t be a delight to
me." Burke's voice trembled, when he replied, "My dear Sir, you have
always been too good to me." These were the last words that passed
between them. Mr. Windham having settled a pillow for him, he thanked
him for his kindness.

This will do (said he,) all that a pillow can do. Of Sir Joshua Reynolds
he made three requests, which were readily granted; to forgive him
thirty pounds which he had borrowed of him; to read the Bible; and never
to use his pencil on a Sunday. The church service was frequently read to
him by some clergyman of his acquaintance. On one of these occasions,
when Mr. Nichols was present, he cried out to Mr. Hoole, who was reading
the Litany, "Louder, my dear Sir, louder, I entreat you, or you pray in
vain;" and when the service was done, he turned to a lady who had come
to pray with him, and said to her with much earnestness, "I thank you,
Madam, very heartily, for your kindness in joining me in this solemn
service. Live well, I conjure you, and you will not feel the compunction
at the last which I now feel."

He entreated Dr. Brocklesby to dismiss any vain speculative opinions
that he might entertain, and to settle his mind on the great truths of
Christianity. He then insisted on his writing down the purport of their
conversation; and when he had done, made him affix his signature to the
paper, and urged him to keep it for the remainder of his life. The
following is the account communicated to Boswell by this affectionate
physician, who was very free from any suspicion of fanaticism, as indeed
is well shewn by Johnson's discourse with him.

"For some time before his death, all his fears were calmed and absorbed
by the prevalence of his faith, and his trust in the merits and
propitiation of Jesus Christ." "He talked often to me about the
necessity of faith in the sacrifice of Jesus, as necessary beyond all
good works whatever, for the salvation of mankind." "He pressed me to
study Dr. Clarke, and to read his Sermons. I asked him why he pressed
Dr. Clarke, an Arian. 'Because (said he) he is fullest on the
propitiatory sacrifice.'" This was the more remarkable, because his
prejudice against Clarke, on account of the Arianism imputed to him, had
formerly been so strong, that he made it a rule not to admit his name
into his Dictionary.

He desired Dr. Brocklesby to tell him whether he could recover, charging
him to give a direct answer. The Doctor having first asked whether he
coul