88 AUTHENTICATED NARRATIVE OF 



translation equalled, in many respects, the singular beauty of the 

 original. 



Among those literary and other persons whom curiosity or a " no- 

 ble sentiment" had induced to visit him, was a Mr. C , of London. 



This gentleman probably felt with Waller, that 



" The soul's dark cottage, battered and dismayed, 

 Receives new lights through chinks that time has made;" 



expressed a manly and laudable anxiety to see him change his mode 

 of life; and earnestly pursuaded him to put on " the new man/' 

 and also took much pains to rally in his dejected acquaintance the 

 feeling of self-respect, and bring him back to a sense of what he 

 once had been, holding out the generous hand of undiminished re- 

 gard, and administering to Mr. Colton's immediate necessity by oc- 

 casional advances of money. These laudable and Christian inten- 

 tions, however, were in vain, and the inmates of Meunice's hotel, 

 where he most frequently received Mr. Colton, took alarm at the 

 garb of misery, even while they were conscious that it was the cove- 

 ing of the <f Author of Lacon !" Mr. Colton briefly quitted Paris for 

 Fontainbleau, at a time when the cholera was raging in all its mad- 

 ness. With the design of avoiding the danger of that mysterious 

 epidemic. He had, however, no sooner arrived at this destination 

 than he fell into a state of excruciating pain from his old complaint ; 

 and having taken the opinion of a medical practitioner, an operation 

 was found unavoidable, and it was consequently agreed that it should 

 take place the following morning. He spent the evening in his usual 

 manner, conversing with perfect calmness. Before he retired to rest, 

 however, he wrote for some time. About four o'clock the following 

 morning, however, the report of a pistol was heard, which had been 

 found in his apartment, and the unfortunate subject of this memoir 

 was found dead J 



THE LAST WORDS OF THE AUTHOR OF LACON.* 



How long shall man's imprisoned spirit groan 



'Twixt doubt of heaven and deep disgust of earth? 



Where all worth knowing never can be known, 



And all that can be known, alas ! is nothing worth. 



Paris, Dec. 20, Anno 1834. 



To the Editor, &c : Hotel Men-nice. 



You will herewith receive for publication, the memorable " last words" of the 

 late Rev. C. C. Colton, who in his latter days of human misery and mental 

 wretchedness, was abundantly cautious of his literary fame ; invariably speak- 

 ing of himself in no other character but as the Author of Lacon. All personal 

 and literary friends here, obeyed his desire in that respect ; and to this day they 

 speak of our unfortunate and misguided countryman and consummate scholar, 

 as the Author of Lacon only. I may, perhaps, in this place, be permitted to 

 remark, that the life, and death of this unaccountable person, forcibly reminds 

 us of the almost certain fate of distinguished abilities ; namely, that 



"Superior wit to madness is allied." I. H. C. 



