690 THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY. 



political, economical, juridical, and ethnical aspects of slavery were 

 treated by the ablest men of the nation. Livingston was familiar 

 with every step of the controversy. 



Having been interested in language-studies from early boyhood, 

 he was in the habit, during these years, of practicing literary com- 

 position, and was also studying natural philosophy and chemistry in 

 the district school. Despite his eye-trouble, he was still intent upon 

 pursuing a regular course of study, and began his preparation for col- 

 lege in the spring of 1838, at the Galway Academy, under Professor 

 Morgan. In the ensuing autumn he began to teach a common school, 

 but his sight soon failed him, and from this time until he was thirty 

 years old he was practically blind. The next two years were passed 

 in the vain hope that time and rest would bring about a restoration 

 of his vision. He was treated for a while by a local oculist of some 

 reputation, but his eyes grew worse, and his general health became 

 much impaired. This period, however, was not wasted. Much of it 

 was spent in undisturbed reflection. His early habit of thinking for 

 himself was now of great value. His excellent memory was stored 

 with abundant material for thought, and perhaps nothing could have 

 better promoted his solid education than those two years of quiet. 

 But his habit of reading was also kept up ; his brothers and sister, who 

 had always been his loyal pupils, and were interested in everything 

 that interested him, became his sympathetic co-workers in the study of 

 any subject he chose. The classics, however, no longer occupied his 

 attention ; but he was already manifesting distinct tendencies toward 

 scientific thought. Whatever taste or talent he may have had for 

 experimental science, the state of his eyes prevented its pursuit. 

 His love of science in its useful applications, and his enthusiasm for 

 its popularization, were no doubt fostered by his blindness. Hence, 

 while cut off from all part in the making of science, he was to find 

 a most congenial field of labor in the work of its diffusion. 



His eyes growing worse instead of better, in the fall of 1840 he came 

 to New York for treatment in the eye infirmary. He remained there 

 several weeks without improvement, when he was informed that the 

 physician in charge regarded his case as hopeless. He left the institu- 

 tion at once, and visited other oculists in the city. Among these, Dr. 

 Elliot gave him most eucouragemcnt, telling him that his eyes were 

 by no means hopelessly ruined, and that he would undertake their cure 

 for a fee of 8150, to be paid in advance. The amount was at once 

 obtained from home ; and it may be added that this was the last 

 money he would consent to accept from that source, ever after relying 

 upon himself for support. The previous two years of indoor life, with 

 occasional seasons of reducing medical treatment, had seriously im- 

 paired his vigor, and he was suffering under a constant liability to 

 take cold on the most trilling exposure. After a few weeks of con- 

 tinuous but slow improvement, he began to see well enough to go 



