He adds that the
deprivation of light for several years renders the child a great
curiosity, if in conjunction its growth is dwarfed by means of
food and drugs, and its vocal apparatus destroyed. A certain
priest subjected a kidnapped boy to this treatment and exhibited
him as a sacred deity. Macgowan mentions that the child looked
like wax, as though continually fed on lardaceous substances. He
squatted with his palms together and was a driveling idiot. The
monk was discovered and escaped, but his temple was razed.
Equilibrists.--Many individuals have cultivated their senses so
acutely that by the eye and particularly by touch they are able
to perform almost incredible feats of maintaining equilibrium
under the most difficult circumstances Professional rope-walkers
have been known in all times. The Greeks had a particular passion
for equilibrists, and called them "neurobates," "oribates," and
"staenobates." Blondin would have been one of the latter. Antique
medals showing equilibrists making the ascent of an inclined cord
have been found. The Romans had walkers both of the slack-rope
and tight-rope Many of the Fathers of the Church have pronounced
against the dangers of these exercises.
Pages:
859
860
861
862
863
864
865
866
867
868
869
870
871
872
873
874
875
876
877
878
879
880
881
882
883