The Portland daily press., 1882-12-25

| AAOAhV WAoAC Nv hOAbo EUu eAO OAudOh 0aAe
approach.
AS our eyes follow this venerated form, we
| cannot content ourselves with the common fig
ure of one descending into the vale of years
| our thought is rather of one ascending the
| heights of life; lifted more and more into the
| suD-lit glow.
We are in the vale, where shadows fall more
| quickly and stay longer.
1t is he who mounts, above the shadow, ov er-
shone by light we cannot see, his head whit
ening with the foregleam.
From that high station he can look afar; he
| can survey the past; all the fields he wrought
in; all that toiled and loved with him.
But not to look back alone. Forward
| whittier his steps tend his gaze most rests. He
sees into the coming years; into the promised
fields. There ne will meet the great and loved
ones gone before him, but, if any utterance is
permitted enfranchised spirits, he will receive
| also the greeting OF the after generations as
they shall come, helped thitherward by his
Deeds and his example. More blest than Mos
| eS for he shall enter in to the "fair distant
lands which the earth has in store for man,
by the power of all he has done to help for
ward all good works and lives.
| Well has it been said for human consolation
that He who lives for others lives again in
| Others"
And we will cherish him henceforth in love
and awe the more, now that his years have
| reached that conSummate number, which in
the celestial symbolism the mystic twelve and
the hallowed seven, have blended to fulfill.
| Whatever that may portend, whether some
loftier conservation, or some rare, TRANSPORTED
| earthly form, we pray that our eyes may long,
lovingly behold.
The President in apt words Of welcome and
congratulation then introduced the honored
guest of the society, Prof. Packard, who was
received with applause.
PROF. PACKARD's REPLY.
r 4 \
THAN when | saw in the press of the July
meeting Of the society notice of the action of
society which has brought us together this
evening L would express my most grateful
acknowledgment for the compliment and
nonor thus done me. When the late eminent
DIR. Guthrie, one of the brilliant ornaments CT
the Scotch church of Edinburg, on retiring
from the pulpit in consequence of ill health,
receiving a testimonial from the churches OF
scotland, he wrote friend, 81 suppose some
may think that this has blown me up. But no,
it has caused me humiliation In myself, SO
far from citation by this notice of the society
and the circumstances which have attended it.
have felt deep humiliation. l cannot attri-
butte all this to what have done Chat falls so
far short of any promise or expectation which
such opportunities as have had would have
justified but to the fact that through Divine
blessing, my quiet, uniform manner of life and
firm constitution, almost exempt from
sickness or infrmity of any sort have brought
ING w Wnab is COuSlu6reu ADVANCED years. MOI
to deeds, but to years / owe this distinction
Human lives, considered in their earthly
relations, may be regarded in two aspects, that
of ipation-looking ahead-snd that of
retrospection-l looking back. The child is ever
hoping to reach his teens. The Roman boy
anticipated with desire when at Is or 16 he
should throw down the pr9texta and before
the practor, with public ceremonials, surround
ed by family and friends, assume the toqd
vir!is. None of us can forget the important
era in our lives when we cast our first ballot
and so asserted our claim to citizenship and of
rights of a freeman of the Republic and voice
in the nation, and then we look forward to the
year when we can represent town or district or
state in the legislatures or in Congress, so far
always looking forward-ever inclined to in
crease our score of years. We now entes on
period not so definitely marked when we are
less disposed to overcast our years. You
remember that in the revolution there
was region above New York on the Hudson
called the Neutral ground. The traveller was
required to answer whether he was from up or
down. Much depended on the reply, and there
was often doubt whether a true answer was
given.
So in the circuit of our years we enter on
what, in regard to age, may be termed
neutral ground-a zone of uncertainty-we are
not quite sure of definite results. Napoleon
was informed that among the ladies of his
court there was difference as to which should
precede in a court ceremonial. That was
question of rank, and might require search of
state or family record-in England study of
Burke's Herald or the Heraldric Journal,
perhaps the exploration of the one hundred or
more folios of the Record commission. The
emperor thought he would settle the difficulty,
and ordered that the oldest should precede. 1t
did not settle the case at all. There was at
once great observation-disclosures and holding
back No one was willing to assume the
dignity and honor of being the Oldest lady in
the court circle. Some years ago witness
was placed on the stand in the court in this
city. The counsel, for reasons best known to
himself, was urgent to ascertain the age of the
witness, but his skill could not extort definite
reply. Judge Mellen suggested, that it might
answer, If she should be put down as if emo
particular age"
In due time, however, in spite of dissimula-
ton and any continuance of ours, age gives
decided indications that it is near at hand.
The eye becomes less prompt and definite. We
repair to the oculist shyly, not that we are
growing old, but by incaution we have abused
the organ. For time gray hairs are here and
there upon u.s. and we know it not; but we at
length, to our chagrin perhaps, detect the in
trusion. We are conSoled by what Herbert
Spencer has recently affirmed, that, as one
effect of the hurry, restlessness and worriment
of American life, gray hairs with us appear
ten years earlier than on European heads He
is man of wide observation, a philosopher;
and, though we reject some of his philosophy,
we will take that as true science. 1t might be
a good thing to get up testimonial to him,
gratefully acknowledging his discernment in
this matter. We often admire the almond
tree furnishing over heads and forms too
young for such Towering, still brilliant in their
beauty, and active and graceful in movement
as ever. We honor them who have allowed
nature her own way, not interfering by any
art or contrlvance. Years roll on and we can
not stay their course. Herbert Spencer ques-
toned the wisdom of the New York constitu-
ton which judged 1t uniting for its Chancel-
lor, even though he were Kent, to hold office
beyond his sixtieth year. Our own State
draws the "death-line" OF the Supreme Bench
at 20. Twill not affirm it, but that zone of
uncertainty may reach even TO that border
line; the reticence and reserve on the trouble
some question of age may even there manifest
itself. Bat, ordinarily, we become less sensi-
tive-are more frank and explicit even, it
may be, take some pride in our years. re-
ceived letter few years ago from friend,
who subjoined to his signature sat the age of
S." He held no reserve.
But we, however, do not welcome the advent
of age. This is not unnatural. When we
reach this 'snowy summit of our years." we
know that we shall then descend the farther
hillside of life; our sun is weSterning, our
shadows lengthen, and we can look not far
down where the shades of evening are gather
ing. Poetry from Homer down deepens the
impression of infrmity, decay. decrepitnde
we attach TO old age. Holy Scripture teaches
us: "The days of our years are threescore years
and ten; and if by reason of strength they be
fourscore, yet is their strength labor and sor-
row." and so the Preacher in Ecclesiastes re-
minds us of the days when "the keepers of
the house shall tremble, and the strong men
shall bow themselves, and those that look out
OF the windows shall be darkened and they
shall be afraid Of that which is high, and fears
shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall
flourish, and the grasshoppers shall be a bur-
den, and desires shall fall
You recall the seven ages of human life as
characterized by Shakespeare. The sixth age
"shifts. into the lean and slippered pantaloon,
with spectacles on nose and pouch
On side, and the seventh childishness
and mere oblivion, sans teeth, sans eyes,
sans taste, sans everything" not always veri-
fed in experience. The transition from age
to age is not violent and sudden. Years roll
on, but we hear no rumble time has wings,
but we hear no whirr. sour days are swfter
than a weavers shuttle" but they are noise
less. In ordinary health age steals upon us
sandal, velvet-footed. The celebrated Dr.
Chalmers of Scotland, when beyond sixty,
said he often felt like boy A relative Of
mine at eighty-four told me that when in his
chair he felt as young as at twenty-five. My
father left unfinished letter to Mr.. Stephen
Longf6ifow in steady nauu, consecutive
in thought as any written in earlier life, writ
ten a few days before his death, at the age of
eighty-seven. On my eightieth birthday it
was limited that might have callers. L sc-
cordingly donned my best array, and as stood
IN raceiva I will saw frankly that | felt as if