Notices respectingNew Books. 55 



be darkened, he was asked whether, as he could not read in the 

 dark, it was reasonable to expect a blind person to do it ? Ad- 

 mitting that her fingers really can see, light is declared to be 

 necessary; but whatis the process of her reading ? Her fingers 

 come m close contact with the words ; she feels them, and most 

 effectnally ohtructs the light. If in^^tead of touching the wr^^j^^ 

 she held her fingers at a sufficient distarice to admit th ^ light, 

 then the theory would be supported by o?ie of the laws of vision j 

 here again " the good Lady promises too niue-h." — 



" In October 1S16, Mr. Bradbury, author of Travels in Ame- 

 rica, accompanied by a friend, visited Miss M'Avoy. His friend 

 had seen this young lady several times before, and fron^ witness- 

 ing some experiments that were tried upon her, was of opinion 

 that she could see ; but being anxious that Mr. Bradbury should 

 also obsesve her, he prevailed upon him to visit her. After a 

 few experiments, Mr. B. y*'as so well satisfied that Miss M'Avoy 

 could see zcith her eyes, that he ceased examining her further, 

 and .-^eated Iiimself by the fire to wait uistil his friend M'as ready 

 to depart. His frioul made a iew more efforts, to be convinced 

 whether the opinion he had previously entertained was ivell or 

 ill founded, and proposed, as a final test of her powers, that she 

 should determine, with her hand behind her back, the colour of 

 a piece of cioth wiiich he brought with him for that purpose. 



" After feeling it for a short period, and being informed that 

 she was mistaken in the colour that she guessed it to be, Miss 

 M'Avoy requested permission to use her other hand, which of 

 course was instantly acceded to. After some time had elapsed, 

 in which she was unsnccessful in her efforts to determine the 

 colour, her mother, who was in the room, and had been engaged 

 in affixing- leather to the goggles, handed them over to Mr, B.'s 

 friend, and a'^ked his opinion, whether it was possible, in their 

 amended state, for a person to see with them ? He unwarily put 

 them on him for a few moments, to ascertain the point demanded, 

 and when he took them off, he was surprised to find that Miss 

 M'Avoy could then state correctly the colour of the cloth. He 

 shortly after took leave of her, as he was extremely desirous of 

 learning fro;n Mr. B. what had transpired, daring the time he 

 had incautiously put on the goggles. Mr. B. wa* equally anxious 

 to communicate what lie had observed during that period, in 

 which, although apparently heedless of what was passing, he was 

 an attentive observer. Mr. B. then related, that as soon as his 

 friend had put on the goggles, he saw Miss M'Avov rapidly glance 

 at him'-elf anil his friend ; and acting as from an apparent con- 

 viction of not being observed, she drew the cloth from behind 

 her back, gazed at it quickly, and restored it to its former situa- 

 tioMj before the goggles were removed from his friend's eyes. 



D 4 this 



