Mérimée suffered greatly during the last years of his life, and for a long time before his death was, according to his letters to Panizzi, in something like a moribund state, enduring, in fact, a living death:—
“Cannes,
24th of September, 1870.
“My dear Sir,
You loved my dear Prosper well—he loved you. I know you will be grieved to hear he is gone. He died last night without a struggle. All that devoted affection and care could do was done for him. This is a consolation for me to reflect on. The horrid political events have certainly shortened his days. I need not say how miserable I am. We are at Cannes without a friend, for Dr. Maure is at Grasse, and none of our acquaintances have come yet. Dear Prosper often wondered and regretted that you did not write to him since he left Paris.
Yours, &c., &c.,
J. Lagden.”
And from another friend Panizzi received the following:—
“Our poor friend is no more. He passed away in his sleep so tranquilly they thought he was sleeping. He was buried, by his express desire, in our Protestant Cemetery, as a Protestant. I always thought that he would direct this to be done, if he died at Cannes.”
