This air, however, notwithstanding its humidity, is so healthy,
that the natives are scarce ever visited by any other disease
than the smallpox, and certain cutaneous evils, which are the
effects of dirty living, the great and general reproach of the
commonalty of this kingdom. Here are a great many living
monuments of longaevity; and among the rest a person, whom I
treat with singular respect, as a venerable druid, who has lived
near ninety years, without pain or sickness, among oaks of his
own planting. -- He was once proprietor of these lands; but being
of a projecting spirit, some of his schemes miscarried, and he
was obliged to part with his possession, which hath shifted hands
two or three times since that period; but every succeeding
proprietor hath done every thing in his power, to make his old
age easy and comfortable. He has a sufficiency to procure the
necessaries of life; and he and his old woman reside in a small
convenient farm-house, having a little garden which he cultivates
with his own hands. This ancient couple live in great health,
peace, and harmony, and, knowing no wants, enjoy the perfection
of content. Mr Smollet calls him the admiral, because he insists
upon steering his pleasure-boat upon the lake; and he spends most
of his time in ranging through the woods, which he declares he
enjoys as much as if they were still his own property -- I asked
him the other day, if he was never sick, and he answered, Yes;
he had a slight fever the year before the union.
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