REPORT ON THE MODES OF PRINTING FOR THE BLIND. 95 
ing was held in Bristol, when a Society was formed, and denomi- 
nated “ the Bristol Society for embossing and circulating the 
authorized Version of the Bible for the use of the Blind.” 
Patron, the Lord Bishop of that Diocese; President, Lieu- 
tenant-Gen. Orde. 
_ Amongst other things it was then and there resolved, .Ist. 
*¢ That the system of embossed characters invented by Mr. Lu- 
eas for teaching the blind to read, is recommended by its sim- 
plicity, and has been proved to be efficacious by several public 
examinations of his pupils.’’ 2nd. ‘* That a portion of the Holy 
Scriptures be printed on this system of embossed characters as 
soon as sufficient funds shall be collected to meet the expenses 
of publication.”’ 3rd. ‘* Thatas it is the object of this meeting to 
enable the blind to read the Holy Scriptures, the support of the 
Bible Society, the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 
and other Religious Societies be solicited in behalf of this So- 
ciety.” 
ihen I attended the meeting of the British Association last 
year at Bristol, I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Lucas, and 
witnessing two of his pupils, in the presence of several other 
gentlemen, read portions of the Scriptures printed in his cha- 
-racters. But the mere reading from a book well known to the 
pupil, in whatsoever character it might be printed, proves very 
little, for blind children will generally learn with great ease al- 
most any alphabet set before them; therefore it is necessary to 
compare the progress made with different alphabets, and to 
_ consider the swm of the advantages possessed by each before it 
_ can be determined which is the best*. 
_ At that meeting I had the honour of being introduced to Dr. 
_ Carpenter of that city, a gentleman who has evidently thought 
— much and long on this subject, and whose opinion and obser- 
" yations therefore cannot fail to be highly valuable. Dr. C. in 
his able letter to W. Fraser, Esq., Secretary to the Edinburgh 
_ Society of Arts, says, “I should, as Mr. Lucas does, employ 
_ for into, under, &c.” “x for example, exercise, &c.’”? (see Explanation of his 
_ system of printing for the blind.) 
_ The numerous inconveniences arising from such a plan (unless adopted by 
everybody, the seeing as well as the blind) are too obvious to need pointing 
out, and of too much consequence not to be strictly guarded against. Mr. 
cas has published the Gospel of St. John, and, notwithstanding all his nu- 
erous contractions and abbreviations, it is very little less than the same~ 
. pe inted by Mr. Alston in Dr. Fry’s type. 
__* Caution is necessary in making experiments on different alphabets. The 
ae may be interrupted in reading by holding his finger upon the word under 
it at that instant ; and if upon asking him to name it, it was found that he had 
i}. olin words, in a part of the sentence at which his finger had not yet ar- 
| 3 ed, this would show that he was reading from memory ! 
