Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1847-07-10
WILLIAM II. PRESCOTT.

From the Preface to the History Of the Conquest
of Peru the North American extracts the following
interesting detail Of the difficulties under which this
writer has labored from impaired eyesight:
/" Before closing these remarks may be permitted add
few of personal In several foreign notices of my
writings the author has been said be blind and than
have had the credit of having lost my sight in the
position Of my first history When have met with such
erroneous accounts have FASTENED correct them. But
the present occasion affords the best of doing
and am the DESTROYS of this fear Of my
remarks in the preaces my former HISTORIES have led
to the mistake
"While at the University received injury in of
my eyes which deprived of the sight of it. The other,
after, attacked by inflammation severely that for
tme lost the sight of that also and, though it
subsequently restored the organ much dordered
to remain permanently debiated while twice in my life,
since, have been deprived of the of for all purposes OF
reading and writing for several years together 1t during
of these periods that received from Madrid the materials
for the History of Ferdinand and Isabella, and in my dis
abed condition. with my transatlantic treasures lying around
me- was like pning from hunger in the midst OF abun-
dance In this state resolved to make the possible,
do the work Of the eye procured the services OF secre-
tary who read to the various authorities and in time
became far familiar with the sounds of the different foreign
languages (o of which, indeed had been previously
accustomed by residence abroad) that could comprehend
his reading without much difficulty. AS the reader proceeded
dictated copous notes and, when these had sweed to
considerable amount, they read to repeatedly, till
had mastered their contents sufficiently for the purposes of
composition. The same notes furnished an easy of
reference to sustain the text.
"Stll another difficulty occurred in the mechanical labor
of writing, which found trial to the eye This
remeded by Of writing case such used by
bab l,I IIaI nc
without the aid of sight serving equally well in the dark
in the light The characters thus formed made ap
proach herogyphics but my secretary became expert in
the art OF decpherng, and fair copywith liberal allow
for unavoidable bunderswas transcribed for the of
the printer have described the process with minute
ness curiosity has been repeatedly expressed
ference my ods optrand under my prvaions, and the
knowledge of may be of assistance others in similar
circumstances.
Though encouraged by the sensible progress of my
work, necessarily slow But in time the tendency
Inflammation diminished, and the strength OF the eye
frned and IL at length far restored that
could read for several hours of the day. though my abo
this way necessarily terminated with the daylight Nor could
dispense with the services of secretary, with the
wrtng-case for contrary to the usual experience, have
found writing trial 10 the than readng-a
mark, however, which does apply the reading
sc and to enable myself therefore, to revise my compost
ton carefully, caused copy of the " History of Fer
dnand and Isabella to be printed for my inspection be-
fore was sent to the press for publication Such have
paraton OF the Conquest of Mexico y and, satisfied with
being raised nearly level with the of my species,
scarcely enved the superior good fortune OF those who could
poong their studies into the evening, and the later hours
the night.
But change has again taken place during the last two
years The sight OF my eye has become gradually dmmed,
while the sensbity of the has been far increased
that for several weeks of the last year have opened
volume and through the whole time have had the
of il, average for than hour day. Nor
cheer myself with the delusve expectation that, impaired
the organ has become from having been asked probably
beyond its strength il youth, be ofmuch
service to hereafter my literary researches Whether
shall have the heart to enter, had proposed, a
and extensive field of historical labor with these impe
dimens cannot say. Perhaps long habit, and a natural
desire tofolow the which have long pursued may
make this necessary my past experience has
already proved that il is practicable
From this staement-too long, fear, for his patience
the reader who feels any curiosity about the matter, will
dersand the real extent of my embarrassmen historical
pursuits That they have not been very light will be readily
admitted when il considered that have had but limited
of my eve, best state, and that much Of the tine
have been declared from the Of altogether Yet the
difficulties have had to contend with very far inferior
those which fall 10 the lot Of blind know Of his
orian alive who claim the glory Of having
such obstacles but the author Of La Conquee de rAnge
erre par les Nomands " who, to his touching and
beautiful language has made himself the friend of dark
" and who, profound philosophy that requires no
light but that from Within unites capacity for extensive and
various research that Nigh well demand the appca-
ton of the student"