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SOCIETY OF ARTS. 



ALPHABETS FOR THE USE OF THE BLIVD. 



[The present Number of the Journal was completed before this notice 

 was received. We have therefore inserted it here, although rather 

 out of place.] 



At the concluding meeting of the Session of this Society, held on the 21st 

 instant, the Committee which had been appointed to consider the numerous 

 Alphabets for the Blind (a plate of which was appended to the 4"2d Number of 

 this Journal for October 1836), and relative communications, which had been 

 received in competition for the Society's Gold Medal, value Twenty Sovereigns, 

 reported, that they had, after nearly four years' investigation, brought their la- 

 bours to a close. From the Committee's very long and detailed report, consist- 

 ing of upwards of thirty closely printed pages, it appeared that they had cor- 

 responded with all the institutions for the Blind which could be ascertained 

 to exist in Great Britain and Ireland^ — with the British Association, which 

 had lately taken up the same subject, — and with such philanthropic indivi- 

 duals both in Britain and abroad as were known to take an interest in the 

 education of the Blind. The result of the whole was, that the Committee 

 were of opinion, 



" 1. Tbat although an arbitrary character might possess in itself superior advantages 

 in simplicity and t.ingibility, yet there would be great and in many cases insuperable 

 obstacles to the Blind generally acquiring a knowledge of any character not familiar to 

 those possessed of sight, and consequently such an alphabet would not be generally 

 adopted throughout Europe and America. 



" 2. That the same objection applies, although perhaps in aless degree, to Mr Gall's 

 angular modification of tlie Roman alphahet; and, while the want of capitals and the 

 difficulty of tracing the lines are said to be also serious ohjections to the use of his 

 character, it does not in other respects seem to offer sufficient reasons for its adoption, 

 in preference to the ordinary Roman alphabet slightly modified. 



" .*?. That, from being almost universally known both in Europe and America, and 

 taking all other circumstances into consideration, the common Roman cipital alphabet, 

 as represented by the late Dr Fry, seems not only to be best adapted for teaching the 

 Blind to read, but also as a medium of written correspondence. Hence there is every 

 reason to believe, that it would be sooner brought into general use than any of the 

 other characters in competition — that books printed with it would be more in demand 

 — and, consequently, that their expense would be greatly diminished." * • * • 



" Upon the whole — looking to the terms of the Society's advertisement, and the other 

 circumstances above referred to — the Committee beg to state, that, in their opinion, 

 the late Dr Fry's communication is entitled to ' The Society's Gold Medal, value 

 Twenty Sovereigns,' being the prize offered 'for the best communication on a me- 

 thod of Printing for the Blind,' &c.'' • « • • • 



" It may be here also proper to notice, that in proposing the late Dr Fry's commu- 

 nication as best entitled to the Society's Premium, the Committee do not wish it to 

 be understood tbat they consider his modification of the Roman Alphabet as now in 

 every respect the best adapted for teaching the Blind ; but only that it was superior to 

 any of the others given in to the Society for competition, and remitted to the Com- 

 mittee for consideration. Several material improvements on this alphabet have been 

 •ince proposed and partly carried into effect, by the Rev. Mr Taylor, Mr Anderson of 

 York, and .Mr Alston of Glasgow ; and the Committee would also suggest as a farther 

 and very important improvement, both as respects economy in printing and facility in 

 •reading, the adoption ul the fr: tied surface of type recently introduced by Mr Gall on 

 bis angular character, and likewise his method of printing on both sides of the paper.'' 



NO. XLV. VOL. XXriI. — JULY 1837. P 



