, 1853-09-10
HOW % Live Lonr

II is the easiest thing in the world, per-
haps, to sscnre long lifH, provided there
is a modera'eHo]d constitution to start with,
and provided also no accident in,ervcucs.
Yet how few there are who sa,m to be
aware Of ,h.s, Il persons are to leiudgad
by their conduct, ind ], we might conclude
that nothing could be DON TO pIoioag life,
but that it depends entirely on chance
whether adult yeats were attained, whether
dehh came at forty, or whether existence
Wa prolonged 10 the schp,ural three
re aad ten
The lawSof l;f,, however, are A. immu-
table and regular As lhos. Of ast,onomy.-
Whoever lives according 10 those laws may
reasonably calculate on a good old age
Whoever systematically violates them may
as certainly expect TO shorten his existence
The human body is, in truth, but machine +;
and ike all other machines, it may be worn
out before its time By abuse and neglect
Excesscs on the one hand, or want Of cxer-
else on the other, will tear il prcmaturely to
pieces, or allow it to rusl away. Too little
work, or too much, will alike prove fatal 10
q prolonged existence.
Americans violate the laws Of life prin.
cpally through Ihtir.exccsses. In early
manhood excess in conviyal enjoyments,
and even in worse kinds Of dissipation, is
unfortunately too common. But excess is
far from ceasng even with mature manhood.
With energetic persons, the desire TO
achieve fortune has, at this period Of life,
generally succeeded " the pleasure-seeking
phase Of earlisr years. The man, still rad
lcally unchanged, pursuas business with as
much ayidity as ever he sought recreation.
Early and late be is at his work, ovcr,ask-
ing lis mind, and exhaustiug his body by
undue labor, AT irS, indeed, he does not
feel the effect Of his indiscreton. Morning
finds him refreshed by the repose Of the
night he seems to himself as vigorous as
ever aud ho returns 10 his pursuits With
the same eagernass, the same tenacity, the
same folly as before. But nature at last
ayeugrs hcrs,lf. BY middle age he is al
ready an old man. Or, perhaps, he sudden
ly breaks down, oven at an earlier period,
becoming a confirmed valeludinarian, the
victim OF dyspepsia, rheumatism, goul, ner-
youS disorders, or possibly complication
Of all four.
Ii men would attain 10 the allotted term
'of 81, they must thun excess in work,
therefore, as well as in pleasure. To kill
ones self by greedy haste after riches, i,
as much moral suicide as 10 desttoy ones
life by wine, by tobacco, by dining out, by
late hours. Ii is moi sufficient, however,
10 avoid eAcess merely, IN order 10 arrive at
three score and ten" JudicIouS exercise
must be mingled with habits of moderate
living. Personal cleanliness must be pre-
served by bathing, by frequent change Of
linen, and by friction Of the skin 10 induce
healthy state of that membrane. Many
an excellent clergyman has shortened his
DAYS, involuntarily, by remaining in his
study when he should have been sawi5g
wood, walking in the fresh air, or galop
ing over breezy hills. Many ou individual,
IN both sexes, has brought on disease by
neglectng TO keep the pores Of the body
opened. The fashionable practice Of turn
ing day into night, and night into day, is
also an enemy to length of years. There is
no light so beautiful as Gods free sunlight.
The iar, fresh compilations Of most Quaker
girls, and the comparatively faded ones Of
fashionable women, is testimony in favor
of regular hours, and against gas-lit ball
rooms. Plenty Of light also, even in day
time, conduces to health. The inhabitants
of dark courts, like prisoners, wilt and grow
wan.
A long life is rarely the lot of passion
ate person. Indeed, only an iron conslitu'
ton can Withstand frequently recurring
tempests Of anger hate, jealousy, and other
evil emotions. Literally is such an indi-
yidual "givcn over to a demon," to be
racked and torn, year after year, till life cs-
eapcs al last beneath the torture. To be just
moderate and true, is 10 be, almost certain
ly, sexagenarian. Yet iudol2nce, either
Of body or mind, much less Of both, is al
most as fatal to a protracted existence as
excess in pursuit Of fortune, or IN the chas
Of pleasure. Nature is never idle, and will
not allow man to be so, without dwarline
his intellect and shortening his days. Bul
as few Americans permit themselves TO rus
out, We dismiss this part Of our subject
without further comment.
Who will be wise, aud live long Who
foolish, and die promalurely ? EiIheI
course ia before you, reader II Philadrl
phia Ledger.
Isa- The ST. Louis correspondent Of ih'
Savannah e. G,oroian furnishes an item illus