6 VOCAL SOUNDS OF 



defining, generalizing, and combining power of reason. The nursery, that spot 

 where the history of mankind is Hved over again in more than one respect, 

 furnishes us with many instances of this important process. 



The theory of symphany finds a wide and, 1 conceive, a fruitful apphcation in 

 many different branches of moral and physical knowledge ; but we have to deal 

 with it here so far only as it affects the origm of phonetic language, and the 

 vocal sounds of Laura Bridgeman. 



Symphenomena show themselves in all of us. Art even cultivates them, and 

 draws them within the sphere of studied elocution. But they are most observ- 

 able with untutored beings — with children and unciviUzed tribes ; or with the 

 educated adult, when deep emotion breaks through the tranquil repose which is 

 the general characteristic of cultivated life. Every one knows how vehement the 

 expressions of grief, joy, despondency, love or revenge, are with savages, or how 

 a sudden calamity at sea produces all the symphenomena in their native and 

 unrestrained variety in polished men or women. '• Kiss me, Hardey — kiss me," 

 exclaimed Lord Nelson, when Captain Hardey had told him that the shout 

 which the admiral had heard was that of victory, and he felt his life rapidly 

 ebbing away. 



As a matter of course, these symphenomena appear strongly in Laura Bridge- 

 man ; and, if unrestrained, will show themselves at times so forcibly as to be 

 distasteful to others. They were therefore restrained by her teachers, for the 

 same reason that we often check them in children. The object of Laura's edu- 

 cation was to make her fit for social intercourse ; and the vehement demonstra- 

 tions of symphenomena would have interfered with this noble and important 

 object. 



It is necessary here to guard against a possible misunderstanding of the pre- 

 ceding words. Some readers may suspect that it has been difficult to restrain 

 this blind deaf-mute, on the score of decorum, because she can have conceived 

 no idea of good breeding by constant and involuntary observation of the well- 

 bred around her, as we do from our earliest infancy. Yet, remarkable as the 

 fact may be, Laura has at no time of her life failed against the nicest delicacy. 

 We have the word of all her teachers for this surprizing fact ; and every one 

 who has had an opportunity of observing her will agree with me, that her con- 

 duct is marked throughout by a delicate feeling of propriety. I confess that this 

 is very remarkable, when we consider the offensive conduct of many savage 

 tribes ; but it only shows that delicacy of behavior and propriety of demeanor 

 are natural to man, though they may not be always primitive. They require 

 development, like most things which are essentially natural to the mind and soul 

 of man. This development may be individual, or it may belong to the tribe, the 

 race, and yet may have become more or less inherent. 



Laura not only blushes and weeps, laughs and smiles, which may be called ab- 

 solute or direct symphenomena, requiring no more an act of aiding volition than 

 the throbbing of the heart does ; but I have seen her stamping with joy — an 

 impulsive phenomenon which we observe in a more regulated form, brought 



