nobody on Nostr: The Blind Pensioners at Quinze Vignt- Voltaire When the hospital of the Quinze Vignt ...

The Blind Pensioners at Quinze Vignt- Voltaire

When the hospital of the Quinze Vignt was first founded, the pensioners were all equal, and their little affairs were concluded upon by a majority of votes. They distinguished perfectly by the touch between copper and silver coin; they never mistook the wine of Brie for that of Burgundy. Their sense of smelling was finer than that of their neighbors who had the use of two eyes.

They reasoned very well on the four senses; that is, they knew everything they were permitted to know, and they lived as peaceably and as happily as blind people could be supposed to do. But unfortunately one of their professors pretended to have clear ideas in respect to the sense of seeing; he drew attention; he intrigued; he formed enthusiasts; and at last he was acknowledged chief of the community. He pretended to be a judge of colors, and everything was lost.

This dictator of the Quinze Vignt chose at first a little council, by the assistance of which he got possession of all the alms. On this account,no person had the resolution to oppose him. He decreed, that all the inhabitants of the Quinze Vignt were clothed in white. The blind pensioners believed him; and nothing was to be heard but their talk of white garments, though, in fact, they possessed not one of that color. All their acquaintances laughed at them. They made their complaints to the dictator, who received them very ill; he rebuked them as innovators, free thinkers, rebels, who had suffered themselves to be seduced by the errors of those who had eyes, and who presumed to doubt that their chief was infallible. This contentation gave rise to two parties.

To appease the tumult , the dictator issued a decree, importing that all their vestments were red. There was not one vestment of that color in the Quinze Vignt. The poor men were laughed at more than ever. Complaints were again made by the community. The dictator rushed furiously in; and the other blind men were enraged. They fought a long time; and peace was not restored until the members of the Quinze Vignt were permitted to suspend their judgements in regard to the color of their dress.

A deaf man, reading this little history , allowed that these people, being blind, were to blame in pretending to judge of colors; but he remained steady to his own opinion, that those persons who were deaf were the only proper judges of music.