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Article AN HISTORICAL ESSAY ON LONGEVITY. ← Page 2 of 3 →
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An Historical Essay On Longevity.
tne . age of 140 , and even 150 . I cannot here deny myself the pleasure of giving a more particular account of some of these'inshfuces ; for , in cases of this kind , the most trifling circumstance is often interesting , and may be of importance . In the year 16 70 died Henry Jenkins , of Yorkshire . Pie remembered the battle of Floddenfield in 1513 ; arid at that time he was ; twelve years of age . It was proved from the registers Of the Chancery
and other courts ; that he had appeared 140 years before his death as an evidence , and had an oath administered to him . The truth of this account cannot be controverted . At the time of his death' he was therefore 16 9 years old . Plis last occupation was fishing ; and when
above the age of 100 , he was able to swim across rapid rivers . The next to him in point of age is another Englishman , Thomas ' Parr , of Shropshire . He was a poor farmer ' s servant , and obliged to maintain himself by his daily labour . When above 120 years of age , ' he married a widow for his second wife , who lived with him twelve years , and who asserted that during that time he never betrayed any signs of infirmity or age . Till his 130 th he performed all his
year usual work , and was accustomed even to thresh . Some years before his death his eyes and memory began to fail ; but his hearing and senses continued sound to the last . In his 153 d year his fame had reached London ; and as the king was desirous of seeing so great a rarity , he was induced to undertake a journey thither . This , in all probability , shortened his existence , which he otherwise might have
preserved some years longer ; for he was treated at court in so royal a manner , and his mode of living was so totally changed , that he died soon after , at London , in 16 35 . He was 152 years 9 months old , and had lived under nine kings of England . What was most remarkable in regard to this man is , that when his body was opened by Dr . Harvey , his bowels were found to be in the most perfect state , nor was the least symptom of decay to be discovered in them . His
cartilages even were not ossified , as is the case in all old people . The smallest cause of death had not yet settled in his body ; and he died merely of a plethora , because he had been too well treated . This Parr is a proof that , in many families , a constitution so favourable to longevity may transmit a remarkably good stamen vitce . Plis great grandson died at Gorke , a few years ago , at the age of 103 .
The following late instance is almost of the same kind . A Dane , named Draakenberg , born in 1626 , served as a seaman in the royal navy till the 91 st year of his age , arid spent 15 years of his life as a slave in Turkey , and in the greatest misery . When he was 111 ' , and had settled to enjoy tranquillity , he resolved to marry , and united himself to a woman of three-score .. Hehoweverout-lived her a
, , long time ; and in his 130 th year fell in love with a young country girl , who rejected-his proposal . He then tried his fortune with several others : but as he had no better success , he at length resolved to . continue single , and in that condition lived 16 years . He died in 1772 , in the 146 th year of his age . He was a man of ' a violent temper ; ami VOL . X . _
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
An Historical Essay On Longevity.
tne . age of 140 , and even 150 . I cannot here deny myself the pleasure of giving a more particular account of some of these'inshfuces ; for , in cases of this kind , the most trifling circumstance is often interesting , and may be of importance . In the year 16 70 died Henry Jenkins , of Yorkshire . Pie remembered the battle of Floddenfield in 1513 ; arid at that time he was ; twelve years of age . It was proved from the registers Of the Chancery
and other courts ; that he had appeared 140 years before his death as an evidence , and had an oath administered to him . The truth of this account cannot be controverted . At the time of his death' he was therefore 16 9 years old . Plis last occupation was fishing ; and when
above the age of 100 , he was able to swim across rapid rivers . The next to him in point of age is another Englishman , Thomas ' Parr , of Shropshire . He was a poor farmer ' s servant , and obliged to maintain himself by his daily labour . When above 120 years of age , ' he married a widow for his second wife , who lived with him twelve years , and who asserted that during that time he never betrayed any signs of infirmity or age . Till his 130 th he performed all his
year usual work , and was accustomed even to thresh . Some years before his death his eyes and memory began to fail ; but his hearing and senses continued sound to the last . In his 153 d year his fame had reached London ; and as the king was desirous of seeing so great a rarity , he was induced to undertake a journey thither . This , in all probability , shortened his existence , which he otherwise might have
preserved some years longer ; for he was treated at court in so royal a manner , and his mode of living was so totally changed , that he died soon after , at London , in 16 35 . He was 152 years 9 months old , and had lived under nine kings of England . What was most remarkable in regard to this man is , that when his body was opened by Dr . Harvey , his bowels were found to be in the most perfect state , nor was the least symptom of decay to be discovered in them . His
cartilages even were not ossified , as is the case in all old people . The smallest cause of death had not yet settled in his body ; and he died merely of a plethora , because he had been too well treated . This Parr is a proof that , in many families , a constitution so favourable to longevity may transmit a remarkably good stamen vitce . Plis great grandson died at Gorke , a few years ago , at the age of 103 .
The following late instance is almost of the same kind . A Dane , named Draakenberg , born in 1626 , served as a seaman in the royal navy till the 91 st year of his age , arid spent 15 years of his life as a slave in Turkey , and in the greatest misery . When he was 111 ' , and had settled to enjoy tranquillity , he resolved to marry , and united himself to a woman of three-score .. Hehoweverout-lived her a
, , long time ; and in his 130 th year fell in love with a young country girl , who rejected-his proposal . He then tried his fortune with several others : but as he had no better success , he at length resolved to . continue single , and in that condition lived 16 years . He died in 1772 , in the 146 th year of his age . He was a man of ' a violent temper ; ami VOL . X . _