ed that when an object was held close to his eyes he was
able to distinguish its color if strongly marked, but on no
occasion did he ever notice its outline or figure. I performed
the operation on the left eye on the 29th of December, 1800. The
eye was immediately bound up, and no inquiries made on that day
with regard to his sight. On the 30th I found that he had
experienced a slight sickness on the preceding evening. On the
31st, as soon as I entered his chamber, the mother with much joy
informed me that her child could see. About an hour before my
visit he was standing near the fire, with a handkerchief tied
loosely over his eyes, when he told her that under the
handkerchief, which had slipped upward, he could distinguish the
table by the side of which she was sitting. It was about a yard
and a half from him, and he observed that it was covered with a
green cloth (which was really the case), and that it was a
little farther off than he was able to reach.... Desirous to
ascertain whether he was able to distinguish objects, I held a
letter before him at the distance of about twelve inches, when
he told me, after a short hesitation, that it was a piece of
paper; that it was square, which he knew by its corners; and
that it was longer in one direction than it was in the other. On
being desired to point to the corners, he did it with great
precision and readily carried his finger in the line of its
longest diameter. I then showed him a small oblong bandbox
covered with red leather, which he said was red and square, and
pointed at once to its four corners. After this I placed before
him an oval silver box, which he said had a shining appearance,
and presently afterward that it was round, because it had not
corners. A white stone mug he first called a white basin, but
soon after, recollecting himself, said it was a mug because it
had a handle. I held the objects at different distances from his
eye and inquired very particularly if he was sensible of any
difference in their situation, which he always said he was,
informing me on every change whether they were brought nearer to
or carried farther from him. I again inquired, both of his
mother and himself, whether he had ever before this time
distinguished by sight any sort of object, and I was assured by
both that he never had on