Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-04-26
Reading backwards.


One of the recent publications Of the
Vellum- Parchment Shilling Series OF the
Messrs. Field & Tuer is an interesting lit
tie volume entitled, "Shal We Read
Backwards ?" The introduction alone, by
r. B. Carter, short as it is, gives much use
full information on the subject of training
the ewes from infancy in order to obtain
the full benefit of perfectly developed
sight. This is only possible by a judicious
uSe of the ewes, which, however, does not
consist in abstaining from work in which
the ewes are used, " idleness of the eyes"
according TO one of Mr. Carriers former
works, being " in every way hurttal to
them.n 1t is, therefore, necessary to de-
velop the vision by that proper and
varied employment which is eminently
conducive to their preservation in beauty
and efficiency" How, then, can we
arrive at the highest possible
stage of development without injur-
ing the eyes? Reading is undoubtedly
one of the commOnest means, and the
most readable print is that by which we
NAV obtain the maximum of reading with
minimum of Injury to the sight" The
experiments which have been tried by
many eminent authorities to settle the
question are very various. Light and
color are. of course, two chief considera
tions. to which good deal of attention is
maid in the little book; another is the
wav in which the type is set. European
nations print, as rule, from left to right,
Int whether this is the most readable
stvle is by no means certain. In ancient
writings there is much variety in the way
of writing. Among these, the Monaghan
columnar stvle is not suitable for European
languages, because of the varying length
of words, as may be seen in the annexed
illustration:
Commence here and read backwards.
in and The
perpendicular Mongols Chinese,
lines. write japanese,
It would, however, be less difficult to ac-
custom the ewes to this system than to that
of the ancient Europeans and Semites-
thgir mort nur sdrow eht remain hclhw nj
| dedeeccus noos saw hcihw redro ma ,ttel OF
rehtona yb eporuE nj
| This was the double mode called boustro-
phedoa {" as the OK ploughs") J, which has
the benefit of equalizing the muscular ac-
ton of the eyes:
In it the alternate line follows an oppo-
! site direction. and some have therefore
,rennam keerG ylrae shit OF nruter degru
which was finally succeeded by the present
eht OF eds tfel eht mort gnitirw 70 metsys
right"
With regard to the size of type Mr.. Mil
| lington. the author of Shall We Read
! Backwards 2" saws: 1t has been accepted
by oculists that type embraced by an angle
equal to s. five minutes) is the smallest
printed matter which can be recognized by
the average normal eve. according to this
formula the smallest print which normal
eve can readily recognize at distance OF
one foot is about 1-50 of an inch; at Is
inches (the average distance at which the
book is held by an adult the smallest re-
cognizable type would be about l-S2 OF an
| inch. The normal eye should never be
subjected for any length of time to type
smaller than twice this size-that is, lie
of an inch-and it would be better after
middle life TO employ a type even little
larger than this"
The general rules for preserving a good
eyesight put down by the author may be
summarized in the following extract
See that the light is sufficient, and that
it falls properly upon your work; Never
sit facing it. 1t is best that the light
should fall upon the work from above OF
behind. Failing this, it may fall from the
side. Never use the eyes at twilight
Any artificial light for the evening is good
if it be brilliant enough and steady. Read
ing while riding in any conveyance should
be avoided it requires too great an exer-
ton of the accommodatiye power to keep
the eyes fixed on the letters. Never read
when lying down; it is too fatiguing tor
the accommodativep power. Many tedious
case of weak sight has been traced to the
pernicious habit of reading in bed after re-
firing for the night. y Pail Mall Gazette