But the failure of his eyesight was the actual cause of his retirement.

It seems that the fall damaged his eyes in some way; in fact he practically lost the sight of one--the right--from that moment; and, as that had been his good eye, the accident left his vision very much impaired.

So that he was at first given sick leave and then allowed to retire on a pension." Thorndyke noted these particulars and then said: "Your uncle has been more than once referred to as a man of studious habits.

Does that mean that he pursued any particular branch of learning ?" "Yes.

He was an enthusiastic Oriental scholar.