The Hawaiian gazette., 1885-12-08
Men of MRnY Years.

While history and science stard hand in
hand grandly united on the question of lon
gevity, it becomes imperative TO ask for rem
dering of the conditions upon which these re-
suits are TO be achieved This is in justice TO
both history and science, one of the most i'm
portant subjects engaging the human mind.
The historical side of the question clearly
makes out the case, which it is enchanting to
reflect upon, that man may live TO be two
hundred years old, the interpreted age OF
Methusaleh, enjoying all his faculties to the
last. The scientific side of the subject gives
nearly the same cause of jubilatiOn to the
mortal who wishes to remain in the prison of
the flesh for few hundred years by estab-
fishing the conclusions that by demonstrable
laws of nature on the question of life in con-
nection with animal economy, one hundred
years of ordinary and two hundred years of
extraordinary life ought to be enjoyed by every
man.
Starting with ancient records, where things
are somewhat dim in the field of prophetic
telescopes, and coming down to the present
time, where the knife and the microscope ap-
pear, and the records of common courts testify
who lived the longest, who fulfilled the sum
total Of all prophecies, of all PHILOSOPHERS, of
all religions, of all sciences, natural, supre-
natural, and told the universe on this point of
longevity. First, the patriarchs we're clearly
the longest livers, because they were nomads,
passing most of their lives in the open air,
add were temperate and conformed to tho
dictates OF nature. Methuseah heads the list
of the patriarchs, attaining TO upwards of two
hundred years, the orthodox Interpretation Of
the "acute divine" Henser, or 10 near a thou
sand, old sly lie verbal rendering. In either
case Methuselah is precious fact, and stands
as the great hope of humanity. The patriarchs
who follow In order Of longevity were Barred
at nine hundred and sixty-two; Noah, nine
hundred and fifty; Adam, nine hundred and
thirty; Seth,nine hundred and twelve; Canaan,
nine hundred and ten; Enos, nine hundred and
i've, etc. Very nearly approaching the ages
of these men of centuries. Interpreted, as al
ready stated, profane history has many records
OF longevity, with interesting examples The
following list has striking points, not only on
long life, but as representing variety Oftypes
| OF the different blOods or races, showing that
| long life is not characteristic of any one
| original race or compound race:
St. Patrick died A. D. 49l, age one hundred
and twenty-five Llywarch Hen died A ID. 500,
aged one hundred and fifty; st. Coemgene
died A. D. els, aged one hundred and twenty;
Prasius, or Polish King, died A. D. sci, aged
one hundred and twenty; Thomas. Parr died
a. IL. 1859, aged one hundred and 1tty-twO;
Henry Jenkins died A d. 1870, aged one
hundred and sixty nine; Countess of Desmond
died A. D. 1912, aged one hundred and forty
five; Thomas Dana died A. d. 1915, aged one
hundred and fifty-four; Peter Dorton died A
d. 1924, aged one hundred and eighty-five;
Margaret Peters died a D. 1888, aged one
hundred and thirty-seven; John Roven died
A. D. l74l, aged one hundred and seventy
two; Roven's wife died A D. l74l, aged one
hundred and sixty-four; ST. Mongah died A.
D. 1881, aged one hundred and eighiy-fve.
Coming down TO the time of courts and post
mortems. we find testimony is pointed on one
side that il is the order of men who lived the
longest and reasons why. OF the men above
mentioned, Henry jenkins lived TO the age of
one hundred and sixty-nine years, as proved
! by the registers of Chancery and other courts
where he had appeared as a witness, etc He
was fisherman and consequently passed his
life in the open air, in exercise of the Walton
ian art. When over one hundred'years old he
was able to swim across large rivers. Thomas
Parr, who lived to the age of Une hundred and
ifty-two years and nine months, died by the
accident of gorging his stomach. post NOR
ten examination showed him TO be perfectly
sound, except the gorged stomach, and, from
all after-death appearances, he might have
lived 10 the age of Mehuselah. His cartileges
were not ossi6ed, and there was not the least
symptom of decay to be discoyered. He was
poor man, ana maintained himself by daily
labor. The list of very old persons, both male
and female, are numerous. Drakenbarg, a
seaman, carried the fires of love freshly in his