length of life.
From the different longevities of men in the beginning of the world, after the flood, and in these ages, Mr Derham draws an argument, for the interposition of a divine Providence.
Immediately after the creation, when the world was to be peopled by one man and one woman, the ordinary age was 900 and upwards.—Immediately after the flood, when there were three persons to stock the world, their age was cut shorter, and none of those patriarchs, but Shem, arrived at 500.—In the second century we find none that reached 240: in the third, none but Terah that came to 200 years; the world, at least a part of it, by that time being so well peopled, that they had built cities, and were cantoned out into distant nations.—By degrees, as the number of people increased, their longevity dwindled, till it came down at length to 70 or 80 years; and there it stood, and has continued to stand ever since the time of Moses.—This is found a good medium, and by means hereof the world is neither overstocked, nor kept too thin; but life and death keep a pretty equal pace.
That the common duration of man's life has been the same in all ages since the world was peopled, is plain both from sacred and profane history. To pass by others, Plato lived to 81, and was accounted an old man: and the instances of longevity produced by Pliny, L. vii. c. 48. as very extraordinary, may most of them be matched in modern histories. Mr Carew (A) tells us, that there lived in his time, in Cornwall, one Polzeu, who reached the age of 130; a kinsman of his lived to 112; one Mr
(A) Survey of Cornwall, fol. 63. Longevity, Mr Beauchamp, to 106; and that there died in his own parish, in the short space of 14 weeks, four persons, whose years made together 340. The famous Thomas Par, who was born at Alderbury in Shropshire, lived to 152 years (a). In Oxfordshire, Dr Plott tells us of Richard Clifford, living, at Bolticot, to 114; Brian Stevens, at Woodstock, and two or three persons then living at Oxford, above 100 (c). Dr Willet informs us of a man who lived at Eversden, in Bedfordshire, to the age of 124 (n). Dr Hakewill observes of William, marquis of Winchester, that he reached 107 (x). Dr Plott tells us, that Mr Biddulph, of Biddulph in Staffordshire, had 12 tenants living, whose ages, put together, made 1000 (r). Henry Jenkins, of Yorkshire, died at 168 (g). In Scotland also, some persons have attained to a very great ages. Buchanan mentions one, who at 140, was able to go out to fish, in a tempestuous sea, in his own little boat (m); and Mr Martin affirms, that one Tairville lived, in Shetland, to 180 (i). The countess of Desmond, in Ireland, who was known to Sir Walter Ralegh and Lord Bacon, lived to 140 (k).
No certain causes have hitherto been discovered to which the longevity of mankind can always be attributed. Some have attributed it to temperance and a country life; but instances of longevity are as rare among people who live in this way as among others who live more freely, provided they go not to great excesses. It would seem therefore, that at the first formation of the human body, the original flamma in some are of such a nature as to be capable of continuing life for a much longer time than in others, even where circumstances are otherwise very much alike. Hence we may easily see how it becomes exceedingly difficult, or rather impossible, to lay down a rule by following of which he may expect to attain to long life—a deficiency in the original flamma cannot be supplied by art, though temperance and sobriety are undoubtedly the best methods of avoiding any waste of that strength which nature has originally given, or of shortening our life by bringing on diseases. See Abstinence.