ON THE INTELLECT OF INFANTS. , 47 



Scventli day. The disposition continues, to open the , . ^. 

 arms and cause rigidity in the system by universal mus- tinguisUes per- 

 cular exertion, when suddenly removed in the perpendi- sons, 

 cular, or likely to fall from support at too small a sur- 

 face. I think she begins to know her mother independ- 

 ently of smell and the habits of contact, which infants' 

 certainly exercise, and distinguish much earlier. She 

 also knows rae so far as to attend to my voice and actions 

 much more immediately and steadily than to the nurse, 

 and her sisters. 



Eighth day. She employs herself very actively in pur- Sth. Looks af- 

 suing the objects in the room as they pass her in the rela- ^^^ objects, 

 tive motion from carrying her about. She seems much 

 more conscious of the optical change of position, than of 

 the progressive motion she herself undergoes. I incline 

 most to the opinion that she has no notion at all concern- 

 ing it. The novelty of using the hands automatically, or Use of the 

 by mere opening and shutting, has for some days gradu- hands by feel- 

 ally worn oif, and she now uses them with somewhat more *"S °^h- 

 of intelligence, and less incessantly. This day she used 

 the finger and thumb alone; but all by mere contact, not 

 in the least in conjunction with the eyes. 



She looks very directly and steadily at objects. While 

 she was lying on the nurse's lap, with her eyes steadily 

 fixed on my face at the distance of three feet, and her 

 countenance expressive of pleasure, I altered my position 

 with various degrees of suddenness and distance on the 

 one and the other side. She immediately pursued me 

 with her eyes, and observed me with the same apparent 

 precision as an adult would have used. 



I have not observed her squint since the fifth day. I 

 am disposed to think she does not yet feel the necessity 

 of focal adjustment. Variation of angular position is to 

 her much more striking than mere approach and recess. 

 I have not seen her vary the situation of the optical axes 

 from actual change in the distance of the objects she at- 

 tends to. 



Ninth day. She certainly knows her mother and me, 9th. Clear dls- 

 and regards us differently. Ideas of enjoyment, com- ^^^^f^^^ ^'^^^ 

 fort, refreshment, are probably associated with the voice, persons/^ * 

 actions, and figure of her mother, ideas of mental en- 

 tertainment 



