four years, is 21. 17s. 4d. the quarter. The preceding four years, from 1706 to 1709, give the price 21. 33. 74d. and the following years, from 1714 to 1717, it was 2. 6s. 9d. When the astronomical account of the sun for this period, which has been stated above, is considered, these two differences will be found very considerable; the first of them being nearly as four to three. 66 The result of this review of the foregoing five periods is, that, from the price of wheat, it seems probable that some temporary scarcity or defect of vegetation has generally taken place, when the sun has been without those appearances which we surmise to be symptoms of a copious emission of light and heat. In order, however, to make this an argument in favor of our hypothesis, even if the reality of a defective vegetation of grain were sufficiently established by its enhanced price, it would still be necessary to show that a deficiency of the solar beams had been the occasion of it. Now, those who are acquainted with agriculture may remark, that wheat is well known to grow in climates much colder than ours; and that a proper distribution of rain and dry weather, with many other circumstances which it will not be necessary to mention, are probably of much greater consequence than the absolute quantity of light and heat derived from the sun. To this I shall only suggest, by way of answer, that those very circumstances of proper alternations of in, dry weather, winds, or whatever else may contribute to favor vegetation in this climate, may possibly depend on a certain quantity of sunbeams, transmitted to us at proper times; but, this being a point which can only be ascertained by future observations, I forbear entering further into a discussion of it. "It will be thought remarkable, that no later periods of the disappearance of the solar spots can be found. The reason however is obvious. The perfection of instruments, and the increa ed number of observers, have produced an account of solar spots, which, from their smallness, or their short appearance, would probably have been overlooked in former times. If we should in future only reckon the years of the total absence of solar spots, even that remarkable period of scarcity which has fallen under my own observation, in which nevertheless I have now and then seen a few spots of short duration, and of no great magnitude, could not be admitted. "For this reason, we ought now to distinguish our solar observations, by reducing them to short periods of symptoms for or against a copious emission of the solar beams, in which, all the pheno mena we have pointed out should be noticed. The most striking of them are certainly the number, magnitude, and duration of the openings. The increase and decrease of the luminous appearance of the corrugations is perhaps full as essential; but as it is probable that their brilliancy may be a consequence of the abundance of the former phenomena, an attention to the latter, which is subject to great difficulties, and requires the very best of telescopes, may not be so necessary, "What remains to be added is but short. In the first of my two series of observations, I have pointed out a deficiency in what appears to be the symptomatic disposition of the sun for emitting light and heat: it has lasted from the year 1795 to 1800*. That we have had a considerable deficiency in the vegetation of grain, will hardly require any proof. The second series, or rather the commencement of it, for I hope it will Fast long, has pointed out a favour able return of the rich appearance of the sun. This, if I may venture to judge, will probably occasion a return of such seasons as, in the end, will be attended by all their usual fertility. "The subject, however, being so new, it will be proper to conclude, by adding, that this prediction ought not to be relied on by any one, with more confidence than the arguments which have been brought forwards in this paper may appear to deserve." CASE of a young GENTLEMAN, who recovered his SIGHT when seven YEARS of AGE, after having been deprived of it by CATARACTS, before he was a YEAR old; with REMARKS. By Mr. JAMES WARE, SURGEON, [From the same Work.] MASTER W. the son of a held before him at different di respectable clergyman, at Castlecary, in Somersetshire, was born in the year 1793; and, for many months, appeared to be a healthy perfect child: his eyes, in particular, were large and rather prominent. When about six months old, he began to cut his teeth; which was attended with great pain, and frequently with violent convulsive fits. About the end of his first year, a number of persons passing in procession near his father's house, accompanied with music and flags, the child was taken to see them; but, instead of looking at the procession, it was observed that, though he was evidently much pleased with the music, his eyes were never directed to the place from whence the sound came. His mother, alarmed by this discovery, was naturally led to try whether he could see silver spoons, and other glaring objects, which she stances; and she was soon convinced, that he was unable to perceive any of them. A surgeon in the country was consulted, who, on examining the child's eyes, discovered an opacity in the pupils, which was so considerable, that he did not hesitate to pronounce there was a complete cataract in each. A description of the child's situation was then sent to me, with a request that I would point out those steps which its parents should pursue. The case was so evident, that I could not hesitate in saying, that the removal of the opaque crystalline humour, from the place it occupied behind the pupil, was the only method by which the child could obtain his sight; and, attach-` ed as I was, at that time, in all cases, to the operation of extracting the cataract, in preference to that of depressing it, I added, that I did not think he would be fit for "This period should properly have been divided into two small ones; but, for want of intermediate solar observations, I have joined the visible deficiencies in the illu minating and heating powers of the sun, from the year 1795 to 1796, and agajn from 1798 to 1800, into one." the the operation, until he was at least thirteen or fourteen years old. This advice being approved, all thoughts of assisting his sight were, for the present, relinquished. He soon discovered a great fondness for music; his memory was very retentive of the little stories that were read or recited to him; and, in every way, it became evident that he had a mind capable of receiving information. As soon as he could speak, it was also observed, that when an object was held close to his eyes, he was able to distinguish its colour, if strongly marked; but, on no occasion, did he ever notice its outline or figure. In November, 1800, his parents took him to Bristol; whither they went for the purpose of seeing the works carried on in the school for the indigent blind in that city, and in order that they might ascertain whether their son, who was then arrived to his seventh year, could be taught any thing that would be useful or amusing. Here he very quickly learnt the ait of making laces. But his rents, having brought him so far from home, thought it adviseable to extend their plan, a nd make a visit to the metropolis, for the sake of giving me an opportunity of inspecting his eyes, and of hearing whether my opinion continued the same as that which I had written to them six years before. About a month previous to the time of their arrival, a Portuguese boy, four teen years old, had been put unde, my care, who was in a similar si tuation; and, in this case, notwith standing all the efforts I could use, pa I found it impossible to fix the eye, in order to extract the cataract, without employing a degree of force which might have been highly injurious. I therefore relinquished my intention of performing the operation in that way, and determined to make use of the couching needle; being prepared, either to depress the cataract with this instrument, if it was sufficiently solid for the purpose, or, if it was soft or fluid, (which I rather expected,) to puncture its capsule largely, so as to bring the opaque crystalline into free contact with the aqueous and vitreous humours. In order to fix the eye for this operation, I was not afraid to make use of a speculum oculi; since a pressure, which would have been highly dangerous in extracting the cataract, might be applied on the present occasion with perfect safety. Conformably to my expectation, the cataract was of a soft consistence; in consequence of which, I was not able to depress it, and contented myself with making a large aperture through the capsule, by means of which the crystalline was brought into contact with the other bumours, a considerable part of it coming forwards, and showing itself directly under the cornea. "This being the immediate result of the operation, it could not be expected that any improvement should be made in the sight of the patient at that time. In a few days, however, the opaque matter was wholly absorbed; the pupils became clear; and the lad recovered the sight of both his eyes*. "It should be remarked, that the sight obtained by children who are born with cataracts, is seldom so perfect as that which those recover, after the operation, who are afflicted with the disorder later in life. In consequence either of some remaining opacity in the crystalline capsule, which hinders the free admission of the rays of light, or of a greater tenuity in the remaining humours of the eye, children require, in general, a much deeper convex glass to enable them to see minute objects; and, at the same time, they are obliged to hold them much nearer their eyes than older persons." Encou Encouraged by the success which followed this operation, I was induced to retract the opinion which I had formerly sent to Master W.'s father, (which opinion I had given under the impression that the cata ract should be extracted,) and I now proposed, that an attempt should be made to afford relief to one eye, at least without further loss of time; this attempt, in the way above mentioned, being prac ticable with as much safety at his present age as at any future period; and, if it proved successful, it would give the young gentleman the benefit of vision five or six years sooner than his friends had been encouraged to expect, by my former letter on this subject. They were naturally much pleased with this alteration in my advice; and the child himself appearing to possess a great degree of fortitude, I performed the operation on the left eye, on the 29th of December last, in the presence of Mr. Chamberlain, F. A. S. doctor Bradley, of Baliol college, Oxford, and Mr. Platt, surgeon, in London. It is not necessary, in this place, to enter into a description of the operation. It will be sufficient to say, that the child, during its performance, neither uttered an exclamation, nor made the smallest motion, either with his head or hands. The eye was immediately. bound up, and no inquiries made on that day with regard to his sight. On the 30th, I found that he had experienced a slight sickness on the preceding evening, but had made no complaint of pain, either in his head or eye. On the 31st, as soon as I entered his chamber, the mother, with much joy, informed me that her child could see. About an hour before my visit, he was standing near the fire, with a handkerchief tied loosely over his eyes, when he told her that under the handkerchief, which had slipped upward, he could distinguish the table by the side of which she was sitting: it was about a yard and a half from him; and he observed that it was covered with a green cloth, (which was really the case,) and that it was a little further off than he was able to reach. No further questions were asked him at that time; as his mother was much alarmed, less the use thus made of his eye might have been premature and injurious. Upon examination, I found that it was not more inflamed than the other eye; and the opacity in the pupil did not appear to be much diminished. Desirous, however, to ascertain whether he was able to distinguish objects, I held a letter before him, at the distance of twelve inches, when he told me, after a short hesitation, that it was a piece of paper; that it was square, which he knew by its corners; and that it was longer in one direction than it was in the other. On being desired to point to the corners, he did it with great precision, and readily carried his finger in the line of its longest diameter. I then showed him a small oblong band-box covered with red leather, which he said was red and square, and pointed at once to its four corners. After this, I placed before him an oval silver box, which he said had a shining appearance; and, presently afterwards, that it was round, because it had not corners. The observation, however, which appeared to me most remarkable, was that which related to a white stone mug; which he first called a white bason, but, soon after, recollecting himself, said it was a mug, because it had a handle. These experi ments ments did not give him any pain; and they were made in the presence of his mother, and of Mr. Woodford, a clerk in his majesty's treasury. I held the objects at different distances from his eye, and inquired very particularly if he was sensible of any difference in their situation; which he always said he was, informing me, on every change, whether they were brought nearer to, or carried further from him. I again inquired, both of his mother and himself, whether he had ever, before this time, distinguished by sight any sort of object; and I was assured by both that he never had, on any occasion; and that, when he wished to discover colours, which he could only do when they were very strong, he had always been obliged to hold the coloured object close to his eye, and a little on one side, to avoid the projection of the nose. No further experiments were made on that day. On the 1st of January, I found that his eye continued quite free both from pain and inflammation, and that he felt no uneasiness on the approach of light. I showed him a table knife; which at first he called a spoon, but soon rectified the mistake, giving it the right name, and distinguishing the blade from the handle, by pointing to each as he was desired. He afterwards called a yellow pocket-book hy its name, taking notice of the silver lock in the cover. I he'd my hand before him; which he knew, but could not at first tell the number of my fingers, nor distinguish one of them from another. 1 then held up his own hand, and desired him to remark the difference between his thumb and fingers; after which, he readily pointed out the distinctions in mine. also. Dark-coloured and smooth objects were more agreeable to him than those which were bright and rough. On the 3d of January he saw, from the drawing-room window, a dancing bear in the street; and distinguished a number of boys that were standing round him, noticing particularly a bundle of clothes which one of them had on his head. On the same evening, I placed him before a looking glass, and held up his hand: after a little time he smiled, and said he saw the shadow of his hand, as well as that of his head. He could not then distinguish his features; but, on the following day, his mother having again placed him before the glass, he pointed to his eyes, nose, and mouth, and seemed much gratified with the sight. "Having thus stated the principal observations that were made by master W. I shall now make a brief comparison between this statement which is given in the XXXVth volume of the Philosophical Transactions of Mr. Cheselden's patient, who was supposed to be born blind, and obtained his sight when he was between thirteen and fourteen years old. "It should be observed, that though master W. was six years younger than Mr. Cheselden's. patient, he was remarkably intelligent, and gave the most direct and satisfactory answers to every question that was put to him. Both of them, also, if not horn blind, lost their sight so very early, that, as Mr. Cheŝelden expresses it, they had not any recollection of having ever seen.' My first remark is, that, contrary to the experience of Mr. Cheselden's patient, who is stated to have been so far from making any judgment of distance, that he thought all objects touched his 'eyes, |