That distance is actually estimated at once in consequence
of this power, is clear; not so with the outlines. How can round and
angular be distinguished, when only colors and gross differences of
intensity and saturation are perceived? Ware gives no solution of the
difficulty, but thinks that, because the colors appeared more intense,
the previously imperfect ideas concerning distances might be improved
and extended, so that they would even give a knowledge of the
boundary-lines and of the form of those things with the color of which
the patients were previously acquainted. But this improvement of the
ideas concerning distance can not lead directly to discrimination of the
limits of objects, and is itself hypothetical, inasmuch as we might
expect, _immediately_ after the operation, on account of the enormous
difference in the luminous intensity, an uncertainty in the judgment.
But such uncertainty appeared only in a slight degree in both the cases,
a thing possible only because there had already been sufficient
experiences with the eye. But these experiences, as is frequently
stated, were absolutely lacking in regard to the limits and the form of
objects. Here another thing comes in to help. Evidently, an eye that
distinguishes only colors sees these colors always only as limited; even
if it saw only a single color that occupied the whole field of vision,
the field would still be a limited one. But the colored field may be
small or large, and this difference may be noticed before the operation.
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