£^2 ^^ INCREASING tKE ACTION 01^ SOU«X>. 



and the other end upon the watch, at the diftance of feVeral. 



feet, I can hear it very dillindly. 



The hearing I know only two methods of alleviating the difficulty ot" 



affifted'bv pref- ^^'^'''^K articulated founds; one is by furrounding the ear, 



fing the external with the hand open, and preffing it forward, the fingers and 



ear forward} thUmb being fixed behind it ; this expedient does more than 



Or by a trum- tnight be fuppofed. Another method is, that of the application 



P">'^*'"fi^"'*' of a trumpet; which however, is of but little ufe, conftru6ied 



ufeful. *^ ^* '^ ^^ prefent. The difcovery of any infirument to facilitate 



hearing, by being placed in the mouth (probably after the 



ttianner of a tobacco-pipe) would be of great importance to a 



numerous clafs of our fellow creatures, whofe faculty of hearing 



ProbablUty that is nearly fufficient for common converfation. If an inftrument 



mi'hfbehTvInt '^^"'^ ^^ invented, which will do any thing at all in this way, 



ed to aft on the our experience in regard to other inventions, encourages an 



teeth or bones eJcpe^lation, that improvements will follow : means of affifling 



of the head fo , * ^ , , , , j -/-,,»• i . , . i 



as to magnify human fight have long been deviled; little indeed has been done 



Icundt. to affitl defedive hearing ; it is however an object deferving ©f 



more attention than has been befiowed upon it. If you flioukl 

 be fo good as to infert this in your Journal, I indulge a hope, 

 that {ome of your ingenious cojrefpondents, compafiionating 

 the unfortunate fitaation of thole whofe hearing is imperfe6t» 

 may be led to attempt difcoveries, the refult of which may be 

 of extenfive utility. It is defirable to afcertain the beft form and 

 fize of an ear trumpet, and what metal is to be preferred, 

 I am, Sir, 



Your moft obedient Servant, 

 A.B. 



Reference to ^« 3' On referring to my qaarto edition of the Journal, vol. 



fome difqulft- JV. page 383, 1 find fomelhing correfponding to my own 'ob- 

 tions on founds . ^ .^ , ' ,, , , ^ , ,. /.- ^^ \ „ ,^ 



in the quarto tervaiion. I lliali be extremely obliged if your humanity fiiould 



feriesof this determine you to infert the above, as it may be a means of 



jou na. exciting inveftigation on a fubjed which is certainly of great 



confequence. 



ANNOTATION— W. N,. ' > . 

 Defultory re- A CONSIDERABLE mafs of fpeculation concerning found, 



modification of ^^^ *^^ nleans of encreafing its a6iion on the organs of fenfe' 

 round by means is to be found in my annotations on the experiments of Perrole^ 

 of foliJ bodies, ^j ^ ^^g ^f y^j,_ j^ Q^- jf^g q^^^j.^^ 3^^.^^ ^^ jj^.g Journal The 



' • €xcelle;i 



