RESPECTING THE BLIND. AND DEAF BOY. 133. 
“ Sir, ya coe! 
“ T have from time to time deferred writing you, from a de- 
sire rather than from a hope, of being able to give you favour- 
able accounts of the result of my endeavours to instruct. my 
brother, by the means of letters; and regret excessively being 
obliged to state, that I have completely failed in putting into. 
effect the plan you so ably sketched out for me, principally, 
and, indeed, I may say wholly, from my brother’s wanting the 
necessary habits of application. With my first attempts he 
seemed rather amused, but afterwards appeared teazed, and got 
into bad humour, and, without risking the loss of the little 
power I have over him, I could not persist in irritating him,, 
being sensible that I only retain it from having recourse to it. 
seldom, and using it sparingly. How much I am grieved, at 
thus being obliged to relinquish a plan from which so much 
benefit might have been derived, I cannot say ; my only con- 
solation is, that it is not from any want of exertion on my part. 
Had any such plan been commenced with him in infancy; or 
at an early period, and steadily persevered in, I doubt not but 
it might have had the wished for success; but now, when ‘his 
habits are formed, and his passions strong, I much fear there is 
little chance of any thing being done; at least if there is any: 
thing done, it must be by some person who has more the power 
of controlling him than I now have. In short, I am unable to. 
make it sufficiently interesting to be a source of amusement to 
him, and, as a task, he will not apply to it. Nor is it (how- 
ever much to be regretted) astonishing that he will not, accus- 
tomed, as he has always been, to follow his own immediate 
gratification only, and dispose of his time as inclination leads 
him.—Allow me now to’ make offer of our warmest acknow- 
ledgments for the benevolent interest you have taken in this 
affair, and to assure you, that it will afford us much happiness to 
be 
