LONGEVITY. 215 
such attentions many have attained to a great age; 
but this is rather an artificial than a natural exist- 
ence. Our herbivorous animals, being kept mostly 
for profit, are seldom allowed to remain beyond ap- 
proaching age; and when its advances trench upon 
our emoluments by diminishing the supply of utility, 
we remove them. ‘The uses of the horse, though 
time may reduce them, are often protracted; and 
our gratitude for past services, or interest in what 
remains, prompts us to support his life by prepared 
food, for easy digestion, or requiring little mastica- 
tion; and he certainly by such means attains to a 
longevity probably beyond the contingencies of na- 
ture. I have still a favourite pony—for she has 
been a faithful and able performer of all the duties 
required of her in my service for upward of two- 
and-twenty years—and, though now above five-and- 
twenty years of age, retains all her powers per- 
fectly, without any diminution or symptom of de- 
crepitude ; the fineness of limb, brilliancy of eye, 
and ardour of spirit, are those of the colt; and, 
though treated with no remarkable care, she has 
never been disabled by the illness of a day, or sick- 
ened by the drench of the farrier. With birds it is 
prebably the same as with other creatures ; and the 
eagle, raven, parrot, &c., in a domestic state attain 
great longevity ; and though we suppose them natu- 
rally tenacious of life, yet, in a really wild state, 
they would expire before the period which they at- 
tain when under our attention and care. And this 
is much the case with man, who probably outlives 
most other creatures ; for though excess may often 
shorten, and disease or misfortune terminate his 
days, yet naturally he is a long-lived animal. His 
‘threescore years and ten’ are often prolonged by 
constitutional streugth, and by the cares, the loves, 
the charities of human nature. As the decay of his 
powers awakens solicitude, duty and affection in- 
