_Green Eyes_ (Vol. viii., p. 407.).--The following are quotations in
favour of green eyes, in addition to MR. H. TEMPLE's:
"An eagle, madam,
Hath not so _green_, so quick, so fair an eye."
_Romeo and Juliet_, Act III. Sc. 5.
And Dante, in _Purgatory_, canto xxxi., likens Beatrice's eyes to
emeralds:
"Disser: fa che le viste non risparmi:
Posto t' avem dinanzi agli smeraldi,
Ond' Amor già ti trasse le sue armi."
"Spare not thy vision. We have station'd thee
Before the _emeralds_[8], whence Love, erewhile,
Hath drawn his weapons on thee."
Cary's _Translation_.
I think short-sightedness is an infirmity more common among men of
letters, authors, &c., than any other class; indeed, one is inclined to
think it is no rare accompaniment of talent. A few celebrated names
occur to me who suffered weakness of distinct vision to see but the
better near. I am sure your correspondents could add many to the list. I
mark them down at random:--Niebuhr, Thomas Moore, Marie Antoinette,
Gustavus Adolphus, Herrick the poet, Dr. Johnson, Margaret Fuller,
Ossoli, Thiers, Quevedo. These are but a few, but I will not lengthen
the list at present.