AGE

AGE.

There are three classes into which all the women past seventy years of age, that ever I knew, were to be divided: 1. That dear old soul; 2. That old woman; 3. That old witch.—

Coleridge.

When a noble life has prepared old age, it ig not the decline that it reveals, but the tirst days of immortality.—Madame de Stael.

The evening of life brings with it its lumps.—

Joubert.

Can man be so age-stricken that no faintest sunshine of his youth may revisit him once a jear? It is impossible. The moss on our tirne- worn mansion brightens into beauty ; the good old pastor, who once dwelt here, renewed his prime and regained his boyhood in the genial breezes of his ninetieth spring. Alas for the worn and heavy soul, if, whether in youth or age, it has outlived its privilege of springtime sprightliness!—Hawthorne.

Age makes us not childish, as some say; it finds as still true children.—Goethe.

Most long lives resemble those threads of gossamer, the nearest approach to nothing unmeaningly prolonged, scarce visible pathways of some worm from his cradle to his grave.—Lowell.

O sir, you are old; nature in you stands on the rery verge of her confine; you should be ruled and le«l by some discretion, that discerns your state better than you yourself.—Shakespeare.

Aye is rarely despised but when it is contemptible.—Johnson.

That which is usually called dotage is not the weak point of all old men, but only of such ai are distinguished by their levity.—Cicero.

Old ago likes to dwell in the recollections of the past, and, mistaking the speedy march of years, often is inclined to take the prudence of the winter time for a fit wisdom of midsummer days. Manhood is bent to the passing cares of the passing moment, and holds so closely to his eyes the sheet of " to-day," that it screens the " to-morrow " from his sight.—Kossuth.

To be happy, we must lie true to nature, and carry our age along with us.—Uazlitt.

Winter, which strips the leaves from around us, makes us see the distant regions they formerly concealed ; so does old age rob us of our enjoyments, only to enlarge tht prospect of eternity before us.—Richter.

They say women and music should never be dated.—Goldsmith.

Old age is a lease nature only signs as a particular favor, and it mny be, to one only in the space of two or three ages ; and then with a pass to boot, to carry him through all the traverses and difficulties she has strewed in the way of his long career.—Montaigne.

Crabbed age and youth cannot live together.
Shakespeare.


If the memory is more flexible in childhood, it is more tenacious in mature age ; if childhood has sometimes the memory of words, old age has that of things, which impress themselves according to the clearness of the conception of the thought which we wish to retain.—

De Bonstelten.

Old ago has deformities enough of its own; do not add to it the deformity of vice.—Cato.

We should provide for our age, in order that our age may have no urgent wants of this world to absorb it from the meditation of the next It is awful to see the lean hands of dotage making a coffer of the grave!—Bulioer Li/tton.

There cannot live a more unhappy creature than an ill-natured old m:in, who is neither capable of receiving pleasures nor sensible of doing them to others.—Sir \V. Temple.

A comfortable old age is the reward of a well-spent youth ; therefore instead of its introducing dismal and melancholy prospects of decay, it should give us hopes of eternal youth in aoetter world.—Palmer.

For my own part, I had rather be old only a short time than be old before I really am so.—

Cicero.

He who would pass the declining years of his life with honor and comfort, should when ! young,-consider that he may one day become I old, and remember, when he is old, that he has once been yonng.—Addison.

Age, that lessens the cnjovmcnt of life, increases our desire of living.—Goldsmith.

The damps of autumn sink into the leaves and prepare them for the necessity of their fall; and thus insensibly are we, as years close round us, detached from our tenacity of life by the gentle pressure of recorded sorrows.—Landor.

The defects of the mind, like those of the face, grow worse as we grow old.—Rochefoucauld.

Old age is never honored among us, but only indulged, as childhood is ; and old men lose one of the most precious rights of man, — that of being judged tiy their peers.—Goethe.

Though I look old, yet I am strong and lusty; for in my youth I never did apply hot and rebellious liquors in my blood; nor did not with unbashful forehead woo the means of weakness and debility; therefore my age is as a lusty winter, frosty, but kindly.—Shakespeare.

We do not count a man's years until he has nothing else to count.—Emerson.

I think that to have known one good old man — one man, who, through the chances and mischances of a long life, has carried his heart in his hand, like a palm-brunch, waving all discords into peace — helps our faith in God, in ourselves, and in each other more than many sermons.—G. \\r. Curtis.

A healthy old fellow, who is not a fool, is the happiest creature living.—Stcele.

Our life much resembles wine: when there is only a little remaining, it becomes vinegar; for all the ills of human nature crowd to old age as if it were a workshop.—Antiphanes.

Age imprints more wrinkles in the mind, than it does in the face, and souls arc never, or very rarely seen, that in growing old do not smell sour and mustv. Man moves all together, both towards his perfection and decay.

Montaigne.

As we grow old we liecome more foolish and more wise.—Rochefoucauld.

The silver livery of ad vised age.—Shakespeare.

It is noticeable how intuitively in age we go back with strange fondness to all that is fresh in the earliest dawn of youth. If we never cared for little children before, we delight to see them roll in the grass over which we nobble on crutches. The grandsire turns wearily from his middle-aged, care-worn son, to listen with infant laugh to the prattle of an infant grandchild. It is the old who plant young trees; it is the old who are most saddened'by the autumn, and feel most delight in the returning spring.—

Bulwer Lytton.

A youthful age is desirable, but aged youth is troublesome and grievous.—Chilo.

True wisdom, indeed, springs from the wide brain which is fed from the deep heart; and it is only when age warms its withering conceptions at the memory of its youthful fire, when it makes experience serve aspiration, and knowledge illumine the difficult paths through which thoughts thread their way into facts, — it is only then that age becomes broadly and nobly wise.— WhippU.

No wise man ever wished to be younger.— Swift.

The mental powers acquire their full robustness when the cheek loses its ruddy hue, and the limbs their elastic step; and pale thought sits on manly brows, and the watchman, as he walks his rounds, sees the student's lamp burning far into the silent night.—Dr. Guthrie.

Childhood itself is scarcely more lovely than a cheerful, kindly, sunshiny old age.—

Mrs. L. M. Child.

Last scene of all, that ends this strange, eventful history, is second childishness, and mere oblivion ; sans teeth, sans eyes, sans taste, sans everything.—Shakespeare.

The enthusiasm of old men is singularly like that of infancy.—Gerard de Nerval.

The tendency of old age, say the physiologists, is to form bone. It is as rare as it is pleasant, to meet with an old man whose opinions are not ossified.—J. f. Boy&e.

It is difficult to grow old gracefully.—

Madame de Stait.

The heart never grows better by age, I fear rather worse; always harder. A young liar will be an old one; and a young knave will only be a greater knave as he grows older —

Chesterfield.

Though sinking in decrepit age, he prematurely falls whose memory records no benefit conferred on him by man. They only have lived long who have lived virtuously. —Sheridan.

Men, like peaches and pears, grow sweet a little while before they begin to decay.—Holmes.

Time has laid his hand upon my heart gently, not smiting it; but as a harper lays his open palm upon his harp, to deaden its vibrations.— Longfellow.

Years do not make sages; they only make old men.—Madame Swetchine.

Men of age object too much, consult too long, adventure too little, repent too soon, and seldom drive business home to the full period, but content themselves with a mediocrity of success.—Bacon.

When men grow virtuous in their old age,

(* nj ji m'jii j^rvw vircuuua lu men uiu u^v, Ai* « winj nvji^aoin^, — 0---- —

they are merely making a sacrifice to God of more indulgent. I see no fimlt committed that the Devil's leavings.—Swift. 1 have not committed

Time's chariot-wheels make their carriage- road in the fairest face.—Rochefoucauld.

I feel I am growing old for want of somebody to tell me that I am looking as young as ever. Charming falsehood! There is a vast deal of vital air in loving words.—Landor.

Years steal fire from the mind as vigor from the limb.—Byron.

Like a morning dream, life becomes more and more bright the longer we live, and the reason of everything appears more clear. Whut has puzzled us before seems less mysterious, and the crooked paths look straighter as we approach the end.—Richter.

What folly can be ranker'! Like our shadows, our wishes lengthen as our sun declines.—

Young.

Every man desires to live long; but no man would be old.—Swift.

Age and sufferings had already marked out the first incisions for death, so that he required but little effort to cut her down ; for it is with men as with trees, they are notched long before felling, that their life-sap may flow out. —Ricltter.

We see time's furrows on another's brow; how few themselves, in that just mirror, see !—

Young.

There is nothing more disgraceful than that an old man should have nothing to produce us a proof that he has lived long except his years.

Seneca.

Old men's lives are lengthened shadows; their evening sun falls coldly on the earth, but the shadows all point to the morning.—liicliter

How many persons fancy they have experience simply because they have grown old!—

Stanislaus.

I venerate old age; and I love not the man who can look without emotion upon the sunset of life, when the dusk of evening begins to gather over the watery eye, and the shadows of twilight grow broader and deeper upon the understanding.—LoiujJeUuui.

The surest sign of age is loneliness. While one finds company in himself and his pursuits, he cannot be old, whatever his years may be.—

Alcoa.

As sailing into port is a happier thing than the voyage, so i» age happier tliau youth; that is, when the voyage from youth is made with Christ at the helm.—Rea. J. PuUford.

It is only necessary to grow old to become

' '--' * e no fault eommitrj 'u"

myself.—Goetlie.

Vanity in an old man is charming. It is a proof of an open nature. Eighty winters have not frozen him up, or taught him concealments. In a young person it is simply allowable ; we do not expect him to he above it.—

Bovee.

The smile upon the old man's lip, like the last rays of the setting sun, pierces the heart with a sweet and sad emotion. There is still a ray, there is still a smile; but they may be the last.—Madame Saxtcltine.

An aged Christian, with the snow of time

on his head, may remind us that those point*

of earth are whitest which are nearest heaven.—

. Chapin.

Tell me what you find better or m
The clock of his age had struck fifty-eight.— Cellini.

Natures that have much heat, and great and violent desires and perturbations, are not ripe for action till they have passed the meridian of their years.—Bacon.

A time there is when like a thrice-told tale long-rifled life of sweets can yield no more.—

Young.

Mellowed by the stealing hours of time.—
Shakespeare.


Age and youth look upon life from the opposite ends of the telescope; it is exceedingly long, — it is exceedingly short.—Beectter.

Nature is full of frenks, and now puts an old head on young shoulders, and then a young heart beating under fourscore winters.—

Enertom.

As we advance in life the circle of our pains enlarges, while that of onr pleasures contracts. Madame Swetchine.

Nature, as it grows again toward earth, is fashioned tor the journey, dull and heavy.—

iSliakespeare.

Old age was naturally more honored in times when people could not know much more than what they had seen.—Joubert.

Few people know how to be old.—

Hochefoucauld.

Old age is not one of the beauties of creation, but it is one of its harmonies. The law of contrasts is one of the laws of beauty. Under the conditions of our climate, shadow gives light its worth; sternness enhances mildness; solemnity, splendor. Varying proportions of size support and subserve one another.—

Madame Swetckine.

When men once reach their autumn, sickly joys fall off apace, as yellow leaves from trees.—

Young.

Gray hairs seem to my fancy like the light of a soft moon, silvering over "the evening of life.—ladder.

We grizzle every day. I sec no need of it. j Whilst we converse with what is above us, we do not grow old, but grow young.—Emerson.

One's age should be tranquil, ns one's childhood should l>c playful; hnrd work, at cither extremity of human existence, seems to me out of place; the morning and the evening should be alike cool and peaceful; at midday the sun may burn, and men may labor under it.— ; Dr. Arnold. '

At twenty years of age, the will reigns ; at thirty, the wit; and at forty, the judgment.—

Grattan.

Depend upon it, a man never experiences

guch pleasure or grief after fourteen years as he

docs before, unless in some cases, in his first

love-making, when the sensation is new to him.

Charles Kingsley.

We hope to grow old, yet we fear old ape , that is, we are willing to live, and afraid to die.

Bruyere.

Some one has said of a fine and honorable old age, that it was the childhood of immortality.—Pindar.

Cautious nge (inspects the flattering form, and only credits what experience tells.—Johnson.

Each departed fnend is a magnet that attracts us to the next world, and the old man lives among graves.—Ktclder.