Modern Methuselahs, or, Short biographical sketches of a few advanced nonagenarians or actual centenarians who were distinguished in art, science, literature, or philanthropy. Also, brief notices of some individuals remarkable chiefly for their longevity / By John Burn Bailey. With an introductory chapter on "long-lasting".

  • Bailey, John Burn.
Date:
1888
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Modern Methuselahs, or, Short biographical sketches of a few advanced nonagenarians or actual centenarians who were distinguished in art, science, literature, or philanthropy. Also, brief notices of some individuals remarkable chiefly for their longevity / By John Burn Bailey. With an introductory chapter on "long-lasting". Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University Libraries/Information Services, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the the Augustus C. Long Health Sciences Library at Columbia University and Columbia University.

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    of no explanation. It cannot, in the majority of cases, be treated as a family peculiarity. It is in- herited neither from fiither nor mother; it cannot be transmitted to the next generation. In these particu- lars it bears a close resemblance to the highest type of genius, that rare God-gift which seems to fall on whomsoever it listcth, and which is inscrutable to the most subtle investig-ator. Further, lono--lastinfr is not dependent upon any external circumstances. From time to time every vocation in life has afforded exam- ples of it, as have all conditions of life : the volup- tuary and the ascetic ; the son of affluence and the child of poverty ; the man whose existence is regu- lated by rule, and he whose habits def}' all method ; the man of the world and the recluse ; the darino- adventurer and he who clings to the safety of home ; the married man burdened with a large family, and the bachelor free as air. All these have furnished remarkable instances of longevity—instances as unac- countable as remarkable. Even an exceedingly fragile constitution in infanc}^ precarious health as childhood advanced to youth, and many years of ailing and weakness in manhood, are no criteria that advanced age may not be reached. The poet Eogers asserted that, until he had attained his fiftieth year, he never knew what health meant. Such a fact would justly be considered a most unlikely preparation for a life pro- tracted until little short of a century. Fontenelle and many other examples might be cited to the same effect. No one would call in question the good faith of B 2