104 HORSE-BACK RIDING. 



Henser and other authors have proved that the 

 year consisted of three months only, before the time 

 of Abraham ; after this patriarch it was composed of 

 eight months, and that it was not until after the time 

 of Joseph, the minister of Pharaoh, that it had in- 

 creased to twelve months. 



King David says, " The days of our years are three- 

 score years and ten ; and if by reason of strength 

 they be fourscore years, yet is their strength labor 

 and sorrow ; for it is soon cut off, and we fly away. 

 (Psalm xc, verse lo.) 



Modern statistics show that the average length of 

 life for some centuries past is gradually increasing ; 

 thus, for example, that the average life, which was 

 24 years and 4 months in the seventeenth century, 

 and which increased to 30 years and 8 months in the 

 eighteenth century, is now 38 years and 9 months. 



In the seventeenth century, half the new-born gen- 

 eration died before the age of 12 years, three fourths 

 did not live to the age of 47, and four fifths died at 

 the age of 55 years. In the eighteenth century, the 

 increase is remarkable. At last in the nineteenth 

 century, the half of the newly-born generation lived 

 to the age of 38 years, a fourth part reached the age 

 of 68 years, and a fifth extended beyond the age of 71 

 years. The probable life from the time of birth has 

 increased more than threefold since the seventeenth 

 century. 



It has been the object of research from the remot- 



