IMPROVED. 147 



Defeft in their Eyes called Strabifmui or fquint- 

 eyed, is, becaufe their Eyes are a good Way afunder, 

 and fufficiently parted or feparated by the Promi- 

 nency or bunching out of the Forehead. This, I 

 fay, keeps them in fuch a Situation, that they can- 

 not crofs one another, or, in ether Words, Vifion 

 is not performed au tra'vers^ as the Frerich call it. 



It may not, perhaps, be amifs, if I fay fome- 

 thing of this unfeemly Diforder of the Eye, altho* 

 the Creature I treat mollly of in thefe Pages be not 

 fubjed to it. 



A Strabifmus or Strabojity is a Diflortion of one Squinting, 

 of the Eyes, or both in refpeft to one another, or ^"-hat ic 

 a tranfverfe Viiion, commonly call'd Squinting;. It P'^^^^^'^s 

 proceeds from an unequal Axflion of the Mufcles of 

 the Eye. Infants eafily contradl this Diftemper, 

 fometimes by Negleft of the Nurfes who place the 

 Cradle in an ill Pollure towards the Window, or 

 letting the Child wear peaked Caps which come 

 over the Forehead. 



Young Perfons alfo fall into this Diftemper, ei- 

 ther by an ill Ufe of their Eyes, or by Contagion, 

 to wit, by looking upon others troubled with the 

 fame Difordsr. So that from hence it may be judged 

 how improper it is to put out a Child to a {quint- 

 ing Nurfe, or to let them play with Children who 

 have this Defe6l ; for they are almofi fure to learn 

 it, efpecially if they keep Company for any confi- 

 derable Time with others who fquint. And it is 

 the fame as to fome other Habits, which are eafily 

 { and as it were without our Knowledge or Obfer- 

 vance) acquired; more particularly the Defe<5l of 

 Speech calPd Stammering, which is often commu- 

 nicated from the Parent to the Child, from one 

 Child to another, and from the Tutor to his Pupil. 

 And when once this Defeft is acquired, it is hard The Defeat 

 to be removed, becaufe it requires Time and Perfe- o^^ Stamme 

 verance, and is not done, but by accuftoming one's ^^^^ ^^' 

 felf to a quite contrary Habit. For, as Stammering foj. ^^^^j ^^.^ 

 proceeds from a too hafty Pronunciation, or putting cure. 

 H 3 one's 



