| Citation |
BEP(F.763.007
31 Jan 1763:21 (1430)
London, Nov. 13. Letter from M del a Sauvagere, chief
engineer of the Isle of Rhe, to M. Freron, concerning a
blind young lady.
Mademoiselle de Salignac, now in her 18th year, lost her
sight when only two years old, her mother having been
advised to lay some pigeon's blood on her eyes, to preserve
them in the small pox, whereas so far from answering the
end, it eat into them; nature, however, may be said to have
compensated for that unhappy mistake, by beauty of person,
sweetness of temper, vivacity of genius, quickness of
conception, and many talents, which certainly much soften
her misfortune. . . [3d para.:]
She has learnt, and almost by herself, to play on the
guittar sufficient for her little companions to dance by,
and had even contrived a way of pricking down her tunes, as
an adjustment to her memory; but at present, being at Paris
with her father and mother, a musick-master teaches her in
the common method, observing the way used in writing to the
young lady by pricking; and to distinguish the whites, they
are made larger. She learnt to sing, and I have heard her
song in concert.
In figured dances she acquits herself extremely well, in a
minuet with inimitable ease and gracefulness. AS for the
works of her sex, she has a masterly hand, and has made me
present of a silk and silver purse wrought in knotted points
on wooden mould. She sews and hems perfectly well. At
present her dexterity is chiefly employed on a sack with
bead work, In all her needle-works she threads them for
herself however small.
As the young lady is now at Paris, you may yourself see
her; she has a watch at her side; a repeating watch, to be
sure, say you; no, only a plain one, and her touch never
fails telling her exactly the hour and minute.
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