The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-06-04
THE PACIFIC
Commercial Advertiser.
The Blind.

EngLSn source
Blindness is not ALWAYS to the blind so great a pri-
yation-so serious an obstacle to the exercise of the
faculties, either of mind or body-as those who ENJOY
the power of vision are apt to suppose that it must
necessarily be. Most readers will remember to have
read of at least two decisive instances to the contrary
that of DR.. Sanderson, the eminent mathematician of
the last century, who was to the pro-
fessorship of mathematics at the University of Cam
bridge, by Sir Isaac Newton, and who, though COM
pletely blind, could add, subtract, multiply, divide,
extract the square and cube roots, and solve abstruse
problems in trigonOmetry and algebra as correctly,
and almost as rapidly, as Sir Isaac himself; and that
of Mr.. Metcalf, the engineer, who was stOne-bhnd
from his birth, and yet planned and executed, and
himself chose and surveyed the sites for more roads
and canals than any other engineer Of his time. We
shall here bring forward o few instances of the same
and similar kinds.
at the time we write, there resides in London an
elderly gentleman who has been blind since infancy,
but yet, within a circle of six miles radius, having
its center near st. Paul's, is able to find his way from
any place to any place without a guide. Some months
ago, q gentleman who resided in a distant suburb,
spent an evening at the house of the gentleman in
question, and found, when about to return, at q late
hour, that the night was not only moonless, but
absolutely blackened by dense dog. AS his guest was
quite unacquainted with the parts of London he must
pass through on his way home, the blind host insisted
on being allowed to act for his guide, and in that
capacity sailed forth with him. The two friends had
not gone far before the blind guide suddenly
exclaimed: HStop! here is an obstruction ~ 81
can see nothing said the man of eyes, neither can
l feel anything with my cane.' "Still, there is
something quite large, just before u.s. replied the
blind man, who then carefully felt his way forward,
an inch at a time, till he came to a cab, which some
needless or drunken driver had left across q pathway
instead of taking into q yard.
A somewhat similar incident came under our own
observation about two years ago. We were sOjourn-
ing in one of the Midland counties, in the neighbOr-
hood of an asylum for the blind, which we used the
opportunity to. visit. The building devoted to the
purposes of this asylum then stood in the center of an
extensive lawn and tho lawn WOO surrounded nv q
gravel walk, upon which, at stated hours, the inmates
OF the asylum took a certain number OF daily prone
nades. On the OCCASION of our visit, a few minutes
before the time for one of these, the governor OF the
asylum placed an empty barrel across the gravel
path, and desired us to remain at q distance to
observe the result. Presently the blind pedestrians
commenced their walk, with long, active steps, and a
department full Of ease and uncOnCern. Not the least
embarrassment was visible in their gait till they came
within a single yard of the barrel. But at this point
they evidently perceived the obstruction, for they all
suddenly stopped, and one of them carefully extended
his foot to feel for it. When he had discovered it,
his companions helped him to remove it, and the
whole party then walked forward, as before, IN per-
feet assurance.
The celebrated Julia Brace has only one sense, that
of touch. At the age of eighteen, she was admitted
as a deaf, dumb, and blind pupil into the Asylum at
Hartford. She was there taught the finger language
peculiar to blind Tnutes, and by means of it was
enabled not only to understand the nature of hire
in6rmity, but also to converse with her friends, to
share their joys and SORROWS, and to comprehend, and
SO to perform, her social, moral, and religious duties.
A few anecdotes will show that to the performance of
these her blindness offered scarcely any obstacle.
Thus, at Hartford she would select her clothes from
the mass belonging to a hundred pupils, never leaV-
ing amongst so many garments n single one OF her
own, or taking from them one that did not belong to
her. She would wash her own Clothes, changing the
water every time it became dirty, and, when dry,
would iron them as ably as any laundress who could
see. She would perform the entire work of knitting
o stocking, without requiring any assistance in either
mapping, narrowing or widening. More wonderful
still, she would examine the knitting work of a little
girl, take out the needles, unravel the work till she
had removed all its imperfections, and then take up
the stitches again with unerring accuracy. She was
even taught to sew, and frequently hemmed line
cambria handkerchiefs, without receiving, in any
part of the work, the least assistance. Her needle
and thread, both of extreme fneness, were put into
her mouth together, and Immediately came forth
ready for use
In Paris, at this very time, reside two brothers,
named FOntaine, one of whom is blind, the other deaf.
The blind brother acts as foreman in q large upholstery
mandatory, and by means of his wonderful acute
sense of touch, is able to discover when o piece of fur
niture is untaithfully made, or of faulty proportions,
rs readily as the most p~racticed person who can see;
the deaf brother is q popular dancer at a suburban
theater, and has published an autobiography, from
which we must trouble the reader with q brief extract,
and then pass on. After abiding to the well-known
fact that deaf persons are seldom entirely insensible
to the action of sound, NJ. Fontaine proceeds
" Moreover, their sense of feeling is frequently so
exceedingly delicate and acute, that they not only
feel the ordinary sounds of the voice, but are sensible
even to the harmony of its infections. For my own
part, although, strictly speaking, [ am totally unable
to hear, in dancing all my motions are timed by the
music, just as are those of dancers who are not deaf.
The only difference is, l require to be nearer to the
music than they do. l then experience q delightful
confusion of the nerves, such as | am convinced can be
known nothing of Except by those..n whom the sense of
feeling strongly predominates over that Of hearing.
BUSINESS SUCCEss.-Enter into a business ofwhich
you have q perfect knowledge. In your own right
or by the aid of friends on long time, have a cash
capital sufficient to do at least a cash business. Never
venture on o credit business on commencement.
Buy all of your goods or materials for cash; you can
take every advantage Of the market, and can pick
and choose where you will. Be careful not to over
stock yourself. Rise and fall with the market on
short stocks. Always stick to those whom you prove
to be strictly just in their transactions, and shun all
others, even at q temporary disadvantage. Never
take advantage of a ustomer's ignorance, nor
equiyocate, nor misrepresent. Have but one price
and a small profit, and you will find all the most
profitable customers-the cash ones-or they will find
you.
If ever deceived in business transactions never
attempt to save yourself by putting the deception on
others; but submit to the loss, and be more cautious
In future. According to the character or extent Of
your business, set aside q liberal percentage for
printing and advertising, and do not hesitate. Never
let an article, parcel or package go out from you
without a handsomely printed wrapper, card or cir
cular. and dispense them continually. Choose the
newspaper for your purpose, and keep yourself un-
ceasinglv before the public; and it matters not what