220 1kiu0s of tbe IRofc, IRtfle, ant) (Butt 



upon me, " tell which of my eyes is blind ? Do guess 

 which it is ! " I looked up into his face. There was 

 an expression of thought and mild good sense in both 

 eyes. They were both clear, and free from any apparent 

 disease or weakness. They were searching without 

 being staring. I could at first see no difference ; but, 

 after looking earnestly for some time, I noticed in 

 one a tiny speck, or rather discolourment, on the pupil, 

 so slight that I do not believe any one could have 

 observed it [without the closest inspection]. " That," 

 I whispered, " is the the defective eye." " No, sir, it 

 is not merely defective ; it is blind : but I do not let 

 my sitters know it." ' 



The gun of Chantrey, which was adapted to his 

 peculiarity of sight, was thus, like the bow of Ulysses, 

 a weapon which no one but its rightful lord was able 

 to use with ease ; but in his hands it was all-powerful ; 

 and on this occasion certainly caused, although in a 

 different sense from that intended by the old chronicler, 

 a memorable ''fall of woodcocks! " 



The two woodcocks were exquisitely chiselled in 

 marble by the sculptor, and this beautiful specimen of 

 Chantrey's finest workmanship occupies a conspicuous 

 place in the library at Holkham. All the wits of 

 England were requested to exercise their ingenuity in 

 furnishing an epigram to form an appropriate in- 

 scription for the group. The contributions were so 

 numerous, and it was so difficult to decide which was 

 the best, that none of them was used, but a simple 

 inscription narrating the facts was placed below the 

 tablet. The epigrams, however, have been collected in 



