Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-15

I any more than he desired the strength
of bull or an elephant when he was a
young man.
Coming to the third charge, Cato
says:
20 admirable service of old age. II In
deed 1t takes from us what in youth Is
more harmful than all things else"
Later he says. you do not miss what
you do not want"
The Roman vices of eating and
drinking to excess at banquets are
scored. 1t is interesting to note that
the Roman fcaSts had their presiding
officers (which we call "toastmasters"
today.
! His custom was to announce rules for
the speaking, and by custom he ended
his discourse with the sentence. "Aut
bibe. aut abb tEeither drink or go) e.
This, it may be added. is the age-old
cry of such gatherings-today called
parties"
What immense worth 1t is for the
soul to be with ITSELF" states Cicero, Ito
live. as the phrase is. with itself, dis
| charged from the service of lust, am
/ bition, strife, cnmitieS, desires of every
kind.
IF one has some provision laid up,
| AS 1t were, OF study and learning. Moth
ing is more enjoyable than the leisure
! OF old age
Agriculture is one of the delights Of
| elderly life. Cato Is made to speak with
delight of the various activities in deal
F., ing with the soil. He is charmed with
the growth of seeds and the upshooting
of the grapevines.
What can tell you of irrigation,
and of the repeated digging Of the soil
to make the ground more fertile?" Even
1000 years ago they understood what
many amateur gardeners Of 1928 do not
| mprehend-mulching. cultivation.
What shall say OF the efficacy of
manuring of which I have written in
my book on Farm Life'?" Prof An
drew p Peabody. whose translation We
follow. says. The Cato who has such
an aesthetic appreciation of the charms
of r,ira! life is myth of Cicero. Catos
own book Ode Re Rustica"D is a
manual of hard. stern. sometimes brutal
economy. advising the sale of wornout
cattle and of old or sick slaves.
But Cicero Is right in representing Cato
as wise on the subject of manure. on
which. If I am not mistaken, he was In
advance. not only of his own age, but
even OF ours
Cicero COncIu0cS MS treAtlSe Win an
academic consideration Of death, which
waits at the end of the road for all
and sundry ITO me no life seems
long that has any end For when the
end comes. then that which has passed
has flowed away: that alone remains
which you have won by virtue and by
a good life.
Hours. indeed. and days. and
months. and years. glide by, nor does
! the past ever return, nor yet can 1t be
| known what is TO come. Each one
/ should be content with such time as 1t
/ is allotted to him 10 live.
| I'm order TO give pleasure TO the
! audience the actor need not finish
| the play: he may win approval In what
! ever act he takes part In; nor need
| the wise man remain on the stage till
/ the closing plaudit,
/ "A brief time is long enough to live
we'll and honorably. Spring
! typ!fes Youth and shows the fruit that
! will be-: the rest of life is fitted for
| reaping and gathering the fruit.
| LAS I draw near to death I seem to
/ see land. and. after a long voyage. to
/ be on the point of entering the har-
| Dor. depart from life. as
/ from an inn. not as from home. for
| nature has given us here lodging ior
| a soiourn. not place OF habitation.
| % glorious day. when shall go to
| that divine company and assembly OF
| souls. and when / shall depart from
| this crowd and tumult!"