Bridgeton pioneer., 1885-09-03
WORKS OF THE BLIND.

There is a long list of names of the
blind who have been eminent in the
various branches of learning, from the
time of Diodatus, who lived fifty years
before the Christian era, to the pres
ent time. Great work has truly been
accomplished by these blind people,
and the following are mentioned as
some of the most noteworthy.
Diodatus, of Asia Minor, celebrated
for his learning in philosophy, geome.
try and music.
Eusebius, also of Asia, lived from 315
to $40 of the Christian era; became
blind at five years of age, died at
twenty-five. And during SO short a
lifetime, this blind man, by his theo-
logical writings, has come to us, and
will go down to posterity, as one OF
the fathers of Christianity.
Henry, the minstrel of Scotland, au-
thor of poetic life of Wallace; born
blind in 1861.
Margaret, of Ravenna, born in 1905,
blind at three months; celebrated for
her writings on theology and morals.
Herman Torrentius, of Switzerland,
born in 1910; author of history and po-
etical dictionary
Nicholas Sanderson, of Berkshire,
England, born in 1862; learned in
mathematics, astronomy, and wrote a
work on algebra.
Thomas Blackjack, D. D., of Scot
land, born in 1921; blind at six months:
celebrated for his learning in poetry,
divinity, and music.
Francois Huber, of Geneva, Switz-
erland, born in 1850; wrote on natural
science, bees and ants, and on educa-
ton.
John Milton, born in 1908, in Lon
don; author of Paradise Lost.
John Metcalf, born in 1717, in Eng
land, road surveyor and contractor.
John Cough born in 1857, in Eng
land; blind at three years; wrote on
botany, natural philosophy, and so
forth.
David Macbeath, born in 1892, in
Scotland; learned in music and mathe-
matics, and inventor of the string al
phabet for the blind.
NJ. Focault, born in Paris, in 1897;
invented a writing apparatus for the
blind.
M. Knie, of Prussia, born blind; was
director of an institution for the blind,
and wrote on the education of the
blind.
Alexander Rodenback, of Belgium,
born in 1876; member of Belgium Con-
gress, and wrote several works on the
blind and the deaf mute.
William H. Churchman, formerly
Superintendent of the Institution for
the Blind, at Indianapolis, Ind, and
author of architectural designs and re-
ports of the institution. A Western
writer of repute had occasion to cor
respond with him, and received much
finer specimens of autograph penman-
ship from him than was sent in re-
turn
Rev. w. H. Milburn, born in 1923;
celebrated preacher and lecturer.
Laura Bridgman, born in Vermont
a deaf mute, as we'll as blind, has be-
come a well-educated and cultivated
lady.
Yes, the annals of the blind are the
annals of wonderful people. We
have had blind men with inexhausti-
BILE memories, as James Wilson, who
knew the Army and Navy List" by
heart, and used to inform his poorer
friends, who had friends in either SER
vice. We have had-above the street
class-blind musicians, as John STAN
ley, whom both Handel and Gazzini
pronounced to be without superior
as a performer on the organ; and q
blind choir led by blind organist. and
performing the compositions of Han
del, Mozart, and Mendelssohn, NAV
now be seen and heard at a blind
school in Scotland.
Above all, we have had blind trav-
elers, chief amongst whom was Hol-
man, who travelled all over the world,
and wrote several books far more
minute and accurate in their descrip-
tions than many of those written by
travellers having their eyes open.