I Once look’d into the Eyes of a Gentlewoman, where I could discern nothing that was Amiss, or any thing that was unusual, save the Narrowness of her Pupils, which is often esteem’d a good Sign. And yet this Woman was much troubled with Fumes and Weaknesses of the Head, and had a Disaffection of Sight very Uncommon; for she told me, that, whereas in the Day time her Sight was so Dimm that she could hardly discern her way; soon after Sun-set, and during the Twilight, she could discern things far better. And in this Condition she had continued a good while: In which odd Case, whether the smallness of her Pupils, which might possibly be Contracted too much by the Day-light, and might be Expanded by the Recess of so much Light; or the greater Dissipation of the Visive Spirits at one time than at the other, may have any Intrest, I shall not now stay to Enquire. But this Patient brings into my mind the rare Case of a Learned old Divine, who complain’d to me that he was forced to write his Letters and Books by Night, because, during the Day-time, his Right Hand shook so much that he could not manage a Pen, and therefore was forc’d to make use of it only by Candle-light. And I remember that, upon his pressing me to propose some Possible Cause of so odd a Phaenomenon, I told him, to put him off, that perchance the few Animal Spirits that he had to Move his Hands with, were so Subtile as to be Dissipated or Exhal’d by the Warmth of the Day, but were kept in by the Coldness of the Night, that somewhat constipated his Pores; and commended to him the use of strengthning things, and, among the rest, of Chocolate; which when for sometime he had continu’d to drink; he came to me, and told me with joy, that he began again to be able to Write in the Day, and so I think he can do yet. But this upon the by.
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