model a statue of Pope Urban VIII., which he completed to the entire satisfaction of his patron. It is supposed that this is the same famous blind sculptor whom Roger de Piles met with in the Justinian palace, where he was modeling, in clay, a figure of Minerva. It is related that the Duke of Bracciano, who had seen him at work, doubted much that he was completely blind, and in order to set the matter at rest, he caused the artist to model his head in a dark cellar. It proved a striking likeness. Some, however, objecting that the duke's beard, which was of patriarchial amplitude, had made the operation of producing a seeming likeness too easy, the artist offered to model one of the duke's daughters, which he accordingly did; and this also proved an admirable likeness. Among his numerous other works is a marble statue of Charles I., of England, said to be finely finished. So far as this art pertains to the form and contour of a statue, it is not more difficult for a blind person to pursue, than others adverted to in this section. But to engrave upon a marble statue that intangible, life-like expression, in which mainly consists the individual similitude, is altogether extraordinary, and must be regarded as the climax of tactual attainments.

SECTION II.

MISCELLANEOUS OCCUPATIONS.

WHATEVER serves to illustrate a condition to which by the vicissitudes of life every person is exposed, cannot fail to awaken interest in the public mind. In view of this fact, we shall devote this section to the notice of such characters who, on account of their various pursuits, would not admit of regular classification, yet whose honorable attainments may afford interest to the general reader, and many valuable hints to our class.

Among these may be mentioned WIMPRECHT, the bookseller of Augsburgh, who was sightless from birth, yet by his energy and perseverance secured a good education, and is at present maintaining a large family in respectability and comfort, from the profits of his thriving business. His stock usually consists of about eight or nine thousand volumes, which he frequently reviews with no other assistance than his intelligent wife. His honesty, obliging deportment, and general acquaintance with books, have secured for him a large and profitable business.

We are informed of another blind person, who is the proprietor of a "music store," at Plymouth, England, and by this employment, together with the teaching of music, has placed himself in very independent circumstances.

It is evident that our class is by no means exempt

from the law of necessity, imposed upon Adam by the divine declaration, viz, "In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread." Yet it is perhaps worthy of remark, that few among us have engaged in the cultivation of the ground, as a means of support. For this we can assign no better reason than has already been hinted, viz, that the greatest inconvenience attendant on the lack of sight in the industrial pursuits, is the inability to transport ourselves with facility from place to place, and this difficulty is perhaps most felt in farming. Yet as proof that even this branch of business is not altogether beyond our reach, we record the name of JOHN HALL, brother of one of the present writers, who has been successfully engaged for several years in agricultural pursuits, notwithstanding his lack of sight from birth, and is at present an able and respectable farmer in the state of Ohio. Nor are his labors confined (as some may suppose) to the mere supervision or management of his farm; there are really but few kinds of labor in which he cannot engage with nearly as much dexterity as though he possessed perfect sight. The work of preparing his ground for seed, sowing, dragging, &c., is of course performed by his hired man; but in harvest time John is at his post, and can perform, as he chooses to express it, as big a day's work as the next man. He has yet scarcely passed the meridian of life, has an amiable and affectionate companion, and two rosy, bright-eyed boys, who seem to have

inherited the enterprising spirit of their father, but not his misfortune.

In all the labors and engagements of life, heroic courage is one of the most essential virtues. No matter how favorable may be the circumstances at the outset, before any great enterprise is terminated, we always find occasion to call this principle into requisition. Swift says that "blindness is an inducement to courage, because it hides from us the danger which is before us." How far the dean may be right in his conjectures, we shall not here endeavor to determine.

But to illustrate that lack of sight does not intimidate or disqualify us for great encounters, even when dangers are most apparent, we record the name and a few adventures of ZISCA, the Bohemian reformer. This distinguished patriot was a native of Bohemia. His real name was John de Trocznow, but in the course of his military services he lost his left eye, from which circumstance he was called Zisca, that word, in the Bohemian language, signifying one-eyed. He served for some time in the Danish and Polish armies, but on the conclusion of the wars he returned to his native country. The Council of Constance, which had then assembled (1414) for the purpose of rooting heresy out of the churches, and at whose command John Huss and Jerome of Prague, were burned at the stake, sent terror and consternation throughout Bohemia, and its cruel and unjust decrees filled the public mind with horror and indigna

tion. The people at last became exceedingly exasperated against the pope and the emperor, on account of their cruelties, and were obliged to take up arms in defense of their lives, and chose Zisca as their general, who soon found himself at the head of forty thousand patriots. But at the siege of Ruby, while viewing a part of the works on which he intended an assault, an arrow from the enemy struck him in his remaining eye, and when extricated tore out the eye with it. This accident caused his whole devoted army to mourn; for, while under the gleaming of their general's sword, triumphant victory awaited them in every contest.

He was carried to Prague by his weeping soldiers, and his life was for some time despaired of. After much pain and suffering, however, he recovered, but with no other hope before him than of spending the remainder of his days in total blindness. But, like Sampson of old, he drew more dreadful destruction upon the heads of his enemies, after this misfortune, than he before had done. His friends were surprised to hear him talk, after his recovery, of setting out for the army, and did all in their power to dissuade him, but he remained fixed in his resolutions. "I have yet," said he, "my blood to shed for the liberties of Bohemia. She is enslaved; her sons are deprived of their natural rights, and are the victims of a system of spiritual tyranny as degrading to the character of man as it is destructive of every moral principle; therefore, Bohemia must and shall be free." True to