of the next room, heard them plainly. So also with the wine, to us three
first, and then to himself, with the full words of institution to each.
Then, with his eyes directed to Lommatzsch, he said: "Upon these words
of Scripture I stand fast, as I have always taught; they are the
foundation of my faith." After he had pronounced the blessing, he turned
his eye once more full of love on me, and then on each of the others,
with the words: "In this love and communion, we are and remain ONE."
He laid himself back upon his pillow; the animation still rested on his
features. After a few minutes he said: "Now I can hold out here no
longer," and then, "Lay me in a different posture." We laid him on his
side,--he breathed a few times,--and life stood still! Meanwhile the
children had all come in, and were kneeling around the bed as his eyes
closed gradually.
_Account of Schleiermacher's Death prepared by his wife._
SCHWERIN VON (Kurt Christoph, Count and Field-marshal), 1684-1757. "_Let
all brave Prussians follow me_," said just before he fell dead, having
been struck by a cannon ball.
SCOTT (James, Duke of Monmouth, natural son of Charles II., of England),
1649-1685. "_There are six guineas for you, and do not hack me as you
did my Lord Russell. I have heard that you struck him three or four
times. My servant will give you more gold if you do your work well_,"
said to the headsman, who, notwithstanding these words, being unnerved,
inflicted several blows before the neck was severed.
SCOTT (Thomas, Privy Councillor of James V. of Scotland). "_Begone, you
and your trumpery; until this moment I believed there was neither a God
nor a hell. Now I know and feel that there are both, and I am doomed to
perdition by the just judgment of the Almighty_," said to a priest who
wished to point out to him the way of salvation.
SCOTT (Sir Walter), 1771-1832. "_God bless you all!_" to his family.
Some give his last words thus: "I feel as if I were to be myself again."
Still others say his last words were these, addressed to Lockhart, "My
dear, be a good man,--be virtuous,--be religious,--be a good man.
Nothing else can give you any comfort, when you come to lie here."
It is also said by some authorities that his last words were, "There is
but one book; bring me the Bible." These words it is represented were
addressed to Lockhart who had asked him what book it was he wished to
have read to him.
SCOTT (Winfield, distinguished American general), 1786-1866. "_James,
take good care of the horse._"
As Frederick the Great's last completely conscious utterance was in
reference to his favorite English greyhound, Scott's was in regard to
his magnificent horse, the same noble animal that followed in his
funeral procession a few days later. Turning to his servant, the old
veteran's last words were: "James, take good care of the horse." In
accordance with his expressed wish, he was buried at West Point on the
first of June 1866, and his remains were accompanied to the grave by
many of the most illustrious men of the land, including Gen. Grant and
Admiral Farragut.
_Appleton's Cyclopaedia of American Biography._
SERMENT (Mlle. de, called "The Philosopher," because of her rare
attainments in literature and of her wide acquaintance with ethics). She
died of cancer of the breast, and expired in finishing these lines which
she addressed to Death:
"_Nectare clausa suo,
Dignum tantorum pretium tulit illa laborum._"
SERVETUS (Michael. He calls himself _Serveto alias Reves_, adding his
family name to his own, in the title of his earliest book. For twenty
years of his life, during his residence in France, he was known only as
_Michael de Villanovanus_, from the assumed name of his birthplace),
1509 or 1511-1553. "_Jesus, Son of the eternal God, have mercy on me!_"
The sentence was drawn out at great length on the 26th of October.
Servetus did not know it till the next day, Friday, two hours before the
execution. On a rising ground near the lake, a little to the eastward of
the city, he was chained to a stake, and, the oldest account (that in
_Sandius_) says, for more than two hours, while stifling in the fumes of
straw and brimstone, suffered the torture of a fire of "green oak
fagots, with the leaves still on," the wind blowing the flame so that it
would only scorch, not kill, till the crowd, in horror, heaped the fuel
closer. His last cry was, "Jesus, Son of the eternal God, have mercy on
me!" Farel's retort was, "Call rather on the Eternal Son of God!" "I
know well," he had written not long before, "that for this thing I must
die, but not for that does my heart fail me that I may be a disciple
like the Master."
_Joseph Henry Allen in the New World, Dec. 1892._
SETON (Elizabeth Ann, philanthropist, foundress and first Superior of
the Sisters of Charity in the United States), 1774-1821. "_Soul of
Christ, sanctify me; Body of Christ, save me; Blood of Christ, inebriate
me; Water out of the side of Christ, strengthen me._" A few moments
after she had spoken these words she murmured, "_Jesus, Mary, Joseph_,"
and expired.
SEVERUS (Bishop of Ravenna),--390. "_My dear one, with whom I lived in
love so long, make room for me, for this is my grave, and in death we
shall not be divided._" The last words of Severus are purely
traditional.
Severus, Bishop of Ravenna, prepared a tomb for himself in his church.
In it he placed the bodies of his wife, Vincentia, and of his daughter,
Innocentia. After some years he was premonished that his time to die had
come. He held service with the people, dismissed them and closed the
cathedral doors. Then, clothed in his episcopal robes, with one
attendant, he went to the sepulchre of his family. They raised the stone
from the tomb, and Severus, looking in, said: "My dear one, with whom I
lived in love so long, make room for me, for this is my grave, and in
death we shall not be divided." Immediately he descended into the tomb,
laid himself down beside his wife and daughter, crossed his hands upon
his breast, looked up to heaven in prayer, gave one sigh and fell
asleep.
SHEPPARD (Jack, the noted highwayman, the hero of many a chap-book of
his day, and the hero and title of a novel by Defoe, and one by
Ainsworth), 1701-1724. "_I have ever cherished an honest pride; never
have I stooped to friendship with Jonathan Wild, or with any of his
detestable thief-takers; and though an undutiful son I never damned my
mother's eyes._"
Jack Sheppard was a popular idol followed by praise and applause even to
the gallows. "There was scarce a beautiful woman in London who did not
solace him during his prison hours with her condescension, and enrich
him with her gifts. Not only did the President of the Royal Academy
deign to paint his portrait, but (a far greater honor) Hogarth made him
immortal. Even the King displayed a proper interest, demanding a full
and precise account of his escapes. The hero himself was drunk with
flattery; he bubbled with ribaldry; he touched off the most valiant of
his contemporaries in a ludicrous phrase. But his chief delight was to
illustrate his prowess to his distinguished visitors, and nothing
pleased him better than to slip in and out of his chains."
Not a few of the highwaymen of the day were "gentlemen" and "coxcombs."
We have from Swift a picture of one such in his sketch of "Clever Tom
Clinch," who
While the rabble were bawling,
Rode stately through Holborn to die of his calling;
He stopped at the George for a bottle of sack,
And promised to pay for it--when he came back.
His waistcoat and stockings and breeches were white,
His cap had a new cherry ribbon to tie't:
And the maids at doors and the balconies ran
And cried "Lac-a-day! he's a proper young man!"
SHERIDAN (Richard Brinsley), 1751-1816. "_Did you know Burke?_" He
referred to Edmund Burke, the celebrated orator, statesman and
philosopher.
SHERMAN (John, distinguished American statesman, United States senator,
and secretary of state), 1823-1900. "_I think you had better send for
the doctor--I am so faint._"
At three o'clock yesterday morning, Mr. Sherman took a decided turn for
the worse. At that hour he complained of feeling faint and asked that
his physician be called. During the next hour the patient had several
fainting spells and during the day these continued at short intervals.
His doctor found him very weak and prescribed a stimulant, but the
medicine had very little effect, and the patient sank slowly. All day
his condition grew worse, but he retained consciousness till about nine
o'clock last night. From time to time, yesterday, Mr. Sherman attempted
to speak, but his words were not intelligible.
_Albany Evening Journal, Oct. 22, 1900._
SICKINGEN (Franz von, Protestant leader and a brave German soldier. He
championed the cause of learning and protected Ulrich von Hutten,
Reuchlin, and others from the rage and oppression of Romish
ecclesiastics), 1481-1523. "_I have already confessed my sins to God_,"
to his chaplain who inquired whether he desired to confess. He was
killed while defending his castle of Neustall.
SIDNEY (Algernon, English republican patriot), 1622-1683. "_Not till the
general resurrection: strike on!_" to the executioner who, asked him if
he would like to rise again, after laying his head on the block.
SIDNEY (Sir Philip, English gentleman, soldier and author), 1554-1586.
"_In me behold the end of the world with all its vanities._"
He was mortally wounded at Zutphen, September, 1586. After he was
wounded he called for some drink, which was brought, but before he had
tasted it, he gave the bottle to a wounded soldier, saying, "Thy
necessity is greater than mine."
SMALRIDGE (George, Bishop of Bristol), 1663-1719. "_God be thanked, I
have had a very good night._"
SMITH (Joseph, founder and first prophet of the Mormon Church),
1805-1844. "_That's right, Brother Taylor; parry them off as well as you
can_," to the Mormon Apostle John Taylor who was defending Smith and
endeavoring to drive back the mob.
Smith amassed a large fortune, assumed the title of lieutenant-general
and president of the church, and exercised absolute authority over his
"saints." He provoked the popular indignation by attempts to seduce the
wives of other men, and was arrested and confined in jail at Carthage.
In June, 1844, a mob broke into the jail and killed Joseph Smith.
_Lippincott's Biographical Dictionary._
"I was sitting at one of the front windows of the jail, when I saw a
number of men, with painted faces, coming round the corner of the jail
and aiming toward the stairs.
"As Hyrum fell he cried, 'I am a dead man,' and spoke and moved no more.
As he fell Joseph leaned over him, and in tones of deep and sad sympathy
exclaimed, 'Oh! my poor, dear brother Hyrum!' While I was engaged in
parrying the guns, Brother Joseph said, 'That's right, Brother Taylor;
parry them off as well as you can.' These were the last words I ever
heard him speak on earth."
_Martyrdom of Smith, by Apostle John Taylor._
It was believed that sacred as the tomb is always considered to be,
there were persons capable of rifling the grave in order to obtain the
head of the murdered Prophet for the purpose of exhibiting it, or
placing it in some phrenological museum--the skull of Joseph Smith was
worth money. This apprehension, in point of fact, proved true, for the
place where the bodies were supposed to be buried was disturbed the
night after the interment. The coffins had been filled with stones,
etc., to about the weight which the bodies would have been. The remains
of the two brothers were then secretly buried the same night by a chosen
few, in the vaults beneath the temple. The ground was then levelled,
and pieces of rock and other _debris_ were scattered carelessly over the
spot. But even this was not considered a sufficient safeguard against
any violation of the dead, and on the following night a still more
select number exhumed the remains, and buried them beneath the pathway
behind the Mansion House. The bricks which formed the pathway were
carefully replaced and the earth removed was carried away in sacks and
thrown into the Mississippi. If this last statement is true, the bodies
must have been removed a third time, as, since writing the above, the
author has it on unquestionable authority that they now repose in quite
a different place. Brigham Young has endeavored to obtain possession of
the remains of the Prophet, that they might be interred beneath the
temple at Salt Lake.
_"Early Days of Mormonism" by J. H. Kennedy._
SOCRATES, 470-400 B. C. "_Crito, I owe a cock to AEsculapius, will you
remember to pay the debt?_"
He walked about until, as he said, his legs began to fail; and then he
lay on his back, according to the directions, and the man who gave him
the poison now and then looked at his feet and legs, and after awhile he
pressed his foot hard and asked him if he could feel, and he said "No;"
and then his leg, and so upward and upward, and showed us that he was
cold and stiff. And he felt them himself, and said, "When the poison
reaches the heart that will be the end." He was beginning to grow cold
about the groin, when he uncovered his face, for he had covered himself
up, and said (they were his last words)--he said: "Crito, I owe a cock
to AEsculapius, will you remember to pay the debt?" "The debt shall be
paid," said Crito. "Is there anything else?" There was no answer to this
question, but in a minute or two a movement was heard and the attendants
uncovered him; his eyes were set, and Crito closed his eyes and mouth.
_From Jowett's "Dialogues of Plato."_
SOPHONISBA (the wife of Syphax, King of Numidia). "_If my husband has
for his new wife no better gift than a cup of death, I bow to his will
and accept what he bestows. I might have died more honorably if I had
not wedded so near to my funeral._"
Sophonisba was taken prisoner by Masinissa who had been formerly her
lover. He married her, but, yielding to Scipio, who feared that she
would influence her husband in favor of Carthage, he sent her a cup of
poison, bidding her remember her birth and estate.
SOUTHCOTT (Joanna, a religious impostor who was probably of unsound
mind), 1750-1814. "_If I have been deceived, doubtless it was the work
of a spirit; whether that spirit was good or bad I do not know._" Last
recorded words.
In the last year of her life she secluded herself from the world, and
especially from the society of the other sex, and gave it out that she
was with child of the Holy Ghost; and that she would give birth to the
Shiloh promised to Jacob, which should be the second coming of Christ.
Her prophecy was that she was to be delivered on the 19th of October,
1814, at midnight; being then upwards of sixty years of age.
This announcement seemed not unlikely to be verified, for there was an
external appearance of pregnancy; and her followers, who are said to
have amounted at that time to 100,000, were in the highest state of
excitement. A splendid and expensive cradle was made, and considerable
sums were contributed in order to have other things prepared in a style
worthy of the expected Shiloh. On the night of the 19th of October a
large number of persons assembled in the street in which she lived,
waiting to hear the announcement of the looked-for event; but the hour
of midnight passed over, and the crowd were only induced to disperse by
being informed that Mrs. Southcott had fallen into a trance.
_Chambers' Miscellany._
After the death of Joanna Southcott, her followers refused to believe
her dead, and consented to a postmortem examination of her body, only
when decomposition had actually commenced. After her burial they formed
themselves into a religious society which they called the Southcottian
church, and professed to believe that she would rise from the dead and
bring forth the promised Shiloh.
SPINOZA (Baruch, his Hebrew name which he translated into Latin as
Benedictus), 1632-1677. There can be no certainty with regard to the
last hours of Spinoza. There was with him at the time of his death but
one friend who refused to make any disclosure, and who chose to pass to
his own grave in silent possession of the secret. Nevertheless a report
prevailed, and was for a time believed, that Spinoza died in great fear
and distress of mind, and that with his last breath he cried out: "_God
have mercy upon me, and be gracious to me, a miserable sinner!_" Another
report, equally without foundation, represented the great Dutch
philosopher as resorting to suicide when he saw death drawing near.