The long and honorable race of Poussin was now nearly run. Early in the
following year, 1665, he was slightly affected by palsy, and the only
picture of figures that he painted afterwards was the Samaritan Woman at
the Well, which he sent to M. de Chantelou, with a note, in which he
says, "This is my last work; I have already one foot in the grave."
Shortly afterwards he wrote the following letter to M. Felibien: "I
could not answer the letter which your brother, M. le Prieur de St.
Clementin, forwarded to me, a few days after his arrival in this city,
sooner, my usual infirmities being increased by a very troublesome cold,
which continues and annoys me very much. I must now thank you not only
for your remembrance, but for the kindness you have done me, by not
reminding the prince of the wish he once expressed to possess some of my
works. It is too late for him to be well served; I am become too infirm,
and the palsy hinders me in working, so that I have given up the pencil
for some time, and think only of preparing for death, which I feel
bodily upon me. It is all over with me." He expired shortly afterwards,
aged 71 years.