CONTENTS OF VOL. II. PAGE XII. On the Blindness of Homer, Ossian, and Milton. XIII. The Valley of the Rye, a Tale, continued 24 XIV. On the Character and Writings of Sir Thomas Browne, with Extracts from, and Observations XV. Critical Remarks on “ The Judgment, a Vision," a Poem by Mr. Hillhouse of New York 100 XVI. The Valley of the Rye, a Tale, continued . 128 XVII. On the Blindness of Homer, Ossian, and Milton. XVII. On the Religio Medici of Sir Thomas Browne XIX. The Valley of the Rye, a Tale, continued 222 XX. On the Blindness of Homer, Ossian, and Milton. XXI. The Valley of the Rye, a Tale, concluded - 287 EVENINGS IN AUTUMN. No. XII. Non est miserum esse cæcum; miserum est cæcitatem non posse ferre: Et sanè haud ultima Dei cura cæci sumus : Illos memorem, vetustatis ultimæ priscos vates, ac sapientissimos. Milton. Τυφλός ανήρ οικεί δε Χίω ένα παιπαλοέσση. HOMER. It is not miserable to be blind; he only may be considered as miserable who cannot endure blindness with resignation. To be blind, indeed, is to be placed more immediately under the providence of God. I might record as instances, a few of the wisest and most ancient bards of antiquity. Lo! the blind bard of Chio's rugged isle! F Of all the bodily deprivations to which man is subjected in his passage through this transitory life, perhaps the one which most renders him an object of commiseration, as placing him most entirely at the mercy of others, is the loss of sight. More especially do we feel the highest degree of interest mingled with our pity, where this misfortune has fallen to the lot of those who have been distinguished for their virtues and their talents, and who, had it not been for the intervention of this disaster, had retained, to the last, the full possession of that influence and independency, to which a high order of intellect, in combination with perfect bodily power, had previously conducted them. There is, however, almost constantly to be found under every visitation of providence, and as arising directly from the very nature of the infliction, something of a compensatory and alleviating cast; and, in the instances to which I have alluded, if failure of sight lead, as it almost necessarily must do, in numerous particulars, to a helpless subserviency to the will of others, it is, at the same time, generally accompanied by the most decided manifestations, on the part of relatives and friends, of increasing assiduity and regard; while in the estimation |
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