Ther lakketh no thyng to thyne outter yen
That thou n’ art blynd; for thyng that we seen alle
That it is stoon – that men may wel espyen –
That ilke stoon a god thow wolt it calle.
I rede thee, lat thyn hand upon it falle
And taste it wel, and stoon thou shalt it fynde,
Syn that thou seest nat with thyne eyen blynde.
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Second Nun’s Tale. Cecilia tells Almachius that he is blind and says that his gods are mere stone. He will discover that for himself if he reaches out his hand and touches and tastes them, since he cannot see with his blind eyes.