SECTION XVIII.

COMPARISON BETWEEN THE LONGEVITY OF THE ANCIENTS AND MODERNS.

MANY have been led from a desire of life, to envy the length of days with which the early inhabitants of the world were favoured. Under the complicated circumstances of natural and moral evil, to which man in the modern ages, at least, is liable, longevity is little to be desired. It will be curious and entertaining, however, to examine into this subject; and this, as we have now proceeded so far, we shall do in somewhat of an historical manner.

A very common notion has obtained, that in the early periods of the world its inhabitants were both more juvenile and more perfect; that they were of a gigantic nature, incredible strength, as well as of an amazing length of life. In consequence of these notions many romantic fictions have been broached, such as, that Adam attained to the height of 900 yards, and almost to the age of a thousand years. But philo sophy has converted the supposed bones of giants, discovered in different places, into those of the elephant and the rhinoceros; and divines have proved, that the chronology of the early time was not the same

with that which is now used: some have gone so far as to assert, that the year, till the time of Abraham, consisted only of three months; that it was afterwards extended to eight; and that it was not till the days of Joseph that it attained to twelve. According to this view, the 1600 years before the flood will become 414; and the 900 years of Methusalem will be reduced to 200, which is no improbable age, when we consider the temperance of the period, and the age to which many have attained in modern times.

INSTANCES OF LONGEVITY, COLLECTED FROM JEWISH HISTORY.

ABRAHAM, that exalted and faithful patriarch, attained the age of 175 years; his son Isaac, who was more settled, to 180; Jacob only lived to the age of 147; Ishmael, a warrior, 137; Sarah, the only woman of the ancient world with whose duration of life we are acquainted, lived 127 years; Joseph, who was much afflicted in his youth, but highly distinguished in his latter years, lived to 110. Moses lived to the age of 120, but it is remarkable, that he makes a complaint that the age of man was but three score years and ten, or, at most, four score years. The warlike Joshua lived to be 110. Eli, the high-priest, was only 90 at his death, but Elisha lived to be much above 100. In the latter period of the Jewish church, we find Simeon, a man full of hope and confidence, attained the advanced age of 90 years.

INSTANCES OF LONGEVITY AMONG
THE GREEKS.

Anacreon,

THE Sage Solon arrived to the age of 80. Epimenides is said to have lived 157 years. though an intemperate man, was choaked at the age of 80; to which period lived also Sophocles and Pindar. Gorgias, the orator of Leontium, prolonged his days to the term of 108 years. Protagoras, of Abdera, to 90; and Isocrates lived 98. Democritus, the pleasant philosopher, lived 109 years, and the churlish Diogenes, 90. Zeno, the founder of the Stoics, arrived to the age of 100; but Plato only to that of 81. Pythagoras, who was remarkably abstemious, lived to be very old. He was wont to divide the life of man into four equal parts; from the first to the age of 20, he called him but a man begun; from 40 to 60, a man; from thence to 80, an old, or declining man; after which he accounted him as dead, let him live as long as he would.

INSTANCES OF LONGEVITY AMONG THE
ROMANS.

M. VALERIUS CORVINUS, a very valiant man, and exceedingly popular, was above the age of 100. Orbilius, first a soldier, and then a severe schoolmaster, attained the same age. Fabius and Cato were both

above 90 years old when they died.

We have, moreover, remarkable instances of longevity among the Roman ladies, Zerentio, the wife of Cicero, lived to the age of 103. It is singular that several of the Roman actresses lived to a very great age. One Luceia, who made her débuté very young, performed a whole century, and made a public appearance at the age of 112. Galeria Copiola, an actress and dancer, was 90 when she first performed, and she afterwards was brought forward as a prodigy, for the purpose of complimenting Pompey. But even this was not the last time of her acting, for she appeared once more to shew respect to Augustus.

In the Census, as preserved by Pliny, we find, that on numbering the people in the 76th year of the Christian æra, there was living in that part of Italy which lies between the Appenines and the Po, only 124 men who had attained the age of 100 years and upwards, viz. fifty-four of 100; fifty-seven of 110; two of 125; four of 130; four of from 135 to 137; and