HUMAN LONGEVITY. 141 



and most obviously affected by old age. This wonderful 

 intermedium between body and mind, varying so greatly in 

 different individuals, and so strangely capricious in the same 

 individual from the accidents of the day or hour, would seem 

 to partake more of mere mechanism than any other of the 

 intellectual powers. It undergoes changes more explicitly 

 from physical causes ; and both its excellences and defects 

 are marked by peculiarities which appear to- belong to con- 

 ditions of organic kind. The anomalies of memory in 

 advanced life are familiar to every one ; especially so the 

 fact of the early forgetfulness of names, and the frequent 

 retention of things long past, while recent events flit away 

 like shadows, leaving scarcely a trace behind. Or, more 

 strangely still (though never perhaps without some morbid 

 changes of brain), the obliteration of certain classes of 

 events or certain subjects of memory, as if by a sort of 

 mechanical separation from everything else abiding in this 

 mysterious receptacle. 



The importance of preserving memory in its integrity, as 

 long and as far as it can be done, will probably be admitted. 

 Some may urge that an oblivion of things past is the best 

 security for a tranquil old age. But this virtually reduces 

 man to a mere fraction of existence ; and the same reasoning 

 might be used to prove that utter imbecility of mind is a 

 blessing in this latter stage of life. Such imbecility, from 

 natural causes, often occurs ; but we have no title to consider 

 it a good, or to neglect any means which may obviate or 

 retard it. We will not venture to say that these means are 

 many or certain. As regards memory in particular, all that 

 can be done at this period of life is to aid in giving it 

 the direction which circumstances make desirable, and to 

 spare it those painful efforts at recollection which seem to 

 weaken the very faculty they exercise. The latter remark 

 we believe to be of valuable application to other periods, 



