Science, Art, And The Drama.

Science , Art , and the Drama .

WHEN ARE WE OLD ? ( Continued . ) In his History and Antiquities of Richmond ( Yorkshire ) , the following story is told by Clarkson , in reference to the cause " Howe v . Wastell , " in which a man called Jenkins gave evidence as to his age : When the agent of Mr . Wastell went to him to find out what account he could give about the matter in dispute , he saw an old man sitting at the door , to whom he

told his business . The old man said : " Ah can remember nought about it , but thee can find feather i' t' house , an ah do nought doot he'll tell ye arl aboot it . " When he went into the house he saw another old man sitting over the fire , bowed down with years , to whom he put the question . Only with difficulty could he make this old man understand what he wanted . But after a little time he got the following answer : "Ah noo nought aboot it ;

boot may be , if ye'II go in t' yard , ye'll meet wi' feather , who may be can tell ye . " The agent upon this thought he had met with a race of antediluvians . However , into the yard he went , and , to his no small astonishment , found a venerable old man , with a long beard and a broad leathern belt about him , chopping sticks . To this man he again told his business , and received such information as in the end recovered the royalty in dispute .

One of the last services Dean Stanley did for Westminster Abbey was to cause the almost effaced inscription over the celebrated Old Parr's grave to be re-cut . It is as follows : " Tho : Parr of ye County of Salop . Borne in AD 1483 . He lived in ye reigns of Ten Princes , viz .: K . Edward 4—K . Ewd 5—K . Richd 3 . K . Hen : 7—K . Hen 8—K . Edwd 6 . 2 . Mary—2 . Elizabeth—K . James ist and K . Charles ist . Aged 152 yeares ,

and was buried , here 15 th Nov ; , 1635 . " These cases of longevity will not seem so very incredible if ' we reflect that it is not natural for the lives of men to be as short as they are . The law of nature is that every animal should live five times the number of years it takes to reach maturity . In the case of man , this is 21 , so that the child born with a good constitution should , if he lived a perfectly healthy life , and were not cut off by accidental destructive agencies , live 105 years .

There must be something wrong somewhere when he does not . There has been more or less of a murder , or of a suicide , or the environment has been unsuitable . When a certain Frenchwoman , 80 years old , was running over the catalogue of her ailments , her physician at last said to her " What would you have , madam ? I cannot make you young again ! " Ordinary practitioners cannot do this ; but there are four famous doctors who , if they

cannot make us young , can keep us for a long time from becoming old . Their names are Temperance , Exercise , Good Air , and Early Hours . Many people do not believe in these true physicians because they are cheap , unaffected , and truthful ; but if they were more generally obeyed , old age would stay away much longer , and when it came would be far less burdensome . Were people to observe moderation in all things—were our working

classes as well fed , clothed , and housed as they might be , and were the rich to abstain from the use of dangerous luxuries , including idleness , no end of diseases and accidents would be averted , and the three score years and ten would not be the ordinary limit , but the ordinary average of human lifeas many living beyond that period as dying before it . Quiet consciences ,

contented minds , freedom from pecuniary care keep away sickness and old age . So does the will to be well : The surest guide to health , say what they will , Is never to suppose we shall be ill ; Most of those evils we poor mortals know , From doctors and imagination flow .

As for youthful excesses , they have been well defined as " drafts upon our old age , payable with interest about 30 years after date . ' A young man said to a man of go years of age : " How do you live so long and be so well ? " The old man took the youth to an orchard , and pointing to some trees full of apples , said " I planted these trees when I was a boy ,

and do you wonder that now I am permitted to gather the fruit of them ? We gather in old age what we plant in youth . " " As I approve , " says Cicero , " of a youth that has something of the old man in him , so I am no less pleased with an old man , that has something of the youth . He that follows this rule may be old in body , but can never be so in mind . "

The ingredients of health and long life are Great temperance , open air , Easy labour , little care . An old German proverb says—Joy , and temperance , and repose , Slam the door on the doctor's nose . Another

one—Cares for our coffin furnish nails , no doubt , And every merry laugh will draw one out . If men would only take as much care of themselves as they do of watches or other machines of which they have charge , they would not grow old and wear out nearly so soon . Our late Bro . Sir Benjamin Richardson relates a conversation which he once had with an engineer , who had charge of a

large stationary engine . The man surprised the eminent physician by telling him that his engine had been working , as true as steel , 90 years . " And do you know , " he added , " it has had eight masters . 1 am the eighth who has had care of it ; the others are all either dead or worn out , and yet it goes on as if it were as young as ever . Very strange , sir , isn't it 1 that an engine should live so much longer than a man ; and it is not hard

work for us either , or exposed work , for thc room is always warm and comfortable / and the place is , of course , clean and light . " " What did the men die from ? " asked the doctor . " Well , three or four , I am afraid , died of drink ; another of bad temper ; another of worry ; and so on . But the engine went on all the same . " " The fate of the engine , " says Sir Richard , " its long life and continued industry , puzzled the man . He , often in his lonely hours , thought of it , and wondered how many men would follow him

before the engine began to break down . It did not puzzle me . lhat engine worked a great many hours a day , truly ; but it was equable in its work ; it never ran loose ; it was true in its vocation ; it was served with the best but simplest fuel food ; it drank nothing but water . So it lived on , through nearly three generations ; it was allowed to make the most of its physical life . Its masters did not make the most of their lives—they were not so orderly , so true , so steady , so clean as they made the engine ; they had not learned so well to find the best food and drink lor their own labour

Science, Art, And The Drama.

as they had found for the engine . " Speaking of Ephraim , the prophet Hoseasays : " Grey hairs are here and there upon him , yet he knoweth not . " Many people resemble Ephraim in this respect . They will not recognise the fact that they are getting on in life , and are not so young as they were . So they make themselves ridiculous by dressing and acting in a juvenile way . They take liberties with their health , and play games for

which they have neither wind nor limb . They force their company upon youngsters , and are indignant when these keep them at a respectful distance . Others acquiesce , too readily , in old age . Instead of resisting it , they make " I ' m getting old " an excuse for mental and bodily laziness . Their tempers become grumpy , and they allow themselves to fall into the boring ways of an old fogy . Athletes are said to have a second breath . When they have

this , they hold out a great while . So it is with our thoughts about growing old ; after men have got over that , they do not feel old , though they are 80 years of age . When are -we old ? We live in deeds , not years ; in thoughts , not breaths ; In feelings , not in figures oh a dial . We should count time by heart throbs . He most lives Who thinks most , feels the noblest , acts the best .

THE DORE GALLERY . There has lately been added to the valuable collection at this gallery some important pictures by Jan Ten-Kate ^ There is a brief notice of the artist in the catalogue presented to visitors ; it gives some of the most interesting facts of his career , up to date . The style of Jan Ten-Kate is of the highest kind ; he aims at impressing a deep lesson by each of his pictures . There is a striking bold originality in his work which cannot fail to arrest attention ; in some cases his lofty conceptions are beyond his

artistic powers , yet we cannot but acknowledge his conscientious endeavours . The works to which we would especially draw attention are No . 1— "War against War ; " 6— " Hang arms upon the Cross ; " 12— "The Flowers bloom at the foot of the Cross ; " 12— " The silent Cannon . " Those with thoughtful minds will learn much by a careful study of the sacred truths so impressively depicted . The collection is entitled " In the Cause of Humanity , " and it well merits its very appropriate name .

HANOVER GALLERY . 47 , NEW BOND-STREET . At the above there is a small collection of pictures by two artists only-Diaz and Isabey . They are of such beautiful finish and effect that they are more like cabinet or miniatures . There are some striking yet beautiful harmonies of colour . We will mention a few which most pleased us ,

leaving visitors to discover many others of excellent merit By Diaz : No . io . —Woodlands ; 14 . —Venus and Cupid ; 21 . —Sousbois ; 26 . — Fontainebleau ; 34 . —The Coming Storm ; 57 . —Surprised . Bv Isabey : 2 . —Le depart ; 7 . —Apresleduel ; 41 . —The Conqueror ; 47 . —La sortie ; So . —The Armourer ; 83 . —The Cavalcade . Fail not to see the collection .

THE DOWDESWELL GALLERIES . 160 , NEW BOND-STREET . Mr . E . Arthur Rowe exhibits a most charming series of water colours of " Old-World Gardens . " There are grand opportunities for colours , which the artist has not failed to use , but , yet , in perfect harmony . Notice Nos . 3 , 6 , 13 , 17 , 27 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 55 , 76 ; but do not neglect many others equally good .

Rex Vicat Cole , R . B . A ., at the same gallery , gives us his artistic experience of " A Year in Wharfdale , " oil pictures he has painted in the neighbourhood of Bolton Abbey , Yorkshire . We would especially notice Nos . 3 , , iG , 25 , 28 , 29 , 37 , 43 , 46 . To those with whom the scenes are familiar their depiction will revive many pleasant remembrances .

THE FINE ART SOCIETY . 148 , NEW BOND-STREET . Mr . Samuel J . Hodson exhibits some water colour pictures— " Picturesque towns on the Loire , " the architectural details depicted are interesting ; we draw attention to Nos . 1 , 4 , 5 , , 15 , 16 , 30 , 35 , 43 , these , with many others , are worthy of notice . In the South Room is a series of water colour views , entitled " By Woodland and Stream , " the work of Mr . W . Eyre Walker ,

R . W . S . These are delightfully depicted . We were pleased with Nos . 3 , 7 , 8 , 18 , 25 . 33 , 44 , 49 , 66 . The artist is to be congratulated on his beautiful productions , evidently a labour of love . In another room of the same gallery are pictures , drawings , and studies , made by the late Sir J . EMillais , Bart ., P . R . A . They are interesting , as foreshadowing the future fame this illustrious artist achieved .

CORONET THEATRE , NOTTING HILL , W . We have again visited this pretty little suburban theatre . We repeat that the people of this favoured district have the advantage of seeing the productions of the best London theatres—a little later on—on this occasion it was " The lady of Ostend , " by Mr . Lawrence Brough and his companyr

which so much amused us—it was well and completely represented . During Easter week there was " Zaza , " followed by the return visit of the Carl Rosa Opera Company ( for two weeks ) , then " Marie Tempest in Eng lish Nell ( Nell Gwynne ) . So we see that those who cannot visit the London theatres may see the best pieces in their own vicinity .

ANNIVERSARY OF GOLDSMITH ' DEATH . —Thursday , the 4 th Instant , being the 20 th anniversary of the death of Oliver Goldsmith , a number of persons assemble" ! round the spot in the Temple which is believed to be his grave , to pay a tribute to ni » memory . Mr . Edwin Drew , the hon . secretary , placed a wreath and cross on the stone , and , addressing the little group , referred to the fact that Gjldsmith died in debt to tw amount of £ 2000 . Mr . Linford Wilson , an octogenarian , recited several of the p " ' > works .