18 THE GESTUEE-LANGUAGE. 



developed to so liigli a degree by those wlio liave tlie use of 

 speech^ as by those who cannot speak, and must therefore have 

 recourse to other means of communication. The opinions of 

 two or three practical observers may be cited to show that the 

 gesture-language is not, like the finger-alphabet, an art learnt 

 in the first instance from the teacher, but an independent pro- 

 cess originating in the mind of the deaf-mute, and developing 

 itself as his knowledge and power of reasoning expand under 

 instruction. 



Samuel Heinicke, the founder of deaf-and-dumb teaching in 

 Germany, remarks : — " He (the deaf-mute) prefers keeping to 

 his pantomime, which is simple and short, and comes to him 

 fluently as a mother-tongue."^ Schmalz says : — " Not less com- 

 prehensible ai'e many signs which we indeed do not use in ordi- 

 nary life, but which the deaf-and-dumb child uses, having no 

 means of communicating with others but by signs. These 

 signs consist principally in drawing in the air the shape of 

 objects to be suggested to the mind, indicating their character, 

 imitating the movement of the body in an action to be de- 

 scribed, or the use of a thing, its origin, or any other of its 

 notable peculiarities."- " With regard to signs," says Dr. 

 Scott, of Exeter, " the (deaf-and-dumb) child will most likely 

 have already fixed upon signs by which it names most of the 

 objects given in the above lesson (pin, key, etc.), and which it 

 uses in its intercourse with its friends. These signs had always 

 better be retained (by the child's family), and if a word has not 

 received such a sign, endeavour to get the child to fix upon 

 one. It will do this most probably better than you."^ 



The Abbe Sicard, one of the first and most eminent of the 

 men who have devoted their lives to the education and " hu- 

 manizing " of these afflicted creatures, has much the same ac- 

 count to give. " It is not I," he says, " who am to invent 

 these signs. I have only to set forth the theory of them under 

 the dictation of their true inventors, those whose language 

 consists of these signs. It is for the deaf-and-dumb to make 

 them, and for me to tell how they are made. They must be 



' Heinicke, ' Beobachtungen Tiber Stumme,' etc. ; Hamburg, 1778, p. 56. 

 2 Schmalz, p. 267. ^ g^ott, 'The Deaf and Dumb ;' London, 1844, p. 84. 



