Ond' Amor già ti trasse le sue armi."
"Spare not thy vision. We have station'd thee
Before the emeralds[[8]], whence Love, erewhile,
Hath drawn his weapons on thee."
Cary's Translation.
I think short-sightedness is an infirmity more common among men of letters, authors, &c., than any other class; indeed, one is inclined to think it is no rare accompaniment of talent. A few celebrated names occur to me who suffered weakness of distinct vision to see but the better near. I am sure your correspondents could add many to the list. I mark them down at random:—Niebuhr, Thomas Moore, Marie Antoinette, Gustavus Adolphus, Herrick the poet, Dr. Johnson, Margaret Fuller, Ossoli, Thiers, Quevedo. These are but a few, but I will not lengthen the list at present.
M——a S.
Footnote 8: [(return)]
Beatrice's eyes.
Came (Vol. viii., p. 468.).—H. T. G. will find this word to be as old as our language. Piers Ploughman writes: