Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-05-24

In late learned work on the cart of pro-
longing lite" the opinion is expressed from
all the facts which the author has been able to
collect, that the duration OF life in the time of
Moses the Greeks, and the Romans, was in
varlably the same as at present and that the
age OF the earth has no influence Oh the
longevity of its inhabitants, that differences
excepted which may be produced by the Gull
tivation Of It's surface and the difference Of
climate, that may thence arise. Instances of
great age have occurred among various ua.
tons OF ancient and modern times. The wise
SolOu attained the age of eighty Epimenides
OF Crete, is said 10 have lived hundred and
ffty-seven years Sophoces, Pndar, and An
acreon, lived to the aye of eighty ;-Democri-
tus lived one hundred anu nine years and Di-
ogenes ninety, Zeno the founder of the StOics,
attained nearly to the age OF one hundred
years. and Plato to that OF eighty one. Am
ong the Romans, M. Vaierius Corvinus was
above the age of one hundred Fahius and
Cato, above ninety ;-Tercutia, the wife of
Cicero, one hundred and three. There are
several instances OF Roman actresses who be-
came old, piece OF good fortune which their
profession in these days can rarely boast. One
LuceJa, performed whole century, and made
her appearance publicly when in her hundred
and twelfth year. Gderia Copiola was
sprightly damsel OF ninety when she appeared
collection in regard to the duration of life in
the time of the Emperor Vespasian, preserved
by Piiny, from the records of the census, an
unquestionably creditahe source, it appears
that in the year when that numbering Of the
people took place, the seventy sixth OF our era,
there were living in that part of Italy which
lies between the Apprentices and the Pc, one
hundred and twenty-iour men who had attain
ed the age of one hundred years and upwards,
viz: fifty four of one hundred, fifty of
hundred and ten, two of a hundred and twen--
ty-ive, four of hundred and thirty, four of
from one hundred and thirty five to one hun
dred and tIirty-seven, and three of one hun
dr. d and forty. Besides these there were in
: ma three men OF one hundred and twenty,
a. two OF a hundred and thirty at Forentia
a woman of one hundred and ihirty-two ; and
Vallcjucium, small town near Piacentia, six
persons who had at aimed the age of one hun
dred and ten, AMI four to that of hundred
and twenty.
An extraordinary number of instances OF
longevity is found among the hermits and
monks The apostle John reached the age Of
ninety.three, the hermit Paul, celebrated for
the severe austerity of his life, TO a hundred
and thirteen, ST. Anthony TO a hundred and
five, and st. David to a hundred and forty
six. Athanasius, jerome, Theodore, Arch
bishop of Canterbury, and others, exceeded
the age of eighty. The most extraordinary
instances OF great age are 10 be found in those
classes who, amidst bodily labor and in the
open air, lead simple life. The most remark
able OF these cases is the familiar one OF Henry
jenkins, OF Yorkshire, England, who died in
the year 1870. At the time of his death he
was one hundred and sixty nine years old.
When he was above the age of one hundred
he was able to swim across rapid rivers. Next
TO jenkins was another E1gshman Thomas
-Parr, of Shropshire, the servant of farmer
who maintained himself by daily labor When
above hundred and twenty years of age he
married his second wife She lived with him
twelve years, aud asserted that during Thai
time he never betrayed any signs of infirn,ity
OF aye He performed all of his usual work
till his one hundred and thirtieth wear. and
was accustomed even to thresh The kim
having heard Of his great age, sent for him
to London. and his journey thther, the change
in his mode of lie, and his feasting and royal
tr, atnent at cou,t, it is thought, brought
about his end. lie died at the age OF hun.
dred and fifty two years and nine months, and
had lived under nine kings of England. The