OBSERVATIONS On the CURE of William Taylor, THE BLIND BOY Of IGHTHAM.

SINCE our merciful Creator has condescended to render himself more visible in his Operations, than his Essence, what an invaluable Blessing ought we to esteem it, that he has assisted our Reason, with such an ad­mirable Sense, as that of Sight, thro' such curious [Page 2] Organs as the Eyes! Whereby we may every Moment confirm ourselves in the Omnipotence and Eternity of his Being, by the continual Wonders of his Works; whereby, all those, who rationally behold the Miracles of his Creation, must be illuminated in their Souls, with those Attri­butes of their Creator, tho' these Luminaries of the Body.

AND as it is a Satisfaction unexpressible, in Minds divinely exalted, to enjoy those ocular Confirmations, what miserable Darkness must it be, to be deprived of them? But to what Strait, what narrow Limits must their Knowledge and Ideas be contracted, who have been led about, in this State of Obscurity, from the Time of their Birth, for the whole Night of their Lives? What a comfortless Condition, to think, that all Places and Things, are to them alike dis­mal, and the whole Universe itself but a Dun­geon! But on the other hand, to consider, what a Feast of Felicities must be spread before them, in having such Loss repair'd; such Want sup­ply'd, and that inestimable Benefit of Sight, from which the Eyes of the Blind, had been, by natural Defects, Diseases, or Accidents, so long debarr'd, suddenly, by the skilful Hand of their Fellow-Creature, bestow'd upon them! When he draws the Curtain of Darkness from before them, and opens at once, as it were a new Cre­ation of Images and Objects, in moving and still Life; at once, a most spacious and opulent Prospect, of all Varieties, on every Side, in this [Page 3] lower World, and innumerable Worlds them­selves, glittering in the vast Expance above! For all which serviceable, delightful, glorious and marvellous Scenes, to be made Partaker, what Reward, what Recompence can be ade­quate? And yet of so much Happiness, how long will some remain unpossess'd? because their penurious and enthralled Souls cannot give them Liberty to make any reasonable Return of Gratitude, but will rather constrain them to continue moping on, in perpetual Pain or Dark­ness, than let them bestow any thing for the Enjoyment of their Sight. Some again are de­terr'd from seeking any Redress, thro' a Pre­judice raised by Ignorance against it, under the distasteful Notion of trying Practices, and dab­bling or tampering with their Eyes: So thro' their diffident, obstinate, or indolent Delay, in ad­mitting timely and proper Applications to dis­perse, or asswage their Disorder, at the Be­ginning of its first and unsettled Invasion, or Encroachment upon them, submit to, as what could not be prevented, the daily Depravation of their Sight; or perhaps at last, permit them­selves to be quite blinded, even by those very ignorant People, who dissuaded them from at­tempting to be restor'd, by such as have the greatest Skill, and are best qualified to relieve them. And lastly, how long will others refrain from applying for such Relief, thro' the fear of some little short, or sudden Smart, which the dis­eased Organ may endure in the Recovery; so let [Page 4] their Maladies grow stronger and more stub­born, as the Organ itself, its Spirits, Humours, or Muscles grow weaker, and more decayed or corrupted, till by Inflamations, and other dangerous Consequencies, they become incure­able; when the lightest Brushing over the Eye, with the Corner of an Handkerchief, a little Dust, a Pinch of Snuff blown into it, or the bare washing it with any strong Liquor, no less than the more violent Wounds, Blows, and Distempers, which blind it, shall often be more painful than the Operations by which the gentle and careful Hand of an experienc'd Oculist re­stores it to Sight.

WHEN we read among the many Volumes which have been written upon the Eyes, that there are above Two hundred and forty Diseases, with their Complications, to which they, and their relative Parts are incident, we cannot but perceive, there are room and Business enough, for several ingenious Men to make this beauti­ful Orb, minute as it is, with the Preservation, or Restoration of its most precious Sense, their sole Study and Practice: And as it may be Employment enough, to devote their whole Time to it, so there ought to be Encouragement enough in these, as in France and other Coun­tries, to engage them assiduously in the Attain­ment of a successful Proficiency therein. If many, from the meanest Excrescences, by keep­ing our Hair, our Corns, and Nails in due and convenient Retrenchment, have establish'd very [Page 5] comfortable Ocupations, and cut themselves out very decent Livelyhoods, independent of Physic, Surgery, Anatomy, or Pharmacy, for the Ease chiefly of our Feet; how much more deserve they, who, besides the Merit of being acquaint­ed with the nobler, more considerable and im­portant Objects of their Practice, can by the Knowledge and Aid also of those Sciences, join'd with their own Experience, preserve or recover our Sight, by which those very Feet are guided, and we are assisted to exercise them? If many Hospitals and Infirmaries have been charitably erected, and endow'd, for the Lame, why none for the Blind? Since the Blind may be as well Lame as they, uncapable as they are, of using their Arms or Legs to any Effect; or as unable to walk without a Leader, as a Cripple without a Crutch; and since, the Cure of the Blind re­quires longer Experience, deeper Penetration into the Nature of its Object, and more deli­cate Operations than the Lame.

IT is less difficult to attain a superficial Know­ledge of the Disorders that affect the Body of Man in general, than a profound Knowledge of those which distress some Parts in particular, whereof the Eye is the Chief; complicated as it is, of such fine solid, as well as subtil and spi­ritous Matter; consisting of such various Com­positions, such different Substances, Teguments, Films, Fluids, Muscles, Nerves, Veins, and Fibres; such an elementary Labyrinth of con­cordant Parts, mutually reflecting all Images to [Page 6] the Organ of Sight, and all in such close Com­pact and circular Confines: Yet is it also, of such a refined Frame and Texture, of such a tender and sensible Nature, that it is subject to numerous Defects, Distempers and Disasters, which often lie so intricately involved, or intern­ally conceal'd, as to be even undiscernable to ordinary Inspection, and sometimes almost in­accessible to proper Applications for its Relief, without creating Disorders, greater than are at­tempted to be cur'd. Upon the mature Con­sideration hereof, we may well agree with that learned and ingenious Gentleman, who has ob­serv'd that, ‘"Those Defects and Diseases, so numerous, are more than sufficient to employ the whole Study and Attention of any one Person, be his Abilities ever so great, or his Knowledge ever so extensive. Hence it is, That Patients commonly meet with such bad Success, from their Application to Gentlemen whose Judgment and Skill, in other Parts of the human Body, may indeed be unexception­able, but whose Practice is too general, to permit them to make any considerable Im­provement in the Knowledge of this one Organ, the Structure of which is so delicate, and its Parts so exquisitely fine and minute, that it will hardly bear any Mistakes in the Treat­ment of its Diseases, since the first false Step in these Cases, is always of dangerous, and very often of fatal Consequence."’

[Page 7]BUT there are other Difficulties and Disad­vantages, which are apt to divert, or deter a Student from practising with Success, upon this most necessary, comprehensive, and elegant Or­gan: For, besides that the Transition of Studies and Experiments, from one ailing Part of the Body to another, external and internal, as well for healing as restoring of Health, is more engaging to the Curiosity of a Practitioner, thro' the Diversity of Objects and Operations, than a constant and confined Attachment to any one Organ of Sense, that contains a greater Variety, in a more contracted Compass, and requires Methods of Treatment more nice and curious, dexterous and difficult; there is this further Discouragement, attending the said more par­ticular Attachment to the Relief of this, or any other Sense, that, as there are fewer Patients, and more indigent Objects, there is less Prospect of Profit from professing to restore only one little Part, how useful or important soever, of the human Frame, than those usually meet with, who promise, and undertake to cure all Diseases, in every Part of every Body.

These, among other Reasons, render our Ob­ligations the greater, to those few who have so circumscribed their Experience, and so con­fined themselves to this distinct and more un­beaten Path, as to acquire the most acurate Skill and Expertness, in the said more difficult, and less advantageous Branch of the Practice; which [Page 8] therefore, so much more deserves the Encour­agement of the Publick, as the Patients are more unfrequent, and dispersed, less acquainted, where they may repair for Assistance, and less able to recompence in any Proportion, of their own single Substance, or Abilities, the whole Application, Time and Attendance, of an ex­pert Oculist, in his more private Situation. That this is a very seasonable and promising Juncture, to solicit such a needful Benefaction, may be presum'd, in that there have been so many others of late Years establish'd, which flourish with Success, and however laudable, are not more necessary. Therefore it is to be hoped, that Charity will remain no longer liable to the Sus­picion of being any ways defective in her own Eyes, by overlooking the most effectual Means of Relief to those which are blind: Those, whose most wretched Lives are lingering on, in the most helpless, destitute and deplorable Condi­tion, of Darkness, Beggary and Want: But that she will also stretch her Hands, no less extensively forth, as to many others, so to these most un­happy Objects of Compassion, who have hither­to so much escaped the bountiful and unanimous Contributions of her gracious and generous Vo­taries. ‘"The Imperfections however, of whose good Designs, in the Foundations they have encouraged, are not,"’ as a judicious Author has lately observ'd, ‘"more glaring in any In­stance, than in that great Number we con­tinually meet with, of poor People, who are [Page 9] either totally blind, or else labour under such Diseases in the Eyes, as for want of pro­per Assistance, from such, whose whole Study and Practice are confined to this one Organ, do, notwithstanding general Application, still continue in a State of Misery, and must ever remain, unless relieved by Those who are willing to encourage and promote their Re­covery, by commending them to such par­ticular Practitioners, who are most likely to effect it".’ Wherefore we are assured, as the same Author continues, ‘"It is with this Con­sideration, that several Persons of Quality and Distinction, have agreed to contribute to the Relief of such unhappy Sufferers, by a generous SUBSCRIPTION: whereby they who labour under any ocular Disorder, may with­out the least Expence, have the Assistance of Mr. JOHN TAYLOR, jun. Oculist, in Hatton Garden, and be supply'd with every Thing needful to their Cure, though their Cases re­quire ever so much Time and Attendance, and their Circumstances are too narrow to support the Expence that would otherwise ne­cessarily attend Cures of this Nature".’

UNDER this Gentleman then, and such other Co-operators, as shall be appointed with com­petent Salaries, we may hence hope to see the beneficent Foundation here proposed, effectually pursued, and brought to an honourable Con­clusion, by a Number of such noble and gener­ous Subscribers, as, in Consequence of the wor­thy [Page 10] Examples begun, will procure a Patent for the same, and elect such Governors to form the Plan, proportion the Expence, and provide such commodious Habitation, or settled Place of Abode, that, besides even those of better Rank, a Number of neglected and forlorn Pa­tients also, who are now led about half naked, and starving, as Vagabonds, may know where to apply themselves, and meet with the soundest Advice, most sovereign Medicines, and other Administrations; or such further humane Pro­vision, Tendance and Assistance, as may be found requisite, for their being admitted either within Doors, or supply'd with all proper Means of Redress without, as the Nature of their Con­ditions, Circumstances, and Cases, or the Ex­tent of the Charity will admit. Under such Patronage, we hope to see such a Benefaction established, which has been so hopefully pro­posed by Mr. Taylor, who has already, towards bringing the same to Perfection, met with the Encouragement of some noble Persons, for his Knowledge and Success in ocular Diseases; as having had five Years Education in France, been regularly trained under the great Practice of his Father, and also had Experience of his own, for nine Years successively in London. Among his many extraordinary Cures, that which he perform'd the last Year upon Wil­liam Taylor, the blind Boy of Ightham in Kent, being not the least memorable, or worthy of Observation, I shall here, so far as good [Page 11] Vouchers will authorize, be somewhat particular thereon.

As there was no Prospect of procuring this Boy any Relief that might restore him to his Sight, in the Country, where he lived, he was recommended to the Care of the said Mr. John Taylor, the Younger, at London; who soon found him so lively and active, that he would not suffer his Eyes to be even examined, without much struggling: But after some serious and affect­ing Expostulations with him; after the strongest Assurances given him, that if he did not patient­ly comply with the only Means that were to be used for his Cure, he would be deprived of all Ways to get his Livelihood; must be a Beggar­boy, in want of Cloaths and Victuals, and be led about, to seek his Bread, from Door to Door, like such a one, of whom he had heard, and have nothing to depend upon, but the cold, scanty, and precarious Relief of an hard-hearted World; he thereupon consented to undergo any Trial that should be made upon him, at his Father's House in the Country. Accordingly the Oculist went thither; but being apprehen­sive that his Patient would not lie so still on the Table, as such a tender and steady Operation of his Hand required, he told him that he must be tied fast down, from stirring or winching: But he, as he could see no Danger, felt no Fear; therefore absolutely promis'd, he would, without any Constraint, lie unmov'd; which he did, with his Hands in his Pockets, till the Ob­struction [Page 12] in his right Eye, was, in little more than a Minute, entirely remov'd, without the least starting or Complaint. As soon as the in­side of his Eye was clear'd of its little thick, white, cloudy Spot, by that delicate Depression of it, with the Needle, which is called Couching, so that it quite subsided, and did no longer in­tercept the Light, or Admission of Objects to the Organs of Vision, he, being ask'd by some of the Company, for there were sixteen of his Neighbours present. What he saw? Answer'd, with a Kind of wild Transport, and Wonder, at the strange Shapes, Forms, and Colours of many Things, so incomprehensible about him, that He beheld the Room full of Lights, and Moons. For, as I understand, his Eyes were not so totally dark'ned by the Cataracts, but that he had some faint Discernment, or glimmering Sensation of luminous Bodies, admitted round the Pupil; as in the most ordinary Eclipses of the Sun, the Moon's Disk does not so entirely over-shadow and obscure it, but that some Edgings of its Light will irradiate, or break out at its Sides, or Circumference; the like of which, might help the Boy to describe some shining Utensils he now saw, by those Names: For next Time, upon the Dressing of his Eye, he declared, as it is attested in a Letter of his Father's, That he saw the Pewter on the Shelf, with the Clock, and its Case; that all these Things the Boy knew before by Feeling, and, I dare say, adds he, that now he can see the above-mention'd Things.

[Page 13]THESE are his Father's Words; and they have been construed to signify, that the Boy distinctly named those several Pieces of Furniture, upon his first beholding them, from the Knowledge he before had by Feeling them, without having felt them again, after the Use of his Sight. But such a familiar Acquaintance instantly with Ob­jects never before seen, how frequently so ever before felt, has been much disputed by some Oculists and Opticians, who have deeply considered the Properties and Powers of Sight, so long kept an utter Stranger to those Objects. In­deed the Clock might be discoverable to him, by the Help of his Hearing; as from the Vi­brations of its Pendulum, striking, and other Sounds; but the Dishes, Plates, Shelves, and other Things, tho' perhaps often handled, could as it is thought, scarcely be named, upon the first Sight only of them; at least, without Feeling again, and a better Knowledge of those Parts and Places in the Room, where he might before feel them, than he could receive in his State of Blindness, or retain, and refer to, at first Sight.

HOWEVER, there is an ingenious Author, the Reverend Mr. Edward Synge, the same I take it, who was the late Archbishop of Tuam, in Ire­land, who has argued that, the Images of Things shall be so well known to the Sense of Seeing, how newly soever brought to use, only by the Ideas conceived of them, thro' the Sense of Feel­ing, that the Patient shall be able instantly to know, and name them, without feeling them [Page 14] any more, to inform or confirm his Sight. His Arguments are drawn from a Problem, that was sent by Mr. William Molyneux, to Mr. Locke, who has honour'd it with a Place in his Essay on Human Understanding ^*: The Case stands thus, in the said Mr. Synge's Letter to Dr. Quayl ^‡. ‘"A Man born perfectly Blind, has a Globe and a Cube given into his Hands, and instructed, as much as he is capable of, in the Notion of each of these Figures, and the Difference be­tween them. Let us now suppose, this Man to be suddenly endowed with the Sense of Seeing, and the Question is, Whether the Globe and the Cube, being placed before his Eyes, he would be able, by his Sight alone, and without touching them, to tell which was the Globe, and which the Cube?"’ Then, one of his Arguments is,— ‘" If immediately, upon the Sight of the Globe and the Cube, there be Grounds enough for such a Person clearly to perceive the Agreement and the Difference, between his pre-concived Ideas, and newly conceived Images of those Figures; then may he be able to know, which is the Globe, and which the Cube, without touch­ing them again, after he has seen them. For the Agreement which he may find between his Idea, and his Image of a Globe, and the Difference of the Idea of a Globe, from the Image of a Cube, et sic vice versâ, will be a [Page 15] sufficient Direction: If,"’ as he repeats again, ‘"there be a sufficient Ground, immediately to perceive the said Agreement and Difference".’ So, without clearing this Doubt, which he has twice suggested, he concludes, such Distinction may be made by Sight alone, and the Patient be thereby rendered able to know, and name one Object from the other. But Mr. Molyneux, in a Letter of his to Mr. Locke, wherein he incloses that of Mr. Synge, tells him; ‘"You will find thereby, that what I say, of its puzling some ingenious Men, is true; and you will easily discover, by what false Steps this Gentleman is led into his Error" ^*.’ And in another ‘"Letter before, to Mr. Locke, wherein Mr. Molyneux first states this Problem",’ he assures him that, ‘"He had propos'd it to divers inge­nious Men, and could hardly ever meet with one that, at first Dash, would give me the Answer to it, which I think true, till by hear­ing my Reasons, they were convinced."’ Then having deliver'd the Problem, to the Sense above repeated, with the Question, ‘"Whether by his Sight, before he touch'd them, he could now distinguish, and tell which is the Globe, which the Cube?"’ He answers himself, in the Ne­gative, and gives his own Reason in these Words: ‘"For, tho' he has obtain'd the Ex­perience, how a Globe, how a Cube affects his Touch; yet, he has not yet attain'd the Experience, that what affects my Touch, so [Page 16] or so, must affect my Sight, so or so; or, that a protuberant Angle in the Cube, that press'd his Hand unequally, shall appear to his Eye, as it does in the Cube" ^‡.’

IT may be consider'd, whether this Opinion upon that Problem, might not receive some further Confirmation, from the Mistake of a certain blind Man, who, as it is reported, upon his being first brought to Sight, could not di­stinguish, by that Sense, a plain Superficies, from a prominent Body; or the Figures of Men painted in Colours, all even, upon a Canvas, or Wainscot Picture, from those of living Persons; but was greatly surpriz'd at his Disappointment, that he could not find those Figures, as Men, by feeling, no less than he though he had found them such, by his Sight: And being told they were only the artificial Imitations of Men, in their Size, Shapes and Proportions, by the well-disposed Lights, and Shades of Colours, he asked, Why then, which of the Two is the lying Sense? He meant, the deceived Sense, not yet having had the Experience of knowing the Proverb, That Seeing is believing, but Feeling, the Truth. And it may still be further consider'd, whether external Objects, when render'd visible, by the Cure of a blind Person, may not contradict, or at least confound the internal Conceptions he had of them, before he could see; and whether they may not, to the Eye, which is first brought to the Sight of them, become thereby rather less [Page 17] known; more incomprehensible and confusing, thro' the vast Variety of their new, and strange Forms, Dimensions, and Complexions, without any Assistance from any other Sense; and con­sequently, less able to be nam'd, than some of them might have been, by the Intelligence of some other Sense, during the former Privation of Sight? Therefore the Boy of Ightham, as he dis­covered much Consternation upon the first Sight of the various Objects about him, might, if he felt not the Things mentioned in his Father's Letter, above-cited, before he named them, have them inadvertently named to him, in the very Questions that were put to him, Whether he saw them? As thus,—What do you see? Can you see the Pewter Dishes here, on this Shelf? The Plates on that? The Clock there, its Case, Glass? &c. The Enquirer pointing to the Places where they stood; and the Boy might answer yes, name those several Things, as he heard them named, and saw them; and also point out the Places where they stood, as he had been led the Way. Which may be a truer Interpre­tation of his Father's Words, That he declared he saw the Pewter on the Shelf, &c. than that he first named the Pewter, and other Things him­self, as soon as he first saw them.

THIS being presumed the Case, it may render his Nomination of those Things accountable, and clear him from the Objection that was made to the Beggar of St. Albans; who pretending to have been miraculously endow'd with perfect [Page 18] Sight, tho' blind from his Birth, upon offering up his Prayers at the Shrine of that Saint, was brought before the sagacious Duke Humphrey, and asked by him, of what Colours the Gowns of several Persons present, and other Things were, that were pointed out to him; which, he naming truly, was justly, as an Impostor, sent to the Stocks; for he could no more know the Names of all Colours, by barely once seeing them, than he could those, of all the Men pre­sent, only at first Sight; as Sir Thomas More has very judiciously observed ^*. Indeed had that Beggar, while he was blind, if he was ever so, been taught to name the Colours of Things, with the Things themselves, he might, after he was brought to Sight, upon having those Things produc'd, and named to him, name, by the Help of his Memory, the Colours also, whose Names had been combined with, or annexed to them; and from thence likewise, the same Colours in different Things. For Example, had he heard, in the State of Blindness, some Things called Blood-red, others Sky-blue, or Grass-green; some Coal-black, and others Milk-white; he probably, when he was brought to the Sense of seeing, upon being shewed some Milk, and told its Name, and asked what else it was called, would answer, it was White; tho' the Meaning of the [Page 19] Word, he could not explain; but being told it was its Colour, which distinguish'd it from others to the Eye, and from thence being re­ferr'd to a Piece of clean Linnen, or some white Paper, he would say it was of the same Colour; and so of the rest: Otherwise, for a Man to name all Colours, which he had never before seen, is a greater Miracle, than that of being brought to the Sight of them, only by the In­tercession, here, in that Cure, at the Shrine of St. Alban pretended. But to return:

At the next opening of the Boy's Eye, the Persons attending to dress it, said it appear'd very clear; and then, besides the Things with­in Doors, he took Notice of the Barn, and other Out-houses; and, in the Letter of his Father's aforesaid, I find it attested that, He had never felt any Pain, since the first Operation. A few Days after, he was set before a Looking-glass, and was greatly delighted with the little Man he saw in it, whom he would have to be his own Man, because he so obediently imitated, or re­peated all the Motions and Gestures, which he made, with his Head, Mouth, and Hands; but said, He would not close his Eyes, till he himself did first; and whenever he went abroad, he wanted, and ask'd for his little Man, to go along with him. 'Tis in this View or Prospect, of that surprising and agreeable Figure, that his Sculp­ture was prefer'd to be represented, with an oval Glass in his Hand, by that ingenious Artist, Mr. Thomas Worlige, who lately publish'd a Print [Page 20] of him, which he has etch'd upon Copper, in a small Octavo Size. But to many other Images he could not so soon reconcile himself: For, when he saw any large Utensil, Piece of Fur­niture, or Apparel, that stood, or lay near him, he discover'd himself so perplex'd to go forward, that he would not stir, till he was told what it was, how far off, and how to avoid, or pass by it; herein agreeing exactly with the Behaviour of the blind Youth of Newington, when he was first brought to Sight by Mr. Grant, in the lat­ter Part of Queen Anne's Reign, as the ingenious Author of the Tatler, among other curious Cir­cumstances, has remark'd ^*; where we are in­form'd that, ‘"When he offer'd to move, he seem'd afraid of every Thing around him".’ Yet, one Evening, this young Patient of Ighth­am, then residing, for some time at Mr. Taylor's, in Hatton Garden, stole up to the Top of the House, and clamber'd out at Window, along the leaden Gutter, without any Apprehension of Danger; but being discover'd, brought down, and asked, what induc'd him to hazard his Life, if by a Slip of his Foot, he had tumbled to the Ground? He reply'd that, He only went thither to catch the Moon. When I saw him, some Weeks after he had received this new Sense, I observed, the Eye which was brought to Light, was, in all due Motion and Symetry, very clear, lively, and brisk; but it seemed more infantine, or as if it belonged to a Body, younger than one even [Page 21] of his Years; not looking methought, so strong, bold, and ample in the Pupil, as if it had been longer exercis'd in the Reception of various Objects. He is a Lad of a pleasant Aspect, fair Complexion, with Features soft, and agreeable; also of a sprightly and chearful Temper; and has a quick or ready Ear for Music; insomuch that, to several Tunes play'd before him, on the Ger­man Flute, he would join in Concert with his Hands, by drumming them over, at the same Time, upon the Table.

WHETHER he was, as yet, but short-sighted, thro' the Want of some transparent Humour, in the room of that which was depress'd, or he only appear'd so, thro' his Ignorance of the proper Space, at which he might distinguish his Ob­jects, I will not decide; but it was remark'd that, when some Money was laid on the Table; Gold, Silver, and Copper; and he was bid to take up a Guinea, or a Shilling, he would look, as it were, first for the Table; then, upon several Parts of it, before he found where the Money lay; and when he perceiv'd it, by hold­ing his Head down very near it, he would offer to snatch at the Piece he aim'd at, two or three Times before he could reach it, because he could have no Notion of Distances; which made him before so little afraid of being at the Top of the House, and think, from thence, of catching the Moon.

IT is credibly attested that, the ingenious Mr. King, who reads Lectures upon Optics, and [Page 22] other Parts of Philosophy, has asserted that, all Objects, to a Person who is first brought from Blindness to Sight, do appear inverted; and that, he confirm'd himself in the same Opinion, by some Experiments which he made upon this Boy; who having a Pin held up before him, of which he had been taught to distinguish the Point from the Head, and being bid to touch the Head, he laid his Finger upon the Point of it. The same Mistake he committed in three several Attempts; upon which, the Gentleman who made the Experiments smil'd, and said, He knew it would be so. Those who have seem'd unwilling this Mistake should be ascrib'd to the Objects appearing to the Boy inverted, are not satisfied belike in some Doubts; as First, Whe­ther the Boy's Mistake was not owing, in this Trial, no less to his Ignorance of Situations, as to higher and lower, or right and left, than it was in others before, to his Ignorance in the Di­stances of Things, further or nearer? And Se­condly, they thought it very extraordinary, that the Eye, fram'd, and intended by Nature, most exactly and constantly, to reflect and report, the true unperverted, Positions of Objects, should, as in Submission to one of her most capricious Operations, be at first, so unnaturally dispos'd, as to behold those Objects in the most false, un­faithful, and preposterous Positions; and yet, so change to the utmost Extream, as to reverse, rather than ratify the Habit, by further Practice of the same Organs, in the same Manner, upon [Page 23] the same Objects; so that those Things which appear'd to the same Eye, one while upside down, shall appear at other Times, or at all Times after, upright, and on their proper Basis! Whether such Appearances of Objects in the Reverse, might be owing to any Insufficiency in one of the Humours, upon the Vacancy made by the Removal of the opaque and phlegmatic Obstruction; whether to some Irregularity, some Indisposition in the Retina, or in any other Mediums to the Sensory in the Brain, which were not yet settled in their due Place or Proportion, by Exercise, and Experience in proper Distances, for a true Reflection of Objects, we need not here so much consider, as whether some Light into the Cause, might not be reflected from the usual Experiments, with an ordinary Convex Glass; which being held to any Characters or Images near at hand, shall only magnify, but not re­verse them; and yet the same Glass, held almost at Arms Length, towards those Objects, at a further Distance, shall both diminish, and turn them all topsy-turvy.

So that to see Things first in this Manner, how much soever it may have of Truth or Fact in it, and therefore may be less rare and uncom­mon; yet is it no less remarkable, in this Boy, and all in his Case, to have been endow'd with that Faculty really, which was long since observ'd ap­parently, in another Boy, mention'd by old Dr. William Bulleyn ^*, who tells us, He had two Sights [Page 24] in one Eye. And if such the Property be, or Ob­jects do after that Manner, appear inverted, at their first Admission to the so long obstructed Organ of Sight, it may possibly illustrate the blind Man's Similitude in the Gospel; who being brought to the Use of that Sense, and asked, if he could see any Thing, answered that, He saw Men like Trees, walking. ^† For, however he knew the Trees at first Sight, enough to name them, Men revers'd, or standing upon their Heads, with their Arms and Legs, as it were, branching uppermost, are more like Trees, and in that sup­posed Posture have oftner of old been compared to them, than when they stand upon their Feet. And what makes it more credible, that this Man was at first confus'd with the Sight of those Men in such perverted Attitudes, is, that in the very next Verse, it is said, after he had been touch'd again, by the same all-healing Hand, that He was restor'd, and saw every Man clearly: That is, di­stinctly and perfectly, in his real, and proper Posture.

OTHER, and more remarkable Observations might perhaps have been made, had any Thoughts of preserving and recommending them to pub­lic Application or Intelligence, been design'd at the first bringing of this Boy to Sight; and several philosophical Elucidations in the Doctrine of Vision, might also perhaps be further made, from the Particulars above, were it necessary or convenient to be more extensive and circumstan­tial in this Place thereon.

A SPECIMEN OF REMARKABLE CURES.