Valory for noticing in 1740 that Fritz might be short sighted, the Prince de Ligne for Fritz mistaking one Austrian noble for another when Joseph's entourage is being presented to him during the Neisse meeting, letters from Fritz from 1780 saying "my eyes have become stupid", and the receipts for the glasses from the royal household papers starting with 1747. Also those spectacles and for that matter spyglasses still existing, which is presumably how they could be investigated for their varying strengths.
Catt: I only have wiki as a source, too, re: his own eyesight.
You mean because he knew the text almost by heart and only needed a bit of prompting?
That, and when you're in a tent in the later afternoon, evening or night - i.e. the times when Catt usually was called for - in an era where electricity isn't a thing, gas light isn't yet, either, and you're stuck with candles and oil lamps for illuniation, then the light situation isn't too well. Even if your eyesight is reasonably good, it would be natural to hold any book or letter close to read it.
Re: Peter-Michael Hahn
Valory for noticing in 1740 that Fritz might be short sighted, the Prince de Ligne for Fritz mistaking one Austrian noble for another when Joseph's entourage is being presented to him during the Neisse meeting, letters from Fritz from 1780 saying "my eyes have become stupid", and the receipts for the glasses from the royal household papers starting with 1747. Also those spectacles and for that matter spyglasses still existing, which is presumably how they could be investigated for their varying strengths.
Catt: I only have wiki as a source, too, re: his own eyesight.
You mean because he knew the text almost by heart and only needed a bit of prompting?
That, and when you're in a tent in the later afternoon, evening or night - i.e. the times when Catt usually was called for - in an era where electricity isn't a thing, gas light isn't yet, either, and you're stuck with candles and oil lamps for illuniation, then the light situation isn't too well. Even if your eyesight is reasonably good, it would be natural to hold any book or letter close to read it.