第4部分(第1/7 頁)

trusty　guides；　touch；　smell；　and　taste；　I　make　many　excursions　into　the

borderland　of　experience　which　is　in　sight　of　the　city　of　Light。　Nature

acmodates　itself　to　every　man's　necessity。　If　the　eye　is　maimed；　so

that　it　does　not　see　the　beauteous　face　of　day；　the　touch　bees　more

poignant　and　discriminating。　Nature　proceeds　through　practice　to

strengthen　and　augment　the　remaining　senses。　For　this　reason　the　blind

often　hear　with　greater　ease　and　distinctness　than　other　people。　The

sense　of　smell　bees　almost　a　new　faculty　to　perate　the　tangle　and

vagueness　of　things。　Thus；　according　to　an　immutable　law；　the　senses

assist　and　reinforce　one　another。

It　is　not　for　me　to　say　whether　we　see　best　with　the　hand　or　the　eye。　I

only　know　that　the　world　I　see　with　my　fingers　is　alive；　ruddy；　and

satisfying。　Touch　brings　the　blind　many　sweet　certainties　which　our　more

fortunate　fellows　miss；　because　their　sense　of　touch　is　uncultivated。

When　they　look　at　things；　they　put　their　hands　in　their　pockets。　No

doubt　that　is　one　reason　why　their　knowledge　is　often　so　vague；

inaccurate；　and　useless。　It　is　probable；　too；　that　our　knowledge　of

phenomena　beyond　the　reach　of　the　hand　is　equally　imperfect。　But；　at　all

events；　we　behold　them　through　a　golden　mist　of　fantasy。

There　is　nothing；　however；　misty　or　uncertain　about　what　we　can　touch。

Through　the　sense　of　touch　I　know　the　faces　of　friends；　the　illimitable

variety　of　straight　and　curved　lines；　all　surfaces；　the　exuberance　of

the　soil；　the　delicate　shapes　of　flowers；　the　noble　forms　of　trees；　and

the　range　of　mighty　winds。　Besides　objects；　surfaces；　and　atmospherical

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