The picturesque pocket companion, and visitor's guide, through Mount Auburn

[95] beautiful discourse on charity and mutual forbearance) while he was diffusing light and warmth among his hearers, he was seen suddenly shivering. From that time his illness increased. lie grew more feverish, but he continued to lecture, contrary to the entreaties of his friends, saying, that he would not disappoint his hearers, and that the exertion would help him to throw off his indisposition. From the beginning of his course the number of his hearers had been continually increasing with every lecture; at last he exchanged his lecture-room at the Athenaeum for the large hall in the Temple. He had finished his course in this city with the exception of one; and in order to prevent any uncertainty with regard to the place where he was to give his concluding lecture, and desirous of consulting the wishes of his hearers, before he left the hall, he inquired of them, “In what place shall we meet next time?” He knew not that there was no human voice which could rightly answer that question. He returned from this lecture to his lodgings,not to leave them again.¹

And so Spurzheim was destined to end here his labors and his life together. There is something touching in the thought of his situation:

No sacred voice of Father-land,
Like home familiar sooth'd his bed,
Nor ancient friend's best welcome hand
Raised his sick head.

From the bright home that gave him birth,
A pilgrim o'er the ocean wave,
He came, to find in other earth
A stranger's grave.