The Last Words (Real and Traditional) of Distinguished Men and WomenMarvin, Frederic Rowland
History
The Last Words (Real and Traditional) of Distinguished Men and Women
Marvin, Frederic Rowland
Last words
One year after Prince Albert died, the Queen erected a costly mausoleum
in the grounds of Frogmore House, which is legally a part of the domain
of Windsor Castle. The mausoleum is cruciform, eighty feet long, with
transepts of seventy feet. As soon as it was completed and consecrated
by the Bishop of Oxford, the remains of the Prince Consort were there
deposited. Over the entrance is a Latin inscription, which in English
reads as follows:
WHAT WAS MORTAL OF PRINCE ALBERT
HIS MOURNING WIDOW, QUEEN VICTORIA,
HAS CAUSED TO BE DEPOSITED IN THIS SEPULCHER.
FAREWELL, MY WELL BELOVED!
HERE AT LAST SHALL I REST WITH THEE.
WITH THEE IN CHRIST SHALL RISE AGAIN.
ALEXANDER (Jannaeus, son of John Hyrcanus, succeeded his brother
Aristobulus as King of Judea in 105 B. C. The Pharisees rose in
rebellion against his authority; they hated him during his life, and
cursed his memory when he was dead)--B. C. 78 "_Fear not true Pharisees,
but greatly fear painted Pharisees_," to his wife.
ALFIERI (Vittorio, eminent Italian tragic poet), 1749-1803. "_Clasp my
hand, my dear friend, I die!_" Addressed to the Countess Stolberg, who
derived the title Countess of Albany from being the wife of Charles
Edward Stuart, "the Pretender." After the death of Stuart, the countess
lived with Alfieri, to whom it is believed she was privately married.
In the church of Santa Croce, Florence, reposes the body of Alfieri, and
over it is an imposing monument erected by Canova for the Countess of
Albany. It was while walking amongst the tombs of the illustrious dead
in the great "Westminster Abbey of Italy" that the poet first dreamed of
fame.
ALFORD (Henry, commonly called "Dean Alford," English poet and divine,
Dean of Canterbury), 1810-1871. "_Will you tell the Archdeacon?--will
you move a vote of thanks for his kindness in performing the ceremony?_"
He wished the Archdeacon to assist in the services at his funeral.
He had expressed a wish to be buried in St. Martin's churchyard. The
spot chosen for his grave is beneath a yew-tree on the brow of the hill
on the south side of the path which leads from the lich-gate to the
western door of the ancient church. At the distance of about half a mile
to the west the towers of the Cathedral look down upon his tomb.
Among his papers was found the following memorandum, which, of course,
was carefully obeyed:
"When I am gone, and a tomb is to be put up, let there be, besides any
indication of who is lying below, these words, and these only:
DEVERSORIUM VIATORIS HIEROSOLYMAM PROFICISCENTIS.
i. e., the inn of a traveller on his way to Jerusalem."
AMBROSE ("Saint," Latin Father, author of many books of varying value
and interest, and author of a method of singing known as "the Ambrosian
Chant"), 340-397. "_I have not so behaved myself that I should be
ashamed to live; nor am I afraid to die, because I have so good a
Master._"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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