88 Mr, Home’s Account of two Children 
strong in the former case. As the eye was not irritable, and 
was likely to be but little disturbed by this operation, every 
thing was previously got ready for ascertaining his know- 
ledge of objects, as soon as the operation was over, should 
the circumstances prove favourable. The operation was at- 
tended with success, and gave very little pain. The eye was 
allowed ten minutes to recover itself : a round piece of card 
of a yellow colour, one inch in diameter, was then placed 
about six inches from it. He said immediately that it was 
yellow, and on being asked its shape, said, “ Let me touch 
“ it, and I will tell you.” Being told that he must not touch 
it, after looking for some time, he said it was round. Arsquare 
blue card, nearly the same size, being put before him, he said 
it was blue and round. A triangular piece he also called 
round. The different colours of the objects placed before him 
he instantly decided on with great correctness, but had no 
idea of their form. He moved his eye to different distances, 
and seemed to see best at 6 or 7 inches. His focal distance 
has been since ascertained to be 7 inches. He was asked 
whether the object seemed to touch his eye, he said “ No 
but when desired to say at what distance it was, he could not 
tell. These experiments were made in the theatre of the 
hospital, in which the operation was performed, before the 
surgeons and all the students. He was highly delighted with 
the pleasure of seeing, and said it was “ so pretty,” even 
when no object was before him, only the light upon his eye. 
The eye was covered, and he was put to bed, and told to 
keep himself quiet, but upon the house-surgeon going to him 
half an hour afterwards, his eye was found uncovered, and 
lie was looking at his bed curtains, which were close drawn. 
