Curiosities Of The Search Room.*

As regards aesthetic wills , it seems odd that persons should think so much of death ' s trappings . It was an old saying , " Pompa mortis magis terret quam mort ipsa , " which Voltaire enlarged " Ce n ' est par la mort qui me fait peur , c ' est son appareil . " We omit all the wills which relate to this subject , as some are to us most offensive , with this exception , as we dislike the animus of all such wills , though we quite agree that the paraphernalia of funerals require moderating .

COMTE DE CHATELET . ( 1280 . ) A nobleman of the house of Du Chatelet , who died about 12 ? 0 , left in his will a singular provision . He desired that one of the pillars in the church of Neufehateau should be hollowed out and his body placed in it on its feet , " in order , " says he , " that the vulgar may not walk about upon me . "

Neither do we think it ri ght to perpetuate the memory of wills adverse to livers , nor can we find space for any longer enumeration . We give two more , reminding our readers that we have , so to say , skimmed over the ground , and that they will meet more to amuse them and interest them in the book itself . The following is the will of the famous Lord Chesterfield : —

WILL OF LORD CHESTERFIELD . ( 1773 . ) One of the most prominent of those Avhose wills AA'ere proved in 1773 , Avas the " . great " Lord Chesterfield , the arbiter on all matters of politeness , Avhose famous " Advice to his Son " Avas so summarily criticised by Dr . Johnson . This " first gentleman in Europe " of his day , left the bulk of his property to his godson , Philip Stanhope , with a very unfashionable and unpalatable restriction .- "The several devises and bequests hereinbefore and hereinafter

given by me to and in favour of my said godson Philip Stanhope , ' shall be subject to the condition and restriction hereinafter mentioned , that is to say , that in case my said godson Philip Stanhope shall at any time hereafter keep , or be concerned in the keeping of , any race-horse or race-horses , or pack or packs of hounds , or reside one night at Newmarket , that imfamoAis seminary of iniquity and ill-manners during the course of the races there , or shall resort to the said races , or shall lose in any one day at any game or bett Avhatsoever the sum of £ 500 , then , and in any of the cases aforesaid , it is my express Will that he my said godson shall forfeit and pay out of my estate the sum of £ 5 , 000 to and for the use of the Dean and Chapter of Westminster , for every such offence or misdemeanour as is above specified , to be recovered by action for debt in any of His Majesty ' s Courts of Eecord at Westminster . "

The following is the will of Mr . Rundell , one of the greatest of English millionaires : — AVILL OF MR . RUNDELL . ( 1827 . ) The Avill of Mr . Rundell , of the firm of Bundell and Bridge , may be cited as dealing with surprisingly large amountsconsidering the oriin and station of the testatorIts validit

, g . y was attacked in 1827 . The dimensions his fortune had reached may be judged of by the fact that the stamps alone cost £ 15 , 000 . His enormous personal property , amounting to £ 12 , 000 , 000 , was distributed amongst his nephews and nieces , the principal legatee being Mr . Neale , of Norfolk Street , Strand .

And the last is a very touching extract from the will of Vicountess P . : — . _ . . As I have long given you my heart , and as all my tenderest affections and fondest wishes have always been yours , so is everything else I possess . All that I can call mine being already yours , I have nothing to give but my heartiest thanks for the care and kindness you have at all times shoAvn me , whether in sickness or health , for Avhich God Almighty will , I hope , reward you in a better world . However , for form ' s sake , I hereby give and bequeath you as follows : First the £ 10 , 000 left me by Sir E . H ; the £ 200 a year left me by my father ; the large gold cup , and two lesser gold chocolate cups and stands , Avhich I wish you would sometimes look on in memory of my death and of the fondest and faithfullest friend you ever had "