THE VALUE OF OLD AGE. 317 



millions after he was seventy-five years old. These are but a few of 

 the names at hand. 



Coming down to the present day, and to men who are in advanced 

 life, and living and working amongst us, we might mention our beloved 

 Mark Twain, now seventy, who failed in business for a heavy amount 

 at sixty years, has paid his debts to the last dollar and has retrieved 

 his own fortunes, whose writings at three-score and ten are scarcely 

 less amusing than those of his youth, besides being vastly more in- 

 structive. Dr. Wicr Mitchell is now seventy-six, and after a life of 

 distinguished services to the world in his profe<=«ion he is still active, 

 and in the present year is completing a work of fiction which is 

 thought to be his best. Dr. Mitchell did not begin writing until he 

 was past forty; since when he has published various scientific works 

 as well as books of fiction. Andrew D. White is now seventy-three, has 

 performed important diplomatic missions up to the age of seventy, 

 and has contributed much to philosophy and letters since he reached 

 sixty. Professor Simon Newcomb, now seventy, did not begin to 

 write until he had passed forty, was called to the chair of mathematics 

 at Johns Hopkins University at the age of forty-nine, and his mind 

 is still undimmed and vigorous. Professor Goldwin Smith is now 

 eighty-two ; most of his work has been done since he passed fifty years, 

 he is yet writing, and it is still a pleasure and profit to read anything 

 that comes from his pen. John Hay* is to-day, at th age of sixty-seven, 

 with the exception perhaps of Benjamin Franklin, the greatest diplo- 

 mat America has ever produced. He was appointed minister to 

 England at the age of fifty-nine and secretary of state at sixty. J. 

 Pierpont Morgan is now sixty-eight; his greatest achievement — the 

 greatest industrial organization the world has ever known — the forma- 

 tion of the United States Steel Corporation, was long after he reached 

 the age of sixty years, and nobody has thus far perceived any weakening 

 of his mental powers. Andrew Carnegie is in his seventieth year; 

 has achieved his uncounted millions since he reached fifty years, and 

 his intellect to-day is sufficiently strong so that when he speaks the 

 whole world pauses to listen. 



The world's need of men of advanced years has perhaps never 

 been so well presented as in Nathaniel S. Shaler's book, ' The Indi- 

 vidual,' the main purpose of which was to present an account of what 

 man's individual life means in the great order. In considering that 

 valuable work it is well to bear in mind that five years ago, when it 

 was written, Professor Shaler was in his sixtieth year, and that he is 

 still professor of geology in Harvard University and dean of the 

 Lawrence Scientific School. 



In the chapter wherein Professor Shaler considers the question of 



* This article was in type before the lamented death of John Hay. 



