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PREFACE.

maining individuals,[1] who were in the morning of life, when old age and disease terminated their existence.

Notwithstanding the disadvantages which attended the collection of materials for their biography, at this remote period from the time in which they lived, and the consequent paucity of matter which could be procured for

  1. In searching for information respecting Lay and Sandiford, visits were made to most of the oldest inhabitants in the neighbourhoods where they had lived. The combined ages of ten of those persons amounts to eight hundred and twenty-one years, and it is remarkable, that all these ancient people appeared to enjoy unusual health and strength; and in most instances their faculties were unimpaired. On enquiring, several of them said, they had observed through life great temperance in drinking.