182 LETTERS TO BROTHER JOHN. 



old age : it makes its advance with a gradual and 

 stealthy step, which is scarcely noted ; and the old 

 man drops into the tomb almost insensibly; con- 

 scious, indeed, that it cannot be far distant, but still 

 ignorant of the moment when it may open to receive 

 him. By imperceptible degrees, the living prin- 

 ciple becomes more and more feeble ; the heart's 

 pulsations less and less frequent; the fluids circulate 

 with diminished rapidity a change is wrought in 

 their quality ; they perform their several offices im- 

 perfectly ; the food is slowly assimilated ; we have 

 bone where we ought to find cartilage ; we have 

 flaccidity where we ought to find firmness and 

 tension ; bones, which before were separated, now 

 become consolidated ; the fluids lubricating the 

 joints are deficient ; the ligaments regulating their 

 extent of motion are indurated. Thus, the old 

 man moves with difficulty, and his respiration is 

 hurried and unequal on very slight exertion. The 

 least essential parts of the body forsake him first : 

 his hair becomes white, and falls off; the teeth loosen, 

 and drop out ; his vision becomes impaired, his 

 hearing imperfect, his judgment inaccurate, his 

 temper querulous : a little while, and he becomes 

 perfectly helpless ; his brain loses its sensibility, 

 his memory deserts him ; already the twilight of 



