The Last Words Of Distinguished Men And Women Part 26

PIZARRO (Francisco, the conqueror of Peru), about 1475-1541. "_Jesu!_"

He was a.s.sa.s.sinated in his palace, June 26, 1541, and was killed only after desperate resistance.

PLOTINUS (Greek philosopher of the Neo-Platonic school), 204-270. "_I am laboring to return that which is divine in us, unto that Divinity which informs and enlivens the whole universe._"

He was intensely religious, and if he had come a century later would, instead of a heathen philosopher, have been one of the first names among the saints of the church.--_Hallam._

POE (Edgar Allan, American poet, author of "The Raven"), 1811-1849.

"_Lord help my soul!_"

Dr. Moran, resident physician of the Marine Hospital, where Poe died, wrote to Mrs. Clemm, under date of November 15th, 1849, an account of Poe's last hours, in which he represents him as having been wildly delirious, sometimes "resisting the efforts of two nurses to keep him in bed, until Sat.u.r.day, when he commenced calling for one 'Reynolds,' which he did through the night until three on Sunday morning. At this time a very decided change began to affect him. Having become enfeebled from exertion, he became quiet and seemed to rest for a short time; then gently moving his head he said, 'Lord help my soul!' and expired."

POLYCARP ("Saint," Christian Father and martyr and the reputed disciple of the Apostle John), burned at the stake, 169. "_O Father of Thy beloved and blessed Son, Jesus Christ! O G.o.d of all princ.i.p.alities and of all creation! I bless Thee that Thou hast counted me worthy of this day, and of this hour, to receive my portion in the number of the martyrs, in the cup of Christ. I praise Thee for all these things; I bless Thee, I glorify Thee, by the eternal High Priest, Jesus Christ, Thy well-beloved Son, through whom, and with whom, in the Holy Spirit, be glory to Thee, both now and forever. Amen._"

POPE (Alexander), 1688-1744. "_I am dying, sir, of a hundred good symptoms_," said to a friend who called to inquire concerning his health. Some give his last words thus: "Friendship itself is but a part of virtue."[41]

[41] On some occasion of alteration in the church at Twickenham, England, or burial of some one in the same spot, the coffin of Pope was disinterred, and opened to see the state of the remains. By a bribe to the s.e.xton of the time, possession of the skull was obtained for the night, and another skull was returned in place of it. Fifty pounds were paid for the successful management of this transaction. Whether this account is correct or not, the fact is that the skull of Pope figures in a private museum.--_William Howitt._

The head of the celebrated Duc de Richelieu, like that of Pope, the Mahdi, and Swendenborg, is above ground. At the time of the revolution in France the body of the Duke was exhumed from its grave in the Church of the Sorbonne. This having been subjected to numerous indignities, the head was cut off, and the latter eventually came into the possession of a grocer, who afterward sold it to M. Armez, the elder. M. Armez, after the Restoration, offered the head to the then Duc de Richelieu, the Minister for Foreign Affairs, who took no notice whatever of the offer. The son of M.

Armez inherited the skull. In 1846 the ill.u.s.trious Montalembert, when President of the Historical Committee of Arts and Monuments, at the instance of his colleagues, did his best to recover the head of the Duke, but without success. M. F. Feuillet de Conches, in his "Causeries d'un Curieux," makes this comment: "We accuse no one, still the fact is undeniable that this terrible head, the personification of the absolute monarchy killing the aristocratic monarchy, is wandering upon the earth like a spectre that has straggled out of the domain of the dead."

POPE (William, the notorious leader of a company of men who attracted considerable attention by their open and continued abuse of sacred things. The utterances of these men shocked community and filled the minds of even open unbelievers with horror. It was reported, but of that the compiler of this book has no positive knowledge, that Pope and his a.s.sociates diverted themselves by kicking the Bible about the floor of the room in which they held their infamous meetings. In his death chamber was a scene of terror),--1797. "_I have done the d.a.m.nable deed--the horrible d.a.m.nable deed! I cannot pray. G.o.d will have nothing to do with me. I will not have salvation at His hands. I long to be in the bottomless pit--the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone! I tell you I am d.a.m.ned! I will not have salvation! Nothing for me but h.e.l.l. Come, eternal torments. O G.o.d, do not hear my prayers, for I will not be saved. I hate everything that G.o.d has made._"

PORTEUS (Beilby, Bishop of London. Among his works are a "Life of Archbishop Seeker," "Sermons," and a Seatonian prize poem on "Death." It is said that he a.s.sisted Hannah More in the composition of "Coelebs in Search of a Wife"), 1731-1808. "_O, that glorious sun!_"

PRESTON (John, author of "Treatise on the Covenant"), 1587-1628.

"_Blessed be G.o.d, though I change my place, I shall not change my company; for I have walked with G.o.d while living, and now I go to rest with G.o.d._"

PRIESTLY (Joseph, philosopher and writer), 1733-1804. "_I am going to sleep like you, but we shall all awake together, and I trust to everlasting happiness_," spoken to his grandchildren and attendants.

To Priestly we owe our knowledge of oxygen, binoxide of nitrogen, sulphurous acid, fluosilicic acid, muriatic acid, ammonia, carburetted hydrogen, and carbonic oxide.

PUSEY (Edward Bouverie, Regius professor of Hebrew at Oxford, author with John Henry Newman, of "Tracts for the Times." He favored auricular confession and many of the distinctive doctrines and practices of the Roman Catholic church), 1800-1882. "_My G.o.d!_"

He repeated again and again during his last hours the words, "The body of our Lord Jesus Christ which was given for thee, preserve thy body and soul unto everlasting life." When a common cup containing food was brought to him, he clutched it with reverent eagerness, thinking in the bewilderment of his mind, that it was the chalice. When he saw the friends about his bed kneeling in prayer, he raised his hand, with the words, "By His authority committed unto me, I absolve thee from all thy sins." At last, gazing about him as though he saw what the dear ones by his bedside could not see, he cried out, "My G.o.d!" and ceased to breathe. His Hebrew Bible lay open on a little table near his bed just as he had left it a few days before, at 1 Chron. xvi, where is described David's triumphant restoration of the ark of G.o.d to its place in the reverent worship of Israel.

QUARLES (Francis, quaint English poet, author of "Emblems"), 1592-1644.

"_What I cannot utter with my mouth, accept, Lord, from my heart and soul._"

QUIN (James, actor), 1693-1766. "_I could wish this tragic scene were over, but I hope to go through it with becoming dignity._"

QUICK (John, actor), 1748-1831. "_Is this death?_"

RABELAIS (Francois), about 1483-1553. "_Let down the curtain, the farce is over._" Some say his last words were, "I am going to the great perhaps."

RALEIGH or RAWLEIGH (Sir Walter), 1552-1618. "_This is a sharp medicine, but a sure remedy for all evils!_" These words he said upon the scaffold, when permitted to feel of the edge of the axe. Some say that later he was asked which way he chose to place himself on the block, and that he replied, "So the heart be right, it is no matter which way the head lies." Others say that his last words were these addressed to the hesitating headsman, "Why dost thou not strike? Strike!"

The lovers of tobacco will remember that it was Sir Walter Raleigh who introduced their "delightful weed" into Europe. So fond was he of the weed that he used it upon the scaffold. The snuff-box out of which he took a pinch just before his head rested upon the block was in constant use by the Duke of Suss.e.x, and was disposed of at his sale for 6.

Mr. Van Klaes whose will is celebrated all over Holland was not to be behind Sir Walter Raleigh in his devotion to tobacco. After his bequests to relatives and charities, he has this paragraph in his will:

"I wish every smoker in the kingdom to be invited to my funeral in every way possible, by letter, circular and advertis.e.m.e.nt. Every smoker who takes advantage of the invitation shall receive as a present ten pounds of tobacco, and two pipes on which shall be engraved my name, my crest, and the date of my death. The poor of the neighborhood who accompany my bier shall receive every year on the anniversary of my death a large package of tobacco. I make the condition that all those who a.s.sist at my funeral, if they wish to partake of the benefits of my will, must smoke without interruption during the entire ceremony. My body shall be placed in a coffin lined throughout with the wood of my old Havana cigar-boxes.

At the foot of the coffin shall be placed a box of French tobacco called _Caporal_ and a package of our old Dutch tobacco. At my side place my favorite pipe and a box of matches, ... for one never knows what may happen. When the bier rests in the vault, all the persons in the funeral procession are requested to cast upon it the ashes of their pipes, as they pa.s.s it on their departure from the grounds."

The wishes of the testator were fulfilled to the letter. The funeral went off gloriously in dense clouds of smoke. Mr. Van Klaes' cook, Gertrude, to whom was left in a codicil to the will a large sum of money on condition she should overcome her aversion to tobacco, walked in the funeral procession with a cigarette in her mouth.

RANDOLPH (John, an able but eccentric American statesman), 1773-1833.

"_Write that word 'Remorse;' show it to me._" These words rest upon doubtful authority.

RAPHAEL (Sanzio, most ill.u.s.trious of painters. "The Transfiguration" at Rome, and the "Madonna di San Sisto" at Dresden are accounted his master-pieces), 1483-1520. "_Happy--._'

"Once again Raphael revived, and, supported by two friends, arose and looked around with wide-open eyes. 'Whence comes the sunshine?' murmured he.

"'Raphael,' cried I, and extended both hands toward him, 'do you recognize me?'

"For a moment it seemed as if he had not heard me, then he spoke again, and the holy calm of his expression, in spite of the death-struggle, bore testimony to his words, 'Happy--.' He tried to finish the sentence, but could not. He never uttered another word, but it was full night when a voice broke through the long stillness: 'Raphael is dead!'"

_Cardinal Bibbiena in a letter to his niece Maria di Bibbiena._

RAVAILLAC (Francois, the a.s.sa.s.sin of Henry IV. of France), 1578-1610.

"_I receive absolution upon this condition._" Ravaillac asked absolution of Dr. Filesac, who answered, "We are forbidden to give it in the case of a crime of high treason, unless the guilty one reveals his abettors and accomplices." Ravaillac replied, "I have none. It is I alone that did it. Give me a conditional absolution. You cannot refuse this."

"Well, then," said Dr. Filesac, "I give it to you, but if the contrary be true, instead of absolution I p.r.o.nounce your eternal d.a.m.nation. Look to it." Ravaillac answered, "I receive absolution upon this condition."

On May 27, 1610, Ravaillac was declared by the Parliament guilty of divine and human high treason; condemned to have his flesh torn with hot pincers and the wounds filled with melted lead, boiling oil, etc.; to have his right hand, holding the regicidal knife, burned in a fire of sulphur; to be afterward torn to pieces alive by four horses, to have his members reduced to ashes and the ashes thrown to the winds. The same decree ordered that the house in which he was born be demolished; that his father and his mother leave the kingdom in fifteen days, with orders not to return, under penalty of being hung and strangled; and finally that his brothers, sisters, uncles, etc., give up the name of Ravaillac and take another, under pain of the same penalties.

Ravaillac, most fearless of fanatics and devotees, said, when interrogated before Parliament as to his estate and calling, "I teach children to read, write, and pray to G.o.d." At his third examination, he wrote beneath the signature which he had affixed to his testimony the following distich:

"Que toujours, dans mon coeur, Jesus soit le vainqueur!"

and a member of Parliament exclaimed on reading it, "Where the devil will religion lodge next!"[42]

[42] John Chastel was torn to pieces sixteen years before, for attempting the life of the same monarch. Salcede, the Spaniard, endeavored to a.s.sa.s.sinate Henri III., and was accordingly dismembered. Nicholas de Salvado and Balthazar de Gerrard suffered in the same way for attacking William, Prince of Orange. Livy records that Mettius Suffetius was dismembered by chariots for deserting the Roman cause.