Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume II.djvu/741

 ISLINI) 721 to render this apparent the due cultivation of the sense of feeling is all that is required. Touch differs from sight in many respects, but chiefly in this, that while sight can take in at one glance many objects included within a vast area, touch can only convey to the brain by one act of con- tact the impression of the first small point that arrests its progress. Let a small horizontal line be made on a piece of paper, the person who wishes to feel it proceeds from the left side of the paper quite unconscious of what may meet his finger ; he presently comes in contact with a point, which fact with more than light- ning speed is conveyed to the brain. Now it is obvious that if it were possible to convey to the brain a distinct idea of one special letter or word every tune the finger comes in contact with a point, ' tangible ' reading would reach perfection. The first thing is to select the most tangible characters, viz., those whose properties can be perceived immediately that the finger comes in contact with them." On the other hand, the Rev. Mr. Johns, chap- lain to the asylum for the blind, St. George's Fields, London, says : " Sooner or later some one system of embossed printing will be gen- erally adopted, and it must embrace the fol- lowing features : It must resemble as nearly as possible the type in use among seeing men ; that the blind scholar in learning to read may have every possible help from his 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." Systems of notation in raised characters have been invented by Rousseau, Braille, Guadet, and Mahoney, and possess merit, inasmuch as they permit the pupil to record any piece of music for future reference ; but the principal method of cultivating music by the blind must always be by the ear, and in this they excel. As to the extent of the misfortune of loss of sight as compared to that of loss of hearing and speech, Mr. Johns substantially says: "At first one would be naturally led to suppose that the condition of the blind man is by far the most deplorable ; that his isolation is more EMINENT BLIND PERSONS. NAME. Country. Bora or nourlihed. _. . At what ige became blind. For what celebrated. Cn. Aufidius, Prsetor Diodotus. . . B. 0. 108 50 A. D. 815 Philosophy, geometry ; History of Greect. Philosophy ; preceptor of Cicero. Philosophy and divinity. Rhetoric and theology. Military exploits. Poetry ; Life of Wallace. Poetry; Confessio Amantis. Patriotism and military genius. Law and divinity. Philosophy and literature. Theology and morals. Philosophy and medicine. Poetry, philosophy, and religion. Literature. Painting and literature. Greek, mathematics, and music. Mathematics and mechanics. Commentary on law. Astronomy, theology. History of Dauphiny. Mathematics. Music and natural philosophy. Poetry, divinity, and music. Poetry ; Fables. 6 vols. 8vo. Geography, maps in relief. Natural history. Sculptor. Pianist and composer. Poetry. Poetry. Theology. Mathematics and astronomy. Music ; oratorio of Jcphtha. Poems ; Letters to Washington. Road surveyor and contractor. Botany and natural philosophy. Poet, and teacher of the blind. Sculpture. Mechanics. Police magistrate. Music and mathematics. Sculptor and carver in wood. Director of a blind institution. Member of the Belgian congress. Traveller and author. Treatise on Harmony. History of the Norman conquest. Inventor of point-writing for blind. Poetry and fiction. < 'lergyman and author ; discourses. Clergyman and author; hymns. Asia Minor At adult age. . A. D. 840 At 5 years 898 At5 years.... 1205 iOld age. Born blind. . . . 1402 Manhood 1424 . . . Eusebius the Asiatic Enrico Dandolo, Doge Venice Scotland 110S 1861 1820 Nicaise of Mechlin Belgium Bruges, Belgium. . Russy, nr. Ravenna ah'.' 1480 1482 At 8 years .... af. 1529 At 8 years.... 1505 At 8 months.. 15S7 In youth 1496 Born blind... 1520 Margaret of Ravenna .T. Sohegkius. of Thorndorf. 1450 1450 1588 1518 1604 1598 iesi 1682 1750 1721 1786 ab. 1740 1750 HilO 1759 1706 1608 1687 1707 1718 1756 1717 1757 1772 ab. 1800 1777 i792 1782 Switzerland Giovanni Paolo Lomazzo. . . Milan, Italv ab. 100 At 17 years... 1590 In childhood.. 1665 At 88 years... 1678 Marseilles Dauphiny. France. Grenoble, France. . Yorkshire, Engl'd. Kirkcaldy, Scotl'd.. Annan. Scotland. . . Colmar, Germany. Mannheim, Ge rm'y Geneva Cambassi, Italy. . . Vienna. 1698 Bourchenu de Valbonnais. . Nicholas Saunderson Henry Moyes In infancy. . . 1789 At 1 year 1807 At 8 years.... 1791 At 6 months.. 1809 In infancy At 7 years. . . . 1831 At 17 years. . . 1664 At 20 years... 1824 At 5 years.... 1788 At 84 years... 1674 At 44 years... 1681 At 4 years.... 1788 At 50 years... 1786 At 2 years. . 1814 At 19 years. . . 1802 At 6 years. . . . 1825 At 8 years. . . . 1801 In youth At 25 years. . . 1809 At 10 years... 1780 From youth... 1884 At an early age 1850 At 5 years. . . . Born blind Thomas Blacklock. D. D. .. Gottlieb Konrad Pfeffel.... Francois Huber Giovanni Gonelli. Anna Williams Wales John Milton London Rev. John Troughton Leonard Euler Coventry, England. Basel, Switzerland. London Liverpool Knaresboro', Eng.. Kcndal, England. . John Stanley Edward Rus'hton John Metcalf John Gough M. Avisse. M. Buret France Glasgow Westminster Dalkcith, Scotland. Tyrol Prussia John Kay Sir John "Fielding David Macbeth. Joseph Kleinhauns Herr Knie Alexander Rodenbach James Hohnan Belgium Exeter, England. . . Paris Paris Lagny. France 1786 1786 ab. l-i in 1795 1809 1818 1784 1775 At 11 years. . . 1857 M. Moncoulteau Augustin Thierry Louis Braille .... Born blind.... 1856 At 27 years...
 * At 6 years. ..

.... At 18 months. 1862 At 16 years... 1859 At 48 years... Timothy Woodbridge. . . . Samuel Willard Stockbridge. Mass. Deerfleld, Mass...