301 VOCAL SOUNDS OF 



" Before learning language Laura used many signs to make known her wants, 

 and, as you know, for a long time gave to many of her friends names, which in 

 some way were associated in her mind with the variety of their characters. 

 She produces still the same sound for me that she made eight years ago, with 

 this difference, that, originally, it was very soft and gentle ; now it is louder 

 and fuller, to correspond, as she says, with the change in myself She no 

 longer uses many of these names, and has forgotten a part of them. Mine she 

 retains for its use," (calling, in the strict sense of the word, her teacher.) " She 

 uses gestures expressive of different emotions. When she is merry, she often 

 sings. When she says a humorous thing, she is not satisfied if the person ad- 

 dressed does not laugh heartily. She often talks with herself, sometimes hold- 

 ing long conversations, speaking with one hand and replying with the other. 



" Laura is now in excellent health ; very good and very happy. Your letters 

 give her much pleasure. When I read your last to her the color mounted to 

 her cheek, she laughed and clapped her hands." 



The letter gives an interesting account of Laura's gesthetical feeling, her 

 sense of symmetry, her conscientiousness, her affection for her mother, her 

 religious state, sense of property, desire " to see this beautiful world," her love 

 of power and strong will, yet ready submission to what is shown to her to be 

 right, her skill in calculation, and of other subjects, all highly instructive, but 

 not in close connexion with the subject immediately in hand. It is to be hoped 

 that a general account of Laura's education will not much longer be withheld 

 from the public. 



I now shall give Laura's letter, word for word. There is not one word mis- 

 spelled in it. Indeed spelling is her whole language. Sound and its represen- 

 tation are not at eternal war in her mind as in all our school-boys, and in the 

 minds of not a few who no longer wear the round jacket. The reader must 

 know that Laura writes her own letters, and does by no means dictate them. 

 A facsimile of her handwriting will be found at the end. 



" Sunny Home, Aug. I5th, 1850. 

 My dear Dr. Lieber, 



" I received your kindest letter with great pleasure last June in the P. M. I 

 was very much interested in your account of the mocking bird. One very rainy 

 tue. [for Tuesday] a very kind gentleman sent me 2 canary birds which looked 

 very pretty and cunning. One bird died last June. The other bird seemed 

 very quiet as if he missed his companion so sadly. He comforted himself by 

 looking the glass, for he thought that he saw his companion there and used to 

 sing to her. but at last he flew tljrough the window which was opened a very 

 short way, and left his cage desolate. A very kind friend promised me that 

 he would send me a bird this week. I should be very glad to have you learn to 

 talk with your fingers. 



" 1 am highly delighted at the thought of going to Hanover to visit my dear 

 Mother in Sept Tell my dear Mrs. Lieber that I have got a little new Sister. 



