YOUTH AND OLD AGE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 9316, 17 August 1908, Page 2

YOUTH AND OLD AGE.

EXTRAORDINARY TRIUMPHS

Mr W. A. N. Dorland contributes to the "Century Magazine" a most interesting paper under the title ' ' The Age of Meutal Virility." Four hundred records of men famous in all lines of intellectual activity have been carefully compiled and analysed in order to ascertain when they began their life's work, when they achieved their masterpiece, how long they kept on producing, and when they ceased work. The average initial age of the 400 records was 24. It is suggestive that the workers began earlier than the thinkers — • at 22 — while the thinkers' average stands at 26. The average age for the masterpiece is 60 — workers 47, thinkers 52. The average duration of the mental process Was 40 years — thinkers 39, workers 41. The following is a condensed summary of Dr Borland's account of some of the triumphs of youth ; —

Mozart at 4 played mmuets and composed little pieces. He performed in public for the first time when 5 years old. Meyerbeer was an excellent pianist at 5 ; at 7 played Mozart's concerto in D minor in public; at 10 had written an opera. At 6 Eichhorn and Eybler gave public concerts, and Spohr at the same age took the leading part in Kalkbrenner's trios. Handel at 13 composed a mass. At the age of 9 Liszt, displayed great musical ability ; in his 11th year ho played before enthusiastic audiences in Vienna ; and at 14 he wrote the operetta "Don Sancho." Mendelssohn first played in public at) 9j and at 11 ho began to compose with astonishing rapidity. Verdi, when only 10, was appointed organist at Le Roncole, and at 15 wrote his first symphony. Rossini sang solos in church at 10, and at 18 produced his first opera. Weber at 12 published a set of " Six fughetti." Cherubini awoke popular enthusiasm with a mass at 13, Schubert began writing music at 13, and when 18 composed two symphonies, five operas, and no less than one hundred and thirty-seven songs. At 17 AVagner published hie first important composition. Brahms at the age of 20 had written a string quartet and many other pieces.

At sixteen Henry IV. of France was at the head of the Huguenot army, at 19 he became King % of Navarre. Scipio Africanus the elder distinguished himself at the battle of Ticinus at the age of 16, and at 29 overthrew the power of Carthage at Zama. Alexander the Great defeated the celebrated Theban band at Chasronea, before he had attained the age of 18, ascended the throne at 20, had conquered the world at 25, and died at 32. Charles XII. completed his first campaign against Denmark at 18, overthrow 80,000 Russians at Narva before 19, conquered Poland and Saxony at 24, and died at 36. Peter the Great of Russia was proclaimed Czar at 10 years of age, organised a large army at 20, won the victory of Embach at 30, and founded St Petersburg at 31. At the age of 21 Eugene of Savoy was colonel, at 24 h© was lieutenant field-marshal, and shorl>ly after general field-marshal; at 34 he w6n the battle of Zenta. Conde defeated the Spaniards at Rocroi at 21, and won all his military fame before the age of 25. Julius Cresar commanded a fleet before Mitylene- and distinguished himself before the age of 22. Philip of Macedon ascended the throne at 22, and was conqueror of Greece at 45. Lord Clive distinguished himself at 22, attained his greatest fame at 35, and had founded the British Empire in India by 40. Napoleon was a major at 26, and had won all his great battles as commander-in-chief of the army of Italy at 26. Saxe'waß a marechal-de-campe at 24. Vauban, the great engineer, had conducted several sieges at 25. Charlemagne was crowned king at 26, was master of France and the larger part of Germany at 29, placed on his head the iron crown of Italy at 32, and conquered Spain at 36. Hanibal was made commander-in-chief of the Carthaginian army in Spain at 26, and had won all his great battles in Italy, concluding with Oanne, at 31. Frederick the Great ascended the throne at 28, terminated the first Silesian war at 30 and the second at 33. Wolfe was conqueror of Quebec at 32, and Turenne became a marshal of France at 32. and won. all his distinction before 40. Pizafro completed the conquest of Peru at 35, and 1 died at 40, while Cortez effected the conquest of Mexico and completed his military career before the ago of 30.

John Stuart Mill learned the Greek alphabet at 3; by 8 he had read much Greek ; at 8 he learned Latin ; at 12 began a thorough study of scholastic logic. Wren invented an astronomical instrument and dedicated it in Latin to hi6 father when only 4 years of age. Isaac Watts began the study of the classics in his fifth year, and at 7 or 8 composed some of his devo; tional pieces. Landseer at 10 was on ■admirable draughtsman. Bulwer-Lyt-toiij the novelist, wrote ballads at 5 years of age, and at 15 published " Jsniael, an Oriental Tale, with other Poems." Scott at the oge of 0 denned himself as a. " virtuoso " ; at 10 he was a connoisseur in various readings. Dean Alford at 6 wrote a little manuscript volume, "Tho Travels of St Paul." Reynolds at 8 made a fine drawing of his schoolhouse, and Leibnitz at the same age taught himself Latin, and at 12 had begun Greek. Macaulay at 8 had writen a "Compendium of Universal History '' 'and a romance in three cantos. Dante composed a. sonnet to Beatrice at 9, and Goethe wrote several languages before- the age of 10. Metastaaion improvised at 10. At 12 Tennyson wrote an epic of 6000 lines, and at 14 a drama in blank verso of perfect metre. Calderon published hie " Chariot of Heaven" at 13. Hans Christian Anderson, before his fourteenth year, had written several tragedies and poems. Raphael was renowned at 14 ; Fenelou preached mi excellent sermon at 15 j and at the same age Victor Hugo wrote " Irtamene." At 1G Moore translated " Anacreon " and Lamennais wrote the " Words of a. Boliever." Spenser published verse at 16 arid 17. At 18 Byron wruto hi3 "Hours of Idleness." Bryant at 19 wrote his celebrated " ThanatopsiG," and Gauttor his *' Alberta " and other poems; Galileo ah '10 discovered the isochronism of tlie pendulum in the cathedral of Pisa.

Mr Dorlaud comes to the conclusion that. " provided health and optimism remain, the man of 50 can command k access as readily «s the num. of 30." He lias compiled a goodly list of veterans who did .some of their best work after they had passed their threescore years and ten : — Between the ages of 70 and 83 Commodore Vflndorbilt increased the miloflsre of his road from 120 to 10,000, and added about 100 million, to his fortune. Grote in his 71st year began his work on "Aristotle." At 72 Handel, blind for tho last six years of his life, composed his oratorio "Triumph of Time and Truth," and died at 74, workin«; until the last. At the same age Meyerbeer produced his greatest opera, <•' L' Africa) ne," Samuel Johnson published the best of his works, "Lives of the Poets," and later completed his greatest of all dictionaries. Wordsworth was appointed to the laureates-hip- at 7 3. and lived to see his 80th birthday.

Galileo at 73 made his last telescopic discovery. At 74 Kant wrote bis " Anthropology," and Thiers became President of the French Republic, hoMing that exalted office for t.wo years. Tintonetto at the same age painted his "Paradise." Verdi when 73 produced his masterpiece " Otello." Holmes at 78 wrote "Our Hundred Days in Europe," and at 79 published " Over the Teacups," dying at the ripe old age of 85. Longfellow at 75 wrote his imposing meditation, " Hermes Trisraagietus," and the beautiful "Bells of San Bias." At 75 Hallam published, his "Literary Essays and Characters," Metternioh was driven from power, Bis>marck was forced from the Chancellorship by the German Emperor, Crispi assumed the Premiership of Italy. Hugo at 75 wrote " History of a Crime"; at 77 published " Le Pepe"; at 78, "L'Ane"; at 79, " Les Quatre Vents da l'Esprit"; and at, 80, "Torquemada. Lamartine at 76 wrote a novel, " Fior d'Aliza." Washington Irving lived to be 76, and wrote his " Life of Washington " in hifi last years. Humboldt postponed until hie 76th year the beginning of the crowning task of his life, the preparation of the " Kosinos," which he successfully completed in his 90th year. Jacob Grimm died at 78, working to, the last; and Laplace, dying at the same age, said with his last breath, " What we know is nothing ; what we do not know is immense-." Lamarck at 78 completed his greatest zoological work, " The Natural History of lu vertebrates," and lived until 85 years of age. Whittier at 79 published " Poems of Nature " and "St Gregory's Guest." William Cullen Bryant at 79 wrote a volume of " Orations and Addresses," and was active until his death from heat exhaustion when 84 years old- Browning wrote with undiminished vigour until his death at 75.

OCTOGENARIANS

Cato began the study of Greek at 80, Plutarcii "began his first lessons in Latin, and Socrates learned to play on instruments of music. Arnauld, the theologian and sage, translated Josaphus iu his 80fch year. Gladstone became Premier for the fourth time at 83, and held the office for two years. West painted admirably until 80 years of age. and Goethe, at Weimar, completed '" Faust * when as old. Hahnemann married at 80, and was working at 97 years. Simonides won the prize for verse when over 80 years of age, and Ranke at the age of 80 began his " History of the World," and lived to complete twelve volumes, dying at the age of 91. Buffon, the great French naturalist, until shortly before hie death at 81, laboured upon hie " Natural History." Palmerstoii was Prime Minister of England when he died at 81. Bancroft published the concluding volume of his "History" at 82, and died at 91. Voltaire at 83 published a tragedy, " Irene," and Tennyson, whose age was 83, gave the world, in hie " Crossing the Bar/' one of the most beautiful of ewan songs. Newton at 83 worked as hard a& he did in middle lite, and Herbert Spencer died at the same age almost with pen in hand. Talleyrand, dying at 84, had, under successive French rulers, been a power all his life. Landor wrote hifl " Imaginary Conversations" when 85 years old, and at 87 published his last volume of " Heroic Kylls." Guizot at 87 showed unimpaired mental vigour and activity, and Hobbs, the English philosopher, at the same age published has version of the " Odyesey," and his " Iliad" one year later- A few weeks before hie death, in his 90th year, he wrote to his publisher, "I shall have something in English for you shortly.' Yon Moltke, when 88, was still chief of staff of the Prussian Army, and John Wesley at that ago preached almosit every day, and still held the helm of Methodism. At 89, Michel Angelo was still painting his great canvases. Izaak Walton, wielded a ready pen at 90. Pope Leo XIII. showed no sign of intellectual decrepitude when he died of old age at 93. Fonfenelle was .as lighthearted at 98 as at 40. Titian at 98 painted his "Battle of Lepanto," and, wonder of wonders I Chevreul, the great scientist, whose untiring labours in th© realm of colour have so enriched the 1 world, was busy, keen and active when death' called him at the age of 103. It is now recognised that many or the finest achievements in business, statesmanship, literature, and in all activities have been wrought by men. long past 60.