The most striking fact in favour of the existence of the instinct for natural death in man appears to me to have been related by Tokarsky in regard to an old woman. While Tokarsky was alive I asked one of his friends to obtain for me further details of this very interesting case. Unfortunately Tokarsky could add nothing to what he had already published in his article. I think that I have discovered the source of his information. In his famous book on the _Physiology of Taste_[99] Brillat-Savarin relates as follows:—“A great-aunt of mine died at the age of 93. Although she had been confined to bed for some time her faculties were still well preserved, and the only evidence of her condition was the decrease in appetite and weakening of her voice. She had always been very friendly to me, and once when I was at her bedside, ready to tend her affectionately, although that did not hinder me from seeing her with the philosophical eye that I always turned on everything about me, ‘Is it you, my nephew?’ she said in her feeble voice. ‘Yes, Aunt, I am here at your service, and I think you will do very well to take a drop of this good old wine.’ ‘Give it me, my dear; I can always take a little wine.’ I made ready at once, and gently supporting her, gave her half a glass of my best wine. She brightened up at once, and turning on me her eyes which used to be so beautiful, said: ‘Thank you very much for this last kindness; if you ever reach my age you will find that one wants to die just as one wants to sleep.’ These were her last words, and in half an hour she fell into her last sleep.” The details make it certain that this was a case of the instinct of natural death. The instinct showed itself at an age not very great in the case of a woman who had preserved her mental faculties. Generally, however, it seems not to appear till much later, for old men usually exhibit a keen wish to live.