arrived within sight of his village church, which was seated in a deep and narrow vale. As I looked down upon it, the bright verdure of the meadows, which were here and there chequered with patches of yellow corn; the moving herd of cattle; the rich foliage of the groves of oak, hanging irregularly over its sides; the white houses of the inhabitants, which sprinkled every corner of this peaceful retreat; and, above all, the inhabitants themselves, assembled in their best attire, round their place of worship: all this gay scene, rushing at once on the view, struck my senses and imagination more forcibly than I can express.

"As we entered the church-yard, the respectful 'how do you do?' of the young, the hearty shakes of the old, and the familiar gambols of the children, showed how their old pastor reigned in the hearts of all. After some refreshment at the nearest house, we went to the church, where my veteran priest read the prayers, psalms, and chapters of the day, and then preached a sermon, in a manner that could have made no one advert to his loss of sight. At dinner, which it seems that four of the most substantial farmers of the vale provide in turn, he related the progress of his increased powers of memory. For the first year, he attempted only the prayers and sermons, the best reader of the parish making it a pride to officiate for him in the psalms and chapters; he next undertook the labor of learning these by heart, and, at present, by continual repetition, there is not a psalm

or chapter, of the more than two hundred appointed for the Sunday service, that he is not perfect in. He told me, also, that, having in his little school two sons of his own, intended for the university, he has, by hearing them continually, committed the greatest part of Homer and Virgil to memory."

The Rev. Doctors BLACKLOCK and LUCAS would also properly come under this head; but they have been disposed of more at length in another part of this volume.

Rev. EDWARD STOKES, who zealously preached the gospel for a term of fifty years, was born in 1705, and exchanged this for a brighter world, at Blaby, in Leicestershire, 1796, at the good old age of ninetythree. When in his ninth year, while at school, an accidental discharge of a pistol totally destroyed his sight. He, however, continued his studies with pleasing success, until he took his degree of Master of Arts at the university, soon after which he was admitted into holy orders, and appointed a parish minister in Leicestershire. With the assistance of a person to read the lessons, he performed all the service of the church; and few pastors were ever more beloved by their people than this benevolent and devoted man.

In the legal profession, we have but few names of our order to record. Whether the divine denunciation, "Woe unto you, lawyers," or conscientious scruples have deterred them from this pursuit, we are not prepared to decide. It is quite certain, however,

that it is not the obstacles which a want of sight imposes; for, to encounter and overcome difficulties, seems to have uniformly afforded the blind a fruitful source of pleasure.

Dr. NICHOLAS BACON, a celebrated advocate at the council of Brabant, who was deprived of sight in childhood, encouraged by the example of one Nicasius de Vourde, born blind, who lived near the close of the fifteenth century, and who, after distinguishing himself in his studies at the University of Louvain, had taken his degree of D. D. in that of Cologne, himself resolved to make the same attempt. "But his friends," says Wilson, "treated his intention with ridicule, and even the professors themselves were not far from the same sentiment; for they admitted him into their schools, rather under the impression that he might amuse them, than that they should be able to communicate much information to him. He had the good fortune, however, contrary to their expectations, to obtain the first place among his fellow-students. They then said, that such rapid advances might be made in the preliminary branches of education, but that they would soon be effectually checked in studies of a more profound nature. This opinion, it seems, was reiterated through the whole range of his pursuits, and when, in the course of academical learning, it became necessary to study the art of poetry, it was declared by the general voice, that all was over, and that at length he had reached his ne plus ultra; but here, likewise, he disproved their

prejudices, and taught them the immense difference between blindness of the intellect, and blindness of the bodily organs. After continuing his studies in classics and philosophy for two years longer, he applied himself to law, and took his degree in that science at Brussels." During the long and extensive practice of his profession, he had the good fortune, almost invariably, to terminate the suits in which he engaged, to the entire satisfaction of his clients.

Sir JOHN FIELDING, who became blind in youth, acted in the capacity of justice, in Westminster, with great energy and sagacity for many years. So prompt and assiduous was he in the execution of the law, that the name of blind Fielding, it is said, was a terror to evil doers. He was also an active and benevolent promoter of the Marine Society; was knighted in 1761, and died at Brompton, in 1780. Sir John published various tracts on the penal code, and was the author of a miscellaneous publication, entitled, "Universal Mentor."

For one destitute of sight to enter upon the practice of medicine, may to some, at first, appear preposterous; but when the comparative facilities of the blind and seeing in this field of usefulness are rightly viewed, this impression may in some degree be removed. By the eye, it is true, the physician learns the attitude of his patient, the expression of the countenance, the state of the tongue, and the color of the skin; and these signs often indicate the nature of the disorder. How, then, can a blind man be a good

physician? We answer: he may acquire a correct knowledge of all these signs, with the exception of the color of the skin, by the sense of touch; and this sense being in him more acute and refined, he is perhaps able to judge more correctly of the state and condition of the skin, which is considered a matter of great importance in the practice of this profession. External diseases, particularly cutaneous, are seldom attended with danger, and are chiefly distinguished by the eye; internal complaints, on the other hand, which are very numerous and more dangerous, are frequently discovered by the sense of feeling; and, as a blind physician has the advantage of a more acute sense of touch, he is able to form a very correct opinion of the seat and nature of these complaints.

HUGH JAMES, M. D., followed his profession for many years with eminent success, after he was totally deprived of sight. This distinguished physician was born at St. Bee's, in Cumberland, 1771. After having passed through a thorough course of medical study, he graduated at Edinburgh, in 1803, and settled at Carlisle as a practicing physician. Several years previous to this, his sight had been much impaired by severe inflammation in the head, and in the winter of 1806, he became totally blind. But, instead of allowing this misfortune to frustrate all his plans of future usefulness, he continued the practice of medicine with so much assiduity and skill, that, after his death, the people of Carlisle erected to his memory a monument, with the following inscription: