OLD AGE. Let others boast how strong they be, Our life contains a thousand springs, And dies if one be gone: Strange! that a harp of thousand strings, Should keep in tune so long. Watts. Not A SMALL share of knowledge, whether of the natural, the vegetable, or the animal parts of creation, will convince us that all things are subject to changes, decay, and to death. This is eminently true of the life of man. He is born to die. that the Almighty takes pleasure in destroying the human fabrick, which is the delightful and astonishing work of his hand, but because of man's transgression; for by sin came death. And this too, is the baneful cause of all the intervening evils and miseries which attend us from the cradle to the grave. Every stage of life has its evils strongly marked; and each afford sufficient cause for submission and humiliation, while they should prompt us to supplicate the throne of mercy for those blessings of grace, which, through an adored Redeemer, can yield support and consolation; for without this source the whole world is inadequate to afford relief. Whatever comments may be made upon the previous stages of human life, it must be confessed, that the closing scenes are of the greatest importance. The bloom of youth, and the strength of manhood, furnish sentiments which are delightful to cherish; but when we enter into the vale of years, the subject most seriously changes, and our contemplations upon it produce a chilling gloom, and give a deeper tone to our feelings. Still the progressive decline in old age forms a necessary and important subject for all who are advancing in years, and especially to the aged Christian. For a good old man to feel, and mark the diversified stages and changes by which his frail body is hastening to the dust, will create no unnecessary pain nor fear, while he keeps his faith fixed upon his exalted Saviour, and cherishes his hope, that heaven shall be his final home. So far from it, he will piously yield to these feelings of decay, as the unpining of his earthly tabernacle ; so that, in due time, his soul may wing its way to the bosom of his God, in endless felicity! From these considerations I have concluded, that the first paper for the Aged Christian's Cabinet, should contain a short description of the PHYSICAL CAUSES OF OLD AGE. And afterwards, in order to render the subject still more easy to be understood, shall take a familiar view of its NATURAL PROGRESS, which will be found correct in its application, more or less, to the feelings of every aged person. It must, however, be understood, that this description will not be drawn from what may be called "premature old age;" in which the constitution has been wasted by intemperance, or other vices for it is well known, that by such means many unhappy persons, of both sexes, have been so reduced at the age of thirty or forty, as to bear the marks of extreme old age. On the contrary, we shall follow nature in her own decay, which is usually exhibited in a protracted life, from fifty to three score years and ten. Certain it is, there requires no violence of disease to hasten the frail body to the dust; the supports of life gradually exhaust themselves, and, like a taper burnt down to the socket, will speedily expire. All these changes being under the allotment of the Almighty Arbitrator of life and death, whatever else we know, we may certainly say with Job, I know that thou wilt bring me to death, and to the house appointed for all living. Happy, therefore, is that person, whether young or old, who, like that venerable man, can form the pious resolution, All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. The Physical Causes of Old Age." In tracing the natural and physical causes which produce decay in old age, we must first direct our attention to the HEART; for it is universally acknowledged, that the heart is the seat of animal life; the first of man that lives, and the last that dies. The heart forms an engine or fountain, propelling the blood in incessant circulation through every artery and vein, replenishing and invigorating as it passes through the whole animal machine. We are, therefore, informed in the ninth chapter of Genesis, and in the twelfth of Deuteronomy, that the life is in the blood; and we may truly pronounce it a perpetual motion of God's own making; for, the vital spring, and the whole machine; will continue their operation until the cold hand of death is laid on both. Although the animal system is subject to a great variety of changes during the previous period of its existence, yet in our last days there are changes of a peculiar kind, and all the animal and mental functions of life begin to lose their tone; and the old man may be said, emphatically, to hang his harp upon the willow. In this commencement and process of decay, we observe the heart first to feel the effects of age, its motion is less active in opening its valves, and its energy less competent to send forth the blood on the errand of its circulation. In consequence of which the smaller arteries begin to grow languid, and then stiffen; the larger vessels contract, and of course, they likewise progressively grow rigid, and sometimes form a soft bony texture. From these causes the free circulation of the blood is impeded, and the vessels are less capable of performing their offices, by sending supplies to build up the wasted |