life: its nature, origin, and maintenance — SCHAFER. 525 



is himself merely stated to have "died in a good old age." The 

 periods recorded for the Kings show a considerable falling off as 

 compared with the Patriarchs; but not a few were cut off by violent 

 deaths, and many lived lives which were not ideal. Amongst emi- 

 nent Greeks and Romans few very long lives are recorded, and the 

 same is true of historical persons in medieval and modern liistory. 

 It is a long life that lasts much beyond 80; three such linked together 

 carry us far back into histoiy. Mankind is in this respect more 

 favored than most mammals, although a few of these surpass the 

 period of man's existence.^ Strange that the brevity of human life 

 should be a favorite theme of preacher and ])oet when the actual 

 term of his "erring pilgrimage" is greater than that of most of his 

 fellow creatures, 



THE end of life. 



The modern apphcations of the principles of preventive medicine 

 and hygiene are no doubt operating to lengthen the average Ufe. 

 But even if the ravages of disease could be altogether ehminated, 

 it is certain that at any rate the fixed cells of our body must even- 

 tuallj^ grow old and ultimately cease to function; when this happens 

 to ceUs wliich are essential to the life of the organism, general death 

 must result. Tliis will always remain the universal law, from wliich 

 there is no escape. "AU that lives must die, passing thi'ough nature 

 to eternity." 



Such natural death unaccelerated by disease — is not death by 

 disease as unnatural as death by accident? — should be a quiet, 

 painless phenomenon, unattended by Aaolent change. As Dastre 

 expresses it, "The need of death should appear at the end of hfe, 

 just as the need of sleep appears at the end of the day. " The change 

 has been led gradually up to by an orderly succession of phases, and 

 is itseh the last manifestation of life. Were we all certain of a quiet 

 passing — were we sure that there would bo "no moaning of the bar 

 when wo go out to sea" — we could anticipate the coming of death 

 after a ripe old ago without apprehension. And if ever the time shall 

 arrive when man will have learned to regard this change as a simple 

 phj'siological j)rocess, as natural as the oncoming of sleep, the ap- 

 proach of the fatal shears wiU be as generally welcomed as it is now 

 abhorred. Such a day is still distant ; we can hardly say that its 

 dawning is visible. Let us at least hope that, in the manner depicted 

 by Diii'er in his well-known etching, the sunshine which science irra- 

 diates may eventually put to flight the melancholy which hovers, 

 batUke, over the termination of our lives, and which even the antici- 

 pation of a future happier existence has not hitherto succeeded in 

 dispersing. 



i"Hommis aevum caeterorum animalium omnium superat prseter admodum paueorum. "—Francis 

 Bacon, Historia vitas et mortis, 1037. 



