Several men distinguished for their bravery and ability in the
art of war have been blind. Jean de Troczow, most commonly known
by the name of Ziska, in 1420 lost his one remaining eye, and was
afterward known as the "old blind dog," but, nevertheless, led
his troops to many victories. Froissart beautifully describes the
glorious death of the blind King of Bohemia at the battle of
Crecy in 1346. Louis III, King of Provence; Boleslas III, Duke of
Bohemia; Magnus IV, King of Norway, and Bela II, King of Hungary,
were blind. Nathaniel Price, a librarian of Norwich in the last
century, lost his sight in a voyage to America, which, however,
did not interfere in any degree with his duties, for his books
were in as good condition and their location as directly under
his knowledge, during his blindness as they were in his earlier
days. At the present day in New York there is a blind billiard
expert who occasionally gives exhibitions of his prowess.
Feats of Memory.--From time to time there have been individuals,
principally children, who gave wonderful exhibitions of memory,
some for dates, others for names, and some for rapid mental
calculation. Before the Anthropological Society in 1880 Broca
exhibited a lad of eleven, a Piedmontese, named Jacques Inaudi.
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