constantly remind us of the perpetual lapse of time, and of the important change which that perpetual lapse is perpetually producing in the circumstances of our present being; something, which, instead of leaving us to the mercy of our own reflection, whose indolence and infidelity are but too well demonstrated, may seize upon, and fix our attention, by some powerful and sensible impression.

To supply an auxiliary of this nature; simple in its construction; convenient in its form; intelligible in its design; easy in its use; clear in its indications; sure and immediate in its effect; by means of which, the due correspondence between our minds and our years may, at any moment, be ascertained, confirmed, or restored; and by that means, any failure in the exercise of our agency be presently redressed; the scheme of THE BIOSCOPE was first imagined; and it is now offered, after an experiment of some years, to the closets and the studies of the serious and the wise. It pretends not to add any thing new to the store

of moral instruction, which has been so richly poured out upon us by the labours of those, whom God has raised up, in different ages, for lights to guide our course; it only pretends to contribute a means, and to furnish an occasion, for applying that instruction; and, as a GENERAL REGULATOR, to render it easy for the mind, to keep always an even and measured pace with the years of life, so that it may always find itself at its natural post in time, whenever its agency shall be called for: in order that, "when its "Lord cometh, He may find it watching. "For, blessed are those servants, whom His "Lord when He cometh shall find so doing: "and if He shall come in the second watch, " or come in the third watch, and find them

How far these pretensions may be justified, must appear from the following Description of the Dial, and explanation of its Use.

DESCRIPTION

OF

THE BIOSCOPE.

THE BIOSCOPE is a dial, or scale, consisting of seven-eighths of a circle, and divided into seventy degrees, answering to the average number of the years of human life; which average number, as we have seen, has in all ages been set at SEVENTY YEARS.

The seven decimal divisions of the scale, which represent the seven decimal divisions of life, are characterized by certain qualities, which will be found to belong, properly, to some part, or other, of each of

those seven divisions or periods, in their order and progress, viz.

1. CHILDHOOD.

2. YOUTH.

3. MANHOOD.

4. VIGOUR.

5. MATURITY.

6. DECLINE.

7. DECAY.

Of the years to which human life may attain, over and above the average measure, no account is taken; for the following

reasons:

1. Because it is designed to take a rule, which shall be of the most general appli cation.

2. Because no average can be formed of that excess : "Omnium ætatum certus est "terminus, senectutis autem nullus certus est " terminus."—" Every age," says Cicero, "has its certain end, except old age; " which has no certain end." It is, there

fore, necessary to abide by the general average.

3. Because, as the Psalmist pronounces, they "are but labour and sorrow;" being very few in number, passing soon away, and most commonly yielding an evident proof of the smallness of their profit.

4. Because, as Bishop Taylor observes, very old age is but a longer sickness ;" or, as Seneca speaks," an incurable sick66 ness senectus insanabilis morbus est:" a multiplication of the infirmities incident to a decaying frame, and therefore rather to be placed to the account of death than of life; being, more commonly, a preliminary of the dissolution which constitutes the latter, than a true prolongation of the powers which are essential to the former.

5. But, lastly and chiefly, because the moral effect of the instrument will be most efficaciously shown, by the sensible demonstration, that we have outlived the average measure of our lives; and by finding, on looking upon THE BIOSCOPE, that we have