94 . SEVENTH REPORT—1837. 
these proposed alphabets were composed entirely of arbitrary 
symbols, while three were merely modifications of the ordinary 
Roman and Italic characters, the first question that presented 
itself for their consideration” was whether some modification of 
the ordinary Roman or Italic alphabets in common use, or an 
entirely new arbitrary character, would be hest adapted for the 
use of the blind generally throughout the kingdom? This 
was a question of considerable difficulty, especially at that time, 
when so few experiments had been made upon the subject. The 
Committee however, in their Report of 1832, gave their opinion 
in favour of an arbitrary character. Since that time Mr. Gall 
published a little work, which seemed to show that his alphabet* 
was more legible by the touch and possessed greater advantages 
than any of the others. This increased the difficulty the Society 
had to contend with, and induced them to take the opinion of 
various persons experienced in the education of the blind. Con- 
sequently the whole of the communications were sent to various 
persons, and (among others) to me, in the spring of 1835. Most 
of these communications were exceedingly clever and interest- 
ing}. I read them with very close attention, and examined 
minutely the various specimens; and in July following returned 
them to Edinburgh, with a report stating what seemed to me 
the advantages and disadvantages of each. This report the 
Society soon after published, together with extracts from other 
reports, as well as from the communications and fac-similes 
of the various alphabets, and sent copies to the different insti- 
tutions, &c. 
Some years ago Mr. Lucas of Bristol contrived an alphabet 
chiefly from short-hand characters, and in his books uses nume- 
rous contractions or abbreviations, and thereby reduces the bulk 
of the book very much, but increases the difficulty of making out 
the words, &c.{ On the 12th of February 1836 a public meet- 
* Mr Gall's alphabet was composed of characters in some degree similar to 
the Roman, or that generally used in printing ; but he excluded all curves and 
circles, and formed his letters entirely of angles and straight lines, 
+ Many of these communications show great ingenuity and deep research in 
their authors, and contain so much valuable matter relating to the general edu- 
cation of the blind, that a publication of the whole or greatest part of them 
would be productive of much good to those for whose benefit they were written. 
But as this would be rather expensive (many of the communications being very 
long) and asthe Edinburgh Society of Arts has already done so much on this 
subject, it is scarcely reasonable to expect that body to encounter so costly an 
undertaking, unless they could, from some other source, be assisted in the fur- 
therance of their praiseworthy exertions. 
{ Mr. Lucas uses a new system of spelling, employing only as many letters 
as ave sufficient to give the sound of the word; thus, “ adu for adieu,” ‘ ni for 
nigh,” “ bote for bought,” &c. He also uses one letter for several words, as “n 
