HISTORY OF 



first, the eye will accustom itself to the shade by 

 degrees, and be less hurt by the want of light 

 than the excess. 



" It is indeed surprising how far the eye can 

 accommodate itself to darkness, and make the 

 best of a gloomy situation. When first taken 

 from the light, and brought into a dark room, all 

 things disappear ; or if any thing is seen, it is 

 only the remaining radiations that still continue 

 in the eye. But after a very little time, when 

 these are spent, the eye takes the advantage of 

 the smallest ray that happens to enter ; and this 

 alone would in time serve for many of the pur- 

 poses of life. There was a gentleman of great 

 courage and understanding, who was a major 

 under King Charles the First. This unfortunate 

 man, sharing in his master's misfortunes, and be- 

 ing forced abroad, ventured at Madrid to do his 

 King a signal service ; but unluckily failed in 

 the attempt. In consequence of this, he was in- 

 stantly ordered to a dark and dismal dungeon, 

 into which the light never entered, and into 

 which there was no opening but by a hole at the 

 top, down which the keeper put his provisions, 

 and presently closed it again on the other side. 

 In this manner the unfortunate loyalist continued 

 for some weeks, distressed and disconsolate ; but 

 at last he began to think he saw some little glim- 

 mering of light. This internal dawn seemed to 

 increase from time to time, so that he could not 

 only discover the parts of his bed, and such other 

 large objects, but at length he even began to 

 perceive the mice that frequented his cell, and 



