Rensselaer Journal, Volume 11, Number 13, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 September 1901 — WHAT IS AGE ? [ARTICLE]

WHAT IS AGE ?

A Definition That Drew Forth a Newman Anecdote. ' Upon one occasion, when Sir Mountstuart Grant Duff was in the company of the distinguished physician, the late Sir Andrew Clark, their talk turned upon old age. Asked to define age, Sir Mountstuart took refuge In the conventional view by which a woman is the age she looks, and the man the age he feels. “Well enough for society,” commented Sir Andrew. “But what is age?” “Suppose you define it?” suggested Sir Mountstuart. “It seems to me,” replied Sir Andrew, “that age begins when we cease to be able to adapt ourselves to the changes of our environment. A man who cannot do that is already aged, whatever the sum of his years.” “That reminds me,” said Sir Mountstuart, “of a story told of a caller upon Cardinal Newman during a severe illness. ‘He is very ill,’ the observer said; ‘nevertheless, I don’t think he is going to die. He has a great deal of Latin read to him, and he is made almighty cross by the false quantities!’ ” “That is deep-sea sounding,” Sir Andrew remarked.