That old age deprives us of these smaller bones, is too ob vious a truth to be infifted upon. But, befides the unhappy confequences already enumerated, an additional difficulty prefents itself to our view. The gums at this period are to perfonate the province of the teeth. Nevertheless the fmoothness of their surfaces render them very unfit for this work. Hence what pains and labour are aged men obliged to take, before they can bruife and foften their food fufficiently for the purposes of the ftomach. It is also observable, that the lips, thofe portals of the mouth, are kept conftantly fhut during the action of the jaws, left the morfel, thro' the lofs of teeth to with-hold it, fhould be protruded, and fall out of the mouth.

Another melancholy effect of old age, is a deficiency of fleep, whereby the ftrength and spirits are further impaired. The old man frequently awakes at the crowing of the cock, and is incapable of renewing his flumbers; whereas the youth, and man of middle age, can perpetuate their sleep almoft at will.

Notice hath already been taken of defective vifion: but the organs of hearing are likewife great fufferers by age. Thofe daughters of mufic, who by their exquifite delicacy of fenfation and fkill in melodious principles, formerly reduced founds into harmony, for the entertainment of themselves and others, are now brought into the lowest eftate, and are no longer in a capacity of answering the ordinary purposes of their ftructure.

Verfe 5. But however material and weighty all these evils may be, there is ftill an heavier and longer train of calamities, which affociate themselves with advanced years.

Whereas youth is bold, valiant, and regardless of danger, age is quite the reverse of this character. The ancient man discovers,in every action, diffidence, irrefolution, and timidity, In all his fhort excurfions abroad, he treads with circumspection, wariness and diftruft. After painfully afcending an eminence, he is seized with a temporary giddiness; and in his descent he trembles at every pebble in the path, left his ftrength fhould prove difproportionable to fuch little obftacles, and a fall ensue.

Thus fears and terrors are attendants upon the steps of that man, whofe grey hairs refemble the whitening bloffoms of the almond-tree; and to whom, from the decline of his ftrength, even the grafshopper, that light and inconfiderable infect, becomes a burthen. Add to all these particulars, a difrelifh of every scene around him, from the failure of defire and the

decay

decay of other paffions. Yet all thefe inconveniences and ills are infeparable from humanity, becaufe man is born to die, and age is the harbinger of death. To enforce this truth by arguments, would be an infult offered to the underftanding of men, while funerals and mourning relatives are frequently darkening all the streets.

From what hath been already faid upon the weakness, infirmities, and diftempers of advanced life, the expediency as well as duty of early religion must appear abundantly plain. However, as the human body is a complicated structure, and as little more than the external parts of the building have at present been confidered, let us carry our researches further, and examine what is doing in the more private and retired chambers of this wonderful fabrick.

Verfe 6. Here we fhall be aftonifhed at the ftupendous difplays of almighty wisdom, power and goodness. Know then, that there are scattered up and down in the human body a multitude of white cords, to which anatomists have given the appellation of nerves. These ftrings are the inftruments of fenfation and motion. For if a nerve be tied hard, or cut afunder, that part to which the nerve belonged, instantly lofes all feeling and becomes deftitute of action.

From the brain, which is the fource of the whole nervous fyftem, there proceeds thro' the entire length of the backbone (in a cavity curioufly formed for its reception and fecurity) a cord of an enlarged fize, which, on account of its refplendent whitenefs, may aptly be compared to the complexion of burnished filver. From this cord are branched out thirty pairs of fmaller ftrings, which are diftributed along the arms, thighs, legs, and trunk of the body. Now in old age this filver cord is very liable to be relaxed and weakened, or a part thereof to be altogether broken in its functions, as appears manifeft from thole paralytic complaints, to which elderly perfons are peculiarly obnoxious. When a relaxation of this cord prevails, then tremors and debility are the confequences. When the canals which compofe this cord, are quite obftructed, then follow compleat palfies; or, in other words, an entire deprivation of fense and motion. Ought we not therefore to remember our Creator in the prior ftages of life, before this melancholy period of deficient fenfation and action arrives. For a palfy is partial death, and many times portends the speedy diffolution of the whole building.

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Vol. XIII. Churchm. Mag. for October 1807.

But

But agreeably to what hath already been fuggefted, the brain is the original of the nerves. Those nerves which are bestowed upon the eyes, the ears, the tongue, and all the other parts of the face and head, iffue immediately from the brain itself, thro' finall apertures, in the skull, primarily defigned for the tranfmiffion of these little cords.. Any diforder happening to thefe nerves, and interrupting their functions, will occafion, according to the degree of the disease, dimnefs of fight, or total lofs of vifion-heaviness of hearing, or abfolute deafnefs-defective fpeech, or an utter incapacity of fpeaking-will deprive the lips in part, or altogether of their due motions, and likewife impair or annihilate the fmell, and the tafle.

What an amazing organ is the brain! that fource and parent of all fenfation and motion! That inexplicable repofitory of the underftanding of man! How curious its texture! how tender its fubftance! and of what vaft importance to the exiflence, utility, and comfort of the fpecies! For which reafon the all-wife Creator hath fecurely lodged it in a strong citadel of bone; which from its circular cavity, and the ineftimable value of its treasure, may with propriety be filed the golden bowl.

But it is obfervable, that in the extremity of old age, this golden bowl, and more efpecially the contents thereof, are highly injured. The feveral parts of the brain, thro' length of time, become unfit for their various offices. It is like an exquifitely wrought machine, with complicated movements. A long fucceffion of years breaks, wears out, and diffolves this furprizing workmanship. Wherefore it must be the moft egregious folly to defer the confideration of our eternal intereft, till the winter of life comes upon us, when we are difqualified for the common intercourses of fociety, and even for the ordinary actions of animal life.

But additional motives for early religion will refult from a fcrutiny into the effects of age upon the heart, and the great veffels which proceed from this fountain of life. We moft affuredly ought to fecure the favour of our maker, be fore these large canals, which iffue from the heart and receive (like pitchers at a well) the contents of this fpring, be grown incapable of discharging their office aright. For it is an inconteftible truth, that in elderly men, thefe grand conduits, which take the blood from the heart, in order to circulate it through the lungs, the brain, and all the organs and members of the body, become bony, rigid, and inflexible;

whereby

whereby they are difabled from acting upon the blood, and driving it thro' all the diftant pipes of the fyftem. Hence thofe languors, faintings, and fudden changes, which fre quently occur in perfons much advanced in years.

But alfo the heart itself, (that ciftern of the whole building) which receives and difpenfes to the furtheft extremities, in an appropriated period of time, every particle of blood belonging to the body; I fay this powerful refervoir is rendered by old age unfit for its important charge. Part of its fubftance, like the great canals already mentioned, degenerate into bony fibres, which are unable to perform their due action. For the heart propels the blood to the extreme parts by a contractile force. If this contractile power is abated by the hardness and inflexibility of the heart's fubftance, it is apparent that the circulation of the blood cannot properly be carried on; but momentary ftagnations, finkings of fpirits and universal weakness muft follow. Because this power of contraction, like the wheel of a water-engine, is the grand and principal cause of the diftribution of the fluids thro' all the numerous channels of the fyftem.

This is a true tho' uncomfortable reprefentation of the animal economy in the decline of life. Whoever therefore attentively furveys this picture, ought to act answerably to the admonitions which it fuggefts. He fhould acquaint himfelf with God from his youth, and fecure the friendship of that almighty being, who will not forfake him in his old age, and when he is grey-headed.

Every serious and thinking man must be convinged, that the dedication of the prime of his days, and the vigour of his ftrength to heaven, is both wisdom and piety. For what can all his fervices avail hin under the corporeal imbecilities, mental failures, and the many incidental evils of extreme age? To all procraftinating votaries, will not the Prophet's interrogatories be very appofite?" If ye offer the blind for

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facrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and the "fick, is it not evil? Offer it now unto thy governor, will he be pleafed with thee, or accept thy perfon, faith the "Lord of Hofts ?"

Verfe 7. But it must be alfo noticed, that thefe defects and decays of the fyftem are the immediate forerunners of its diffolution that when this great change befals us, the materials of which our bodies are compofed, fhall be all refolved into earth, from whence they were taken; and our fouls which animated thefe organized particles of dust, shall

return to God, the Father and Judge of our fpirits; who will reward or punish us according to our deeds in the flesh. This is an argument of infinite weight, and indeed far fuperior to any arguments hitherto urged for the remembering our Creator in the days of our youth. Wherefore let the rifing generation confider, that if they nobly fcorn the blandishments of fenfe, and inviolably attach themfelves to their duty, they will be moft gloriously recompenfed at that grand tribunal, ver. 14. "When God fhall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or "whether it be evil."

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N.

ON SKELTON'S WORKS.

I

TO THE EDITOR OF THE ORTHODOX CHURCHMAN'S

SIR,

MAGAZINE.

WAS pleased to learn, through the medium of your last number, that fome of the most valuable of Skelton's works are about to be re-printed on this fide of the water: having long been a great admirer of that lively and original

writer.

I cannot, however, but confefs that this pleasure was very much abated upon perufing Mr. Clapham's letter, and finding that it is his intention to publish only a selection from Skelton's Sermons and Tracts, and a fummary of " Deifm Revealed." For my part I am no friend to abridgments except in very rare instances, and that where the authors are very old and prolix. This is not the cafe with Skelton. In thefe works he is all vigour and is never tedious. His Deism Revealed was published in the fecond edition, in two neat, moderately-fized duodecimos, at the price of fix fhillings; and being written in the form of dialogue, no part can be well omitted without weakening fome of the arguments and thereby fpoiling the whole chain of reasoning.

As to the Sermons I take it they might be well printed in four volumes, and who would grudge a few fhillings to be in poffeffion of a uniform edition of the works of a favourite writer, merely because he may chance to have already one

or