Grammar expert Dominique Bouhours (1628-1702) knew he was approaching the end of his life. Faithful to his trade to the very end, he uttered his last words: “I am about to — or I am going to — die. Either expression is correct.”
Memorable Last Words of Famous People
Except for the person who has never spoken, everyone will utter his or her last words. Those words may be an expression of surprise, such as Julius Caesar’s famous, “Et tu, Brute?” (Actually, he said something else, but that’s covered in this article.) Parting thoughts might be ironic, such as General John Sedgwick’s half-spoken final…
What Can You Expect With a Name Like Millard Fillmore?
Some people seem destined for greatness on the basis of their names, alone. Lucius Quintus Cincinnatus Lamar, for example, may have achieved success as secretary of the interior and associate justice of the Supreme Court simply because he had one of the coolest names in American history. On the other side of the scale is…
Getting Killed By the Bullet He Said Couldn’t Kill Him
The Spanish-American War was about to experience one of its most dramatic events. The date was July 1, 1898. Future President Theodore Roosevelt and his Rough Riders were positioned at the bottom of Kettle Hill in Cuba. The Spanish were at the top of the hill, attempting to hold their position. Captain William Owen “Bucky”…
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