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more likely it is to be extensively read, and to have its arguments and statements correctly and candidly considered." And a most intelligent and respectable Swedish gentleman, the Chevalier Edelcrantz, strongly urged me to persevere; "for the art," he said, " of preserving health, and giving longevity to man, forms a link in that chain of useful pursuits, to which your time has been devoted."

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The following letters, addressed to me on the subject of health and longevity, may prove interesting to the reader:

No. 1.-Letter from John, Duke of Argyll, dated Inverary,

March 1. 1802.

This respectable nobleman was one of the best men I ever met with, in the course of my long experience; and the compliment paid to his correspondent, at the conclusion of his letter, is peculiarly delicate and well expressed *.

"The Duke of Argyll presents his best compliments to Sir John Sinclair; and takes this early opportunity of thanking him, for his very friendly letter, and communication on the subject of longevity. The study of those productions, which Sir John's indefatigable zeal has brought forward, has contributed to the improvement of the Duke of Argyll's health, and consequently to his hopes of a long life; and he sincerely wishes, that the same causes, will produce the same effects, with Sir John."

• My excellent correspondent, the Duchess of Gordon, was still more complimentary. In a letter, dated the 10th of February 1805, she writes to me in her usual lively manner : "Thanks, mon tres cher Chevalier, for your beautiful pebbles, and your work on health. You ought to possess every valuable in earth or sea. Nobody has done so much to make them useful, and to make them the constant source of amusement and happiness to mankind."

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No. 2.—Letter from Sir Adam Fergusson of Kilkerran, Bart. dated June 17. 1802.

Sir Adam Fergusson was one of the most respectable characters, in private life, that Scotland ever produced; and during the short time he represented the county of Ayr, was a distinguished Member of Parliament. The subjoined extract sufficiently proves his talents for epistolary correspondence.

"With regard to the subject of the pamphlet with which you have favoured me, Longevity, it is certainly one, which, considered as a point of natural history, is curious in itself, and deserving of investigation. As a political problem, I confess myself not to be sanguine in my hopes, of its ever being brought the length of being attended with much practical utility. In the present advanced state of our knowledge of this globe, we have opportunities of seeing man in every state and condition, from the savage in the wood, to society in its highest state of improvement; and, amidst all that diversity, I have not observed any marked diversity in the duration of human life. In every part of the earth, and from the time of the Patriarch David to this day, threescore and ten years, seem to be nearly the limit of active life; and the comparatively few examples of men, who have lived ten, twenty, or even thirty years more, seem only to be such deviations from the usual course of nature, as must be expected in all cases of an average calculation. Besides, how few of these extraordinary circumstances of prolonged life, have been of any consequence to the world, or to the country to which they belonged? Mere existence, of whatever consequence it may be supposed to be to the individual, is of none to the world, if the individual, whose life is so prolonged, can neither, by his bodily labour profit his country, by the exertions of his mind improve it, or by the production of children add to its population*. If we can quote a Mutius Scævola, who, as I re

This seems too fastidious. A contrary doctrine is maintained in the concluding paragraph of this section. Old men may be of singular use, by their

collect, at the age of ninety, when rendered blind by age, sat in his hall, and gave advice gratis to all who came to consult him upon the civil law, and was called the oracle of Rome, how few instances of extreme old age have been any thing else, than instances of weak impaired infirmity;-how few of any advantage to mankind? But I admit, that if human life can, by any general methods, learned from experience, be prolonged, the presumption is, that the melioration of health will probably accompany it. It is certainly an inquiry, therefore, not to be neglected."

No. 3.-Extract of a Letter from Sir Alexander Ramsay Irvine, Bart. dated Harsley, (in Yorkshire,) 25th November 1802. Sir Alexander Ramsay was among the most respectable country gentlemen I ever met with. After having improved his estate of Balmain, in Scotland, he retired to a small property he had purchased in Yorkshire, for the sake of enjoying that quiet which, in old age, is so truly desirable. He has very ably explained his state and feelings in the following letter:

"I have to thank you for the favour of your last letter. In return, I shall only speak of my own experience in point of longevity.

"I hear and see tolerably well, so as to read a book, and to enjoy company.

the

"Teeth are supplied by the dentist; and they answer all

purposes of preparing the victuals for digestion. In memory I am extremely deficient; I do not even remember old things; and it requires daily conversations and practice, to remember the great general political concerns of the present

moment.

"In my own affairs I am indolent; they do not now attach or concern me much.

example, and their precepts; and there is not a more useful being in the universe, than "A Healthy Veteran," as I have endeavoured to describe him.

"The prosperity of my country is my great object; but when exertion is wanted, I feel myself wanting in that necessary manly spirit which youth inspires.

"I am fond of society, and am not so nice in my choice as I formerly was. Yet I can live alone without ennui.

"After this description, you may judge that I am tired of life. Yet I do not court a dissolution, nor indeed am I afraid of the king of terrors."

No. 4.—Extract of a Letter from the Rev. Joseph Townsend, dated Bath, 30th January 1805.

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Accept of my most sincere acknowledgments, for your polite attention, in submitting to my inspection your Prospectus of the Code of Health and Longevity. I admire the plan, and rejoice that you have undertaken the work. It could not possibly be in better hands. The country has been under infinite obligations to you, for your unremitting labour; and you have, by your example, sufficiently convinced mankind, according to the maxim you have inculcated, That the power of doing good is the proper limit by which our wishes for existence ought to be bounded *.

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No. 5.-Extract of a Letter from William Spence, Esq. of Drypool, near Hull, dated 12th June 1807.

"I have been looking over, with great pleasure, the first volume of your "Code of Longevity," of the excellent design and execution of which, it is impossible to speak too highly. So arduous and praiseworthy an undertaking, effect

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In a posterior letter, Mr Townsend writes, "I have read, with exquisite pleasure, and minute attention, the little volume you was so condescending as to submit to the correction of your friend. It is so complete, that after the most mature recollection, I can find nothing to add ; and it is so correct, that I have not been able to detect one error, either in the diction, or in the subject-matter. It seems to answer your intention in the most perfect manner; but at the same time it lays you open to one charge,—a charge exhibited by Bishop Tillotson against Dr Barrow, as the most unfair writer, because, on whatever subject he had treated, he left nothing for any one to say after him."

ed from motives like yours, would have been sufficient to have established, for any other man, the title of friend of the human race. Of Sir John Sinclair's claim to that appellation, this is but one of the numerous proofs for which both the present generation and future ones have to thank him."

No. 6.-Extracts of a Letter from the Rev. Robert Thomas, Minister of Abdie, in Fife, dated September 30. 1806. "I see in the newspapers, that you are soon to publish a work on Longevity, which, I doubt not, will, like your other works, possess much intrinsic merit, and be of great public utility. If, by your exertions in that line, you can add but ten years, or even one, to the life of man, you will proportionally multiply the hands employed in the useful and fine arts, and add to the sum of human happiness.

"In this country, the present age seems to be distinguished from all the preceding ones, by the rapid progress made in all things that tend to the improvement of the external condition of men; and, in the annals of history, I make no doubt, it will appear, that Sir John Sinclair has done more towards such improvement, than any other individual, more, perhaps, in a general way, than all his cotemporaries together. But your genius, Sir John, is of a general and versatile nature; and having contributed largely to the improvement of the situation of men, you now turn very naturally to the improvement of men themselves.

"Like your other works, this will undoubtedly tend, in a collateral way at least, to render men virtuous; as, without virtue, men can neither be healthy, nor long lived. Virtuous habits are the sine qua non, the immediate sources of happiness; and you have discovered your wisdom as a statesman, as well as your benevolence as a man, in leading men to this sacred, this copious and perennial source of happiness, when you seemed to be only pointing out to them, the way to affluence and health.

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