76 plan for relieving the blind Sept. it. 



cumstances than to live in constant darkncfs ; to want 

 daily bread ; to have no friend to give them lodging or 

 support ; and to be obliged to have recourse to bagging 

 for the mere necefsaries of life ? Can those who enjoy the 

 inestimable blefsings of sight, reflect for a moinent on 

 such a forlorn condition, and not have their gratitude 

 awakened, and all their tender feelings excited ? Can any 

 thing pofsibly be done, to alleviate the affliction of those 

 of their fellow creatures who are deprived of sight ; and 

 ■who would not be happy to contribute towards it ? Must 

 it not be the most sublime pleasure which the mind can 

 feel, to administer to the comfort of so unfortunate a clafs 

 of the human species ? Institutions have been set on foot 

 in different places, both at home and abroad, for the re- 

 lief of the indigent blind ; and it is proposed to establilh 

 something of the same kind in the city of Edinburgh, 

 which, It is not doubted, will meet with universal appro- 

 bation, and to which numbers only wi(h for an opportuni- 

 ty to contribute. 



Three objects are to be aimed at in affording relief to 

 the poor blind : u/, to furnlfh them with some employ- 

 ment which may prevent them from being a burden to sociey : 

 2dly, that the employment be such, as gently to engage 

 the mind, without fatiguing it, and by diverting their at- 

 tention, to make them lefs a burden to themselves : and, 

 ^dly, that they be taught the principles of the Christian 

 religion, which are so nobly adapted to afford consolation 

 under their hard lot, and to render them easy and con- 

 tented. 



To answer these benevolent views, it is proposed to 

 open a school for instructing the blind in music, if they 

 fhall be found capable of learning it ; and for teaching all 

 of vhem the art of making whips, or some branch of the 



