The man of the past.

The man of the past.

The ancient God created the old man, capable of erring — thus he erred himself.

Once upon a time, when the Yewnited States was just a little shaver among the nations, but already very spoiled along the literate Eastern fringes, there lived younder in Tennessee a lovable old man with a tongue like a rat-tailed file and a face so hard they called him Old Hickory. ("The Old Deal," October 22, 1945)

He had a thousand-year-old stare.

His form was ponderous, and his step was slow;
There never was so wise a man before;
He seemed the incarnate "Well, I told you so!"

Once, in the flight of ages past,
There lived a man.

Perhaps he was old and wise, perhaps he was just old.

The old Jew, he is the man.

Cecil Forrester was heir to many misfortunes, being handsome, rich, high-born, and clever.

My old man he's like some feudal lord, got more lives than a cat.

Lamech's sons were heroes of their race: Jubal, the eldest, bore upon his face The look of that calm river-god, the Nile, Mildly secure in power that needs not guile.

The monumental pomp of age Was with this goodly personage; A stature undepressed in size, Unbent, which rather seemed to rise In open victory o'er the weight Of seventy years, to loftier height.