Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1866-06-08
INTELLECT In OLD AGE.

INTELLECT IN OLD AGE.
do not know how can take the taste
OF the above ont of tho months of your
readers better than to give them the sub
stance Of statement recently put foIth by
the celebrated DR.. Forbes Winslow on the
the above subject. 1t is given appropos
to a question raised in the House of Lords
as to the competency of the Chief Justice
of Ireland.
"This debate" says DR.. Winslow, "rais-
ed the interesting questions, at what par
ticular period Of life do the mental powers
begin to decline, and when, as a general
rule, is first observed the commencement
of intellectual decay2 The celebrated
Psychologist of tho University of Montpe-
lier, DR.. Lorbat, maintains that it is the vi
tai, not Intellectual, principle that is seen to
wane as old ago throws its autumnal tinge
over tho green foliage of life. ut is not
true" he says, "that the intellectual be-
comes weaker after the vital force has pas
sed its eliminating point. The under
standing acquires more strength during the
first half Of that period which is designa-
ted as old age. 1t is therefore impossible
to assign any period of existence at which
the reasoning pow ers suffer deteriora-
tion.'
will refer to few illustrations with
tho view Of establishing tho fact that great
vigor of understanding, brilliancy of wit,
and clearness Of intellect, are often seen as
sociated with advanced age.
Lord Ebon diod at the age of eighty-six.
He now remained in full enjoyment Of his
wonderful intellect until shortly before his
death. Lord Kenyon lived to the ago OF
seventy. His powers Of mind continued
mp to the last moment unimpaired. Lord
Hardwicke died at seyenty-three, in the
full possession Of his great understanding.
Lord Stowell lived to the age of ninety.
His mind was vigorous to the last. Lord
Mansfield died at the advanced age of
eighty nine, in full and unclouded vigor of
intellect. A few days before this illustri.
ous judge passed into eternity, he heard
his niece asking gentleman who was pre-.
sent rs to the meaning of the word @psep.
hismata," which occurred in Burkes cele-
brated work on tho French Revolution.
The answer was that it was a misprint for
"sophismata." "Nol" exclaimed Lord
Maps6eld. 'psephismata' is right" He
then, without the slightest difficulty, quoted
from memory passage from Demosthenes
in illustration Of the fact.
pr. johnson died at seventy.iye. His
last work, the "Lives of the English Po.
ets," was written only three years before
bis death. Chaucer lived to the age of
seventy.two, with an intellect in fall and
brilliant activity. Sir E. Coke died q.
eighty.two. The last few days of bis life
were spent IN publication. Sir Iaaae New,
ton published tho third edition ofbis "Priu.
cipis," With new pIetacs, at the age Of
eighty-thEee. The great Locke died at
seyensy-thrse, showing no decay Of intellect
He was actively engaged iq literary COM
position up to few days of bis death.
Cherubipi contipped brilliant in converse
At the sge Of eighty. Gossse composed a
~Fe Dsum' at ssyenty.eight. Corneill at
!ne age Of seventy exhibited no failure of
intellect: Walter composed, whsn he was
9sst 2 eighty, a beautiful poem, entitled "a
e',sia OF the Rnin Of the Turkish En-
pre-
Titan eantisasa =. exercise b;a ,,.,v.,