nine days of its birth, of convulsive disease; and that after means of thorough ventilation had been adopted, the mortality of infants within the same time, in five succeeding years was reduced to nearly one in twenty; thus showing, that as they approached to perfect obedience of organic laws, human life was preserved. Again, the Society of Friends, who are composed of all ranks and classes, and whose pursuits are as various as their local habitations, and who are therefore equally subject to all the ordinary contingencies of life are nevertheless remarkable for their Temperance, Health, and Longevity. An enquiry having been made some years ago. previously to the formation of an Assurance Society, exclusively for themselves, a search was made into the public Register of the Parish of Chesterfield, in Derbyshire; and also that of Chesterfield Monthly meeting of Friends: the following are the results. The united ages of 100 individuals, successively buried in Chesterfield church yard, ending Nov. 16, 1834; were 2515 years and 6 months; making the average of each life 25 years and 2 months. But of the individuals buried among "Friends," ending the 27 of Nov. 1834, the total of their ages were 4790 years and 7 months; giving an averge of 47 years and 10 months; or nearly double that of the general population. Pursuing the calculation still further, they found that only two of the 100 buried in the church yard reached 80 and upwards; but among Friends, 19 attained to 80 or more. In the church yard, 12 of the number were buried whose ages were 70 and upwards; but of Friends, 30 died who were at least 70 years old.* These From their " ANNUAL MONITOR for 1836, it appears that rather more than 200 adults are recorded, of whom 90 were from facts speaks volumes in favor of our system; and whenever our principles are more generally adopted by that religious society, as we believe they will be, not only by them, but also by all thinking, independent people, there is no question but their difference of Health and Longevity will be still more striking. The effects of intemperance in shortening life is strikingly exemplified in the contrast afforded by other classes of Society with the Friends. For it appears from accurate calculation that in London, only one in 40 attain the age of 80, while among the Friends not less than one in 10, reaches that age. * A third organic law, applicable to man, as stated by Mr. Claridge, is, that he shall duly exercise his organs, this condition being an indispensable prerequisite of health. The reward of obedience to this law, is enjoyment in the very act of exercising the functions, a pleasing consciousness of existence, and the acquisition of numberless gratifications of which labor, or the exercise of our powers, is the procuring means. Disobedience is punished with derangement and sluggishness of the functions, with general uneasiness or posi 70 to 84 years old, averaging full 80 years each; and of these one fourth were from 78 to 98, and 10 produce an average of full 94 years. Now it should be remembered that these statistics were obtained and published by the above respectable society, in con nexion with the question of Assurance, and that alone, where it became their interest not to exaggerate; and they are the more valuable to us as being incidental. *DR. MACNISH says the children of drunkards are more than ordinarily liable to inherit all the diseases of those from whom they are sprung.' On this account the chances of long life are much diminished among the children of drunkards. In proof of this it is only necessary to remark that according to the London Bills of mortality, one half of the children born in the metropolis die before attaining their third year: while of the children of Friends, one half actually attain the age of 47 years. D tive pain, and the denial of gratification to numerous faculties. Health and Longevity, in the wide and physiological acceptation, consist in all the actions of which living beings are capable, not only the internal action, as of the heart, vessels, etc., but also of the external action of the limbs, in running, leaping, etc. All physiologists agree that life consists in the constant wasting and reproduction of the body, particle by particle, by a perpetual pulling down of the old materials, and a perpetual replacement of them by new; by perpetual disorganization, and perpetual re-organization. The first process therefore is, What?— Eating? No it is the wasting, the pulling down. You must waste before you can nourish it. Does not the appetite precede the act of eating? And what is appetite but a sensation that the body has suffered waste, and calling upon us to repair it? The natural means by which the body is disorganized, are, the exhalations from the lungs, of the several secretions required for the assimilation of our food, as the gastric juice, bile, etc. The natural law, therefore, appears to be, that every one who desires to enjoy the pleasures of health, must expend in labour, the energy which the Creator has infused into his limbs, which he may do in various ways. The penalty for neglecting this law of nature, is imperfect digestion, and disturbed sleep; debility of body, and mental lassitude; and if carried to a certain length, confirmed bad health, and early death. Thus thousands are daily tampering with their health; aggravating human depravity; creating or increasing disease; and then, laying the blame to Providence, they malign the character of the everblessed God. He merely maintains the law of his throne, that cause (the violation of his laws), shall produce effect, (disease and early death.)— As society has not obeyed this law, the consequences are, the higher orders despise labor, and suffer as above; and the lower orders are oppressed, with harder living, and more work than their masters' horses, etc.; and hence suffer exhaustion: a desire is created for stimulants, such as alcoholic drinks, tea, spices, etc.; which produce disease and shorten life. In this we discover the chief sources of disease, and premature death. In this we discover also the chief sources of the enormous inequality of the distribution of property. One living, a mass of bloated disease, on 2 or £300,000 per annum, while another is doomed to a life of squalid misery, and drags out a wretched existence on some few pounds. And yet we are told these things are ordained by a merciful Providence! Impossible! Believe it who can ; I will not try !* Why not? Because God never could design that his creatures should live a short and miserable life, and then die a violent and unnatural death. The above evils produce these effects, and lead to this result; therefore, they are not of divine appointment. To say they are, is a reflection upon the Deity, of which no rightly constituted mind will be guilty. God is always consistent with himself; his laws, physical and moral, do not clash. There is a glorious uniformity in all his works and ways; and all his truths are as connected as an undivided chain. But there seems to be a sort of consolation in being able to saddle the blame *Is there not more propriety in the noble sentiment of Rumbold. The Creator does not intend that the greater part of mankind should come into the world with saddles upon their backs, and bridles in their mouths, and a few, ready booted and spurred, to ride the rest to death. of any wrong course we have taken, upon others; after the example of Adam and Eve. Hence, if the Lady cannot please herself with the goods sent home, she visits the shopkeeper with a gentle scolding, and returns the articles upon his hands; the shopkeeper is vexed, reprimands the journeyman, and mulcts him in his wages; the poor journeyman is enraged, and flies, perhaps, to exciting liquors, goes home and plays the Hero over his wife, or boxes the ears of the errand boy, who, aroused in his turn, has no resource than to kick the dog, or worry some less valiant animal. It is just the same in the political and social world. The executive is blamed; taxes are heavy; there is too much monopoly, etc., all of which are true; but the parties forget that "true genius rises above circumstances.' There are some awkward things, for which we can blame neither the government, nor society at large, nor any individual in it, except ourselves; this we are anxious to avoid, therefore we attribute it to Providence. If parents are afflicted with disease, it is a visitation of Providence; if they have a long train of children wailing under scrofula, blindness, etc., it is quite orthodoxly and complacently set down to the account of Providence ; and on they proceed, in self-congratulation, filling the world with such objects, asserting that there is no help for it-such being the will of Providence. What but ignorance and superstition, could have produced such unphilosophic * * Thunder and lightning were considered for many ages in the same light as diseases have hitherto been, as awful visitations of Providence. In all such storms, the Deity was believed to be perfonally present, and to wield the thunder-bolt with his "red right arn;" but science has at length shed her influence over mankind, and has consigned this creed to poetry and superstition. Let |