THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS 



his youth; yet, as physiological matters actually stand, 

 it may be questioned whether most men who live out a 

 normal term of years would add anything further to 

 the world's knowledge or benefit could their lives be 

 extended by another decade. Some men, as we have 

 seen, produce good work in what Alexander von Hum- 

 boldt called their " doubtful years"; but, on the other 

 hand, many a famous man has been led, through the 

 weakness of age, to perpetrate senile views that were 

 positively harmful, militating thus against the value of 

 an otherwise useful life. 



As to the sorrow that aged men feel in leaving the 

 world, the case of Theophrastus if indeed the report 

 of his lamentation be not apocryphal was no doubt 

 exceptional. Most men of venerable years do not cling 

 to life with quite the eagerness of youth; and for such 

 as still find joy in living, there is always the consolation 

 of Cicero's true assertion that "no man is ever so old 

 but that he thinks he may live another year." 



Not many, perhaps, are ready positively to forego 

 that hypothetical year, when put to the test. But in 

 the end this is decided for us, mostly with little warn- 

 ing; and when the summons is felt to be final, but few 

 rebel in spirit. 



Even when death comes prematurely through disease 

 or violence, the man that has lived well will not lack 

 knowledge or fortitude to die well. It is recorded 

 that as Anne de Montmorency, the French Marshal, 

 lay suffering the most excruciating torture from his 

 wounds, a Cordelier exhorted him to patience and 



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