432 INTERPRETATION OF VISUAL SENSATIONS. 
some time after tolerably distinct vision had been obtained, 
saw everything flat as in a picture, the impression made upon 
his retina being simply transferred to his mind; and it was 
some time before he acquired the power of judging, by his 
sight, of the real forms, characters, and distances of objects 
around him. Thus, among other interesting circumstances, 
it is mentioned that he was well acquainted with a Dog and 
a Cat by feeling , but could not remember their respective 
characters when he saw them ; one day, when thus puzzled, 
he took up the Cat in his arms and felt her attentively, at 
the same time looking steadfastly at her, so as to associate 
the two sets of ideas ; and then, setting her down, said, “ So, 
puss, I shall know you another time.” A similar instance 
has come under the Author’s own knowledge ; but the subject 
of it was scarcely old enough to present facts of so striking a 
character. One curious circumstance, however, may be men¬ 
tioned, as fully bearing out the view here given. The lad had 
been accustomed to find his way readily about his father’s 
house by the use of his hands, and he continued to do the 
same for some time after his sight was tolerably clear, being 
evidently puzzled, rather than assisted, by the impressions 
conveyed through his new sense; but, when learning a new 
locality, he employed his sight, and evidently perceived the 
increase of facility which he derived from it. Hence, we can 
have little hesitation in deciding upon the question which has 
perplexed many able reasoners, whether a person born blind, 
who was able by the sense of touch to distinguish a cube from 
a sphere, would, on suddenly obtaining his sight, be able to 
recognise these bodies by the latter sense. This question was 
answered in the negative by the celebrated mental philosopher, 
Locke, and with perfect justice. 
558. We shall now inquire into the mode in which we 
form our notions of the nature, sizes, distances, &c., of external 
objects, from their pictures impressed upon our retina. The 
first question is one on which a vast amount of discussion has 
taken place, with very little satisfactory result. It is,—why 
are the objects which we see, represented to our minds in 
their true erect position, their images upon the retina being 
inverted? Various replies to this question have been pro¬ 
posed at different times; and, amongst others, it has been 
actually assumed that the Infant really does see objects 
