more immediately concerned-the students in our colleges and in our theological and other seminaries. The present article was written in compliance with this request. It is popular in its character, and level to the comprehension of all, while its positions are founded on scientific principles and long practical experience. It strikes at the root of an evil which has robbed the church of many of her most promising sons; and finds therefore an appropriate place in the pages of a theological journal.-EDITOR.

HINTS ON THE USE OF THE EYES.

The Eye is the most wonderfully constructed organ of the body. It is one of the most important to every individual, who desires to fulfil the great duties of man, as an intellectual and moral being. Its importance rises in value, when it is considered as the channel of most of our knowledge of nature; and through her, of the wisdom, goodness, and majesty of God. It is the window of the soul. The wonders of the beautiful planet which He created for our temporary habitation, and the sublime splendors of the starry heavens, are all laid open to the mind, through the medium of this exquisitely fashioned organ. By the eye, we penetrate the mysteries of the animal and vegetable creation; and are constrained to adore, in delight, the divine hand, which painted the flowers, and breathed the spirit of life, and gave capacities of enjoyment to such an endless variety of beings. The eye opens to the mind a field of observation vast as the creation, in which it may walk forth, and drink as from a living fountain, the waters of intellectual and spiritual life. How did the heart of "the sweet Psalmist" glow with devotion, when he opened the eye upon the starry heavens! How did the mind of Newton expand, when the same glorious object was painted on his retina! The whole universe is a mirror, into which the eye may look, and see with a clearness no where equalled but in the book of Revelation, the wisdom, the goodness, the incomprehensible power, and the unutterable love of its divine Creator!

Milton speaks of the celestial light, that shone inward upon the mind, when the light of the sun was forever withdrawn. But who that has listened to the divine bard, and heard him tell of things invisible to mortal sight,-who that has walked with him, and beheld the now unearthly beauties of his Eden,

"Her goodliest trees laden with fairest fruit,
Blossoms and fruits at once of golden hue,

With gay enamel'd colours mixed

On which the sun more glad impressed his beams,
Than in fair evening cloud, or humid bow,

When God had showered the earth"

who that has done this, does not know that all these beauteous images were originally brought by the eye to his soul; that nature in her richest scenery and loveliest hues, was once painted on his "quenched orbs ;" and that if the blind bard had always been condemned to the darkness of the "drop serene," our eyes would never have been delighted with the unrivalled beauties, which his genius has portrayed to them? eye is the grand avenue through which science pours her rich treasures into the soul. Who does not know, that if Milton's eyes had not once poured over the classics and sacred page, our minds would never have been elevated and instructed by the treasures of knowledge, which his poem contains?

The

The spirit of poetry was doubtless the living being of his soul. It was implanted there at his birth by nature's liberal hand. It was a portion of himself; and though his eye had never opened upon the holy light, its stirrings might have been felt within, and poured forth in song. But we should have looked in vain for the image of the moon wandering through heaven's pathless way; the flaming of the night lamp in some lonely tower; the arched walls of twilight groves; the religious light thrown through the cloistered windows; and the many other beautiful specimens of poetic imagery, which are crowded into his inimitable Il'Penseroso.

Sanderson, though blind from his first years, reached the heights of mathematical science, so that he could comprehend and rejoice in the giant efforts of a Newton's genius. Yet it must be remembered that by the organs of others, he laid the foundations of his fame. Had West and Littleton also been blind, his name would probably have never been enrolled among the mathematical prodigies of his age.

It is, however, unnecessary to attempt to prove the importance of the eye to the happiness and improvement of man; yet it may be well to be reminded occasionally of the value of blessings, which, from being the common property of all, are wont to be undervalued. God's greatest works are often the least regarded. The sun in the firmament shines upon the world, dispensing heat and life and beauty over its surface. We rejoice in its life-giving beams. Our eyes gaze in delight upon the endless forms of beauty ever springing up under its genial

rays. How seldom do we pause, to direct our regards to this great source of them all! We forget the blessing, because we have never felt its want. "Optima fit pessima;" if I may render it liberally, "The greatest becomes the least." So it is with the eye. Through it the mind receives its chief stores of knowledge, and many of its purest streams of joy; but too of ten we first awake to a true sense of its value, when disease has clouded it in darkness.

The art of printing has added a tenfold value to this organ; as the knowledge of the uses of steam has to the mechanical powers. By the aid of this noble invention, the mental treasures of ages have been gathered together, and brought before the mind. It is now only necessary to open the eye upon these, and the mind may drink from all the fountains of human experience; and learn lessons of wisdom, which were formerly denied to it. The art of printing opens a high and broad way, where the whole human family, however widely dispersed, may walk, and hold the most intimate interchange of thought and feeling. It brings the present and the past into such close contact, that each generation rises, as it were, out of the past. In one sense, the promise may be said to be fulfilled, that "the child shall be born an hundred years old."

Science, art, literature, all expand, as the eye surveys, on the historic page, the labours, errors, and achievements of the past. But it is in Theology, that the eye appears in its surpassing value. By it, we read the word of life; and through it, the light of heaven shines into the soul. To the man that cannot read-to whom the eye is useless as to books, the opportunities both of intellectual and moral cultivation are exceedingly diminished. How important then to the ministers of religion, who are expected to devote their lives to the study of the sacred page; to priests whose "lips keep knowledge ;" who are to hold forth the light of truth to a dark world; on whom thousands depend for all they will ever learn of it on this side the grave,how important to them is the free and perfect use of this or

gan!

The abundant facilities for intellectual cultivation, which form the glory of the present age, render those who devote their lives to study, peculiarly liable to diseases of the eye. It may emphatically be called the reading age. Reading is the fashion of the day. It commences with the child in the nursery; constitutes the chief business of boyhood and youth; and conVOL. III. No. 11. 67

tinues through manhood and old age. No period is considered too tender for the all important business of education to be commenced. No threatening evils are of sufficient moment to stand in its way; no acquirements sufficiently great to permit repose. As one advances in his course, new demands for exertion present themselves; new temptations multiply; new sources of information are thrown open to him. His eyes begin to manifest the alarming signs of inordinate use; but they are too often disregarded, until incurable disease numbers him among its victims ;-and he learns, when to late, that he has closed the widest door of knowledge to the soul; and is left to mourn, with many a kindred spirit, the premature sacrifice of his usefulness and power.

It cannot have escaped the notice of every medical observer, that an unusual prevalence of diseases of the eye marks the period in which we live. Indeed, they are so prevalent, that they may be considered one of its common and peculiar trials. How many cases of afflictive, often of incurable weakness of the eyes, daily present themselves among the studious portions of the community! How many clergymen are annually compelled by this cause, to abate their exertions, or to discontinue them altogether! Among those who devote themselves with ardour to the cause of literature and science, what numbers are obliged by the failure of these organs, to proceed heavily on their course, to abandon its pursuit! Among our statesmen and public officers, how many, from the same cause, perform their duties with impaired energies, and diminished usefulness! How often are religion and learning called to mourn the loss of strong men, to whose valuable exertions the church and the world looked up with hope and confident expectation!

It is highly important, therefore, that the causes which lie at the foundation of this fearful amount of evil, should be clearly ascertained; and the means pointed out, by which they may, as far as possible, be prevented or remedied. In this age especially, which presents such numerous temptations to commit errors that may prove fatal to sound vision, perhaps no better service can be rendered to the cause of religion and letters, than to ascertain these causes and point out these remedies.

It is a prevalent opinion, that a studious course of life almost necessarily produces, sooner or later, debility of the eyes. We believe this to be a mistake; and we appeal to the history of studious men to bear us out in the opinion. Many may be cited.

of all professions, and in all times, who have used their eyes, to what would almost seem an incredible amount; but who have enjoyed, notwithstanding, perfect and sound vision, from childhood to hoary age. We do not believe that the great prevalence of weakness of the eyes, among the clergy and others who devote themselves to study, is a necessary consequence of their labours. The eye, notwithstanding the extreme delicacy of its texture, is so constituted as to be capable of great endurance. The Creator evidently formed man to be an intellectual being. He endowed him with mind to be cultivated, and to grow in knowledge. He prepared the eye to be the great instrument for acquiring knowledge. Would it be in harmony with the perfection of his other works, if he had so formed it, as to be easily unfitted for its end? We cannot believe that the most noble organ of the body, noble because fitted to the noblest end,--is the weakest and the most liable to be deranged and disqualified for the purposes for which it was designed. Its very structure, as well as the history of thousands of the most devoted friends of learning, prove the contrary. Observe the wonderful contrivances with which the Creator has guarded it; the extreme care with which he has provided for its security against the smallest injury. Examine the strong, bony cavity in which it is lodged, and the stronger arches of bone, that serve to shield it in the moment of danger. See the eye-brows and the muscles which screen it so effectually from the injurious effects of too dazzling light,—the two curtains, the eye-lids by which it is covered, and protected during sleep, and continually cleaned and polished, to be rendered more fit for the ready transmission of the rays of light; the cartilaginous edges, which keep them in shape; and the eye-lashes which guard them from so many dangers, and by the interception of unnecessary light, render the image of objects more distinct and lively. Examine the firm, elastic, insensible membrane, which keeps the delicate interior so secure ; the power and obedient activity of the iris, ever standing, as before the inner temple, a faithful sentinel, to guard its delicate texture from the intrusion of every ray of unnecessary light. Consider too, its universal sympathies with every other part of the body, in which it possesses another strong tower of defence! When we reflect on all this ingenuity and skill employed for its security, and its extreme importance to the mind as well as the body; we cannot feel that the eye is necessarily so weak, as to be, as often seems to be the case, the first organ to fail in its