SWEDENBORG (Emanuel, Swedish seer, philosopher and theologian), 1688-1772. "_It is well; I thank you; God bless you._" He told the Shearsmiths on what day he should die; and the servant remarked: "He was as pleased as I should have been if I was to have a holiday, or was going to some merry-making." His faculties were clear to the last. On Sunday afternoon, the 29th day of March, 1772, hearing the clock strike, he asked his landlady and her maid, who were both sitting at his bed-side, what o'clock it was; and upon being answered it was five o'clock, he said--"It is well; I thank you; God bless you;" and a little after, he gently departed.[45] _White's "Life and Writings of Swedenborg."_ [45] Swedenborg was buried in the vault of the Swedish Church in Prince's Square, on April 5, 1772. In 1790, in order to determine a question raised in debate, viz., whether Swedenborg was really dead and buried, his wooden coffin was opened, and the leaden one was sawn across the breast. A few days after, a party of Swedenborgians visited the vault. "Various relics" (says White: "_Life of Swedenborg_," 2nd ed., 1868, p. 675) "were carried off: Dr. Spurgin told me he possessed the cartilage of an ear. Exposed to the air, the flesh quickly fell to dust, and a skeleton was all that remained for subsequent visitors.... At a funeral in 1817, Granholm, an officer in the Swedish Navy, seeing the lid of Swedenborg's coffin loose, abstracted the skull, and hawked it about amongst London Swedenborgians, but none would buy. Dr. Waehlin, pastor of the Swedish Church, recovered what he supposed to be the stolen skull, had a cast of it taken, and placed it in the coffin in 1819. The cast which is sometimes seen in phrenological collections is obviously not Swedenborg's: it is thought to be that of a small female skull." SWIFT (Jonathan, Dean of Saint Patrick's, Dublin, and author of "The Tale of a Tub," and "Travels of Lemuel Gulliver"), 1667-1745. "_It is folly; they had better leave it alone_," to his house-keeper who informed him that the usual bonfires and illuminations were preparing to do honor to his birthday. Some say his last words were, "_Ah, a German! a prodigy, admit him!_" spoken as Handel was announced. TALLEYRAND-PERIGORD (Charles Maurice, celebrated French diplomatist), 1754-1838, "_I am suffering, sire, the pangs of the damned._" Said to the king, Louis Phillippe, who enquired his condition. Louis Blanc (_Histoire de Dix Ans. v. 290_) says that when Louis Philippe called upon Talleyrand during that prince's last hours, he enquired if he suffered: "_Yes, comme un damne_," answered Talleyrand; at which the king said under his breath, "What, already?" (Quoi, deja?) TALMA (Francois Joseph, "The Garrick of the French Stage"), 1770-1826. "_The worst is I can not see._"