It is a serious doubt whether a wise man ought to accept of a thousand years of life, even provided that these three important advantages of health, youth and riches could be securely guaranteed unto him. But this is an offer that can never be refused, for it will never be made. Taking things as they really are, it must be confessed that life, after forty, is an anti-climax, gradual indeed, and progressive with some, but steep and rapid with others. It would be well if old age diminished our perceptibilities to pain, in the same proportion that it does our sensibilities to pleasure; and if life has been termed a feast, those favoured few are the most favourite guests, who are not compelled to sit at the table, when they can no longer partake of the banquet. But the misfortune is that body and mind, like man and wife, do not always agree to die together. It is bad when the mind survives the body; and worse still when the body survives the mind; but, when both these survive our spirits, our hopes, and our health, this is worst of all.-Lacon.

PROEM.

Just as the bee collects her sweets
From every flower and shrub she meets,
So, what from various books I drew,
I give, though not the whole as new.
It is not vainly my design

To publish others' thoughts as mine,
But profitably employ my ink
To make my readers learn to think,
Amply rewarded for my pains,
So my collection entertains.-Anon.

THE END.