supervene, when means of communication with others are stopping, when the "sans everything" condition is impending, he is content to quit; and, when the tenement becomes distressing or painful, he is anxious to do so. Still, though the capacities for activity and work may be passing away, and life's "fretful fever" with them, the old person may comfort himself with the reflection that a useful mission still remains in the benign influence of a serene and benevolent disposition, which calmly estimates the things of time and sense at their true value, and which, leniently regarding the short-comings of others, gives the true crown of glory to the hoary head.
It is most satisfactory to find that the exercise—even the full exercise—of the various powers, mental and bodily, is not merely compatible with, but is conducive to, great age; that, as has been well said, "the harmonious development of the many-sided aspects of man is conducive to health and the prolongation of life," and that there need be no fear of entering heartily and actively, and with full interest and energy, into the assigned work of life, physical or mental. The body is made, not for ease and sloth, but for labor and play, for work and enjoyment, better still for enjoyment of work. Work, enjoyed as it should be, promotes health in body, and especially if stimulated by other motives than personal ambition and gain, engenders that cheerful, placid frame of mind which is one of the adjuncts of centenarianism.
France has lately celebrated the centenary of a philosopher and a chemist, M. Chevreul, who the same night occupied the President's box at the opera; and we are told that a Chinese centenarian recently passed the examination which qualified him to enter the highest academy of the Mandarins. Delightful was the account of Lady Smith, in whom a bright, intelligent mind and a brisk, healthy body had been in uninterrupted harmonious action for a hundred and three years, and who to the last took a lively interest in the world's political and other movements.[1]
- ↑ The original report of the committee of the British Medical Association, of which these observations by Professor Humphry are a part, was accompanied by a series of elaborate tables, in which all the details here summarized in the paper were given separately for each person. As the results and lessons of the investigation are clearly presented by Professor Humphry, in all their important bearings, with estimations of the value of each of them, we omit the tables, which, however useful they may be for reference, are not pleasant reading. In introducing the table the author remarks that in "their publication it is not meant to be implied that each of the fifty-two persons positively attained to the age of one hundred years. Some, no doubt, did so; and in eleven (two males and nine females) the age was confirmed by baptismal certificates or other records. Respecting others, there is necessarily more or less uncertainty; but these may reasonably be assumed to have reached nearly to that age. The name is given in each case; and the names are also given of the informants. These were nearly all medical men who volunteered the information which they would not have done unless they believed it to be correct, and who, in many cases, were well acquainted with the persons respecting whom they gave the particulars. The well-known pride of longevity and the tendency to ex-
