On Friday the 8th inst. we paid a visit to the Bazaar in Oxford-street,
to witness this extraordinary sport of Nature, about which the French
and English newspapers have lately been so communicative.
The child is an engaging little girl, about three years old. The colour
of her eyes is pale blue, and on the iris, or circle round their pupils,
the inscriptions on
_Left Eye_.
NAPOLEON
EMPEREUR.
_Right Eye_.
EMPEREUR.
NAPOLEON.
may be traced in the above sized letters, although all the letters are
not equally visible, the commencement "NAP" and "EMP" being the most
distinct. The colour of the letters is almost white, and at first sight
of the child they appear like _rays_, which make the eyes appear
vivacious and sparkling. The accuracy of the inscriptions is much
assisted by the stillness of the eye, on its being directed upwards, as
to an object on the ceiling of the room, &c.; and with this aid the
several letters may be traced with the naked eye.
This effect is accounted for by the child's mother earnestly looking at
a franc-piece of Napoleon's, which was given to her by her brother
previous to a long absence; and this operating during her pregnancy, has
produced the appearance in question. It was visible at the child's
birth, and has increased with her growth. She has been seen by Sir
Astley Cooper and other leading members of the profession, and probably
before our Number is published, she will have been shown to the King.
She is an interesting little creature, prattles playfully, and will
doubtless receive the caresses of thousands of visitors.
Our contemporaries are, we perceive, somewhat divided as to the
distinctness of the inscription; but we have given our opinion
fairly--and, as the proverb runs, "seeing is believing." One of them
describes the child as "a little _boy_, about two years old." This
reminds us of the man in the _Critic_, "give these fellows a good thing,
and they never know when to have done with it."
* * * * *