The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-03-29
FANcIEs OF The BLIND.
Having Once Seen, the World and
Thosc Upon IL Are Mere Beautiful.


Those Upon II Are Msre Beautiful.
"some day may write paper TO be
called sOom pensa tions In Blindness.
said asWashington lady. still under tnir-
", who has been totally tlind for nearly
Q decade. Ten years ago, when was
told by several distinguished oeulisis that
1 should fiusvfsabiy become coinpls,ely'
blind Within very few months tho
shock vas almost beyond my strength
Had Inot been 6f great constitutional
hardness. tie breeding permitted my
self to indulge in at first over the special-
lists pronunciamento would unqusstion-
ably have undermined myShsaith. Then
forced myself 90 en- erge from the heavy
shadow. and braced myself to submit
phiiosophically 20 tbs final extipction'rf
light for the oculists were right and
evory morning found that perceived
objects moro ard more dimly. ] gradu-
ally psrved myself up to meet the heavy
day when should awake In utter dark
ness. When the day anne 1t was not 80
bitter IS 1 had anticipated. for I had
grown used TO the contemplation OF the
perpetual shadow that was In store for
me.
Now, AS to the comrensation In blind
ness. Can you understano that the world
seems very much more beautiful to ine
newspaper by the light of the full moonf
We of the sishtless eyes fall unconsciously
into the habit as time passes Of ideaiiz-
ing every thing thai presents itself to our
notice We are thrust upon our imaginA-
iion SO absolutely. you know, and ! Lsup-
pose 1t Is quite true that the imagirntions
OF blind psopls are extraordinarily active.
i have, often fanclod. since i became
blind, that Milton,s deprivation Of sight
was In reality blessing to the worlds
literature; for / sm firmly Of the belief
that his hlindress .imulated his imagi-
nation and enabled him To portray his
colossal pictures with Infinitely mere
beauty than be would have lean able to
conceive had se bean in possession Of his
sight. But, as / started to say, we Of
the useless eyes uncor sciousIy Develop
into idealizers. For example. am visited
by manv dear women friends whose fnces
bave never seen. am told that several
of these friends arc nopel, ssly plain rs to
features. but have observed that those
who, as / hear. ars the lenss attractive az
TO their exterior beauty have the sweetest
voic7s, which In itsef is conn ensation
for them. 1t In conf ensation for me,
In that am the beneficiary Of that alone
which Is the most attractive thins about
them their voiCes-and am spared the
acute sympathy might feel for them
could sle their lack Of personal beauty.
Again, my people occasionally take me 70
the theatre. venture To say that now.
after having been blind for nearly ten
years. enjoy good play very much
more than those WHOSE eyes serve them
well. When was quite young woman.
and possessed Of tie best of siaht, rscsll
that there were many actors and actresses
whose enunciation ana delivery OF their
lines wsre admirable, but whose natural
or sssuu ed mannsrisms Jarred upon me.
Now hear the voices Of the pliyers alone.
and their foe or vicious speouhts; so that
all stage heroes are Sir Launcelots and all
villains Sir MooreGs to me. When am
told that girl who comes to real to ma
Is oonsi1eret lovely by every body. I am
sure, after she has been described to me.
that picturssher very much mere beauti-
full than anybody with sight does. Again,
you know that many fne musicians. vo-
cal and Instrumental Inen and women,
are desperately ill-favored. and the per-
forming manners OF some OF them are
distressing. as myself rem membsr. But
OF IL hsar their music. you perceive. and
the musicians are all angels of light to
me. wnen / am I'D through the parks
and inspired by the appealing fragrance
OF the liiacs canrot SEQ the flowers that
are whitening. ."-Whshington star.