[campground]

There were a number of similar quotes in a recent review of Bruce Cannon Gibney’s book on Boomers:

‘And way, way before that, a letter published in a 1771 issue of Town and Country manages to sound laughably familiar, in sentiment at least: “Whither are the manly vigour and athletic appearance of our forefathers flown? Can these be their legitimate heirs? Surely, no; a race of effeminate, self-admiring, emaciated fribbles can never have descended in a direct line from the heroes of Potiers and Agincourt.”’

[jessaustin]

Eh, whenever they have to rewind 400 years, it's a reach. It's actually fairly likely that "heroes" from battles so long ago have no living issue.