224 OF THE PROLONGATION 



<c whofe encouragements lead us to hope for the fpeecH' 

 €t return of health. But for preferring this health m 

 * c an uninterrupted vigour, nothing morels necefTary 

 <c than temperance and regular living. This is the Kai 

 * c tural and infallible means of keeping even perfons of* 

 " the tenderer!: frame in con ftan t health, and of con- 

 * c tinning their lives to a hundred years and more, the 

 <c means of preferring them from an immature and 

 <c painful death, and at laft caufes man to die in Calm- 

 " nefs and ferenity, when his powers are exhaufted, 

 * c and is productive ^of all the effects which the 

 ie ignorant expect to obtain from their fancied panacea* 

 <c But, alas, the generality of men fufFer themfelves to 

 * c be beguiled by the attractions of voluptuoufnefs,- of 

 ic are fo prejudiced as to believe that they cannot con- 

 &6 troul their propenfions ; that it would eoft them too 

 ic much to forego fuch a variety of pleafures. Hence 

 €c they draw certain maxims for perfuading themfelves, 

 * c that it is better to live ten years lefs, than to deprive 

 * 6 themfelves of whatever they find mofl agreeable to 

 " their perverted tafte. Ah ! they know not the value 

 iC of ten years at an age, w r hen the man, in the full 

 " vigour of his intellect:, is enabled to profit by all the 

 * c experience he has gathered during a long life ; at art 

 iC age, when, by wifdorn and virtue, he can fhew 

 " himfelf worthy of his high deftination ; at an age, 

 tc when he h capable of reaping the fruit of his vari@us 

 <c toils and purfuits. The belt writings we have, were 

 iC compofed in the very ten years, which thefe thought - 

 66 lefs perfons defpife ; for the mind improves in vigour, 

 " in a found old age, in proportion as the body declines ; 



- "and 



