THE ART OF PROLONGING LIFE. 759 



treatment of evolution as Prof. Shedd's is the regular thing in 

 our theological seminaries. In a few of them there is a frank 

 acceptance of the main positions of evolutionary teaching; in 

 many of them there is a growing care not to antagonize evolution 

 as flatly as was once customary, and to lay down theological 

 propositions which would not be entirely swept away if it should 

 turn out that evolution should finally have to "be admitted to be 

 established. Archbishop Whately used to say that the attitude 

 of the clergy to new scientific doctrines was marked by three defi- 

 nite stages : " At first they say, ' It is ridiculous ' ; then they affirm, 

 ' It is contradicted by the Bible ' ; at last they declare, ' We always 

 believed it/" All these stages are represented in the teaching of 

 the seminaries — to which one Union should be assigned may be 

 inferred from what has gone before. It will certainly not be 

 Prof. Shedd's fault if the institution which he serves does not 

 prove to be the one to come to mind as the best illustration of 

 Horace Bushnell's remark : " Some theological seminaries are not 

 only behind the age, but behind all ages." 



THE ART OF PROLONGING LIFE. 



By Db. EOBSON BOOSE. 



THE doctrine that a short life is a sign of divine favor has 

 never been accepted by the majority of mankind. Philoso- 

 phers have vied with each other in depicting the evils and mis- 

 eries incidental to existence, and the truth of their descriptions 

 has often been sorrowfully admitted, but they have failed to dis- 

 lodge, or even seriously diminish, that desire for long life which 

 has been deeply implanted within the hearts of men. The ques- 

 tion whether life be worth living has been decided by a majority 

 far too great to admit of any doubt upon the subject, and the 

 voices of those who would fain reply in the negative are drowned 

 amid the chorus of assent. Longevity, indeed, has come to be 

 regarded as one of the grand prizes of human existence, and 

 reason has again and again suggested the inquiry whether care 

 or skill can increase the chances of acquiring it, and can make 

 old age, when granted, as comfortable and happy as any other 

 stage of our existence. 



From very early times the art of prolonging life, and the sub- 

 ject of longevity, have engaged the attention of thinkers and 

 essayists; and some may perhaps contend that these topics, 

 admittedly full of interest, have been thoroughly exhausted. It 

 is true that the art in question has long been recognized and prac- 

 ticed, but the science upon which it really depends is of quite mod- 



