348 Light and Darkness. [July, 



that those born blind can never do with full effect, for their con- 

 ceptions of external nature must be erroneous, and he shows that 

 their verses are rather high-flown than poetical. 



As regards the infidelity of Saunderson, the blind mathematician ; 

 we think that the author, who is an orthodox clergyman, takes an 

 erroneous view of it. There are many considerations which have not 

 occurred to him, and he judges not only the blind mathematician, 

 but also other blind people somewhat incorrectly in this respect. 



In the first place, if the mathematician had seen he might have 

 been just as great a sceptic ; we know mathematicians who require 

 mathematical proofs of everything. Now Saunderson did believe in 

 the " God of Newton."* Again, he tells usj that he " fell into excess 

 in matters of drink ; " and was naturally morose and sarcastic. 

 Should he then judge other blind people by such a standard, or at- 

 tribute Saunderson's scepticism to his blindness ? Is he aware that 

 in his description of the habits and character of the blind, he is 

 himself sometimes a little hard ? He must see great contrasts, too ; 

 a trust far more implicit than those can have who see as well as 

 think ; and which presents in greater contrast the scepticism which 

 he believes to be exaggerated by physical darkness. But these are 

 trifling faults in his admirable book. 



We quite agree with the author concerning the form of embossed 

 type to be employed. It should " resemble as nearly as possible the 

 type in use amongst seeing men, that the blind scholar in learning 

 to read may have every possible help from the remembrance of 

 letters he may once have seen, but which now his fingers must feel 

 for him, or from any one who can read an ordinary book, or if need 

 be, that a friend may read to him.J The words must be correctly 

 spelt in full " (not phonetically written, as in some systems in use 

 among the blind), " that when he learns to write, others may read 

 his written words ; " and all should be clear and well defined, that 

 his hardened fingers may easily trace the letters.§ 



The author cites some wonderful instances of retentive memory 

 among the blind : — " Miss Walker, who had mastered five languages 

 and knew all the Psalms and New Testament by heart," and a young 

 man now in the school in St. George's Fields, "who can repeat not 

 only the whole of the 150 prayer-book psalms, and a large number 

 of metrical psalms and hymns, as well as a considerable amount of 

 modern poetry, including Goldsmith's ' Deserted Village,' but — in- 

 credible as it may seem — the whole of Milton's ' Paradise Lost,' 

 with marginal notes and a biography. || 



In addition to a large amount of valuable statistical information, 

 the author gives us some useful hints as to the causes of blindness, 



* P. 53. t P- 178. 



X There appears to be some clerical error here. 

 § P. 117. II P. 65. 



