REPORT ON THE MODES OF PRINTING FOR THE BLIND. 97 
ing common arithmetic and algebra, some of which are very 
simple and effective*. However, I shall not enter into a de- 
scription of them here, as they can scarcely be said to form a 
part of the subject of this report. 
Some embossed mathematical diagrams have been printed both 
in Germany and America, and I believe in France; and in theyear 
18281 published the diagrams of the first book of Euclid in an 
embossed form ; but the expense of the copper plates, engraving, 
&c. deterred me from going on with the work. At Boston, U.S., 
figures explanatory of mechanics, astronomy, &c., and some very 
beautiful maps of large size, have been printed ; also some chro- 
nological tables, &c. Globes and maps have long been made at 
_ Paris, and I believe in Germany, by gluing threads upon the 
lines, or pasting a second map over them ; but this cannot pro- 
perly be called printingt. é 
Music. 
Music has been much cultivated by the blind in general, and 
several palpable modes have been invented to facilitate their 
acquiring a knowledge of it. The French contrived a very in- 
' genious plan, which has been followed in other places. It is a 
board, with raised lines and pierced full of holes, in which are 
placed pegs of various shapes to represent the different notes. 
The same kind of board is now used in the Yorkshire school, but 
upon avery much smaller scale, having crooked pins for the notes 
instead of clumsy wooden pegs, and saw-cuts across the board 
in which to set bits of tin to represent the bars. For this im- 
provement we are chiefly indebted to a blind gentleman of 
York{. Iam informed that music has been printed from move- 
| able types in Germany, France and America, but I have seen 
_ only a small specimen from the last-mentioned country. In the 
_ * By help of one of the best of these my own private pupils (blind) have 
_ soon acquired a sufficient knowledge of the elements of algebra to enable them 
By 4 ae? quadratic equations with ease and readiness; and one has gone still 
further. 
The pleasure they generally derive from working problems of this kind is 
_ very great. 
_ Geometry also, when taught them in a way suited to their peculiar circum- 
_ stances, seldom fails to afford them great delight, but it must always be made 
4 interesting to them or they soon despair of learning it. 
Fy __ 4 Since writing this I have received from Dr. Howe a copy of a book of 
_ plates, or “ Diagrams illustrating a compendium of Natural Philosophy for the 
use of the Blind. Printed at the New England Institution for the Education of 
_ the Blind, 1836.” 
_ The diagrams seem to be taken from blocks of wood engraved after the 
_ Manner of copper. The work is admirably got up, and is a very valuable ad- 
dition to the books for the blind. 
x _t W. D. Littledale, Esq. 
VOL. Vi. 1837. H 
“ 
