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CHAPTER XXVI. 



HIS LAST ILLNESS (1882). 



IN the last few months of his life, towards the end of 

 1881 and beginning of 1882, Darwin began to suffer 

 from his heart, causing attacks of pain and faintness 

 which increased in number. On March 7th, 1882, he 

 had one of these seizures when walking, " and this was 

 the last time that he was able to reach his favourite 

 * sand-walk ' " (" Life and Letters "). After this he 

 became rather better, and on April 17th was able to 

 record the progress of an experiment for his son 

 Francis. The following sentences are quoted from 

 the " Life and Letters " : 



" During the night of April 18th, about a quarter to twelve, 

 he had a severe attack and passed into a faint, from which he 

 was brought back to consciousness with very great difficulty. 

 He seemed to recognise the approach of death, and said, ' I am 

 not the least afraid to die.' All the next morning he suffered 

 from terrible nausea and faintness, and hardly rallied before 

 the end came. 



" He died at about four o'clock on Wednesday, April 19th, 

 1882." 



He was buried in Westminster Abbey on April 26th. 



Thus died one of the greatest of men, after a life 

 of patient and continuous work interrupted only by 

 ill-health; a man who was, perhaps, more widely 



