THE BLIND MINSTEEL. 73 



exerted but by the means and in the presence of those 

 which belong to the other : that the mind is (almost 

 literally) a musical instrument, whose tones can only be 

 duly felt and brought out by meeting with corresponding 

 tones in objects external from itself. I know that meta- 

 physicians would laugh at all this ; but I should not like 

 it or believe it a bit the less on that account." 



THE BLIND MUSICIAN. 



" Oct. 5. — Before my departure from this village (Mu- 

 nich, near Berne), I listened for an hour to an old man, 

 who played delightfully on an instrument like a flute, with 

 the mouth-piece of a flageolet attached to its side. I 

 know that in cases of this kind a person is not difficult to 

 please, and that when the eye is delighted the ear is easily 

 prevailed on to be so likewise. This may in some measure 

 have been the case with me, for the mellow tones of a 

 flute, even though waked by no skilful hand, are delightful 

 when surrounded with hills, and at a distance from every- 

 thing that gives a hint of the world being in existence. 

 This old man was blind, and, like many blind men, happy — ■ 

 a case which, though often occurring, never ceases to excite 

 my wonder and surprise. I think that were I blind my- 

 self I never could be happy again. Every footstep I 

 should chance to hear going past would make my heart 

 sick; and to know the time that the sun was setting, 



