Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXX, No. 6, June 1847Various
General
Graham's Magazine, Vol. XXX, No. 6, June 1847
Various
Literature -- Periodicals; Literature, Modern -- 19th century -- Periodicals
I well remember one lovely starlight night, walking on the terrace in
front of Somerset House with Henry Fuseli, and whilst speculating on
futurity, he told me that he and Lavater had made a solemn agreement,
that whichever should die first, would, if permitted, make himself
manifest to the other, in some way. Lavater died many years before his
friend, but Mr. Fuseli informed me with a sigh, he had never, in any
way, waking or dreaming, made himself manifest. It is, perhaps, useless
to mention that Fuseli was a classical scholar of very high attainments,
and I know that he was a firm, undoubting believer in the immortality of
the soul. He died at the ripe age of 86, whilst on a visit to the
Dowager Countess of Guilford, and whilst on his death-bed, within an
hour of the time his immortal spirit took its flight for a better world,
he had an impression that he heard soft sweet music in the room, and
faintly inquired of the countess, why she had placed musical snuff-boxes
on the bed. Yet the dying man never had an ear for music, and could not
distinguish one air from another—music was all perfectly monotonous to
him—but the music which he imagined he _then_ heard was to him
heavenly. This impression on the _ear_ seems altogether different to
that made on the visual organ of many persons on the approach of death.
Fervently do we pray that such impressions as visited the dying hour of
Henry Fuseli, may equally be the blissful harbinger to eternity of all
such good men.
The above story related by a lady, coincides in some degree with a
visitation which occurred to Sir Walter Scott and his lady, at
Abbotsford, who were both awakened by some extraordinary noise on the
premises. He says in a letter—“The night before last, we were awakened
by a violent noise, like the drawing of heavy boards along the new part
of the house. I fancied something had fallen, and thought no more about
it. This was about two in the morning. Last night, at the same witching
hour, the very same noises occurred. So I got up, with Beardies’
broad-sword under my arm, but nothing was out of order, neither could I
discover what occasioned the disturbance.
“I protest to you, the noise resembled half a dozen men putting up
boards and furniture, and nothing can be more certain than that there
was nobody on the premises at the time.”
It subsequently appeared, that _at the exact hour mentioned_ by Scott,
Mr. George Bullock died suddenly in London. He was a particular friend
of Sir Walter’s, and had been very active in planning, and procuring
articles of antiquity and old furniture for the embellishment of
Abbotsford. The circumstance appeared to have made a strong impression
on Sir Walter’s mind. But I think I could show—as I certainly
believe—that the death of Mr. Bullock, at the time when Sir Walter
_and_ Lady Scott _fancied_ they heard noises, was merely a coincidence.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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