100 SEVENTH REPORT—1837. 
that characters may be contrived more simple, and in some re- 
spects easier to read by the touch, yet he considersthe common 
alphabet the best; and in teaching the blind employs the usual 
mode of instructing seeing children as far as possible ; for as 
long as the blind must live and mix with those who see, it is 
most desirable to connect the two together both in their educa- 
tion and pursuits; for by so doing that unfortunate class will be 
spared many a painful reflection on their condition, and escape 
the bitterness of an unfavourable comparison with their more 
fortunate brethren*. Besides blind persons may with a pencil or 
tracing paper write letters to their friends, and their friends may 
write to them by means of a stile or other blunt point, placing 
the paper upon something soft so that the letters may be raised 
on the other side; but this advantage, gratifying in the highest 
degree to the blind when they are able to practise it, would be 
greatly diminished, if not altogether destroyed, by the use of an 
arbitrary alphabet ; for then no one could correspond with them 
who had not learnt their system. 
Furthermore, the blind often become scientific men or poets, 
and probably from the improved methods of conveying instruc- 
tions to them, this may in future more frequently happen. Hew 
delightful then to correspond with others or to record their own 
thoughts by means of an alphabet generally understood! Mr. 
Alston, in one of his communications to me, states the great de- 
light his pupils enjoyed (who had learnt the common alphabet) 
in going into the churchyards and reading the grave-stones, &c. 
Arbitrary alphabets are more liable to errors of the press than 
the common, and less likely to be detected on account of their 
not being so familiar to the printer, &c., so that the blind are 
thereby exposed to the danger of being misled, and of acquiring 
erroneous notions, which in many cases might be of serious 
consequence. 
Assuming the reasons in favour of using the common alpha- 
bet to be satisfactory, it would appear that the Roman Capitals, 
* “ Daher habe ich getrachtet, so weit es nur moglich war, die gewohnlichen 
Unterrichts- und Hiilfs-mittel wie man sie fiir sehende Kinder gebrauchet, auch 
fiir die Blinden beyzubehalten, um diesen desto leichter Lehrer zu verschaffen, 
die sich durch neue Lehrmittel, in welche sie sich selbst erst einstudieren 
miissen, vielleicht hitten abschrecken lassen. Dieses bestimmte meine Wahl 
fir die GewounuicuEN BucustaBen, obgleich nicht zu laugnen ist, dass die von 
Hrn Wolke und von andern vorgeschlagenen einfachen, der Telegrafen-Schrift 
ahnliche zeichen zur fiihlbaren Schriftleichter sind. So lang der Blinde mit und 
unter Sehenden lebt, muss man suchen, ihn in seinem eigenen Benehmen und in — 
der Behandlung, so viel es nur méglich ist, den Sehenden ndher zu bringen, 
um ihm manchem Anstoss und manche schmerzhafte Erinnerung an seinem 
Zustand zu ersparen.” 
— 
ee ee ee ee ee eee 
