In course of time I was cured of the measles, but they left a very serious inflammation of the eyes, in consequence of which I was shut up for weeks in a dark room. There was a piano in it, and as soon as I felt strong enough I began to practise all my pieces from memory in the dark, having to feel for the keyboard, for there was not the slightest glimmer of light. I still remember how amused I was with certain variations by Abbe Gelinck (a very popular composer then, but now totally forgotten), in which there were many rapid crossings of the hands, and how delighted I was when at last I could judge of the distances so as to hit the right notes. << less