The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1859-08-31

OLD MEN.- Rev. Dr. Baird, referring
in recent letter 60 "a biographical sketch
Of the late Robert Na-h, prepared in
Paris by NJ. Jomard, says
II have said that NJ. Jomard must
now be an old man, but perhaps | ought
to take that back--for men in France
and Europe generally are not as old at
eighty as we are at Si1ty, Humboldt at
fourscore was not beyond his prime, and
Lord Palmerston at three score and
fifteen scarcely begins to think of being
old. We live too fast in this country"
We do live rather fast in this country,
but many Of us i've long, too. We be-
lieve that our average OF longevity is as
high as that of any other country, while
individual instances can be found that are
truly remarkable. We continually hear
about Humboldt, Palmerston, and Lord
Lyndhurst but we are apt to forget that
their parallels can be not unfrequently
found among uF Boston daily sees the
venerable Quincy in the enjoyment of all
his faculties at the age OF 81 and Massa.
chusetts is proud of the rulings and deci.
sions OF her Chief Justice, now (if we may
be allowed the expressiou) high up in the
seventies. At the Ya,e Commencement,
the other day, none failed to remark the
form of professor Slliman, still upright
and active under the burden of 80 years
and in our report of the Fort Point Cele.
bration in Maine, last week, we gave an
account of great meeting presided over
by hale old man of 81.
Of our literary men, Irving has just
finished the Life of Washington at the age
Of 76. Paulding is so, and Richard q.
Dana 72. The list in this department,
aud in those Of the professions. might be
greatly extended. But let us turn to pub.
lie life, which, perhaps, makes the great
est, draft upon all powers of the system.
Ex.President Van Buren, who has gone
through the whole mill, is well and hearty
at the age Of II. We Lave now 10 the
Presidential chair a man Of 20, who boasts
that he is healthier than his Cabinet, of
which, however, the leading member, in
the Department OF State, is u. The ac.
tual Commandcr.in-Chief of our armies is
73 and yet if we were called into battle.
no man would be thought worthy to take
his place. Our Chief Justice is 50; but
he works like clerk, and one Of his late
decisions, we fear, is to be impressed upon
the whole future OF our national history.
But we need cit 10 future instances Of
aged men actveiy 1ployed in this
country. We have do nouph to show
that DR.. Baird's remart @ye- not admit
of too hasty acceptance. Let Us no. ''a.
credit ourselves too readily. PERHAPS we
live in general, quite as long as We 9a .ht
TO considering our multiplied violations OF
physiological laws, but the vital fibre in
this country is amazingly tough.
A MISTAKE. A young gentleman who
had been paying-under protest from her
rich father--hia addresses to a young Ia,
dy, had almost gI'oa i- np as a hopeless
case, obtained an eligible situation in q
foreign mercantile house Meeting la,
dy Of his acquaintance soon after he hnd
arranged to 60 abroad he said to her;
If you will promise never to tell it 1t
any one, III con6de to you secret"
"Oh, no Of course III never mention
it," said the lady.
He whispered in her ear
{" ny fortune as made Pm going
Ia Hare"
You don't say so? When ?"
next week"
They separated and the next day the
father of the young lady appeared before
our hero, fourishing big cane in hi!
right hand, demanding to know by what
authority he had proclaimed that he was
about to marry his daughter
The young man denied the soft impesch
ment.
You did 9 roared his wouldn't.bt
father.in.law "you told Miss Three en-
dash that you was going to have her next
week"
And SO | am--to sail for the port ot
Havre in the Humbolt."
The old gentleman soped-- Boston
MuSeuni
HONESTY Is THE BEsT cY.-The
late duke of Buccleuch in one fhis wake
purchased a cow in the neighborhood Of