“Colonel Townshend, a gentleman of excellent natural parts, and of great honour and integrity, had for many years been afflicted with a nephritic complaint, attended with constant vomitings, which had made his life painful and miserable. During the whole time of his illness, he had observ’d the strictest regimen, living on the softest vegetables and lightest animal foods, drinking asses milk daily, even in the camp: and for common drink Bristol-water, which, the summer before his death, he drank on the spot. But his illness increasing, and his strength decaying, he came from Bristol to Bath in a litter, in autumn, and lay at the Bell-Inn. Doctor Baynard (who is since dead) and I were called to him, and attended him twice a day for the space of a week; but his vomitings continuing still incessant, and obstinate against all remedies, we despair’d of his recovery. While he was in this condition, he sent for us early one morning: we waited on him, with Mr. Skrine his Apothecary (since dead also;) we found his senses clear, and his Mind calm, his Nurse and several Servants were about him. “He had made his will and settled his affairs. He told us he had sent for us to give him some account of an odd sensation, he had for some time observ’d and felt in himself: which was, that composing himself he could die or expire when he pleased, and yet, by an effort or somehow, he could come to life again; which it seems he had tried before he had sent for us. We hear’d this with surprize; but as it was not to be accounted for from any common principles, we could hardly believe the fact as he related it, much less give any account of it; unless he would please to make the experiment before us, which we were unwilling he should do, lest, in his weak condition, he might carry it too far. He continued to talk very distinctly and sensibly above a quarter of an hour about this (to him) surprising sensation, and insisted so much on our seeing the tryal made, that we were at last forced to comply. We all three felt his Pulse first: it was distinct, though small and thready; and his Heart had its usual beating. “He composed himself on his Back, and lay in a still posture for some time; while I held his Right-hand, Doctor Baynard laid his Hand on his Heart, and Mr. Skrine held a clean looking-glass to his Mouth. I found his Pulse sink gradually, ’till at last I could not feel any, by the most exact and nice touch. Doctor Baynard could not feel the least motion of his Heart, nor Mr. Skrine the least soil of breath on the bright mirror he held to his Mouth; then each of us by turns examin’d his Arm, Heart, and Breath, but could not, by the nicest scrutiny, discover the least symptom of life in him.