Huntsville gazette., 1886-12-18

and arm, 70 rub me with some specific
oils proper for bruises, and without any
other remedies was soon cured, to the
great astonishment of the physicians
and all who knew me"
He argued that simple and frugal
diet, like that which he practiced, had
.he happy advantage of being easily
adapted to rich and poor; but his dis
position of the mendicant is rather
| amusing:
"a poor old man, if he have no
means to buy meats, could easily live
| well on bread, broth and eggs, and
| there is no man, howsoever poor he
may be, that can stand in need of these.
unless they are downright beggars, Of
whom / do not pretend 10 say any
| thing. The reason of these being SO
miserable in their old age is because
they were idle and lazy when young,
and it is better for them to die than to
live, for they are a burden to the
| world"
Another excellent habit Of Cornaro's
was that of making himself useful to
his neighbors and the public. He says:
II walk out in my gardens, along my
| walks and canals, where l always meet
with some little thing or other to do,
which at the same time employs and
diyerts me. | sometimes divert myself
with a sport that agrees with me at
my age, namely, in going out with
| setting dog or with terriers. Some
times | walk to my villa, whose
streets terminate at a large square.
Through this villa runs river, and
the country is enriched with fruitful
and we'll cultivated fields. This was
not so anciently. 1t was a marshy
place, more proper for frogs than for
| men to dwell. | thought it advisable
to drain the land; so the air became
more wholesome. Several families
have settled there and rendered the
place very populous, where, may say,
that have dedicated to the Lord
church, altars and hearts 10 worship
Him, which reflection is a great COM
| fort to me. Sometimes | pay visits to
friends in neighboring towns, who
procure me an acquaintance with the
ingenious men of the place. l dis
course with them about architecture,
painting, sculpture, mathematics and
agriculture. | visit public buildings.
palaces, gardens, antiquities, churches
and Notifications. When l am willing
to be alone, | read good books and
sometimes fall writing, seeking
always an occasion of being useful tc
the public" In his eighty-third year,
so sprightly was his mind and gay his
humor, that he composed a comedy for
the stage, which, he says, twas divert
ing, without shocking the audience"
The retention of all his powers to the
last was certainly remarkable In his
ninety-ffth year he records that he was
healthful and brisk, slept well, relished
all he ate and that none of his senses
had failed that he had still a lively
fancy, a happy memory and sound
judgment; that his voice was more
| tuneful than ever, SO that he could
| chant forth his morning office more
| easily than in his youth. He delighted
| in children. 81 meet not on with
two or three, but eleven grandchildren,
the eldest of which is eighteen and the
youngest two years old, all born Of the
same father and mother, all healthful,
of good parts and promising hopes |
take delight in playing with the
youngsters and often make them sing
| and play upon musical instruments,
and sometimes join in concert with
them"
Though he lived so much longer
than the generally allotted years of
man, he knew that the springs of life
must sometime cease to flow. He
| looked forward to his end as an event
| through which he would pass without
pain, and he was not disappointed.
| His granddaughter relates that, feeling
| that his last hours were approaching,
he disposed himself to leave this life
with the piety of Christian and the
courage of philosopher. He made
his will and set all his affairs in order;
after which he received the las t sacra-
ment and expected death in an elbow
chair. In short it may be said that,
being in good health, having also his
mind and eye very brisk, a little faint
ing fit took him, which was instead Of
an agony, and made him fetch his last
| breath. -
As sometimes we have seen wan
| dering cloud of mist dissolve away into
the clear ether of the upper skies, so
the life of this genial, happy old man
faded gently and peacefully away into
another life.
''Unmeasured by the fight of years
He died at Padua on the Goth of
April, 1866. and was buried in the
Church of ST. Anthony on the 9th Of
May following. His wife survived him
for some years, reaching to good old
age, and her death at last was so tran
| quill that, as the nun records it: "She
left this life without being perceived.
| Boston transcript.