"The cranial bones were perfect in every respect, if we except a little erosion of their external table, and firmly held together by their sutures, &c., &c. Having completed our intention [_i. e._, of taking a plaster cast of the skull, washed from every particle of sand, &c.], the skull securely closed in a leaden case, was again committed to the earth, precisely where we found it."
BURR (Aaron, third Vice-President of the United States. In 1804 he fought his famous duel with Hamilton), 1756-1836. "_Madame._"
BURTON (Sir Richard F.), 1821-1890. "_Oh Puss, chloroform--ether--or I am a dead man_," said to his wife who feared to administer an anæsthetic without the direction of a physician. Dr. Barker in a letter to Lady Stisled says that a moment later "suddenly the breathing became labored, there were a few moments of awful struggle for air, then, conscious to the last, he exclaimed, 'I am a dead man,' fell back on his pillow and expired."
BUTLER (Benjamin Franklin, attorney-general of the United States, from 1831 to 1834), 1795-1858. "_I have peace, perfect peace. 'Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on thee.'_"
BUTLER (Joseph, English Bishop, and author of the celebrated "Analogy of Religion"), 1692-1752. "_I have often read and thought of that scripture, but never till this moment did I feel its full power, and now I die happy._" These words were spoken to his chaplain who read him John vi., and called attention to the 37th verse: "All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out."
BYRON (George Gordon Noel, Lord, one of the greatest of English poets), 1788-1824. "_I must sleep now._"
It has been asserted, upon what authority the compiler does not know, that the last words of Byron were, "Shall I sue for mercy?" After a long pause he added, it is said, "Come, come, no weakness: let me be a man to the last."
CAESAR (Caius Julius), B. C. 100-44. "_Et tu Brute!_" to Marcus Brutus, on discovering him among the assassins.
Authorities differ: some have it, "What! art thou, too, one of them! Thou, my son!" and others omit the words "my son." If, however, the last two words are to be retained, they express only the difference of age between Cæsar and Brutus. There is no good reason for regarding them as an avowal that Brutus was the fruit of the connection between Julius and Servilia.