[p. 89] being an established physician in the town, he at first traded in a humble way, and entirely failed.
He was then urged by his friends, and especially the minister, to resume the profession of medicine,— he did so, and succeeded.
The raw scholar and needy soldier rose to eminence and reputation by no uncommon series of events, but solely by the diligent improvement of the sound minds which they received from nature; and I cannot but hope that others will appear to imitate their example.
Though we who have known and loved them never hope or desire to have their places supplied to us; yet the gloom occasioned by this idea is dissipated by religion which paints the pleasure of a future reunion with them.
In their temporal lot, it was a delightful circumstance that both were spared to old age and that both were exempted from that decay of their mental powers and state of uselessness which they had most dreaded.
We would gladly have spared
Gov. Brooks the severe sufferings which attended his closing scenes but even the contrast between his bitter agonies and my father's gentle falling asleep, exhibits I think, a beautiful arrangement of
Providence.
The aged minister of
Christ could have nothing peculiarly new or impressive to say upon the religion he had so long preached; but all desire to know how religion appears to the man of business, the soldier and the statesman, when summoned in sickness and suffering to contemplate the leisurely approach of the king of terrors.
Gov. Brooks was taken sick on Friday.
Having grown alarmingly worse on Sunday, Mrs. Jonathan Brooks (who was his own cousin by the mother's side) watched with him. He conversed with her a good deal in the course of the night, said that he believed this sickness would be his last, and that he could not now, as in times past, even pray to be restored, as life had nothing more in store for him, and his days of usefulness must be nearly over.
Mrs. B. reminded him how necessary he was to the town and parish, to which he replied, ‘When I am gone every one must do a little.’
On Monday, Tuesday, and through Wednesday morning he was so comfortable that the physicians were somewhat encouraged, and his other friends had sanguine hopes of his recovery.
But on Wednesday afternoon he became greatly distressed, and was convinced that his case was desperate.
He immediately sent for Mr. Dudley Hall and gave him the most particular directions respecting his interment.
Mr. H. was fearful that he might fatigue himself with speaking, but he said, ‘Let me say all while my reason is left.
I know not how long I shall be capable of thinking.’
The sum of his directions was, to forbid all useless parade at his funeral, and to desire that the remains of his wife shall be removed from the tomb in which they had been deposited, and placed by his side.
On Sunday he saw Rev. Mr. Bigelow for the first time, making a great effort to gratify him and his other friends by an expression of
