tion: this pernicious plaything will most. assuredly, in a very few Years, bring on an imperfect vision in One or Both Eyes.

Notwithstanding all the experience collected during the preceding 42 Years - the Third act of Life, i. e. from 42 to 63-is as seldom performed properly, as either of the former. "The Art of Growing Old with a Good Grace," I believe, is one of those, which the Ancients termed "Occult Arts". and it appears to be almost as little understood, as that of communicating to our speedily perishing Body, the unchangeable nature of the incombustible Asbestos.

Query. Which appears most ridiculous ? A Young Man pretending to the Sagacity and Experience of Age - or an Old Man affecting the Strength, and Apeing the Alertness of Youth?

The only way that Persons can indulge their humour of appearing Purblind with impunity,

CHAPTER II.

SPECTACLES WITH PLAIN GLASSES.

THESE should be kept by all Opticians,

who

are not seldom puzzled and plagued by more nice than wise folks, who without any need of Spectacles, yet hearing their acquaintance talk of how charmingly they can see in Glasses, they long, like "the Italian Count,* to be better than well" — and will not believe, that although they have not the least occasion for Optical assistance, yet, without trying all sorts of Glasses, cannot be convinced, that however this branch of Optics may alleviate the infirmity of the Eyes, as a Hearing Trumpet does that of the Ear, yet that when the Eyes are in a healthful state, they can receive no more assistance from Glasses, for the ordinary purposes of the Sight — than a person who is not Deaf can from a Hearing Trumpet — which, although so serviceable to a person who is deaf, is not of the least use to one who is not deaf.

* Whose Epitaph is "I was well-wished to be Took Physic-and Died."

better

$6

Why has not man a Microscopic Eye?

For this plain reason, Man is not a Fly.

Say what the use, were finer Optics given

T'inspect a Mite, not comprehend the Heaven!
GOD, in the nature of each being, founds

Its proper bliss, and sets its

proper bounds.

POPE.

That ingenious Optician, the late Mr. JESSE RAMSDEN, informed me, that he had ofttimes more trouble to make obstinate and ignorant persons understand that the Art of Optics could not be of any service to them, than he had to find Glasses for correcting the most eccentric aberrations from good Visionand that he found the only plan of completely convincing such troublesome Customers was, after he thought that they had sufficiently amused themselves with trying a variety of Glasses, and had tired him, to give them a pair of Spectacles glassed with plain Glass when they would cry out with rapture-"Aye, these will do, I can see charmingly in thesewhy-why didn't You give me these at first?!!!"

Nothing, short of such ocular demonstration, could satisfy them.

CHAPTER III.

CASE OF A PERSON WHO COULD NOT READ IN SPECTACLES.

MR. R. told me that he was once strangely puzzled, by a clever Old Gentlewoman of 79 years of age, for whom he was requested to make a pair of Spectacles. She had applied in vain, to several eminent Opticians, and no Glass could be found that improved her Sight.

With all that Ambition to overcome difficulties, which was the ruling passion of JESSE RAMSDEN, he waited upon the Lady, with several pairs of Convex, and of Concave Spectacles, making quite sure, that however others had failed, he should succeed, and enjoy one of those triumphs, which constituted the Zest of his Existence, but after patiently trying every one of them, She said with a Sigh!- “No, not one of these will do I can see better with my Naked Eye. Well! what an unfortunate Creature I am, at my Age, not to be able to see to read in Spectacles!!"

JESSE Consoled the Good Lady as well as he

Here she inter

66

could, by observing, that many at her advanced age could hardly see at all; and that although she could not see to read rupted him with sufficient vehemence, and, to his extreme astonishment, exclaimed, Sir, You are strangely mistaken, Sir !—I did not tell you that I could not see to Read, Sir!-I can see to Read, Sir, as well as ever I could, I only complained that I could not see to read in

Spectacles!! I can see to read very well without!!! but my Acquaintance say how charmingly they can see with Glasses, and surely, it is very hard that I cannot enjoy the same Advantage."

CHAPTER IV.

HAND SPECTACLES.

ARE infinitely better than any Reading Glass,* however large it may be, but are still, not so comfortable to the Sight as Spectacles on Nose-unless considerable care is constantly

* "The Single Convex Glasses with which some Persons read, must be very injurious, if they be sufficiently large to