BLINDNESS AND LETTERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20324, 3 August 1929, Page 8 (Supplement)

BLINDNESS AND LETTERS.

CHARACTERS IN FICTION. According to tradition, Homer was travelling the country, a blind man, when ho gavo his immortal Iliad to a wonder ing world. Thero have been many other blind benefactors of mankind sinco his day, and often tho lack of sight, has seemed to act as a spur to great effort, as in tho caso of Galileo. Ho, although denied tho priceless boon of sight in his later years, was able, by tho improve inent, if not tho actual discovery of the telescope, to largely oxtend tho vision, of others. In the same way, MendelssohA, though himself incapablo of hearing, was instrumental in bringing charm and delight to his more fortunate fellow men by his divine sonatas and musical compositions. Milton, in his touching poein on his blindness, succeeded in creating a thing of beauty in tho world of letters, and John Metcalf, a humble native of Knaresborough, added greatly to the comfort of his generation by his improved methods of road making notwithstanding tho fact that he was totally blind. Samson, when struck with his affliction, put forth his most prodigious effort, resulting in tho destruction of the temple and the downfall of his enemies, Saul of Tarsus also experienced a little of that horrible darkness, and tho Scriptures toll of more than ono instance of temporary, partial, or total blindness. It is often tho custom of dramatists and novelists to enlist sympathies on behalf of ttieir heroines and heroes by making them blind. Shakespeare in " King Lear" makes a dramatic sceno of tho mutilation of Gloucester's eyes and there is always pathos in the presentation of that scene between Hubert and tho little prince. Victorians were not slow to grasp tho possibilities of a blind character, as wo mav seo from a glance at Dickens. Iri " Our Mutual Friend " tho tovmaker's blind daughter moves all readers' hearts by her pathetic innocence. In " Bar naby Rudgo," the rascally associate of tho''Prentice Knights is blind, though it docs not appear that Dickens wished us to waste any sympathy on him. Charlotte Bronte's Rochester, in " Jane Evre," is one more instance of the same kind of thing. Previously, ho has been a bullying, overbearing, bigoted fellow, hut when sho hears of his affliction, poor Jane is eager and willing to become his help-mato and companion, practically his slave, and all hocauso ho has been stiuck blind in an accident. Kingslry in " Westward Ho " is responsible 'for" what is perhaps one'_ of the most dramatic passages in Victoiian literature. Amyas Leigh has searched the main to find Don Guzman, the man who delivered his brother to the (lames and the betrayer of the beautiful Hose of Torndge. He finds him at last, and when the onemv seems about to be delivered into his* hands-at the longed-for moment of his life, a vivid flash of lightning deprives him of sight. In the vigour of his splendid manhood, the sea ho° loved so well is blotted out of his existence, and ho is left useless hulk, to spend the remainder of his days in vain regrets.