(110

Life of Erasmus Darwin by Charles Darwin

If, indeed, the old maid-servant, whose apocryphal account of this last word can be has already been given, can b trusted, & I know of no reason why it should not be trusted, his last action, an hour before he died, was one of considerate kindness. Whilst writing in the early morning a long & affectionate letter to Mr Edgeworth, he was seized with a violent shivering fit & went into the kitchen to warm himself before the fire. He there saw this maid churning, & asked her why she did this on a Sunday morning. She answered that she had always done so, as he liked to have fresh butter every morning. He said 'yes I do, but never in future again churn on a Sunday!─

(That he was irascible then is as can be no doubt: my father says "he was sometimes violent in his anger, but his sympathy & benevolence soon made him try to sooth or soften matters." Mr Edgeworth also says * in reference

(* Monthly magazine 1802. p. 115) in reference to the above accusation.