DISORDERED EYES. 343 



allaying the pains of my eyes, and for keeping them 

 open, I had a tumbler of water at hand, with which I 

 moifTened them from time to time ; and when, notwith- 

 fbndjng, they were oppreffed by weatinefs and fleep, I 

 not unfrequently would take the eye -lids with two fin- 

 gers and forcibly hold them open for a length of time. 

 — Thus paffed the three Ml years of my being at 

 fchool, in which I never (unlefs by chance upon a ho- 

 liday) could take above five hours, but frequently even 

 a frill lefs fpace, and often none at all, of the lleep fo 

 necefTary at that period of life. 



Accordingly, my whole body bore witnefs to this 

 immoderate, this incefTant exertion. I was indeed 

 grown tall, but fo lank and meagre, that I feemed 

 fcarcely any thing but Ikin and bone. Happily, I had 

 received from nature fo found a conffitution, which 

 had been confirmed by the hardy manner in which 

 I had at firft been brought up, that though my 

 forces were exhaufted for a time, yet, like an abundant 

 ft ream, they could not be entirely drained. Therefore, 

 as often as I could prevail on myfelf to take a little re- 

 creation only for a couple of days ; immediately a na- 

 tural frefhnefs and healthv colour returned to my wan 

 cheeks ; which regularly dif appeared again the follow- 

 ing day, on recommencing my former exceflive ap- 

 plication. 



My life at the untverfity was not much more eafy. For, 

 as the greater part of my paternal eftate had been ruin- 

 ed in the war which brought fo much diftrefs on Ger- 

 many and particularly the parts about the Wefer ; I 

 faw myfelf deititute of all the neceffary means of a 

 ftudious life, and obliged to iupply- this deficiency by 

 more lucrative labours. 



This, 



