354 DISORDERED EYES, 



At firft the preffure of the water on the internal eye 

 was infupportable ; but, as I immediately afterwards 

 perceived a great mitigation of it, I continued the 

 practice ; and always regularly, after the bathing, 

 wiped my eyes, with a wet cloth, in the manner above 

 defcribed. At length I brought the matter fo far, that 

 I could ealily keep the eye open in water for the fpace 

 of five minutes ; and, upon this, I left off the ufe of 

 the bread, and in its fie ad bathed the eyes daily twice 

 at leaft in cold water. 



By the continued ufe of cold water, in the fame 

 method I had formerly obferved with the bread, my 

 eyes gradually became fo flrengthened that I was now 

 able to read and write not only by day, without extra- 

 ordinary pain, but in the evening could bear to be in 

 a room enlightened in the ufual manner. At length I 

 had even the unexpected happinefs of being capable of 

 writing in the evening by candle-light, having a green 

 fhade between the candle and my eyes; which for fe« 

 \ r eral years pari had been utterly impoffible for me to 

 do. But all reading by candle-light I am obliged care- 

 fully to avoid even at this day. The reafon whereof is 

 plainly this, that the eyes in reading muft be ftrained 

 by a greater and more continued attention, than in 

 writing. 



In this better Hate, my eyes have now remained for 

 three whole years, by means of the continued ufe of 

 cold water. From what I have fufFered, I have been 

 taught to be cautious and temperate in the ufe of them. 

 To reading in the night-time I have bid adieu for ever, 

 and when not compelled to it by the moffc urgent 

 neceffity, I do not willingly continue writing after 



eight 



