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authoritative way concerning it。 The fact is that I；for it is
myself who am speaking；have recently arrived at the age of
threescore years and twenty；fourscore years we may otherwise call
it。 In the arrangement of our table； I am Teacup Number One； and I
may as well say that I am often spoken of as The Dictator。 There is
nothing invidious in this； as I am the oldest of the company； and no
claim is less likely to excite jealousy than that of priority of
birth。
I received congratulations on reaching my eightieth birthday； not
only from our circle of Teacups； but from friends； near and distant；
in large numbers。 I tried to acknowledge these kindly missives with
the aid of a most intelligent secretary ； but I fear that there were
gifts not thanked for； and tokens of good…will not recognized。 Let
any neglected correspondent be assured that it was not intentionally
that he or she was slighted。 I was grateful for every such mark of
esteem； even for the telegram from an unknown friend in a distant
land； for which I cheerfully paid the considerable charge which the
sender doubtless knew it would give me pleasure to disburse for such
an expression of friendly feeling。
I will not detain the reader any longer from the essay I have
promised。
This is the paper read to The Teacups。
It is in A Song of Moses that we find the words； made very familiar
to us by the Episcopal Burial Service； which place the natural limit
on life at threescore years and ten； with an extra ten years for some
of a stronger constitution than the average。 Yet we are told that
Moses himself lived to be a hundred and twenty years old； and that
his eye was not dim nor his natural strength abated。 This is hard to
accept literally； but we need not doubt that he was very old； and in
remarkably good condition for a man of his age。 Among his followers
was a stout old captain； Caleb； the son of Jephunneh。 This ancient
warrior speaks of himself in these brave terms： 〃Lo； I am this day
fourscore and five years old。 As yet； I am as strong this day as I
was in the day that Moses sent me； as my strength was then； even so
is my strength now； for war； both to go out and to come in。〃 It is
not likely that anybody believed his brag about his being as good a
man for active service at eighty…five as he was at forty； when Moses
sent him out to spy the land of Canaan。 But he was； no doubt； lusty
and vigorous for his years； and ready to smite the Canaanites hip and
thigh； and drive them out； and take possession of their land； as he
did forthwith； when Moses gave him leave。
Grand old men there were； three thousand years ago！ But not all
octogenarians were like Caleb； the son of Jephunneh。 Listen to poor
old Barzillai； and hear him piping： 〃I am this day fourscore years
old； and can I discern between good and evil？ Can thy servant taste
what I eat or what I drink ？ Can I hear any more the voice of
singing men and singing women？ Wherefore； then； should thy servant
be yet a burden unto my lord the king？〃 And poor King David was
worse off than this； as you all remember； at the early age of
seventy。
Thirty centuries do not seem to have made any very great difference
in the extreme limits of life。 Without pretending to rival the
alleged cases of life prolonged beyond the middle of its second
century； such as those of Henry Jenkins and Thomas Parr； we can make
a good showing of centenarians and nonagenarians。 I myself remember
Dr。 Holyoke； of Salem； son of a president of Harvard College； who
answered a toast proposed in his honor at a dinner given to him on
his hundredth birthday。
〃Father Cleveland；〃 our venerated city missionary； was born June 21；
1772； and died June 5； 1872； within a little more than a fortnight of
his hundredth birthday。 Colonel Perkins； of Connecticut； died
recently after celebrating his centennial anniversary。
Among nonagenarians； three whose names are well known to Bostonians；
Lord Lyndhurst； Josiah Quincy； and Sidney Bartlett； were remarkable
for retaining their faculties in their extreme age。 That patriarch
of our American literature； the illustrious historian of his country；
is still with us； his birth dating in 1800。
Ranke； the great German historian； died at the age of ninety…one； and
Chevreul； the eminent chemist； at that of a hundred and two。
Some English sporting characters have furnished striking examples of
robust longevity。 In Gilpin's 〃Forest Scenery〃 there is the story of
one of these horseback heroes。 Henry Hastings was the name of this
old gentleman； who lived in the time of Charles the First。 It would
be hard to find a better portrait of a hunting squire than that which
the Earl of Shaftesbury has the credit of having drawn of this very
peculiar personage。 His description ends by saying； 〃He lived to be
an hundred； and never lost his eyesight nor used spectacles。 He got
on horseback without help； and rode to the death of the stag till he
was past fourscore。〃
Everything depends on habit。 Old people can do； of course； more or
less well； what they have been doing all their lives； but try to
teach them any new tricks； and the truth of the old adage will very
soon show itself。 Mr。 Henry Hastings had done nothing but hunt all
his days； and his record would seem to have been a good deal like
that of Philippus Zaehdarm in that untranslatable epitaph which may
be found in 〃Sartor Resartus。〃 Judged by its products； it was a very
short life of a hundred useless twelve months。
It is something to have climbed the white summit； the Mont Blanc of
fourscore。 A small number only of mankind ever see their eightieth
anniversary。 I might go to the statistical tables of the annuity and
life insurance offices for extended and exact information； but I
prefer to take the facts which have impressed themselves upon me in
my own career。
The class of 1829 at Harvard College； of which I am a member；
graduated； according to the triennial； fifty…nine in number。 It is
sixty years； then； since that time； and as they were； on an average；
about twenty years old； those who survive must have reached fourscore
years。 Of the fifty…nine graduates ten only are living； or were at
the last accounts； one in six； very nearly。 In the first ten years
after graduation； our third decade； when we were between twenty and
thirty years old； we lost three members；about one in twenty；
between the ages of thirty and forty； eight died；one in seven of
those the decade began with； from forty to fifty； only two；or one
in twenty…four； from fifty to sixty； eight；or one in six ； from
sixty to seventy； fifteen；or two out of every five； from seventy to
eighty； twelve；or one in two。 The greatly increased mortality
which began with our seventh decade went on steadily increasing。 At
sixty we come 〃within range of the rifle…pits；〃 to borrow an
expression from my friend Weir Mitchell。
Our eminent classmate； the late Pr