7^ Dr Bames'’s Account of Mr Robert Bowman. 
company of any one, either young or old, that enjoyed better ^ 
spirits. His education has been very limited ; but he appears 
to have profited much by a few plain rules of conduct. His 
mind has been seldom if ever affected by anxious care, restless 
ambition, or studious thought. He has led the life of an indus- 
trious and laborious farmer. He has been temperate in all his 
pleasures, for which reason they have been of long duration. 
He has been regular in his mode of living, which has produced 
an unusual share of rational enjoyment. He has never indulged 
to excess in sensual gratifications, nor committed any great irre- 
gularity. By him, exercise, temperance, and simplicity of diet, 
have been considered cardinal virtues : — 
“ Multa tulit, fecitque puer, sudavit, et absit, 
Abstinuit Venjere et a vino.” Hor. 
Though I look old, yet I am strong and lusty ; 
For in my youth I never did apply 
Hot and rebellious liquors to my blood ; 
Nor did I, with unbashful forehead woo 
The means of weakness and debility.” Shakespearb. 
I have been particular in describing his habits, dispositions, 
and appearance, from a conviction, that his habits and disposi- 
tions have essentially contributed to prolong his life through a 
long series of years ; and as there is at present very little ap- 
pearance of decay, he will, in all probability, yet continue to live 
for many years. Some of his relatives having lived to an ex- 
treme old age, it is probable that nature originally conferred 
upon him a good constitution. One of his brothers died in 
1810, aged 99 years ; two years ago one of his cousins died aged 
95 years, and he has another now living at the age of 85. 
There is a remarkable difference between him and the gene- 
rality of old people : he is cheerful, good-humoured, and easily 
satisfied ; he does not complain of any unpleasant change that 
has taken place in any thing around him, nor of the habits or 
manners of the people. This, I think, can in no way be ac- 
counted for, except from the perfect state of his senses and men- 
tal faculties. The degeneracy of the times, and the disagree- 
able changes of which many old people bitterly complain, are 
not so much to be attributed to any change in the objects around 
them, as to themselves: their senses and faculties being impair- 
ed, the same objects cease to make their former agreeable im- 
pressions. 
