Our studies and desires should sometime be sensible of age; yet we have one foot in the grave and still our appetites and pursuits spring every day anew within us: "Tu secanda marmora Locas sub ipsum funus, et, sepulcri Immemor, struis domos." ["You against the time of death have marble cut for use, and, forgetful of the tomb, build houses."--Horace, Od., ii. 18, 17.] The longest of my designs is not of above a year's extent; I think of nothing now but ending; rid myself of all new hopes and enterprises; take my last leave of every place I depart from, and every day dispossess myself of what I have. "Olim jam nec perit quicquam mihi, nec acquiritur.... plus superest viatici quam viae." ["Henceforward I will neither lose, nor expect to get: I have more wherewith to defray my journey, than I have way to go." (Or): "Hitherto nothing of me has been lost or gained; more remains to pay the way than there is way."--Seneca, Ep., 77. (The sense seems to be that so far he had met his expenses, but that for the future he was likely to have more than he required.)] "Vixi, et, quem dederat cursum fortuna, peregi." ["I have lived and finished the career Fortune placed before me." --AEneid, iv. 653.] 'Tis indeed the only comfort I find in my old age, that it mortifies in me several cares and desires wherewith my life has been disturbed; the care how the world goes, the care of riches, of grandeur, of knowledge, of health, of myself. There are men who are learning to speak at a time when they should learn to be silent for ever. A man may always study, but he must not always go to school what a contemptible thing is an old Abecedarian!--[Seneca, Ep. 36] "Diversos diversa juvant; non omnibus annis Omnia conveniunt." ["Various things delight various men; all things are not for all ages."--Gall., Eleg., i. 104.]