tural heat lessens as a man grows in years, he should diminish the quantity of his meat and drink; nature, especially at that period, being content with little. Nay, though they have every reason to believe this to be the case, they are so obstinate as to think otherwise; and still follow their usual disorderly life. But were they to relinquish it in due time, and betake themselves to a sober and regular course, they would not grow infirm in their old age, but would continue, as I am, strong and hearty, considering how good and perfect a constitution it has pleased the Almighty to bestow upon them, and would live to the age of a hundred and twenty. This has been the case of others, who, as we read in many authors, have lived a sober life, and of course were born with this perfect constitution; and had it been my lot to enjoy such a constitution, I should make no doubt of attaining the same age. But as I was born with feeble stamina, I am afraid I shall not outlive a hundred. Were others, too, who are also born with an infirm constitution, to betake themselves to a regular life, as I have done, they would attain the age of a hundred and upwards, as shall be my case.

And this certainty of being able to live a great age is, in my opinion, a great advantage, and highly to be valued; none being sure to live even a single hour, except such as adhere to the rules of temperance. This security of life is built on good and truly natural reasons, which can never fail; it being impossible, in the nature of things, that he who leads a sober and regular life, should breed any sickness, or die of an unnatural death, before the time, at which it is impossible he should live. But sooner he cannot die, as a sober life has the virtue to remove all the usual causes of sickness, and sickness cannot happen without a cause; which cause being removed, sickness is likewise removed; and sickness being removed, an untimely and violent death must be prevented.

And there is no doubt that temperance has the virtue and efficacy to remove such causes; for since health and sickness, life and death, depend on the good or bad quality of the humors, temperance corrects their viciousness, and renders them perfect, being possessed of the natural power of making them unite and bind together, so as to render them inseparable, and incapable of alteration or fermenting; circumstances which engender cruel fevers, and end in death. It is true indeed, and it would be a folly to deny it, that, let our humors be originally ever so good, time, which consumes every thing, cannot fail to consume and exhaust them; and that man, as soon as that happens, must die of a natural death; but yet, without sickness, as will be my case, who shall die at my appointed time, when these humors shall be consumed, which they are not at present. Nay, they are still perfect; nor is it possible they VOL. XIX. Pum NO. XXXVII.

K

should be otherwise in my present condition, when I find myself hearty and content, eating with a good appetite, and sleeping soundly. Moreover, all my senses are as good as ever, and in the highest perfection; my understanding clearer and brighter than ever, my judgment sound, my memory tenacious, my spirits good, and my voice, the first thing which is apt to fail us, grown so strong and sonorous, that I cannot help chanting out aloud my prayers morning and night, instead of whispering and muttering them to myself, as was formerly my custom.

And these are so many true and sure signs and tokens that my humors are good, and cannot waste but with time, all those who converse with me conclude. Q, how glorious this life of mine is likely to be, replete with all the felicities which men can enjoy on this side of the grave! It is entirely exempt from that sensual brutality which age has enabled my better reason to banish; because where reason resides, there is no room for sensuality, nor for its bitter fruits, the passions and perturbations of the mind, with a train of disagreeable apprehensions. Nor yet can the thoughts of death find room in my mind, as I have no sensuality to nourish such thoughts. Neither can the death of grandchildren and other relations and friends make any impression on me, but for a moment or two, and then it is over. Still less am I liable to be cast down by losses in point of fortune, as many have seen to their no small surprise. And this is a happiness not to be expected by any but such as attain old age by sobriety, and not in consequence of a strong constitution; and such may, moreover, expect to spend their days happily, as I do mine, in a perpetual round of amusement and pleasure. And how is it possible a man should not enjoy himself, who meets with no crosses or disappointments in his old age, such as youth is constantly plagued with, and from which, as I shall presently show, I have the happiness of being exempt.

The first of these is to do service to my country. O, what a glorious amusement! in which I find infinite delight, as I thereby show her the means of improving her important estuary, or harbour, beyond the possibility of its filling, for thousands of years to come; so as to secure to Venice her surprising and miraculous title of a maiden city, as she really is; and the only one in the whole world. She will, moreover, thereby add to her great and excellent surname of Queen of the Sea! Such is my amusement; and nothing is wanting to make it complete. Another amusement of mine is, that of showing this maid and queen in what manner she may abound in provisions, by improving large tracts of land, as well marshes as barren sands, to great profit. A third amusement, and an amusement also without any alloy, is that of showing how Venice, though already so strong, as to be in a manner impregnable, may

be rendered still stronger; and though extremely beautiful, may still increase in beauty; though rich, may acquire more wealth, and may be made to enjoy better air, though her's is excellent. These three amusements, all arising from the idea of public utility, I enjoy in the highest degree. And who can say, that they admit of any alloy, as in fact they do not? Another comfort I enjoy is, that having lost a considerable part of my income, of which my grandchildren had been unfortunately robbed, I, by mere force of thought, which never sleeps, and without any fatigue of body, and very little of mind, have found a true and infallible method of repairing such loss more than double, by a judicious use of that most commendable of arts, agriculture. Another comfort I still enjoy is to think, that my Treatise on Temperance, which I wrote, in order to be useful to others, is really so, as many assure me by word of mouth, mentioning, that it has proved extremely useful to them, as it in fact appears to have been, whilst others inform me by letter, that, under God, they are indebted to me for life. Still, another comfort I enjoy, is that of being able to write with my own hand! for I write enough to be of service to others, both on architecture and agriculture. I likewise enjoy another satisfaction, which is that of conversing with men of bright parts and superior understanding, from whom, even at this advanced period of life, I learn something. What a comfort is this, that, old as I am, I should be able, without the least fatigue, to study the most important, sublime, and difficult subjects!

I must further add also, though it may appear impossible to some, and may be so in some measure, that at this age I enjoy at once two lives; one terrestrial, which I possess in fact; the other celestial, which I possess in thought; and this thought is equal to actual enjoyment, when founded on things we are sure to attain, as I am sure to attain that celestial life, through the infinite mercy and goodness of God. Thus I enjoy this terrestrial life in consequence of my sobriety and temperance, virtues so agreeable to the Deity; and I enjoy, by the grace of the same divine Majesty, the celestial, which he makes me anticipate in thought; a thought as to fix me entirely on this object, the fruition of which I hold and affirm to be of the utmost certainty. And I hold that dying, in the manner I expect, is not really death, but a passage of the soul from this earthly life to a celestial, immortal, and infinitely perfect existence. Neither can it be otherwise; and this thought is so pleasing, so superlatively sublime, that it can no longer stoop to low and worldly objects, such as the death of this body, being entirely taken up with the happiness of living a celestial and divine life; whence it is, that I enjoy two lives. Nor can the termina

ting of so high a gratification, which I enjoy in this life, give me any concern; it rather affords me infinite pleasure, as it will be only to make room for another glorious and immortal life.

Now is it possible that any one should grow tired of so great a comfort and blessing, as this which I really enjoy; and which every one else might enjoy, by leading the life I have led? an example which every one has it in his power to follow; for I am but a mere man, and no saint; a servant of God, to whom so regular a life is extremely agreeable.

And whereas many embrace a spiritual and contemplative life, which is holy and commendable, the chief employment of those who lead it being to celebrate the praises of God. O, that they would likewise betake themselves entirely to a regular and sober life! how much more agreeable would they render themselves in the sight of God! What a much greater honor and ornament would they be to the world! They would then be considered as saints, indeed, upon earth, as those primitive Christians were held, who joined sobriety to so recluse a life. By living like them to the age of a hundred and twenty, they might expect, by the power of God, to work numberless miracles; and besides, they would enjoy constant health and spirits, and be always happy within themselves; whereas they are now most infirm, melancholy, and dissatisfied. Now, as some of these people think these are trials sent them by God Almighty with a view of promoting their salvation, that they may do penance in this life for their past errors, I cannot help saying, that, in my opinion, they are greatly mistaken, For I can by no means believe, that it is agreeable to the Deity, that man, his favorite creature, should live infirm, melancholy, and dissatisfied; but rather enjoy good health and spirits, and be always content within himself. In this manner did the holy fathers live, and by such conduct did they daily render themselves more acceptable to the divine Majesty, so as to work the great and surprising miracles we read of in history. How beautiful, how glorious a scene should we then behold! far more beautiful than in those ancient times, because we now abound with so many religious orders and monasteries, which did not then exist; and were the members of these communities to lead a temperate life, we should then behold such a number of venerable old men, as would create surprise. Nor would they trespass against their rules: they would rather improve upon them; since every religious community allows its subjects bread, wine, and sometimes eggs (some of them allow meat), besides soups made with vegetables, sallads, fruit and other cakes; things which disagree with them, and even shorten their lives. But as they are allowed such things by their rules, they freely make use of them; thinking, perhaps, it would

be wrong to abstain from them, whereas it would not. It would rather be commendable, if after the age of thirty they abstained from such food, and confined themselves to bread, wine, broths, and eggs; for this is the true method of preserving men of a bad constitution; and it is a life of more indulgence than that led by holy fathers of the desert, who subsisted entirely on wild fruits and roots, and drank nothing but pure water; and nevertheless lived, as I have already mentioned, in good health and spirits, and always happy within themselves. Were those of our days to do the same, they would, like them, find the road to heaven much easier; for it is always open to every faithful Christian, as our Saviour Jesus Christ left it, when he came down upon earth to shed his precious blood, in order to deliver us from the tyranny of the devil; and all through his immense goodness and loving-kindness to save mankind.

So that to make an end of this discourse, I say, since length of days abounds with so many favors and blessings, and I happen to be one of those who are arrived at that state, I cannot (as I would not willingly want charity) but give testimony in favor of it, and solemnly assure all mankind, that I really enjoy a great deal more than I now mention; and that I have no other reason for writing but that of demonstrating the great advantages which arise from longevity, to the end that their conviction may induce them to observe these excellent rules of temperance and sobriety; and therefore, I never cease to raise my voice, crying out to you, my friends, may your days be long, and may you continue to improve in every virtue!

A LETTER

FROM SIGNIOR LEWIS CORNARO,
TO THE RIGHT REV. BARBARO,

PATRIARCH ELECT OF AQUILEIA.

CHAPTER IV.

THE METHOD OF ENJOYING A COMPLETE HAPPINESS IN

MY LORD,

OLD AGE.

THE human understanding must certainly have something divine in its constitution and frame. How divine the invention of conversing with an absent friend, by the help of writing! How divinely is it contrived by nature, that men, though at a great dis