xs.) 
368, art of life.—-in cultivation of habits. -Octi 2. 
younger than ourselves deceiving themselves inno- 
cently, agreeably, and perhaps usefully, as we ours 
selves had done heretofore. 
It is to the defect of this desireable quality and ha- 
bitude, that most of the troubles of declining years, 
may be imputed ; and certainly there can be no better 
way of eschewing them, than by calling forth our im- 
_ proved powers of reflection and judgement, to the 
cultivation and pursuit of such things as do not fhock 
or interfere with those that occupy the ambition of 
our more active competitors, to culitvate acquain- 
tance with worthy young men, especially those whose fa- 
thers we have esteemed, and to cherish them in all hoy 
nourable advances in the paths we have been forced 
by infirmity of nature to relinqui/b. 
To delineate the most proper occupations for de- 
clining years, would be vain and foolifh; without 
due consideration being had to the employments of 
youth, and of manhood, in the particular case to 
which we would direct our admonitions ; and there= 
fore these must vary according to the infinite variety 
of fortune, genius, former occupation, climate, go-, 
vernment, and custom. But certaiaiy there can be 
nothing better for attaining such habitudes as termi- 
nate in an amiable, tranquil, and respectable old age, 
than the disentangling of ourselves, as we have alrea- 
dy said, from such objects of ambition as are incom- 
patible with our growing weaknefs of body, and at- 
taching ourselves to such as may fully exercise the. 
powers of our memory and judgement, and produce 
that gentle agitation of body and of mind, in exerci~ 
tation and study, that is’ most conducive uato general 
sanity and coafort, 
