Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. IX.—February, 1851.—Vol. II.Various
General
Harper's New Monthly Magazine, No. IX.—February, 1851.—Vol. II.
Various
American literature -- Periodicals; Civilization -- Periodicals; Culture -- Periodicals
of Dauphiney--this would suit me nicely; you know it well, for I have
often said that I should like to be buried there; and let me beg of you,
as you value your old friend, not to suffer any pomp to be used at my
funeral; nor let any monument nor monumental inscription whatsoever be
made to mark where I am laid; but lay me quietly in the earth, place a
sun-dial over my grave, and let me be forgotten."
In this strain of true Christian philosophy did Howard speak of his exit
from a world in which he felt that he had done his work. The ground in
which he had selected to fix his everlasting rest, situated about two
miles from Cherson, on the edge of the great highway to St. Nicholas,
belonged to a French gentleman who had treated him with distinguished
attention and kindness during his stay in the vicinity; and, having made
his choice, he was very anxious to know whether permission could be
obtained for the purpose, and begged his gallant friend to set off
immediately and ascertain that for him. Priestman was not very willing
to leave his friend at such a time and on such a gloomy errand; he
fancied people would think him crazy in asking permission to make a
grave for a man still alive, and whom few as yet knew to be ill; but the
earnestness of the dying martyr at length overcame his reluctance, and
he set forth.
Scarcely had he departed on his strange mission, when a letter arrived
from England, written by a gentleman who had just been down to Leicester
to see young Howard, giving a highly favorable account of the progress
of his recovery, and expressing a belief that, when the philanthropist
returned to his native land, he would find his son greatly improved.
This intelligence came to the deathbed of the pious Christian like a ray
of light from heaven. His eye brightened; a heavy load seemed lifted
from his heart; and he spoke of his child with the tenderness and
affection of a mother. He called Thomasson to his bedside, and bade him
tell his son, when he went home, how long and how fervently he had
prayed for his recovery, and especially during this last illness.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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