s of a color, he inferred the distance of the colored object
from the eye, regulating his judgment also by touch. Thus the boy had,
before the operation, some perception of space with the eye, and it is
not much to be wondered at, considering his uncommon intelligence, that
he, soon after the operation (probably attempts at seeing were secretly
made by the patient on the first day) learned to judge pretty surely of
space-relations--much more surely than a person born blind learns to
judge in so short a time. Besides, it is not to be forgotten that, while
it is true that the cataract had become completely developed at the end
of the first year of life, there is no proof that the child was unable
to see during the first months. At that time images, as in the second
case, may have unconsciously impressed themselves, with which, at a
later period, more accurate space-ideas may have been associated,
through the sense of touch, than is the case with persons born
completely blind. Ware concludes, from his observations--

1. "When children are born blind, in consequence of having cataracts
in their eyes, they are never so totally deprived of sight as not to
be able to distinguish colors; and, though they can not see the
figure of an object, nor even its color, unless it be placed within
a very short distance, they nevertheless can tell whether, when
within this distance, it be brought nearer to or carried farther
from them.

2. "In consequence of this power, whilst in a state of comparative
blindness, children who have their cataracts removed are enabled
immediately on the acquisition of sight to form some judgment of the
distance, and even of the outline, of those strongly defined objects
with the color of which they were previously acquainted."

Both these conclusions are simply matter of fact. It only needs
explanation how the distance and outlines of objects can be known after
the operation _in consequence of_ the ability described in the first
proposition. That distance is actually estimated at once in consequence
of this power, is clear; not so with the outlines. How can round and
angular be distinguished, when only colors and gross differences of
intensity and saturation are perceived? Ware gives no solution of the
difficulty, but thinks that, because the colors appeared more intense,
the previously imperfect ideas concerning distances might be improved
and extended, so t