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Article SURPRIZING INGENUITY. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Surprizing Ingenuity.
SURPRIZING INGENUITY .
// is said , that the following Instance of Extraordinary Skill in a Blind Man has been long known , and still exists at Carlisle . MR . Joseph Strong * of that city , Avho has been blind from his infancy , folloAvs the business of a diaper-Aveaver , and is allowed , by people of the same occupationto be hot onla good but an
-, y expe ditious workman . _ He is at present . somewhat advanced in years , but his mechanical abilities are not yet impaired , in any conside ' rable degree . In the exercise of these * besides making almost every article . of household furniture , he has constructed various pieces of machinery ; cme of which is the model of a loom , and the figure of a man wo-king- ' it . As an appendagehe added a brace of piippetsrepresenting two
, , , women buffetting each other ; or as he interprets them , to his visitors ,. " boxing for the Aveb . " At different times he has dressed himself with articles entirely the work of his ovyn hands . The instances of his admirable execution ( or rather such of them onl y ' as have come to our knowledge ) are too A'arious to be enumerated here .
To sheAV his strong propensity to produce , by his own ingenuity and labour , ivhatever he thought worthy of possessing , Aye shall add the following circumstance . When he was about fifteen years of age , he concealed himself one afternoon in the cathedral during the time of service ; after which ,
' the congregation being gone , and the doors shut , he got Into the . organ-loft , and examined every part of the instrument . This had engaged his attention till about . midni ght ,. Avhen , having satisfied himself respecting the general construction , he proceeded to try the tones of the different stops , and the proportions they bore to each other . This experiment was not to be conducted in so silent a manner as his former enquiries .- In shortthe noise alarmed the neihbourhood of
, g the church , and the circumstance of the organist having died a short time . before , and no successor having been appointed , caused great consternation in the ears of all who he . ird . it . After some deliberation , a party , less intimidated than the rest , summoned resolution enough to enter the church at that tremendous hour ; and Joseph , not less confounded than his unexpected visitors ,
was obliged to abandon his studies for that time . The next day , he was taken before the Dean , who , after reprimanding him for ' the steps he had taken to- gratify his curiosity , ' permitted him to visit the organ at all seasonable times . In consequence of this , he set about making a chamber organ , which he complcated Avithout the assistance of any person . He sold this instrument to a merchant in the Isle of , Mann , Avho afterwards removed to Dublin , where it still is in being , and is considered as a great curiosity .. '
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Surprizing Ingenuity.
SURPRIZING INGENUITY .
// is said , that the following Instance of Extraordinary Skill in a Blind Man has been long known , and still exists at Carlisle . MR . Joseph Strong * of that city , Avho has been blind from his infancy , folloAvs the business of a diaper-Aveaver , and is allowed , by people of the same occupationto be hot onla good but an
-, y expe ditious workman . _ He is at present . somewhat advanced in years , but his mechanical abilities are not yet impaired , in any conside ' rable degree . In the exercise of these * besides making almost every article . of household furniture , he has constructed various pieces of machinery ; cme of which is the model of a loom , and the figure of a man wo-king- ' it . As an appendagehe added a brace of piippetsrepresenting two
, , , women buffetting each other ; or as he interprets them , to his visitors ,. " boxing for the Aveb . " At different times he has dressed himself with articles entirely the work of his ovyn hands . The instances of his admirable execution ( or rather such of them onl y ' as have come to our knowledge ) are too A'arious to be enumerated here .
To sheAV his strong propensity to produce , by his own ingenuity and labour , ivhatever he thought worthy of possessing , Aye shall add the following circumstance . When he was about fifteen years of age , he concealed himself one afternoon in the cathedral during the time of service ; after which ,
' the congregation being gone , and the doors shut , he got Into the . organ-loft , and examined every part of the instrument . This had engaged his attention till about . midni ght ,. Avhen , having satisfied himself respecting the general construction , he proceeded to try the tones of the different stops , and the proportions they bore to each other . This experiment was not to be conducted in so silent a manner as his former enquiries .- In shortthe noise alarmed the neihbourhood of
, g the church , and the circumstance of the organist having died a short time . before , and no successor having been appointed , caused great consternation in the ears of all who he . ird . it . After some deliberation , a party , less intimidated than the rest , summoned resolution enough to enter the church at that tremendous hour ; and Joseph , not less confounded than his unexpected visitors ,
was obliged to abandon his studies for that time . The next day , he was taken before the Dean , who , after reprimanding him for ' the steps he had taken to- gratify his curiosity , ' permitted him to visit the organ at all seasonable times . In consequence of this , he set about making a chamber organ , which he complcated Avithout the assistance of any person . He sold this instrument to a merchant in the Isle of , Mann , Avho afterwards removed to Dublin , where it still is in being , and is considered as a great curiosity .. '