ON THE INTELLECT OF INFANTS. |85 



to spCak improve in manner and precision of answering 



when spoken to, which she does by a sonnd sometimes of 



pleasure and sometimes of mere assent or attention. 



These sounds considerably resemble those of a monkey 



we had some years ago, which was habituated to reply —resembling 



to kind language. Her mother, as well as myself, thinks amonl^y, 



C 's power of mind and observation are at this time 



much superior to that of the monkey ; but her education, 

 or quantity of acquired habits, less. 



C refused to go from her mother to her eldest spinning a 



sister, but readily left her to come to me. She knows pieceof money. 

 when her maid, though absent, is called to take her. 

 The amusement of spinning a half crown on the table di- 

 verts her much, but she makes no attempt to seize it. If 

 however it happens to touch her hand, she is greatly en- 

 tertained, and seems to have a notion of possessing it. 



Twelfth week, or age nearly three months. The variety 12th week. 



of tones and what may be called words which C can Ma^es herself 



now command, are sufficient to make herself perfectly stood. 

 understood, as to pleasure or pain or the mental ati'ections, 

 without crying; and she certainly understands quite 

 enough of language to apprehend all that her wants and 

 powers require to be communicated. She does not yet 

 attempt to seize any object, with her hand under direction 

 of the eye. 



End of thirteenth week. C having been ill with a mhweek. 



complaint in the bowels, has shewn the most marked par- In illness she 

 tiality for me ; so as to quit the breast to come to me, J^ ^"^^hed to 

 when I appear. I think this arose from an habitual con- 

 viction that I, as the adviser and director of the family, 

 could do her good*. It is probable also that my greater 

 personal strength and ability to walkabout with her and 

 also the facility with which she and I understand each 

 otfier, might afibrd strong motives of preference, by giving 

 her that amusement which beguiles pain. 



She has often and long ago been carried to a looking shcknows that 

 glass, which amuses her. From various facts I am con- a looking gla«$ 



* The same attachment and conviction has always been mani- 

 fest ia the ilhiess of her and my other children at later pe- 

 riods. 



' vinced 



