I had been warned in the morning that there might be some up-setting convulsions towards the end, or some sort of contraction of the lungs, and noises. People had been trying to prepare me for some horrible physical reaction that would probably occur. None of this happened, actually the ceasing of the breathing was not a drama at all, because it was done so slowly, so gently, like a piece of music just finishing in a sempre piu piano dolcemente. I had the feeling actually that the last hour of breathing was only the conditioned reflex of the body that had been used to doing this for 69 years, millions and millions of times. There was not the feeling that with the last breath, the spirit left. It had just been gently leaving for the last four hours. In the room the last four hours were two doctors, Jinny, the nurse, Rosalind Roger Gopal – you know she is the great friend of Krishnamurti, and the directress of the school in Ojai for which Aldous did so much. They didn’t seem to hear what I was saying. I thought I was speaking loud enough, but they said they didn’t hear it. Rosalind and Jinny once in a while came near the bed and held Aldous’ hand. These five people all said that this was the most serene, the most beautiful death. Both doctors and nurse said they had never seen a person in similar physical condition going off so completely without pain and without struggle.

We will never know if all this is only our wishful thinking, or if it is real, but certainly all outward signs and the inner feeling gave indication that it was beautiful and peaceful and easy.

El blog Letters of Note, especializado en cartas, notas, apuntes y todo tipo de papeles de escritores y otras personalidades, posteó la carta de la viuda de Aldous Huxley, Laura, donde describe con todo lujo de detalles los últimos momentos de la vida del autor. La carta, dirigida al hermano de Aldous, detalla que le fue administrado LSD a petición del mismo escritor y bajo supervisión médica. Su viuda asegura que eso convirtió su paso a la muerte en algo mucho más sereno. La transcripción completa de la extensa carta se puede encontrar en el enlace.

Letters of Note: The most beautiful death.