le, while
the boundless ocean of Truth lies undiscovered before me."

At last, in 1727, when he was fourscore and five years old, Sir Isaac
Newton died,--or rather he ceased to live on earth. We may be permitted to
believe that he is still searching out the infinite wisdom and goodness of
the Creator, as earnestly, and with even more success, than while his
spirit animated a mortal body. He has left a fame behind him, which will
be as endurable as if his name were written in letters of light, formed by
the stars upon the midnight sky.

"I love to hear about mechanical contrivances--such as the water-clock and
the little windmill," remarked George. "I suppose if Sir Isaac Newton had
only thought of it, he might have found out the steam-engine, and
railroads, and all the other famous inventions that have come into use
since his day."

"Very possibly he might," replied Mr. Temple; "and, no doubt, a great many
people would think it more useful to manufacture steam-engines, than to
search out the system of the universe. Other great astronomers, besides
Newton, have been endowed with mechanical genius. There was David
Rittenhouse, an American,--he made a perfect little water-mill, when he was
only seven or eight years old. But this sort of ingenuity is but a mere
trifle in comparison with the other talents of such men."

"It must have been beautiful," said Edward, "to spend whole nights in a
high tower, as Newton did, gazing at the stars, and the comets, and the
meteors. But what would Newton have done, had he been blind? or if his
eyes had been no better than mine?"

"Why, even then, my dear child," observed Mrs. Temple, "he would have
found out some way of enlightening his mind, and of elevating his soul.
But, come! little Emily is waiting to bid you good night. You must go to
sleep, and dream of seeing all our faces."

"But how sad it will be, when I awake!" murmured Edward.

Chapter IV

In the course of the next day, the harmony of our little family was
disturbed by something like a quarrel between George and Edward.

The former, though he loved his brother dearly, had found it quite too
great a sacrifice of his own enjoyments, to spend all his playtime in a
darkened chamber. Edward, on the other hand, was inclined to be despotic.
He felt as if his bandaged eyes entitled him to demand that everybody, who
enjoyed the blessing of sight, should contribute to his comfort and
amusement. He therefore insis