Prof. Morton, in his lectures upon "The Social Evil and Kindred Vices," says: "Mne-tenths of the young men between 14 and 20 practicing the secret vice, will either stoutly deny it or transfer the blame to other parties to screen themselves." Such is poor, depraved human nature!

And yet, man is divine; the best have their failings; the worst have their good traits. The philanthropist, the physician, will not shrink from uttering the most searching words of warning and counsel to the young, that they may see growing up a generation of earnest, sober-minded, cleanly and manly young men, and a similar class of young women.

Caesar's wife "must be above suspicion;" that is, above the distrust of Caesar and the peers of Caesar; not of the gossipy, sensual-minded who, sailing upon the sea of calumny, and feasting upon its mud think worst of that which is best.

Few fathers deliberately teach their sons the true purposes of the sexual organization, and still fewer mothers teach their daughters to know themselves. The laws of sexual physiology, of temperamental blendings, of procreation and mental impressions during gestation are little studied in the family circle, and the result is, that a majority of marriages are matters of fancy or passion, conception is an accident and the infant an unwelcome guest.

On the 13th of September, 1883, a single cow, of the "improved short horn breed," was sold near Utica, N. Y., for $40,600, and 15 calves and cows of the choicest breeds sold for $260,000. What would be the result if the same attention and study were devoted to the development of a better breed of men?

In the past, golden with precious memories, the ideal man was honest, laborious and practical. He was proud of his honor; office sought him. He was benevolent in feeling, pleasant in the family and regal in deportment. The ideal woman was industrious, frugal and sweet tempered. She was also neat, confiding and self-sacrificing, literally a helpmeet, making home a very garden of sunshine!

But, alas! Those times are fast fading behind the horizon of the past. The ideal man, now-a-days, is the one who makes money, who frequents club-rooms, dresses in fine broadcloth and goes a-yachting - "a society man!"

The ideal woman is sweet, gentle, sickly and waxy. She dresses in fashion, reads novels, visits the sea shore and burdens herself with costly precious stones, thus exhibiting her vanity, and exciting the envy of those who are silly enough to wish they had them!

But what has this to do with living a century? Why, just this: Lives so external and abnormal, lives devoted to feasting, fashion, greed and showy worldliness, like frail, flickering lamp lights, soon expire.

Compare them with our historian, George Bancroft, now in his eighty-sixth year, and yet doing the work each day of a man in life's prime. Knowing him personally, I have this to say of him: he is abstemious in eating; he retires early, and rises early in the morning; he does his literary work in the first part of the day; he is very industrious; he has been particular about his baths. "His bed is a narrow, single one in a bed-room and library combined." "I believe," says he, "the secret of good health is in taking care of one's self. I go to bed early, rise early and do my work in the fore part of the day."

Many of the renowned men of the world did their most important work when between 70 and 100 years of age.

At 73 Blucher turned the tide at Waterloo.

In his eight-first year Dr. J. Williamson Nevin retains the powers of his vigorous intellect.

At 71 Bismark is without a peer in the great complex circle of international diplomacy.

In his eighty-first year Gladstone continues to "manage a kingdom whose geography knows no setting sun."

At 87 King William rides horse-back, goes a-hunting, and proudly sways the scepter over one of the world's greatest empires with an "arm unpalsied by age."

It was only recently that Lucretia Mott, in her eighty-eighth year, passed to the better land of immortality. The year previous to her death she delivered one of the ablest speeches of her life in in Philadelphia. Her mind was clear, her voice firm and her logic inexorable. She manifested few of the gathering infirmities age. For nearly three generations this woman won the warmest love and praise; she was mild, forgiving and pleasant. She truly "grew old gracefully," retaining a most beautiful expression upon her face till the last.

The Friends, often called Quakers, a quiet, temperate, plain-dressing, industrious and thrifty people, are noted for their long lives.

Europeans are longer lived than Asiatics. The Welsh are the longest lived people in Europe; the Scotch are next, and the Irish are the shortest lived of all. The Jews in ancient times were much longer lived than the Gentiles or Pagan nations. Christians to-day are longer lived than free-thinking, scoffing atheists. Faith in God and immortality are conducive to peace of mind and long life.

While it is well known that there is a perpetual struggle going on in the system between accumulation and elimination, Dr. De Lacy Evans contends that the more immediate causes producing old age physically, are fibrinous and gelatinous substances, imperfect circulation and slow, steady depositions of calcareous matter throughout the system. These depositions and accumulations lessen the caliber of the blood-vessels, block the arteries, weaken the valves, contract and impair, if not ossify, the walls of the heart.

Some foods contain too much calcareous substance for health; but fruits, fish, venison and wild game contain only a very trifle of these calcareous salts and earthy particles, and are, therefore, healthy for the aged. Fruits and distilled water are specifics for ossific depositions.

A French physician observes "That man begins in a gelatinous and ends in an osseous (or bony) condition. In the human body water forms 70 per cent, of its aggregate weight; in fact there is not a single tissue which does not contain water as a necessary ingredient. Now water holds certain salts in solution, which become more or less deposited, notwithstanding the large proportion eliminated through the secretions. Nevertheless it is only a matter of time before these minute particles deposited by the blood have a marked effect in causing the stiffness and aridity of advancing life. The reason why in early life the deposits of earthy salts are so infinitesimal is simply because they have not had time to accumulate. It is the old kitchen boiler which is found full of incrustations, not the new one, time not having been sufficient for their deposit. M. Le Cann proved by analysis that human blood contains compounds of lime, magnesia and iron, averaging 2.1 in every 1,000 parts. This clearly demonstrates that in the blood itself are contained the earth salts, which gradually become deposited in the system.