[50] This article may be by Addison; see note to No. 50.
[51] It has been suggested that Duumvir is meant for the Duke of
Ormond, and this view is supported by the MS. annotator mentioned in a
note to No. 4. James Butler, second Duke of Ormond, married, at the age
of eighteen, Anne, daughter of Lord Hyde, afterward Earl of Rochester.
After her death in 1685 he married Lady Mary Somerset, daughter of
Henry, first Duke of Beaufort. In 1711 he became Captain-General and
Commander-in-Chief of the land forces, but after the accession of
George I. he was impeached of high treason, and attainted. He died in
exile in 1745.
[52] Dr. William Stanley, Dean of St. Asaph and Canon of St. Paul's,
where he was buried on his death in 1731. The loudness of his voice is
alluded to again in Nos. 56, 61, 67, 70, and 241.
[53] "Mr. C--l--n" (MS. note).--This was probably John Colson
(1680-1760), who became Lucasian professor of mathematics in 1739. He
is described by Cole, the antiquary, as "an humourist and peevish."
No. 55. [STEELE.
From _Saturday, August 13_, to _Tuesday, August 16, 1709_.
----Paulo majora canamus.--VIRG., Ecl. iv. 1.
* * * * *
_White's Chocolate-house, August 15._
While others are busied in relations which concern the interests
of princes, the peace of nations, and revolutions of empire, I
think (though these are very large subjects) my theme of discourse
is sometimes to be of matters of a yet higher consideration. The
slow steps of Providence and Nature, and strange events which are
brought about in an instant, are what, as they come within our view
and observation, shall be given to the public. Such things are not
accompanied with show and noise, and therefore seldom draw the eyes
of the unattentive part of mankind; but are very proper at once
to exercise our humanity, please our imaginations, and improve
our judgments. It may not therefore be unuseful to relate many
circumstances, which were observable upon a late cure done upon a young
gentleman who was born blind, and on the 29th of June last received his
sight at the age of twenty years, by the operation of an oculist. This
happened no farther off than Newington, and the work was prepared for
in the following manner: The operator, Mr. Grant,[55] having observed
the eyes of his patient, and convinced his friends and relations, among
others the Rev. Mr. Caswell, minister of the place, that it was highly
probable he should remove the obstacle which prevented the use of his
sight; all his acquaintance, who had any regard for the young man, or
curiosity to be present when one of full age and understanding received
a new sense, assembled themselves on this occasion. Mr. Caswell[56]
being a gentleman particularly curious, desired the whole company,
in case the blindness should be cured, to keep silence, and let the
patient make his own observations, without the direction of anything he
had received by his other senses, or the advantage of discovering his
friends by their voices. Among several others, the mother, brethren,
sisters, and a young gentlewoman for whom he had a passion, were
present. The work was performed with great skill and dexterity. When
the patient first received the dawn of light, there appeared such
an ecstasy in his action, that he seemed ready to swoon away in the
surprise of joy and wonder. The surgeon stood before him with his
instruments in his hand. The young man observed him from head to foot;
after which he surveyed himself as carefully, and seemed to compare him
to himself; and observing both their hands, seemed to think they were
exactly alike, except the instruments, which he took for parts of his
hands. When he had continued in this amazement some time, his mother
could not longer bear the agitations of so many passions as thronged
upon her, but fell upon his neck, crying out, "My son! my son!" The
youth knew her voice, and could speak no more than, "Oh me! are you
my mother?" and fainted. The whole room, you will easily conceive,
were very affectionately employed in recovering him; but above all,
the young gentlewoman who loved him, and whom he loved, shrieked in
the loudest manner. That voice seemed to have a sudden effect upon
him as he recovered, and he showed a double curiosity in observing
her as she spoke and called to him; till at last he broke out, "What
has been done to me? Whither am I carried? Is all this about me, the
thing I have heard so often of? Is this the light? Is this seeing?
Were you always thus happy, when you said you were glad to see each
other? Where is Tom, who used to lead me? But I could now, methinks,
go anywhere without him." He offered to move, but seemed afraid of
everything around him. When they saw his difficulty, they told him,
till he became better acquainted with his new being, he must let the
servant still lead him. The boy was called for, and presented to him.
Mr. Caswell asked him, what sort of thing he took Tom to be before he
had seen him. He answered, he believed there was not so much of him as
of himself; but he fancied him the same sort of creature. The noise
of this sudden change made all the neighbourhood throng to the place
where he was. As he saw the crowd thickening, he desired Mr. Caswell
to tell him how many there were in all to be seen. The gentleman,
smiling, answered him, that it would be very proper for him to return
to his late condition, and suffer his eyes to be covered, till they had
received strength; for he might remember well enough, that by degrees
he had from little and little come to the strength he had at present in
his ability of walking and moving; and that it was the same thing with
his eyes, which, he said, would lose the power of continuing to him
that wonderful transport he was now in, except he would be contented
to lay aside the use of them, till they were strong enough to bear the
light without so much feeling, as he knew he underwent at present. With
much reluctance he was prevailed upon to have his eyes bound, in which
condition they kept him in a dark room, till it was proper to let the
organ receive its objects without further precaution. During the time
of this darkness, he bewailed himself in the most distressed manner,
and accused all his friends, complaining, that some incantation had
been wrought upon him, and some strange magic used to deceive him into
an opinion, that he had enjoyed what they called sight. He added, that
the impressions then let in upon his soul would certainly distract him,
if he were not so at that present. At another time he would strive to
name the persons he had seen among the crowd after he was couched,
and would pretend to speak (in perplexed terms of his own making) of
what he in that short time observed, But on the 6th instant it was
thought fit to unbind his head, and the young woman whom he loved was
instructed to open his eyes accordingly, as well to endear herself
to him by such a circumstance, as to moderate his ecstasies by the
persuasion of a voice, which had so much power over him as hers ever
had. When this beloved young woman began to restore him, she talked to
him as follows:
"Mr. William, I am now taking the binding off, though when I consider
what I am doing, I tremble with the apprehension, that (though I have
from my very childhood loved you, dark as you were, and though you had
conceived so strong a love for me) yet you will find there is such a
thing as beauty, which may ensnare you into a thousand passions of
which you now are innocent, and take you from me for ever. But before I
put myself to that hazard, tell me in what manner that love you always
professed to me entered into your heart; for its usual admission is at
the eyes."
The young man answered, "Dear Lydia, if I am to lose by sight the soft
pantings which I have always felt when I heard your voice; if I am no
more to distinguish the step of her I love when she approaches me, but
to change that sweet and frequent pleasure for such an amazement as I
knew the little time I lately saw: or if I am to have anything besides,
which may take from me the sense I have of what appeared most pleasing
to me at that time (which apparition it seems was you): pull out these
eyes, before they lead me to be ungrateful to you, or undo myself. I
wished for them but to see you; pull them out, if they are to make me
forget you."
* * * * *
Lydia was extremely satisfied with these assurances; and pleased
herself with playing with his perplexities. In all his talk to her, he
showed but very faint ideas of anything which had not been received at
the ear; and closed his protestation to her by saying, that if he were
to see Valentia and Barcelona, whom he supposed the most esteemed of
all women, by the quarrel there was about them, he would never like any
but Lydia.
_St. James's Coffee-house, August 15._
We have repeated advices of the entire defeat of the Swedish army
near Pultowa[57] on the 27th June, O.S., and letters from Berlin give
the following account of the remains of the Swedish army since the
battle: Prince Menzikoff being ordered to pursue the victory, came
up with the Swedish army (which was left to the command of General
Lewenhaupt) on the 30th of June, O.S., on the banks of the Boristhenes;
whereupon he sent General Lewenhaupt a summons to submit to his present
fortune: Lewenhaupt immediately despatched three general officers to
that prince, to treat about a capitulation; but the Swedes, though
they consisted of 15,000 men, were in so great want of provision
and ammunition, that they were obliged to surrender themselves at
discretion. His Czarish Majesty despatched an express to General Goltz,
with an account of these particulars, and also with instructions to
send out detachments of his cavalry to prevent the King of Sweden's
joining his army in Poland. That prince made his escape with a small
party by swimming over the Boristhenes; and it was thought, he designed
to retire into Poland by the way of Volhinia. Advices from Berne of
the 11th instant say, that the General Diet of the Helvetic Body held
at Baden concluded on the 6th; but the deputies of the six cantons,
who are deputed to determine the affair of Tockenburg, continue their
application to that business, notwithstanding some new difficulties
started by the Abbot of St. Gall. Letters from Geneva of the 9th say,
that the Duke of Savoy's cavalry had joined Count Thaun, as had also
two Imperial regiments of hussars; and that his royal highness's army
was disposed in the following manner: the troops under the command of
Count Thaun are extended from Constans to St. Peter de Albigni. Small
parties are left in several posts from thence to Little St. Bernard, to
preserve the communication with Piedmont by the Valley of Aosta. Some
forces are also posted at Taloir, and in the Castle of Doin, on each
side of the Lake of Anneci. General Rhebinder is encamped in the Valley
of Oulx with 10,000 foot, and some detachments of horse: his troops are
extended from Exilles to Mount Genevre, so that he may easily penetrate
into Dauphine on the least motion of the enemy; but the Duke of Berwick
takes all necessary precautions to prevent such an enterprise. That
General's headquarters are at Francin; and he hath disposed his army
in several parties, to preserve a communication with the Maurienne and
Briançon. He hath no provisions for his army but from Savoy; Provence
and Dauphine being unable to supply him with necessaries. He left
two regiments of dragoons at Annen, who suffered very much in the
late action at Tessons, where they lost 1500 who were killed on the
spot, 4 standards, and 300 prisoners, among whom were 40 officers.
The last letters from the Duke of Marlborough's camp at Orchies of
the 19th instant advise, that Monsieur Ravignan being returned from
the French Court with an account, that the King of France refused to
ratify the capitulation for the surrender of the citadel of Tournay,
the approaches have been carried on with great vigour and success:
our miners have discovered several of the enemy's mines, who have
sprung divers others, which did little execution; but for the better
security of the troops, both assaults are carried on by the cautious
way of sapping. On the 18th, the confederate army made a general forage
without any loss. Marshal Villars continues in his former camp, and
applies himself with great diligence in casting up new lines behind the
old on the Scarp. The Duke of Marlborough and Prince Eugene designed to
begin a general review of the army on the 20th.