i 28 Remarks on the Case of Miss M^Avoy. 



*' The mask, of which a rough outline is annexed, 

 contains no aperture for the eyes ; and the only 

 passage for breathing is through the curved 

 TUBE, which, whilst it freely admits the breath of 

 the mouth and iiostrils, prevents the possibility 

 of the access of light to the eyes, as light pro- 

 ceeds in straight lines only. The object of her 

 examination may be stationed near the bell-mouth of this curved 

 tuhe, where, whilst she is exercising the ' cut'icular f acidly^' 

 she may Ireuihe freely upon her hands; so that she will here 

 have every condition for which she herself stipulates. 



" If she will consent to abide by the test of such a mask as this, 

 jt will remove all suspicion that she accomplishes her purpose by 

 means of a small portion of light, which finds its way under the 

 ordinary bandages, as I have seen most unquestionably proved to 

 be practicable, in the persons of others, who have succeeded in 

 reading, &c. when their eyes appeared to have been most com- 

 pletely blindfolded; although they were mere novices, unprac- 

 tised in such manoeuvres, and made no pretensions to the ' cu- 

 ticuhtr f/iculty .' 



" I feel so confident of the efficacy of the test I have proposed, 

 that I hereby pledge myself to pay twenty guineas to the Trea- 

 surer of the Blind Asylum, if Miss M'Avoy, with such a mask 

 on, can read a single line of moderately sized print, or writing, 

 — and ascertain, correctly, the shades of half a dozen pieces of 

 coloured glass: the experiments to be conducted by a committee 

 of three, of whom Dr. Renwick may be one ; the ptiiers to be 

 appointed by myself. 



*' In order that the funds of the excellent charity just named 

 may be benefited by the experiment at all events, it is to be. 

 hoped that some of the advocates for the ' cut'icular faculty' 

 will have sufficient confidence in their cause, to enter into an en- 

 gagement to forfeit a similar jum, should the experiment fail on 

 the part of the lady. 



" If this challenge should I)e accepted, I will provide tlie mask; 

 and should my conjecture prove unfounded, I shall consent to do 

 penance, if required, in a white sheet, with a lighted taper in 

 my hand, and, in that situation, to read a formal recantation of 

 my heresy, as humble and humiliating as the most sanguine en- 

 thusiast in the cause can dictate. 



" Yours respectfully, 



" Egerton Smith." 



XXIII. Case 



