70 ACCOUNT OF A BOY 



one, to teach her brother the meaning of written words, and 

 mentioned briefly the outlines of a plan for that purpose ; she 

 expressed the utmost willingness to undertake any attempt of 

 this kind, but anticipated the chief obstacle to the design from 

 his want of application. Still I cannot help thinking, that this 

 obstacle would probably diminish, as soon as he felt the magic 

 power of a few words. Perhaps a trial might be made ac- 

 cording to some such plan as the following. 



First, young Mitchell might be provided with a horn- 

 book, on which the letters of the alphabet have been cut 

 in relief. His sister might then begin, by tempting him with 

 the prospect of some article of luxury, a piece of sugar for ex- 

 ample, or a toy ; but before gratifying him with the possession 

 of it, she might take hold of his fore-finger, and conduct the 

 point of it over all the letters composing the name of the ar- 

 ticle. This being frequently repeated, I have little doubt that 

 he would soon point to the same letters when the same object 

 was held in prospect ; and at last, use the sign to procure the 

 luxury. Were one step of this kind gained, it is not un- 

 reasonable to expect, that he might in time be made to un- 

 derstand the meaning of every word in our language, whether 

 expressive of one or many ideas. Such words are of course 

 excepted, as express ideas which he cannot possibly have ex- 

 perienced, from the imperfections of his sight and hearing. 

 An advantage would attend the use of the Jwim-boolc proposed, 

 that if the letters were painted black, Mitchell might com- 

 municate by means of it with persons at a considerable dis- 

 tance. Supposing him to have acquired a language of this 

 kind, two others, if necessary, might afterwards be connected 

 with it. The first would consist in tracing the letters of words 

 on the palm of his hand, with the point of one's finger ; and 



the 



