Life and Character of Nathaniel Boiuditch. 43 



and placid countenance dispelled all gloom, and his cheerful com- 

 posure robbed death of all its bitterness and anguish. He exem- 

 plified in his own case the sentiment so beautifully expressed by 

 the Persian poet, which he loved to repeat : — 



" On parent knees, a naked, new-born child. 

 Weeping thou sat'st, whilst all around thee smiled : 

 So live, that, sinking in thy last, long sleep, 

 Calm thou may'st smile, when all around thee weep." 



He did not wish to see those about him look sad and gloomy. 

 On one occasion he said, " I feel no gloom within me ; why 

 should you wear it on your faces ?" And then he called for Bry- 

 ant's Poems, and desired them to read his favorite piece, " The 

 Old Man's Funeral." 



<< Why weep 3'-e than for him, who, having won 

 The bound of man's appointed years, at last, 

 Life's blessings all enjoyed, life's labor's done, 

 Serenely to his final rest has passed ?" 



And then he went on and commented on the remaining lines of 

 the poem, pointing out those which he thought were descriptive 

 of himself, and modestly disclaiming others that were commend- 

 atory, as not belonging to him ; but which all impartial persons 

 would unite in saying were singularly applicable to his character. 

 On the morning of his death, when his sight was very dim, 

 and his voice was almost gone, he called his children around his 

 bedside, and arranging them in the order of age, pointed to and 

 addressed each byname, and said, " You see I can distinguish 

 you all ; and I now give you all my parting blessing. The time 

 is come. Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, ac- 

 cording to thy word." These were his last words. After this, 

 he was heard to whisper, in a scarcely audible tone, the words 

 " pretty, pleasant, beautiful." But it cannot be known, whether 

 he was thinking of his own situation as pleasant, in being 'thus 

 surrounded at such a time by those he loved, or whether he 

 " snatched a fearful joy" in a glimpse of the spiritual world. 

 Soon after this, he quietly breathed away his soul, and departed. 

 "And the end of that man was peace." Such a death alone 

 was wanting to complete such a life, and crown and seal such a 

 character. He died on Friday, the 16th day of March, having 

 nearly completed his 65th year. 



