An essay for the recording of illustrious providences

An Extract of a Letter written from Lyons, by M. Spon. M. D. &c. concerning a Remarkable Particular. Esther Elizabeth van Waldkirk, Daughter of a Merchant of Schaffhausen, residing at Geneva, aged at present nineteen years, having been blind from two Months old, by a Distemper falling on her Eyes, nevertheless hath been put on to the study of Learning by her Father, so that she understands perfectly Fr•••, High-Dutch and Latin; she speaks ordinarily Latin with her Father, French with her Mother, and High-Dutch with the People of that Nation; she hath almost the whole Bible by heart; is well skilled in Philosophy; plays on the Organs and Violin; and which is wonderful in this condition, she hath learned to write, by an invention of her Fathers, after this manner: ⟨p. 303⟩There was cut for her upon a Board, all the Letters of the Alphabet, so deep as to feel the figures with her fingers, and to follow the traces with a Pencil, till that she had accustomed her self to make the Characters. Afterwards they made for her a Frame, which holds fast her Paper when she will write, and which guides her hand to make straight Lines; she writes with a Pencil rather than with Ink, which might either foul her Paper, or by failing, might cause her to leave words imperfect. Tis after this manner that she writes often in Latin to her Friends, as well as in the other two Languages.

An Extract of a Letter written from Lyons, by M. Spon. M. D. &c. concerning a Remarkable Particular. Esther Elizabeth van Waldkirk, Daughter of a Merchant of Shaffhausen, residing at Geneva, aged at present nineteen years, having been blind from two Moneths old, by a Distemper falling on her Eyes, nevertheless hath been put on to the study of Learning by her Father, so that she understands perfectly Fr•••, High-Dutch and Latin; she speaks ordinarily Latin with her Father, French with her Mother, and High-Dutch with the People of that Nation; she hath almost the whole Bible by heart; is well skill'd in Philosophy; plays on the Organs and Violin; and which is wonderful in this condition, she hath learned to write, by an invention of her Fathers, after this manner: ⟨p. 303⟩There was cut for her upon a Board, all the Letters of the Alphabet, so deep as to feel the figures with her fingers, and to follow the traces with a Pencil, till that she had accustomed her self to make the Characters. Afterwards they made for her a Frame, which holds fast her Paper when she will write, and which guids her hand to make straight Lines; she writes with a Pencil rather than with Ink, which might either foul her Paper, or by failing, might cause her to leave words imperfect. Tis after this manner that she writes often in Latin to her Friends, as well as in the other two Languages.