When a man is in the full flower of health and intellectual activity, his
utterances, either guarded or careless, usually are more or less tinctured
by his social environments--environments that are rather more artificial
than natural. But when the shadow of death falls upon him, and earthly
vanities crowd out of the chamber that is marked as the vestibule of his
tomb, the language he speaks is that of the man himself--one who realizes
that he is nearer eternal truth than human pretense. For this reason the
last words he speaks on earth are more significant of his true character
than any he has spoken before. No better proof of this fact may be adduced
than is to be found in the following collection of sentences uttered by
dying men:
=Adams, John= (1735-1826), American statesman: "Jefferson
survives."
=Adams, John Quincy= (1767-1848), American statesman: "This
is the last of earth! I am content!"
=Beethoven, Ludwig van= (1770-1827), German composer: "I
shall hear now!" (He was deaf.)
=Bozzaris, Markos= (1790-1823), Greek patriot: "To die for
liberty is a pleasure and not a pain."
=Brooks, Phillips= (1835-1893), American clergyman: "I am
going home."
=Byron, Lord= (1788-1824), English poet: "I must sleep now."
=Charles I= of England (1600-1649): "Remember."
=Charles II= of England (1630-1685): "Don't let poor Nelly
(Nell Gwynne) starve."
=Chesterfield, Lord= (1694-1773), English courtier: "Give
the doctor a chair."
=Columbus, Christopher= (1440-1506), Italian navigator:
"Lord, into Thy hands I commit my spirit."
=Cowper, William= (1731-1800), English poet: "Feel? I feel
unutterable, unutterable despair. What does it signify?"
=Cromwell, Oliver= (1599-1658), English statesman: "My
desire is to make what haste I may to be gone."
=Franklin, Benjamin= (1706-1790), American philosopher: "A
dying man can do nothing easy."
=Frederick the Great= of Prussia (1712-1786): "We are over
the hill. We shall go better now."
=Gilbert, Sir Humphrey= (1539-1583), English navigator: "We
are as near heaven by sea as by land."
=Gladstone, William Ewart= (1809-1898), British statesman:
"Amen."
=Goethe= (1749-1832), German poet: "Open the shutters and
let in more light."
=Greeley, Horace= (1811-1872), American journalist: "It is
done."
=Hale, Nathan= (1755-1776), American patriot: "I only regret
that I have but one life to give to my country."
=Havelock, Henry= (1795-1857), English general: "Tell my son
to come and see how a Christian can die."
=Henry, Patrick= (1736-1810), American orator and patriot:
"Here is a book (the Bible) worth more than all others ever
printed; yet it is my misfortune never to have found time to
read it. It is now too late. I trust in the mercy of God."
=Holmes, Oliver Wendell= (1809-1894), American poet and
prose-writer: "That is better, thank you." (To his son, who
had just assisted him to his favorite chair.)
=Humboldt, Friedrich von= (1769-1859), German savant: "How
grand these rays! They seem to beckon earth to heaven."
=Jefferson, Thomas= (1743-1826), American statesman: "I
resign my spirit to God and my daughter to my country."
=Julian= (331-363), Roman emperor: "O Galilean, Thou hast
conquered!"
=Keats, John= (1795-1821), English poet: "I feel the daisies
growing over me."
=Latimer, Hugh= (1485-1555), English reformer: "Be of good
cheer, brother; we shall this day kindle such a torch in
England as I trust shall never be extinguished." (To
Nicholas Ridley, who was burned with him.)
=Lawrence, James= (1781-1813), American naval officer:
"Don't give up the ship."
=Louis XIII= of France (1601-1643): "There come to me
thoughts that torment me."
=Louis XIV= of France (1638-1715): "I thought dying had been
harder."
=Louis XVIII= of France (1755-1824): "A king should die
standing."
=McKinley, William= (1843-1901), American statesman and
President: "Good-by. All good-by. It is God's way. His will
be done."
=Moody, Dwight L.= (1837-1899), American evangelist: "Earth
is receding; heaven is approaching; God is calling me."
=Napoleon= (1769-1821), Emperor of France: "Head of the
army."
=Napoleon III= of France (1803-1873): "Were you at Sedan?"
(To Dr. Conneau.)
=Nelson, Horatio= (1758-1805), English admiral: "I thank God
I have done my duty."
=Palmer, John= (1740-1798), English actor: "There is another
and better world."
=Pitt, William= (1759-1806), English statesman: "Oh, my
country, how I love thee!"
=Raleigh, Sir Walter= (1552-1618), English courtier and
navigator: "Why dost thou not strike? Strike, man!" (To his
executioner.)
=Scott, Sir Walter= (1771-1832), Scotch poet and novelist:
"I feel as if I were to be myself again. God bless you all."
=Scott, Winfield= (1786-1866), American general: "James,
take good care of the horse."
=Sidney, Sir Philip= (1622-1683), English patriot: "I would
not change my joy for the empire of the world."
=Thurlow, Edward= (1732-1806), English lawyer: "I'll be shot
if I don't believe I'm dying."
=Vane, Henry= (1612-1662), English statesman: "Ten thousand
deaths for me ere I stain the purity of my conscience."
=Washington, George= (1732-1799), American general and
statesman: "It is well, I am about to die, and I look upon
it with perfect resignation."
=Webster, Daniel= (1782-1852), American statesman: "I still
live."
=Wellington, Duke of= (1769-1852), British general and
statesman: "Yes, if you please." (To a servant asking if he
would have some tea.)
=Wesley, John= (1703-1791), English divine: "The best of all
is, God is with us. Farewell."