ortune is described, the minutest
difficulties which such a loss occasions are detailed at length! but if,
as seldom happens, the loss of a limb is mentioned, we never get beyond
the first part of the story, and the little daily difficulties and
privations, which are of more importance than the lesser evils of
poverty, are quite left out of sight. I imagine there are some ideas of
ridicule attached to them."

"Perhaps so," replied Charles; "but such associations are false, and
ought to be broken through. Blindness is frequently made interesting in
books: deafness seldom or never. There are interesting and poetical
associations connected with blindness; ridiculous, low, or common ones
only with deafness. A blind heroine is charming; but would not all the
world laugh at the very idea of a deaf one? And yet this seems to me
unjust: for I question whether, in daily life, both would not have an
equal chance of appearing ridiculous on some occasions, and interesting
on others."

"Do you mean partial or total blindness and deafness? A heroine totally
blind is certainly thought more interesting than one partially deaf: but
would not a deaf and dumb person make a better figure than one extremely
short-sighted?"

Charles laughed. "They are both as far from picturesque as need be,
certainly," said he: "but still I think blindness has the advantage in
exciting interest."

"Well," said Monteath, "nobody is likely to make a hero of me. I am in
no danger of finding my own likeness in a novel or on the stage."

"No," replied Charles, "nor yet in books of any other kind. If you had
lost a friend or your fortune, you might find the most exact directions
how to comfort yourself, and plenty of medicine of the soul to suit your
particular case. As it is, you must look in books for general
consolation, and elsewhere for what more you may need."

"This is no desperate condition to be in either," said Monteath. "I
think I could do without the general consolations you speak of. I have
been on my sofa here this fortnight, with only one book (which of course
you mean to except) and my own mind to draw consolation from, and I have
found enough for my need. I expect, however, to be in greater need
hereafter."

"Surely not," said Charles. "Surely you have gone through the worst!"

"I know not," said Monteath. "The colour of my whole future life has
perhaps been changed by this accident; and I must expect this conviction
to c