Crescere sentimus, pariterque senescere mentem.
Besides, ’tis plain, that souls are born and grow,
And all by age decay, as bodies do.
Creeche’s Lucretius, book 3.
The labours of the mind should therefore be retrench’d, as the declining powers of the body direct; the latter becomes incapable of bearing the same burthens, the former of pursuing the same studies, which in this period of life soonest break the constitution, and destroy the brain; and are of so little use, that old men consult their glory no less than their health, by retiring betimes.
Solve senescentem mature sanus equum, ne
Peccet ad extremum ridendus, & ilia ducat.
Loose from the rapid car your aged horse,
Lest in the race, derided, left behind,