Letters on Natural Magic; Addressed to Sir Walter Scott, Bart.Brewster, David
History
Letters on Natural Magic; Addressed to Sir Walter Scott, Bart.
Brewster, David
Scientific recreations
In the course of writing the preceding observations an ocular illusion
occurred to myself of so extraordinary a nature, that I am convinced
it never was seen before, and I think it far from probable that it
will ever be seen again. Upon directing my eyes to the candles that
were standing before me, I was surprised to observe, apparently among
my hair, and nearly straight above my head, and far without the range
of vision, a distinct image of one of the candles inclined about 45°
to the horizon, as shown at A in Fig. 2. The image was as distinct and
perfect as if it had been formed by reflection from a piece of mirror
glass, though of course much less brilliant, and the position of the
image proved that it must be formed by reflection from a perfectly flat
and highly polished surface. But where such a surface could be placed,
and how, even if it were fixed, it could reflect the image of the
candle up through my head, were difficulties not a little perplexing.
Thinking that it might be something lodged in the eyebrow, I covered
it up from the light, but the image still retained its place. I then
examined the eyelashes with as little success, and was driven to the
extreme supposition that a crystallization was taking place in some
part of the aqueous humour of the eye, and that the image was formed by
the reflection of the light of the candle from one of the crystalline
faces. In this state of uncertainty, and, I may add, of anxiety, for
this last supposition was by no means an agreeable one, I set myself
down to examine the phenomenon experimentally. I found that the image
varied its place by the motion of the head and of the eyeball, which
proved that it was either attached to the eyeball or occupied a place
where it was affected by that motion. Upon inclining the candle at
different angles, the image suffered corresponding variations of
position. In order to determine the exact place of the reflecting
substance, I now took an opaque circular body and held it between
the eye and the candle till it eclipsed the mysterious image. By
bringing the body nearer and nearer the eyeball till its shadow became
sufficiently distinct to be seen, it was easy to determine the locality
of the reflector, because the shadow of the opaque body must fall
upon it whenever the image of the candle was eclipsed. In this way I
ascertained that the reflecting body was in the upper eyelash; and I
found, that, in consequence of being disturbed, it had twice changed
its inclination, so as to represent a vertical candle in the horizontal
position B, and afterwards in the inverted position C. Still, however,
I sought for it in vain, and even with the aid of a magnifier I
could not discover it. At last, however, Mrs. B., who possesses the
perfect vision of short-sighted persons, discovered, after repeated
examinations, between two eyelashes, a minute speck, which, upon being
removed with great difficulty, turned out to be a chip of red wax not
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