64 HISTORY OF 



the increase upwards is first accomplished ; and 

 not till they have acquired their greatest degree 

 of height do they begin to spread in bulk. Man 

 grows in stature till about the age of seventeen ; 

 but his body is not completely developed till about 

 thirty. Dogs, on the other hand, are at their ut- 

 most size in a year, and become as bulky as they 

 usually are in another. However, man, who is 

 so long in growing, continues to live fourscore or 

 a hundred years, but the dog seldom above twelve 

 or thirteen* In general also it may be said, that 

 large animals live longer than little ones, as they 

 usually take a longer time to grow. But in all 

 animals one thing is equally certain, that they 

 carry the causes of their own decay about them, 

 and that their deaths are necessary and inevitable. 

 The prospects which some visionaries have form- 

 ed of perpetuating life by remedies, have been 

 often enough proved false by their own example. 

 Such unaccountable schemes would, therefore, 

 have died with them, had not the love of life 

 always augmented our credulity. 



When the body is naturally well formed, it is 

 possible to lengthen out the period of life for 

 some years by management. Temperance in 

 diet is often found conducive to this end. The 

 famous Cornaro, who lived to above a hundred 

 years, although his constitution was naturally 

 feeble, is a strong instance of the benefit of an 

 abstemious life. Moderation in the passions also 

 may contribute to extend the term of our exist- 

 ence. " Fontenelle, the celebrated writer, was 

 naturally of a very weak and delicate habit of 



