2. The pictures, etc., to the National Gallery.
3. £1000 for the erection of the monument in St. Paul’s Cathedral.
4. £20,000 to the Royal Academy, free of legacy duty.
5. Remainder to be divided among next of kin.
Will of Vaugelas
Claude Favre de Vaugelas the French Grammarian, one of the lights of the “Salon Bleu,” and honored by the friendship of Madame de Rambouillet, was born at Bourg en Bresse in 1585, and after making an illustrious name in the annals of literature, and being rewarded by several pensions, died in a condition of abject poverty in Paris, in 1650. It is difficult to account for the sad circumstances under which he ended his days, unless, like many of the literary characters found in history, he led a life of reckless expenditure, possibly good-naturedly lending to those who never repaid him, and generally neglected to keep any kind of order in his affairs.
Fréron, in his “Année Littéraire,” reports a singular clause in his will, but one which does honor to his sense of rectitude and his conscientiousness.
“Vaugelas,” says he, “died, so to speak, in penury; he was so deeply in debt that he was obliged to remain all day at home (a single room), and could only go out at night for fear he should fall into the hands of his creditors. On this account he was named the ‘Hibou.’ His will was remarkable: after having ordered his little all to be sold for the payment of his debts, he adds, ‘But as, after all has been distributed, there may remain some creditors whose claims will not be satisfied, my last will is that my body be sold to the surgeons for the highest price that can be obtained, and the product applied to the liquidation of the debts I may still owe, so that, if I have been unable to be of any use during my life, I may at least serve some purpose after my death.’”
Will of Voltaire
Among Voltaire’s papers was found a note, endorsed “Mon Testament,” which, on being opened, exhibited these lines in his own hand: