_A conspicuous blind woman_.
Ann Johnson is a poor industrious widow, cleanly, sober, and decent,
inoffensive and honest, and quite blind. The engraved portrait of this
interesting figure may be depended upon for its faithful
representation of the much-to-be-pitied original. She was born at
Eaton, in Cheshire, on St. Andrew's day, old style, in the year 1743,
was apprenticed to a ribband weaver at the early age of ten years, and
was twenty-four years old when she lost her sight, occasioned by a
spotted fever.
Sitting exposed to the inclemency of hot and cold, of wet and dry
weather, for upwards of six and twenty years, in the open streets of
London, might naturally undermine a constitution the most vigorous and
healthy. It certainly has considerably affected Ann Johnson, whose
regular appearance, even in the bitterest days of winter, has been as
uniform as the finest in summer, on Holborn-hill, upon the steps at
the corner of Marmaduke and Thomas Langdale's house, the distillers.
Here she exhibits the expert manner in which she makes laces,
attracting the notice of the considerate passenger: she is rendered
additionally interesting, by the cheerfulness of her conversation and
the serenity of her countenance, using words, in effect, similar to
the following beautiful lines:
"Are not the ravens daily fed by thee?
And wilt thou clothe the lilies, and not me?
Begone distrust!--I shall have clothes and bread,
While lilies flourish, or the birds are fed."
She resides at No. 5, Church-lane, Bloomsbury, and has been an
inhabitant of London upwards of thirty-eight years. We particularly
recommend her to the considerate attention of every little girl or
young woman, and, when they are in want of any laces, to think of Ann
Johnson.--Such great industry deserves encouragement.
[Illustration]