New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-02

,srms NJ both The general results such
that that keen inquirer, Mr.. Thomas, nearly
reached the conclusion that there was no read
centenarian-a conclusion which would have been
quite fallacous.
Mr. Railev in Modern Methuscahs' has had
the haprs thought of bringing together number
Of brief biographies of people who have lived very
long. and he has preixed an interesting and care
full discussion of the longevity question gene rally.
The facts adduced in this Introductory chapter
NAV disappoint such readers as are personally de-
dro,,s Of prOlonging their days 10 the standard
of the ratriarchs. Sir Richard Owen, indeed,
did not hesitate to question the patriarchai rec
ord The Bishop of Winchester having SAID, IN
tho Speakers Commentary that some eminent
PSYCHOLOGISTS consider it not improbable that the
carly dwdlcrs upon earth reached the age ascrlbcd
TO them in the Bible, Sir Richard joined issue with
him and dcfed any scientific witness to certify
that it would be possible for man, constituted
as his frame and functions now are, to i've TO the
age recorded of the antedluvians' On the other
hand it must be admitted that post-m0rtem
examinations OF persons dying beyond
their hundrcdth year have IN several
instances revealed generally healthy
condition Of the vital organs as TO justify the
presumption that they might have performed their
functions for. say, another Lnlf century, without
effect that there arc few lives extended beyond
the age Of one hundred and five; and that the
hundred years are rarely exceeded, and only less
infrequently attained TO- When, however, we
come to the question CT deepest interest-how,
namely, TO prolong life beyond the prescriptivc
three-score years and ACKNOWLEDGMENT ensures
Fcl the more this question IS pushed the more
cor fused and contradictory does the answer be-
come Mr. Bailey concludes that lons-asting
Is net dependent upon any external circumstahceS
From time TO time every vocation IN lie nus al
fordcd examples of il, as have all conditions oil
life The voluptuary and the ascetic; the son
of aGiuence and the, child Of poverty: the man
whose existence is regulated by rule and he whose
habits defy all method the man of the world ana
the recluse the daring adventurer and he who
clings to the safety OF hone; the married man
burdcned with large family and the bache1or
free as air all these have furnished remarkable
instances of longevty-instanccs as unaccount-
able as remarkable.
Tn carefully compiled records Of the lives and
habits of centenarians the most incongruous facts
have been brought together. Mr. Bailey says:
"W We read Of enc who subsisted for many long
years on milk alone; OF one who drank freely OF
RIM and brandy, assisted with caret and punch
another sustained his vitality on biscuits and
applcs with milk and water; fourth was free
drjnlxer of wine: a fifth found buttermilk and
green's her best pabuum, on which she preserved
her faculties in full strength unit. her hundred
and sixteenth year. and so on almost lhdeh-
nitely Mr. Bailey is of opinion that notwlth-
standing this apparent hCrClcsS confusion the
value of temperate habits is deduclble from the
records of longevity; but exactly how he arrives
at that conclusion it is not easy to perceive since
the facts certainly seem TO demonstrate the unln-
nuential character Of diet in these cases one
staplc cxampe-that of the Venetian. Luigi Cor
naro-mav be regarded as emphasizing the power
Of abstemious habits TO prolong life; but after
all what is shown here may be no more than that
Cornaro's diet agreed with his particular consul
tuition Other mcn, other physical needs with
seine if the records are 10 count for anything,
free living was better than spare living Oh
course. it is open to objection to say that If the
free lvcrs had followed Cornaro's methods they
would have lived still longer but it is equally
permissible 10 reioin that if Cornaro had lived
more freely he too would have lived longer In
short. the discussion of this point is altogether
futilc since il is clear that the question Of lon
revity does not depend mainly primarily upon
diet
1t is really dependent upon concurrence OF
several favorable conditions, such as an inherited
sound constitution and vigorous digestion;
placid and sanguine temperament; circumstances
conducive to freedom from care and worry; so
much independence consists with the power TO
avoid the risks Of exposure and other incentives
TO disease Yet it is not 10 be concluded that
even what seems the most essential OF these con-
ditions-namey the frst-is indispensable. Samuel
Rogers for example, who nearly attained his
century, declared that up TO the age of fifty he
never knew what health meant Other ccntc-
| narians have been exceedingly delicate and even
sicllly in their youth, so much so that they were
not expected to reach manhood. There is, how
ever, one condition which is fatal to longevity,
! and that is the possession OF genius. There IS
no known instance of a long-lived man or woman
of genius. In these cases the fiery spirit soon
works it's way through the fcshy case Many
! great men and remarkable women have reached
what is commonly called good old age, but none
Of them has exceeded the general bounds and
| turned or even reached, their century. Another
instructive fact is that the long livers usually
those who maintain intellectual activity and hard
work to the last. The number of English states
| men who have lived to eighty or beyond and died
in harness. is surprising, and as social habits be-
| come more absteminous there can he little doubt
! that the average of life among bran-wdrkers will
! rise still higher. In spite OF the evidence which
| shows that personal uncleanness may not hinder
| longevity take the case Of st. Anthony the Great
that famous Saint. in illustration of the hygienic
virtues of dirt, the modern belief will probably
continue to be that cleanliness is the more con-
ducvc to health In the same way the preference
! for temperance over incompetence is likely to he
maintained by such seek length OF years, though
few, perhaps, have the resolution and persistence
in subduing the appetite shown by COrnaro.
The biographies given by Mr. Bailey in part
! illustration Of his subject include those of St
Anthony Luigi Cornaro, Titan, Fontcnellc,
Thomas Am Try, Mr.. GarrIclS. Caroline Hcrschel
and Mary Somerville, Sir Moses Montfore and
Martin Joseph Routh Among these the lives
OF Miss Herschel and Mary Somcrvile possess
particular interest," exhibiting what looks like
contraventions of the best grounded laws OF
health Caroline Herschel, while acting as assist
| ant 70 her hrnther constantly and for Nnars