764 LONGEVITY OF THE ANCIENT 



for every 1457. But as it is known that the ages 

 of negro slaves are often uncertain, it is probable 

 that in the present case they have been exagge- 

 rated, and must therefore be received with cau- 

 tion. This opinion is corroborated by the fact, 

 that from 1830 to 1840, the increase of slaves in 

 the United States was 476,777, or about 2*32 per 

 cent, annually ; whereas that of the white popula- 

 tion was 3,343,489, (including a large proportion 

 of emigrants from Europe,) or at the rate of about 

 three per cent, annually. I have not before me the 

 free black population of 1830 ; but it was 386,235 

 in 1840; and the number of centenarians among 

 them in 1830, is represented as 741. (American 

 Almanack for 1832-40.) 



As for the rest, life is longer in both the middle 

 and southern states, if we except Mississippi, 

 Louisiana, and Florida, than in New England 

 and other states north of lat. 40. 



Dr. Bisset Hawkins states on the authority of 

 Ulpianus, that from the time of Servius Hostilius 

 to that of Justinian, embracing about 1000 years, 

 the mean duration of life among the free citizens 

 of Rome was thirty years, which corresponds 

 exactly with the present state of Italy, Greece, 

 and European Turkey. But there is reason to 

 believe that among the ancients, life was longer 

 in those countries than among the moderns, es- 

 pecially in Greece. For Democritus is said to 

 have died at the age of 108, Hippocrates at 104, 

 Xenophon of Colophonia at 102, Xenophilus at 



