Character Sketches of Romance Volume I Part 113

DWARF ALBERICH, the guardian of the Niebelungen h.o.a.rd. He is twice vanquished by Siegfried, who gets possession of his cloak of invisibility, and makes himself master of the h.o.a.rd.--_The Niebelungen Lied_ (1210).

DWARF PETER, an allegorical romance by Ludwick Tieck. The dwarf is a castle spectre, who advises and aids the family, but all his advice turns out evil, and all his aid is productive of trouble. The dwarf is meant for "the law in our members, which wars against the law of our minds, and brings us into captivity to the law of sin."

DWINING (_Henbane_), a pottingar or apothecary.--Sir W. Scott, _Fair Maid of Perth_ (time, Henry IV.).

DYING SAYINGS (real or traditional):

ADDISON. See how a Christian dies! _or_ See in what peace a Christian can die!

ANAXAGORAS. Give the boys a holiday.

[ ]AERIA. My Paetus, it is not painful.

[c] AUGUSTUS. Vos plaudite. (After asking how he had acted his part in life.)--Cicero.

BEAUFORT (_Cardinal Henry_). I pray you all, pray for me.

BERRY (_Mde. de_). Is not this dying with courage and true greatness?

BRONTE (the brother of the auth.o.r.esses). While there is life there is will. (He died standing.)

BYRON. I must sleep now.

[--] CaeSAR (_Julius_). Et tu, Brute! (To Brutus, when he stabbed him.)

[*] CHARLEMAGNE. Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit!

CHARLES I. (of England). Remember! (To William Juxon, archbishop of Canterbury).

CHARLES II. (of England). Don't let poor Nellie starve! (Nell Gwynne).

CHARLES V. Ah! Jesus!

CHARLES IX. (of France). Nurse, nurse, what murder! what blood! Oh! I have done wrong. G.o.d pardon me! CHARLOTTE (_The Princess_). You make me drink. Pray, leave me quiet. I find it affects my head.

CHESTERFIELD. Give Day Rolles a chair.

COLUMBUS. Lord, into Thy hands I commend my spirit!

CROME (_John_), O Hobbima, Hobbima, how I do love thee!

CROMWELL. My desire is to make what haste I may to be gone.

[**]DEMONAX (the philosopher). You may go home, the show is over.--Lucian.

ELDEN (_Lord_). It matters not where I am going, whether the weather be cold or hot.

FONTENELLE. I suffer nothing, but feel a sort of difficulty in living longer.

FRANKLIN. A dying man can do nothing easy.

GAINSBOROUGH. We are all going to heaven, and Vand.y.k.e is of the company.

GEORGE IV. Whatty, what is this? It is death, my boy. They have deceived me. (Said to his page, Sir Wathen Waller).

GIBBON. Mon Dieu! Mon Dieu!

[--] GOETHE. More light!

GREGORY VII. I have loved justice and hated iniquity, therefore I die in exile.

[*] GREY (_Lady Jane_). Lord, into thy hands I commend my spirit!

GROTIUS. Be serious.

HADYN. G.o.d preserve the emperor!

HALLER. The artery ceases to beat.

HAZLITT. I have led a happy life.

HOBBES. Now am I about to take my last voyage--a great leap in the dark.

[ ] HUNTER (_Dr. William_). If I had strength to hold a pen, I would write down how easy and pleasant a thing it is to die.

IRVING. If I die, I die unto the Lord. Amen.

JAMES V. (of Scotland). It came with a la.s.s, and will go with a la.s.s (_i.e._ the Scotch crown).

JEFFERSON (of America). I resign my spirit to G.o.d, my daughter to my country.

JOHNSON (_Dr._). G.o.d bless you, my dear! (To Miss Morris).

KNOX. Now it is come.

LOUIS I. Huz! huz! Bouquet says: "He turned his face to the wall; and twice cried, 'Huz! huz!' (_out, out_), and then died."

LOUIS IX. I will enter now into the house of the Lord.

[ ] Louis XIV. Why weep ye! Did you think I should live for ever?

(Then after a pause) I thought dying had been harder.

[**] Louis XVII. A king should die standing.

MAHOMET. O, Allah, be it so! Henceforth among the glorious host of paradise.

MARGARET (of Scotland, wife of Louis XI. of France). Fi de la vie!

qu'on ne m'en parle plus.