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CHAP. II. Blind Persons Improved by Art and Industry.
WHere Nature is defective, there the Assistance of Art is required: Nothing makes us more Ingenious than Necessity: Rather than Men will suffer all the Inconveniencies consequent upon a Total Eclipse of any of their Senses, especially that of Sight, and the comfortable use of the Sun, they will set their Brains upon the rack, and use the greatest intention of Thought, to procure a Compensation.
1. Esther Elizabeth Van Waldkirk, Daughter of a Merchant of Shaffhausen, Residing at Geneva, aged Nineteen Years, having been Blind from two Months old, by a Distemper fal∣ling on her Eyes, nevertheless hath been put on to the Study of Learning by her Father, so that she understands perfectly, French, High-Dutch, and Latin; she speaks ordinarily Latin with her Father, French with her Mother, and High-Dutch with the People of that Nation: She hath almost the whole Bible by Heart, is well skill'd in Philosophy, plays on Or∣gans and Violin; and which is wonderful in this condition, she hath learned to write, by an Invention of her Fathers, after this manner:
There was cut for her upon a Board, all the Letters of the Alphabet, so deep as to feel the Figures with her Fingers, and to follow the traces with a Pencil, till that she had ac∣customed her self to make the Characters. Afterwards they made for her a Frame, which holds fast her Paper when she writes; and which guides her Hand to make strait Lines. She writes with a Pencil rather than with Ink, which might either foul her Paper, or by fail∣ing, might cause her to leave VVords imperfect. 'Tis after this manner that she writes of∣ten in Latin to her Friends, as well as in the other two Languages. This is an Extract of a Letter written from Lyons, by M. Spon. M. D. &c. From the Journal, des Scavans, set forth March 25. 1680.
2. John Ferdinand, born in Flanders, being blind, yet overcame that which most learned Men find hard: For he was at once a very Learned Poet and Philosopher; he was also an excellent Musician, and play'd skilfully on divers kinds of Instruments. Camer. Hor. Subscis. p. 171.
3. Ʋldaricus Schonbergerus, a Doctor in Philosophy, though blind, yet he was Learnedly skill'd in the Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and Syriack Languages; an excellent Naturalist, an Acute Disputant in Philosophy, Skilful in Musick, Studious both in Picture and Sculpture; he would discharge a Gun with that dexterity, that the Builet should oft hit the Mark; he died of late Years at Regioment, of which unusual Example, Simon Dachius hath left to Po∣sterity an Elegant Elegy. Barthol. Hist. Anatom. Cent. 3. Hist. 44. p. 87, 88.
4. James Ʋsher, Lord Primate of Ireland, was taught to read by his two Aunts, who were Blind from their Cradles, yet were they admirably vers'd in the Scriptures, being able suddenly to have given a good Account of any part of the Bible. Clarks Lives, p. 190, 191.
5. Count Manifield, though Blind, yet with the touch alone, was able to distinguish white from black. Barthol. Cent. 3. Hist. 44. p. 87.
6. Schenckius tells of one that, though Blind, yet received visible Species through his No∣strils. Zacch. quest. Med. Legal. l. 5. Tit. 3. p. 325. Schen. Obs. p. 1.
7. Sir Kenelme Digby says, he saw one so blind, that he could not discern when the Sun shined; yet would play well at Cards and Tables, Bowls and Shovel-Board, discern the Gestures of his Scholars by their Voice; walk in a Chamber, or long Alley strait, and turn exactly at the ends; and by an effect of the Light upon his Body, but chiefly on his Brain, know when the Sun was up, and distinguish exactly between a clear and cloudy Day. Sir. Kehelme Digby's Treatise of Bodies, c. 28. p. 253, 254.