VOL. v.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 467 



ately applied to signify things or notions, as if they signified notliing else : And 

 consequently, so long as it is purely arbitrary, by what character to express such 

 a thing or notion, we may as well make use of that character or collection of 

 letters, to express the thing to the eyes of him that is deaf; by which others 

 express the sound or name of it to those that hear. So that, indeed, that shall 

 be to him a real character, which expresses to another a vocal sound; but 

 signifies to both the same conception : Which is, to understand the language. 

 I shall add this also, that the person to be taught could once speak, though 

 so long ago, that I think he scarcely remembers it. But having, by accident, 

 when about five years of age, lost his hearing, he consequently lost his speech 

 also ; not all at once, but by degrees, in about half a year's time : by which I 

 was very certain that his want of speech was but a consequence of his want of 

 hearing, and did not proceed originally from an indisposition in the organs of 

 speech to form those sounds. And though the neglect of it in his younger 

 years, when the organs of speech, being yet tender, were more pliable, might 

 now render them less capable of that accurateness which those of children at- 

 tain unto : yet, if he can attain to speak but so well as a foreigner, at his years, 

 may learn to speak English; what shall be farther wanting to that accurateness 

 which a native from his childhood attains unto, may, to an indifferent estimate, 

 be very well dispensed with. 



But as to the other branch of our design, concerning the understanding of a 

 language: I see no reason at all to doubt, but that he may attain this, as per- 

 fectly as those that hear ; and that, allowing the like time and exercise, as to 

 other men is requisite to attain the perfection of a language, and the elegance 

 of it, he may understand as well, and write as good language as other men; 

 and no whit inferior to what he might attain to, if he had his hearing as others 

 have. And what I speak of him in particular, I mean as well of any other in- 

 genious person in his condition ; who, I believe, might be taught to use their 

 book and pen as well as others, if a right course were taken to that purpose. 



As to that of speech ; I must first, by the most significant signs I can, make 

 him to understand in what posture and motion I would have him apply his 

 tongue, lips, and other organs of speech, to the forming of such a sound as 

 I direct. Which if I hit right, I confirm him in it : If he miss, I signify to 

 him, in what he differed from my direction; and, to what circumstances he 

 must attend to mend it. By which means, with some trials, and a little 

 patience, he learns first one, then another sound; and, by frequent repetitions, 

 is confirmed in it ; or, if he chance to forget, recovers it again. 



And for this work, I was so far prepared beforehand, that I had heretofore, 

 upon another occasion, (in my treatise De Loquela, prefixed to my grammar 



3n 2 



