The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-04-13
For the North Iowa Times,


The Sense of Seeing.
Every one is aware of the importance of
the seven senses we recognize them as the
great thoroughfares over which every enjoy
mcnt travels to us; by them our mind ex-
pands, and by their proper use, we improve
in every respect. The sense of seeing is
one of the most gratifying and useful of all
the senses we possess. 1t brings into action
some of our finest cmotions-as when beau
ty in its finest colors, or loveliest form, pre-
scnts itself to our view. Now it is our
duty to take every advantage of nature, that
we can, to prolong our livcs-and add to our
happiness-or to our stock of knowledge.
Possessing two eyes, We should explore
every field, each nook and corner, that may
be before us, with that busy interest, that
will quicken our perceptions and increase
our power of observation.
1t is not true saying that all sec alike,
though all do not read alike" for the we'll
trained eye takes in a much larger field of
vision, and in that field sees many an object
that is wholly unobservcd by the dull and
oblivious gazer. A case in point Several
years ago, traveller states, that ''while pass
ing down the Mississippi on a Boat just in
the grey of the morning, several gentlemen
were standing on deck looking at objects
along the shore. One man in rough shah
by ovcrcoat, carried rife, and was contin-
ually pointing out objects that non9 Of the
rest cotld discern. At last he inquired of
those present, if any one could sec duck
sitting on drift-log ahead, just beyond the
next projecting bluff. No one could see the
bird, but at last the log was discovered. The
stranger declared he not only saw the bird,
but he went on and described the colors.-
The steamer neared the object which, as a
CLEAN of sunlight played upon it, proved to
be DUCK, which on our near approach rose
on wing. Quick as thought, the stranger
raised his rife, fired, the bird fell, was re-
covered and proved to be small diver duck
as had been already described to u.s.
The stranger was Audubon, the great Ame-
rican Naturalist, whose kceness of vision
from constant practice, was remarkable
Sailors and those men living on vast, level
plains, will discern and describe objects in
the distance that are wholly imperccptible
to those who reside in rough or woody coun-
tries. The eye is as capable of receiving an
education as any of our individual members
BY constant training the eye of the painter
drinks in all the beauties oris panied by the
slightest errors of the printed sheet The
painter rcvcls amid shades of color-tracing
lines and tints, wholly unnoticcd by COM
mon eyes, and by these slight shades, ap-
proves or condemns work of art-at the
time telling you to what school Of painting
the work belongs. The miner sees for
tune in the sand that to the plodding farmer
appears worthless. We see much that we
do not see, i. c. the most We see We take no
notice Of The eye of the reader is an un-
conscious speller Of every word; to prove
it, let but single letter be omitted from any
word and the mistake is instantly noticed.
Becchcr says linen sec nothing but what
they remember" and as memory goes Ear
towards making the NAN, it is all important
that we learn to see we'll
M G. II.