JAMES MITCHELL. 155 



country render exceptionable. There are undoubtedly indi- 

 viduals ready to expend much more in philosophical experi- 

 ments of a less interesting kind, who, if confident of success, 

 would be happy to have an opportunity of offering, in this in- 

 stance, a tribute to science. I hope that some experiments 

 will soon be made by Miss Mitchell, on the plan now de- 

 scribed, assisted by such observations as occur to different 

 gentlemen who are friendly to the undertaking. If these 

 should fail, it is still to be hoped that the object will not be 

 lost for want of further efforts. 



The utility of it is not limited to one individual. It has 

 been justly remarked that other parallel cases have very pro- 

 bably occurred, which, from a false delicacy, have been con- 

 cealed from general notice. Accounts have lately been recei- 

 ved of one now existing in the United States of America. 

 It will be highly pleasing to find that two individuals so far 

 removed from the rest of mankind in their present means of 

 communication can be taught the same language, and enabled 

 to compare together the ideas which they have acquired rela- 

 tive to themselves, to the world in which they dwell, and to 

 the rest of mankind, who must appear to them intelligences of 

 a superior order. 



We feel sensations allied to compassion when we contem- 

 plate their situation. Part of this, however, arises from the in- 

 fluence of a comparison with our own advantages, which we 

 are too apt to consider rather as necessary to our being than as 

 contributing to our enjoyment. The scale of happiness is not 

 regulated by the degree of these advantages ; and, instead of 

 deteriorating the hearts of these individuals by officiously 

 teaching them to mourn over their misfortunes, we shall be 

 better employed in collecting for our own use materials to- 

 wards the cultivation of the art of happiness, by observing that 



U 2 serene 



