Famous Last Words

People can say the most unexpected, profound and even humorous things when they are dying. Starting with Julius Caesar's "Et tu, Brute?" -  last words have been regarded as profound and important.

Royalty seem to be required to die rather publicly.  One of the most noble of speeches was given by King Charles II when he apologized profusely to everyone for taking so long to die and asked to be forgiven.  Ever faithful to his mistress and companion, Nell Gwen, his last words were "Let not poor Nelly starve."

Queen Elizabeth I's last words were profoundly poetic.  She summed it pretty well when she uttered "All my possessions for a moment of time".  King George V showed his concern for his duty to the very end.  His last words were a question - "How's the Empire?"

Sir Walter Raleigh holds the honor of ultimate cool when he joked to the headsman moments before his execution - "So the heart be right, it is no matter which way the head lies."  Louis XVI, however, chose to be more dramatic.  As he ascended the stairs to the guillotine, he uttered "Fils de Saint Louis, montes au ciel" which means "Son of Saint Louis, mount up to heaven".

The shortest and pithiest last words came from Queen Victoria's son, Edward VII.  After suffering from continual and numerous illnesses he liked to convalesce in the town of Bogner Regis.  When his final illness struck him down, his physicians tried to reassure him by telling him is condition was improving and that he would soon be on the mend in Bogner.  Edward shot back the retort "Bugger Bognor" and promptly died.

It make sense that writers have categorically come up with the most interesting and the perhaps the wittiest  last words simply because of their craft.  Jean de la Fontaine, a 17th century French poet once wrote "Death never takes a wise man by surprise."  He went on to elaborate that a wise man writes his own epitaph well in advance to make sure that the press would "get it right".

Here is a sampling of some of the last words uttered by writers and authors:

• Heinrich Heine said confidently "God will pardon me, it's his trade."
• O. Henry said "Turn up the light.  I don't want to go home in the dark."
• Dr. Samual Johnson's last words were more like part of a conversation.  He turned to a friend, a Miss Morris who had come to visit him and simply said "God Bless you, my dear" and immediately died.