CHAPTER V. 



THE SCIENTIFIC LECTURER. 



1851-1868. Age, 30-4.7. 



THE success of the Chemistry was supplemented 

 by increased demand for the chart which illustrated it. 

 Brightened fortunes told favourably and at once on 

 the health and spirits of our author. He had justified 

 his friends' faith that there was " something in him." 

 He had proved that he had more than an empty am- 

 bition to bring a knowledge of science to the people. 

 Mind and body soon told the story of cares banished 

 and a fight well won. The long, distressing period of 

 darkness now came to an end. Sight was so far re- 

 covered in one eye that it became possible to go about 

 freely, to read, to recognize friends, to travel, and 

 make much of life. I am told that his face had ac- 

 quired an expression characteristic of the blind, but 

 that expression was afterward completely lost. When 

 ,1 knew him it would never have occurred to me that 

 his sight was imperfect, except as regards length of 

 range. There could be no doubt on that point. He 

 never could recognize any but his most familiar friends 

 at a distance of more than a couple of yards, and this 

 fact was apt to give him a slight air of timidity and 

 reserve, which instantly vanished, however, as soon as 

 he knew to whom he was speaking. When sight was 

 first recovered, it must be confessed that he ran seri- 



(71) 



