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HUMAN LONGEVITY.* 



[EDINBURGH KEYIEW, JANUARY, 1857.] 



THE doctrine of M. Flourens is, that Man ought, by virtue 

 of his natural constitution, to live for a century ; and 

 that this natural term of life is abridged only by his own 

 improvidence, follies and excesses. Such an opinion, sup- 

 ported by a name of some eminence, deserves consideration 

 at least ; and this we propose to give to it, adding further 

 what occurs to ourselves as needful to a more complete and 

 just view of the subject. 



"Without citing any of the innumerable maxims and cur- 

 rent phrases by which the love of long life has been illustrated 

 or reproved, we may at once assume the fact that all mankind, 

 of every age, race, and country, have a deep and paramount 

 interest in this great question of the duration of life, and of 

 the means by which it may best be maintained and prolonged. 

 Such maxims and speculations come to us from the earliest 

 records of man on the earth ; they are embodied in classical 

 poetry, in history and romance ; they appertain alike to 

 savage and civilised life, to the fool and the philosopher ; 



* 1. De la Longevite Humaine, et de la Quantite de Vie sur le Globe. Par 

 P. Flourens, Membre de 1'Academie Frangaise, Secretaire perpetuel de 1'Aca- 

 demie des Sciences, &c. &c. Deuxieme Edition. Paris, 1855. 



2. On the Decline of Life in Health and Disease. By B. Van Oven, M.D. 

 London, 1854. 



3. Records of Longevity. By Thomas Bailey. London, 1856. 



