476 Transactions.— Miscellaneous. 
because the shadow of the hand falls on that part of the paper at which we 
are looking. Light from behind is still worse, because the head and upper 
part of the body throw a shadow on the book; but the light that comes 
from the front and falls on the face is by far the worst of all, for, in the 
first place, it does not attain the object desired, and, next, it is most hurtful 
to the eyes. It is hurtful because, firstly, the retina becomes fatigued by 
the full glare upon it, and the diffused light renders the comparatively dark 
images of the printing and writing more difficult to be perceived. Secondly, 
the position assumed by the children, in order to avoid the disturbing in- 
fluences of the light, places the axis of the eye in a very unfavourable 
direction, which, as I have already mentioned, induces short sight, differ- 
ences in the sight of the two eyes, and certain weakness of the muscle of 
the eye. 
If, in consequence of such bad light, the child is necessitated to hold 
the book high up to the face to distinguish the letters clearly, then the 
consequence will be as before mentioned. The human eyes are moved in 
different directions by six muscles. The muscles of both eyes can only be 
brought into contemporaneous action in a certain way. Thus we can only 
move both eyes at the same time up or down, or bring them together from 
parallelism to convergence, and vice versa. Of the possible combination of 
the muscles, some can be brought into action for a length of time, others 
only for a few seconds. Thus we can only with an effort look at a near 
object if it is higher than the eye. On the contrary, we can look with ease 
at an object equally distant if it is below the eye. Therefore you must not 
think that the natural position of the book while reading depends upon 
chance. It is a physiological necessity; if we strive against it the eye 
becomes fatigued, and, if the effort is repeated regularly and for a long 
time, a derangement of the harmonious action of the muscles of the eye is 
the consequence. : 
I have dwelt on these matters exhaustively in a lecture on the human 
eye which I delivered four years ago in Auckland. I also laid a special 
stress not only on the pernicious effects of bad light, but also of bad print. 
Books badly printed or with very small type are certainly not fit for con- 
tinued use, for in many cases an eye-disease is imprinted therein. In order 
to prove to you what importance is attached to clearly-printed books at 
Home, let me state that some years ago the Ministerial Board of Educa- 
tion in Germany condemned over half a million of books by reason of their 
indistinct type. 
With regard to the various positions of the desks and seats, let me quote 
again Professor Sibreich, who says it is difficult to give an account of the 
reason for the positions those desks and seats occupy ; in fact, they appear 
