Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-15
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES f. TRACEWELL.

II would have a treasure that en-
braces ALL would have Youth" sang
Or. Faustus TO the Devil. He got his
treasure but what he did with It was a
trifie disconcerting.
There Is nothing surer than that
every one of US Is growing older day by
day. Youth, beautiful youth, fades
away and we make the most OF what
we have left.
Faust, after all. is only legend. a
dream; old age Is one Of the realities.
How to grow old gracefully Is the prob
lem.
One of the most famous discussions
of old age is Cicero's DE Scnectute,"
in which Cato Marcus Porcius Cato
Censorius, takes the leading part
Scipio. one of the speakers. compli-
ments Cato upon his ability to find
his age not grievous though to old
men in general It is so hateful that they
account themselves as bearing bur-
den heavier than Aetna
Cato. with infinite wisdom, Is made
to declare immediately:
You seem to admire what has been
to me by no means difficult. For those
who have in themselves no resources
for good and happy life. every period
of life Is burdcnSomc; but TO those VINO
seek all good from within. nothing
which comes in the course OF nature
can seem evil. Under this head place
especially belongs to old age. which all
desire 10 attain, yet md fault with II
wher they reach it,"
Cicero (for 1t must be remembered
that it is he writing) thus puts himself
souarely in line with the great and good
men of all races and ages who have be-
lieved in the things Of the spirit.
Those who seek all good from
within"
Cicero points out that. in his belief. 1t
is utterly improbable that Nature has
so we'll arranged the other parts Of life.
only to fall down. like an unskilled poet
In the last act OF the drama.
Complaints that advancing age de-
Drives one of sensual qualifications are
cllaraeable to character, not to old age,
he saws. Old mon who are moderat" In
their desires. and are neither testy or
morose. find old age endurable, but
rudeness and inc!vility arc offensive at
any age"
Laelius. one OF the speakers. advances
the theory that perhaps Cato finds age
less burdensome on account OF his
wealth, his large resources, his high
rank.
"Thcre is. indeed, something in this. -
admits the old fellow. whose surname
was given him because Of his shrcwd-
ness and cunning tLatin, 'catus"; Eng
lish. "cat)
He believes. however, that the con-
seriousness OF a we'll spent life and a
memory rich in good deeds affords the
truest explanation OF his happiness.
Four reasons, he continues. are found
which seem to make old age wretched:
/ !. That it calls us away from the
management of affairs.
.. That IL impai-s bodily viso-
3. That 1t deprives one OF sensuous
qualifications.
1. That it brings one to the verge Of
death.
In answer TO the first objection. he
points to the difference between youth
and maturity. between athletic feats
and mature occupations, and declares.
succinctly:
The old man does not do what the
Young men do: but he does greater and
better things. Great things arc accom-
plished not by strength. or swiftness. or
suppieness OF body but by counsel. in
iluence, deliberate opinion"
He answers the charge that memory
is impaired. and finally gets around TO
the following classic sentence:
NO one Is SO old that he docs not
expect to live year longer"
Cato Is made TO say that he does not
now desire the bodily strength Of youth,