( 3f4 ) 
quer that difficulty ; at leaft fo as that it was very little ( if at all ) dif- 
cernable. 
Some other Deaf perfons, I have not attempted teaching them to 
Speak 5 but onely fo as ( in good meafure ) to underftand a Language, 
and to cxprefs their mind ( tolerably well ) in Writing. Who have 
thereby attained a much greater meafure of Knowledge in many things, 
than was thought attainable to perfons in their circumftanccs ; and be- 
come capable ( upon funher improvement ) of fuch further Knowledge as 
is attainable by Reading. 
The former part of this Work (teaching to Speak, or to Jpexl^Plain) 
is to be done, by Direfting them to Apply their Tongue, Lips, and 
other Organs of Speech, to fuch Poftures and Motions, as are proper 
for the Formation of fuch and fuch Sounds ( rerpe(rtivcly ) as are ufcd 
in Speech. And, then, the Breath, emitted from the Lungs, will Form 
thofe Sounds 5 whether the perfon Speaking do Hear himfelf, or 
not. 
Of which refpeclive Formation , of all Sounds commonly ufed in 
Speech, I have given a full Account (and, I think, I am the firftwho 
have done it, ) in my Treatife De Loquela j prefixed to my Grammar of 
the Englijh Tongue j firft publifhed in the year 1653. In purfuance of which, 
I attempted the Teaching of Deaf perfons to fpeak. 
And this is indeed the Shorter work of the Two. ( however looked 
upon as the more Stupendous. ) But this, without the other , would 
be of little ufe. For, to pronounce words only as a Parrot , without 
knowing what they fignify, would do us but little fervice. And it would 
by degrees (without a Director to corredl Miftakes) come to be loft in 
part. For , like as one who Writes a fair Hand , if he become Blind, 
would foon forget the exafl Draught of his Letters, for want of an Eye 
to dire£l his Hand : So he, who doth not Hear himfdf Speak , muft 
needs be apt to forget the Nicenefs of Formation ( without a Prompter} 
for want of an Ear to regulate his Tongue. 
The other part of the Work ( to teach a Language ) is what you now 
inquire about. 
In order to this; it is NeceflTary in the firft place. That the Deaf perfon 
be taught to Write. That there may be ibmewhat to exprefs to the Eye, 
what the Sound ( of Letters ) reprefents to the Ear. 
*Twiil next be very Convenient (becaufe Pen and Ink is not alwaies 
at hand ) that he be taught, Howr to defign each Letter, by fome cer- 
tain place, Pofition, or Motion, of a Finger, Hand or other Part of the 
Body j ( which may ferve inftead of Writing. ) As for inftance , The 
five Vowels aelow, by pointing to the Top of the five Fingers : And 
the other Letters 6 c^&c. by fuch other place or pofture of a Finger, or 
otherwife, as fhall be agreed upon. 
After this ; a Language is to be taught this Deaf perfon, by like me- 
thods as Children are at firft taught a Language j ( though the thing 
perhaps be not heeded. ) Onely with this difierence : Children learn 
Sounds by the Ear ; but the Deaf perfon is to learn Mark^ ( of thofe 
founds ) by the Eye- But both the one and the other, do equally fignify 
the 
