232 CENTENARIANISM VI 



to wait so long for journalists and enthusiasts to cease 

 their triumphant paragraphs, announcing cases in 

 which the age of one hundred or one hundred and 

 four years has been attained. Anything over one 

 hundred and nine, in the way of age, would be per- 

 haps worth mention if accompanied by documentary 

 evidence ; but of the mere passing the century limit 

 there is enough proof already. 1 



We shall here briefly mention five cases of centen- 

 arianism, of the thorough trustworthiness of which 

 we feel no doubt ; and were it worth while, we fully 

 believe that a great many others could be placed on 

 an equally sure basis. The trouble and worry of 

 doing this kind of thing is, however, not at all invit- 

 ing ; and where so little is to be gained either in the 

 way of knowledge or amusement, we do not wonder 

 that published well-attested cases are fewer than they 

 might be. 



1. William Shuldham was baptized at Beccles, in 

 Suffolk, in July 1743. He died in May 1845. His 

 baptism is witnessed by the register in the parish 

 church of Beccles. On 22d July 1843 he gave a 

 dinner at Marlesford Hall, near Wickham Market, to 

 his friends, to celebrate the completion of his hun- 

 dredth year. 



2. A Quaker gentleman, well known in the mer- 

 cantile world at the beginning of this century, died 

 not long since in his hundred and second year. Dr. 



1 A great number of cases of centenarianism good and bad are 

 given by Mr. Tollemache in an excellent article in the Fortnightly 

 Review, April 1869. 



