treats, folitary, and among ftrangers, they wear away the hours of fickness and of age, unfurnished with the means of procuring the affiftance and the comforts which fink ing health demands. Let not unfeeling derifion be added to the difficulties which it has perhaps been impoffible to avoid, or virtue not to decline. T Pickford Philosophy DON'T believe that any one person should be "boss." Sometimes the husband is wiser; sometimes the wife. Women are more easily noyed by trifles than are men. an In vital things it is usually the woman who stands firm and will not let herself be moved. I think a woman's love is a greater compliment to a man today than it ever was, for years ago her love was a meal ticket sometimes. Today she has rights. She is free. Now, if she loves a man, that man should feel highly honored. -Mary Pickford. CHAP. XVI. ON THE DUTIES OF THE DECLINE OF LIFE. CONCLUSION, THE courfe of our enquiry now conducts us to the period, when gray hairs and augmenting infirmities forebode with louder and louder admonition the common termination of mortality. The fpring and fummer of life are past; autumn is far advanced; the frown of winter is already felt. Age has its privileges and its honours. It claims exemption from the more arduous offices of fociety, to which its ftrength is no longer equal; and immunity from fome at least of the exertions, the fruit of which it cannot enjoy. Deprived of many active pleasures, it claims an equivalent of ease and repofe. Forced to contract the fphere of its utility, it claims a grateful remembrance of former fervices. From the child and the the near relation, it claims duty and love: from all, tenderness and refpect. Its claims are juft, acceptable, and facred. Reason approves them; fympathy welcomes them; Revelation fanctions them. "Let children "In requite their parents (s).” ແ Despise not thy mother when she is old (t)." "treat the elder women as mothers (u)." "Ye younger, fubmit yourfelves unto the "elder (x)." "Thou shalt rife up before "the hoary head (y)." But if age would be regarded with affection and reverence; it must shew itself invested with the qualities by which those feelings are to be conciliated. It must be useful according to its ability, by example, if not by exertion. If unable to continue the full exercife of active virtues, it must difplay the excellence of those which are paffive. It muft resist the temptations by which it is befet, and guard itself against indulging faults on the plea of infirmity. In a word, if the "hoary head" (s) 1 Tim. v. 4. (t) Prov. xxiii. 22. is to be "a crown of glory," it must be "found in the way of righteousness (≈)." Of all the methods by which a woman arrived at old age may preclude herself from enjoying the respect to which by her years alone she would have been entitled, an attachment to the gay amusements of youth is perhaps the leaft uncertain. To behold one whofe countenance, whofe figure whose every gefture proclaims that the last fands of life are running out, clinging to the levities of a world which fhe is about to leave for ever; haunting with tottering steps the scene of public entertainment; and labouring with fickly efforts, to win attention by the affectation of juvenile sprightliness and ease; to behold gray hairs thus fpontaneously degraded and debased, is not only one of the most difgufting, but one of the most melancholy spectacles which can be furveyed. Avarice is one of the vices of age, which is more frequently exemplified among men (z) Prov. xvi. 31. than than in the female fex. The causes of the difference may easily be explained. The attention of men in general is more or less directed by the circumstances of their condition to the accumulation of money. In the case of those who pursue lucrative profeffions, commerce, or any other employment of which gain is the object, the fact is manifeft. It is fcarcely lefs apparent in the cafe of noblemen and private gentlemen, who live upon the incomes of their eftates. A reasonable defire of providing fortunes for their younger children, without leaving an immoderate burthen on the patrimonial inheritance, commonly difpofes them to study at least, if not to accomplish, plans of annual faving. From these cares and occupations women, whether married or unmarried, are comparatively free. In the next place, their native ftock of benevolence and liberality is often lefs impaired than that of the other fex, accustomed in the active business of life to the continual fight and knowledge of fraud, selfishness, and demerit. Hence, when advancing years bring |