The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-05

of intellect in it's immortal author.
'Linnaeus, the celebrated natural
list, published his Species Plantaruln,
characterized by Halter as his maxi
mum opus ct eternum,' in the forty
sixth year of his age. and consequent
ly after the expiration of the golden
era
But let it not be imagined that
these mental monuments are the pro-
ducts of mental powers that have
gone on increasing with years. Far
from it. They are the results OF ac-
cumulated stores in the emporium OF
the soul. while the powers of using
them have been gradually declining.
The true and practical rel
erence is this: if we hope to send
forth corruscations of mind in adj
vanced age we must charge the cleo.
trio battery lthe minds material or
gam in the prime of life. He who at
temptS in the vale of years to astonlsn
the world With the elaboration OF
knowledge acquired @fter the COM
pletiou Of his sixth Septenuiad (A1)
and with the energies of mind not
eXertcd strcnuously before that epoch
will find himself lamentably disap-
pointed.
Danger of New Pursuits.
Later on i'm his chapter on the
eighth septenniad-49 to 56-the
writer adds "In these periods (thc
seventh and eighth the moral as well
as the physical artitudes to receive
and maintain impressions are dt1nln-
ished, and our habits are firmly root
ed Hence the danger of embarkinE
i'll new pursuits. vocation or enter
prise, TO which ambition (noW in the
ascendanD Is constantly prompting
mankind. Every vocation or pursuit
requires q certain amount of clemcn-
tarv knowledge, which can only nc
properly acquired in youth when the
susceptiblitieS are keen and the menu
DRY retentive 1t is not, therefore. IN
middle age that we are TO eNpehd
our time and encrgy in such acquire
ments: but rather To work npon the
materials Of knowledge previously
stocked up. Thus we see men labor
ing, at the study of new languages
after the age of 40. OF cmbarking in
entirely new professions or NocatlonS.
Nothing can be more injudicious. for
failure is almost the invariable result
III middle age our judgment is ma
tured. and we should then mold and
direct the materials in orr possession
rather than accumulate fresh stores.
Touches Cpon Marriage.
just at this point DR.. Johnson
halted in his PROJECTIONS" to give adj
by DR.. -matrimony--but IN
view of the intense excitement occa-
stoned by mis- expression of opinion
in other directions it is matter Of
regret that DR.. Osler did not bring II
in. DIR. Johnson did not believe that
,,er~~ y. no had reached the ad-
Ea of 40 should embark upon
certain seas mo new profess
10 ucw avocations for YOU. he
rf(Tfifl1h mn shelf
a5.g fa-8jise," he says substantially.
Aua lAe men and women who nave
zone +. san enniad FARTHER he gives this
ble IL Atimental attachments. No
t...frttaonaiu alliances should be con-
erected after the seventh Septennlad'
he declares.
"aIa lids old bachelors, old
tvieqgs sa old widoWcrs-a formid-
abba aeaFassy !" he knows will be after
G.m 81 aec ,unt Of his sentiments. He
sae 8ut he expresses them all
ire aHle Whcn mat limonial alli-
tat..4 af attracted after the age of
90 fse I'D there is usually great
,!lsuas.ls af agcs--Which &c deplores.
.aH eArt gentleman" he says,
tstafr.aa Dung wife. or a matroniy
lads e.uUlsfs a youthfu, husband. In
Ugtn eases money is the usual equip
ota tl.f0&ft il the scale TO adjust the
S.,.ata. 81 ears. But gold remains
,n- mr. nile infrmities oscillatc.
rFns Hs8s.c IS soon broken and the
lnoQ1iliarium becomes every day
more 81 ring"
Should Retire at go.
D- johnson believed that a man
preferably to some
cN uiaet when ne reached the
So lie said nothing about
Aln.-ys determination, no matter
In
cherished Here ere his opinions.
"At the age of 60 the merchant, the
LAWYER. the pnyscian-the whole of
the bureau cracy-bcgin TO find that
labor is not sucn q pleasure rs 1T was
90 years previous. They love money
quite as much as ever they did, but
the pursuit of it is not quite so de-
lightful. Then il is tnat they long Tor
retirement in me country and begin
to quarrel with the smoke aud dust
and foul air of the city and town.
8 *But as it IS very clear that the
climateric is a period of transition.
so il would be wise to make the
change from activity to retirement
one of gradual, not abrupt, transl-
ton. Inattention to this has been the
rock on which many 81 valuable LIE
has been wrecked and the cause Of
much happiness turned into misery.
Retirement even ut the close of the
ninth septcnnlad requires resources
which few minds accustomed TO the
turmoil Of active life possess. Even
the pursuits Of literature are feeble
substitutes for previous vocations-
unless there be something to write rs
well as to read. The passive amuse-
mcnt which WORKS OF fancy afford
IN the perusal will not always keep
off ennui nor will books demanding
close attention of the mind compen-
safe for the strenuous eXertion Which
that mind had undergone for many
years before in laboriouS or arduous
OrCfesSiOnS q
MAN is fond Of variety. but nature
abhorS sudden change. in the tram
sition from Il life OF labor to an age
of case business and retirement ought
to be doYctailed. and the line of de-
marcation between the two should
never be abrupt. III many cases 1t is
safer 20 leave business than 10 allow
business to leave us. The latter is
Notifying. but the modification is
salutary, because it corrccts greater
evil than il creates.