MOORE’S RURAL NEW-YORKER: AN AGRICULTURAL AND FAMILY NEWSPAPER. 
(Bburational Jrpartnwnt. 
BY L. WETHER ELL. 
NEW YORK STATE ASYLUM TOR IDIOTS. 
We received a copy of the first annual 
Report of the State Asylum for Idiots, some j 
weeks since, from the Superintendent, H. 
B. Wilbur, M. D. The Legislature passed 
an act last July, to establish an Asylum for 
Idiots, and appointed John C. Spencer, Jas. 
Titus, Wm. L. Marcy, F. Townsend, Wm. 
J. Kipp, Washington Hunt, Sandford E. 
Church, H. S. Randall, and J. C. Wright, 
Trustees, and appropriated SO,000 for the 
support of twenty pupils. 
The Board of Trustees obtained of Ste¬ 
phen Van Renssalaer, a lease of a commo¬ 
dious. well-arranged, and airy building about 
two miles from Albany, on the Troy road. 
This was fitted up and supplied with an 
abundance of pure water, at an expense of 
about $3,500. 
The Committee appointed to select a Su¬ 
perintendent teacher, proceeded to Barre, 
Mass., where a private school for the in¬ 
struction and training of idiots, had been in 
successful operation for more than throe 
years, under the personal supervision and 
direction of Dr. IIervey B. Wilbur, whom 
they secured as Superintendent of our State 
Institution. 
We visited the Doctor’s Institution a num¬ 
ber of times while in Barre, and can bear 
testimony to the wonderful success that 
crowned his faithful and devoted efforts in 
behalf of the unfortunate class to whoso im¬ 
provement he has consecrated his life-labor. 
The Board has adopted regulations for the 
government of the Asylum, accountability 
of its officers, &c. They recommend that 
the Legislature provide for the support of 
ten more State pupils. 
The Trustees report to the Legislature— 
that they entertain no doubt that in a large 
majority of cases, idiots can be so trained 
and instructed as not only to render them 
useful to themselves, but responsible moral 
agents, and capable of both receiving and 
imparting the blessings of social life. 
Idiocy is defined by Dr. Wii.bur, as “ the 
want ot' a natural or harmonious develop¬ 
ment of the mental, active and moral pow¬ 
ers of a human being, and usually depend¬ 
ent upon some defect or infirmity o>f his 
organization,” and says, “the object aimed 
at, in their education is, to gire dormant 
faculties the greatest practicable develop¬ 
ment, and to apply those awakened powers 
to a useful purpose, under the control of an 
aroused and disciplined will. At the basis 
of all our efforts lies the principle that the 
human attributes of intelligence, sensitivity 
and will, are not absolutely wanting in an 
idiot, but dormant and undeveloped.” 
“ Let me present briefly to your attention 
some of the special means for awakening 
the dormant powers and faculties of our 
own pupils : In the first place, where the 
idiocy is dependent upon a vory marked 
physical imperfection or infirmity, and these 
of a curable character under the application 
of proper remedial means, as in the case of 
Cretins in the Alpine valleys, of course suit¬ 
able moral training conjoined with proper 
remedial measures will result in the com¬ 
plete removal of the idiocy. A multitude 
of well authenticated cases of complete re¬ 
storation from the lowest grades of idiocy 
connected with Cretinism, to a well devel¬ 
oped and disciplined intelligence, sufficient¬ 
ly attest this opinion. Such cases of ex¬ 
treme physical depravation, and at the same 
time so yielding to proper restorative agen¬ 
cies, will constitute the exceptions in idiot 
asylums in this country. Still the physical 
causes and symptoms will always be &o 
prominent as to direct the first efforts of the 
teacher towards the physical training of the 
idiot. These physical exercises will have 
the object of establishing the control of the 
will over the muscular system, cultivating 
the imitative faculty and fixing the attention 
of the pupil. 
Then we have recourse to what may be 
more strictly regarded as educational means. 
These means, compared with the exercises 
in the ordinary educational systems, are as 
much more varied and comprehensive as the 
peculiarities and obstacles in the way of in¬ 
struction, are greater in the one case than 
in the other. In the case of ordinary chil¬ 
dren, all the natural channels of communi¬ 
cation between the mind and the external 
world are open. In addition, the mind sits 
alive and awake to receive and appropriate 
to itself the facts and phenomena commu¬ 
nicated through thoso senses. Sensation is 
a law of their being; perception is the next 
natural step from sensation and memory, 
comparison and judgment as naturally fol¬ 
low. Educated by these simple intellectual 
operations, their minds turn inwardly, and 
with the exercise of consciousness, become 
capable of comprehending the laws of mind. 
Their wills undergo a simultaneous devel¬ 
opment, through tho reciprocating influen¬ 
ces of intelligence and will. In the case of 
our pupils, as wo have seen, these natural 
avenues between the mind and tho world of 
relation are more or less obstructed ; and 
not only so, but the mind itself, inert and 
feeblo, sleeps while the dull sensations are 
calling faintly for ontrance. Their sensa¬ 
tions are imperfect; they awaken no per¬ 
ceptions, or if any, but indistinct and limit¬ 
ed, and consequently faint and feeble will 
bo, if any, tho mental operations that fol¬ 
low. To obviate these conditions, we edu¬ 
cate tho senses till they perform their office 
with correctness, precision and celerity ; wo 
increase the faculty of imitation ; wo awak¬ 
en the perceptions, securing correct notions 
of surrounding and familiar objects; we ex¬ 
cite a healthy curiosity; we cultivate the 
memory and comparison; we arouse the 
will by appropriate stimuli, producing ac¬ 
tivity, spontaneousness and self-reliance; 
we nourish tho feeble flame of emotions, de¬ 
sires. affections, and a proper sense of right. 
During all this course, our ceaseless effort 
will be to reform improper habits, and teach 
the proprieties of life. 
Having thus described the immediate ob¬ 
jects of our special system of education, I 
am led to the question, which is the practi¬ 
cal one, in any wise and thoughtful consid¬ 
eration of the subject: What is the ultimate 
object and end of the education of idiots ? 
What is to be the effect of this education up¬ 
on their future life, both with respect to 
themselves and to society ? I answer them 
in general terms. Education is a means, 
not an end. That it is a well established 
principle, that a proper education gives in¬ 
creased capacity for usefulness ; increased 
understanding of and subserviency to social 
and moral obligations, and increased capac¬ 
ity for happiness. 
Now, I will venture to add, in speaking of 
the ultimate results, that the intrinsic use¬ 
fulness, comfort and happiness of the sub¬ 
ject of tho special education is as much pro¬ 
moted in the case of tho idiot as in that of 
the deaf, mute or the blind; that the com¬ 
fort and happiness of the friends is in still 
greater measure promoted by such educa¬ 
tion in the caso of the idiot than in the sub¬ 
ject of other kindred charities. 
But 1 may say, more specifically, that tho 
ultimate results of our instruction will be of 
this character. 
In the first place, there are cases which 
may bo called causes of simulative idiocy.— 
These are children whose development has 
been retarded from congenital or other cau- 
sos of a physical nature; and where tlicso 
causes have been removed by the recupera¬ 
tive effort of nature, but the subjects are lef t 
bound down by tho strong force of improp¬ 
er habits, which can bo overcome only by 
the judicious labors of a suitable instruction. 
In these cases the result can be predicted 
with tho utmost certainty. It will ho tho 
complete preparation for all the ordinary 
duties and enjoyments of humanity. An¬ 
other class, embracing what may be called 
tho higher grades of idiocy, will be fitted at 
our asylum for entering common schools, to 
continue their education there with the 
samo ends and objects as other pupils; to bo 
qualified like them for civil usefulness and 
social happiness. 
But the lowest class of our pupils will re¬ 
ceive here corresponding benefits, and com¬ 
paratively, perhaps, equal improvement, for 
the lower the pupil in point of intelligence, 
the more practical will be the instruction. 
Even those will be rendered decent in their 
habits, more obedient, furnished with more 
extended means of happiness, educated in 
some simple occupations and industry, capa¬ 
ble of self-support under judicious manage¬ 
ment in their own families, or in well-con¬ 
ducted public industrial institutions for 
adult idiots. 
With this confident assertion of tho gene¬ 
ral ultimate and practical good results of a 
proper educational course for idiots, I am 
yet ready to admit tho existence of excep¬ 
tional cases, which may he called incurable; 
I say incurable, rather than insusceptible— 
because this incapacity for development re¬ 
sides not in any peculiarity of sizo or quality 
or even function in the brain—but is always, 
in my opinion, tho result of disease involv¬ 
ing an actual disorganization of tho nervous 
centres, the brain or spinal cord. 
Oftentimes this diseased condition can¬ 
not bo predicted in a given caso, and we are 
authorized to form such an opinion only af¬ 
ter a faithful trial of suitable remedial and 
educational means. 
But the good results of such benevolent 
institutions as our own, will not be confined 
to the idiots within their walls, as may be 
plainly seen in the history of all other pub¬ 
lic, charitable institutions. They will affect 
favorably the condition of every idiot in tho 
State.” 
NEW PUBLICATIONS. 
Bibliotheca Sacra, and American Bibli¬ 
cal Repository. The following are the con¬ 
tents of the April number:—India as a field 
for Inquiry and Evangelical Labor; Tho 
Grotian Theory of the Atonement; Life of 
Zuinglo; tho Writings of Richard Baxter; 
Observations on Matthew 24: 29-31, and 
tho parallel passages in Mark and Luke, 
with remarks on the double sense of Scrip¬ 
ture; The Practical Element of Christianity; 
Remarks on tho Idea of Religion ; Notices 
of Now Publications; Select Theological 
and Literary Intelligence. Every student 
in Theology, whether layman or clerical 
should read this Review. Edited by Profs. 
B. B. Edwards, E. A. Park, and others.— 
Published by Warren F. Draper, Andover, 
Mass., at $3,00 a year in advance. 
The Christian Review. —Tho following 
is the list of articles contained in the num¬ 
ber for April:—Life and Writings of An¬ 
drew Fuller; tho Method of tho Divine 
Government; Recent Works on Latin Gram¬ 
mar; the Doctrine of tho Holy Spirit’s 
Presence in the Word, examined ; Adminis¬ 
trations of Washington and Adams ; Cus¬ 
toms. Manners, and Roligion of Nicaraugua, 
in Central America; Moses Stuart; Baptism 
for the Dead; Notices cf New Publications; 
Literary Intelligence. A. Grant, Agent for 
Rochester. $3,00 per annum. 
Jm 
m 
VwYk' Mr. 
THE DOMESTIC PIGEON. 
Natural JMonj. 
THE DOMESTIC PIGEON. 
The domestic pigeon, with aTl its beauti¬ 
ful varieties, is said to derive its origin from 
the stock-dove, the English name, implying 
its being the stock, or stem, whence theoth- 
this becomes bifurcated in front, a branch 
being directed to each orbit. The blotches 
on the sides are dusky or blackish, obsolete- 
ly bordered with white. Thighs, yellowish 
behind, with a few semi-bars of brown. Be¬ 
neath silvery white. 
This species is known under tho names 
Peeper and Cricket Prog in New York. At 
the South, it is called Savannah Cricket .— 
er domestic kinds have been propagated.— It is very lively and noisy, frequenting 
This bird in its natural state, is of a deep 
bluish ash color; the breast dashed with a 
moist, wooded places, and tho borders of 
ponds, and is often seen on aquatic plants. 
fine changeable green and purple; its wings It was first distinctly indicated by Alaj. Le 
marked with two black bars; and the tail 
barred near the end with black. These are 
the colors of the pigeon in a state of na- 
Conte, who regarded it as a true frog. I 
have followed Dr. Holbrook, in arranging 
it under Hylodes. It is never found on 
turc ; and from these simple tints, has man, trees, and cannot adhere to tho under side 
by art, propagated a variety, that words o i smooth surfaces. 
cannot describe, nor even fancy suggest.— Tho peeper \ s 0 f tho Batrachian ordor, 
However, nature still perseveres in her great . 1 . , „ . , ,. , , 
outline; and though the form, color, and ail(] Ilot of tho Saurian > to whlch thc lizard 
even tho fecundity of these birds may bo belongs. w. 
altered by art, yet their natural manners -~~--—- 
and inclinations continue still the same.— RARE NEW ZEALAND BIRD. 
Tho stock-dove usually builds in holes of 
rocks, or in excavated trees. Its murmur- The vessel bringing from New Zealand 
ing note at morning, and dusk, is highly the kakapos, (strigope.) and the kiwi, (ap- 
R.ARE NEW ZEALAND BIRD. 
pleasing. 
teryx ) arrived during the past week. The 
can be said to be grotesque. The position 
keep treasured up in their crops, whence of the legs with reference to the centre of 
they throw it up again into the mouths ot gravity, apparently renders any attitude, 
their young ones, who very greedily demand except an upright ono. sufficiently incon¬ 
it. So groat is tho produce ot this bird in venientto require the assistance of the beak 
its domestic state, that near fifteen thousand as an additional support, and in this use we 
may, in the space of lour years, be produ- q n( j the reason for the hardened texture of 
ced from a single pair .—Library oj JYat. the tip, which is almost constantly in con- 
History. 
THE LIZARD, NOT THE FROG, PEEPS. 
tact with the ground. When excited, the 
apteryx stands nearly upright, and kicks 
freely, intiicting sharp cuts with the strong 
claws which arm its feet. In this action it 
Messrs. Editors :—Wo often hear people, 1 ' rr . , •' 
1 q ’ resembles the cassowary. Iho hairy, open 
at this season of tho year, speak of hearing texture of the feathers the entire absence 
the frogs peep, and I believe that the opin- of wings, and the rounded outline of the 
ion prevails generally that it is really the back, give the apteryx a mammalian expres- 
frogs which make tho peeping noise, hoard 
now, as one of the first harbingers of spring. 
But in this they are mistaken. It is tho 
swamp lizard which sends forth these notes 
and not tho frogs, and persons may satisfy 
themselves of the truth of this, by observa- nware, isashell fish affoi ding vet y nutritious 
_ _ ... sinrl nn.ln.fji.nl a Tnnn whir».n vn.Tiiv mnsinp.r 
tion, or by catching a few of these amphib- 
nor peeping lizard,) is copied from James 
E. Dekay, a writer on Zoology in the Nat¬ 
ural History of the State of New York :” 
Inlihatl; Jltabings. 
For the Rural New-Yorker. 
SPRING BIRDS-HEARD IN SICKNESS. 
O, cease those joyous strains, 
Ye little songsters, cease! Why chant ye now 
Anear my darkened room such cheerful lays ? 
I caunot hear them now 1 Ye strike a chord 
That sends out tears ! Ye tell of sunny skies, 
Of balmy, healthful air—of joyous earth 
Dressed in her verdant robe, embossed with flowers 
Fresh from their Maker's hand. 
Ye tnind me, too, 
Of days long since gone by, when rosy health—• 
That richest boon of bounteous Heaven was mine; 
When with elastic step I wandered forth 
In pleasant vales by Susquehanna’s stream; 
Or climbed the mountain—viewed the wild cascade, 
The towering cliif, crowned with the spire-like fir 
Draped with umbrageous oak or lofiy pine,— 
Pointing earth's weary children to their rest; 
And flowers, those “ stars of earth" profusely strewn, 
These told my Father made and governs all—• 
In wisdom, might and love. 
And then I heard 
Thc birds, the choir of Nature, sweetly chant 
Their songs of joy and praise. O, I have loved 
To tread with footsteps free, earth’s verdant sod, 
And breathe the pure, the balmy air of heaven,— 
’Twas life 1 .Ah! how unlike this darkened room 
AVliere scarce a breath of free and healthful air 
May come, lest sunlight with it should intrude. 
Ye heed not my request, but blithely yet 
From guileless hearts pour out your matin lays. 
Soaring on gentle wings away at will, 
Nor need to pine for breath of fragrant flowers, 
Or summer's gentle air. 
Well, bo it so, 
Though now a prisoner here, your cheerful songs 
Shall raise my thoughts to yon bright world of joy, 
Where praise unceasing shall employ the tongue, 
And sorrows are unknown. O then sin'g on, 
And when beneath the cold and silent earth 
My lifeless form is laid, come there and sing 
My requium,—sing there your morning song—• 
Your evening hymn of praise. Eugenia. 
The dovehouso pigeon, tvs is well known, strigope, a nocturnal parrot, was accidental- 
breeds every month ; it lays two white eggs ly killed during the voyage, but the apteryx 
which, most usually, produce young ones ot has reached England in good health, and is 
different sexes. From three or four o’clock safely lodged in the gardens of the Zoolog¬ 
in the evening, till nine tho next day, tho ical Society. The great interest attached 
female sits on tho eggs ; she is then relieved to this bird arises from its being the surviv- 
by the male, who takes his place from ten ing representative of a series, not very long 
till three, while his mate is feeding abroad, extinct, peculiar to some of tho islands of 
In this*manner they sit alternately till the the South Pacific. Each island had its pe- 
youmf nr * ok duded, which is from eighteen culiar bird. Being without wings and thus 
to twenty days according to the warmth of incapable of flight, tho dodo, solitaire, di- 
tho season. nornis, &c., were killed or died out in the 
Tho young ones, when hatched, require no limited area which they inhabited, and have 
food for the three first days, only wanting left only a few bones, together with some 
to be kept warm, which is an employment traditional and historical evidence, to tell of 
the female takes entirely upon herself. Du- their existence. 
ring this period she never stirs out, except The apteryx is a nocturnal bird, and du- 
for a few minutes, to take a little food. ring the greater part of the day it stands or 
From this they are fed for eight or ten s jts, sleeping, in an attitude of extremely 
days, with corn, or grain ot different kinds, grotesque character, if anything in nature 
which the old ones gather in the fields, and - - - - — - - 
sion which must strike every one who sees 
it. —London Literary Gazette. 
THE OYSTER. 
The oyster as most of young readers are 
and palatable food, which many consider 
a very great luxury. In many parts of the 
ious chaps and confining them in a vessel wor lti tho oyster attains a vory large sizo. 
of water. Your correspondent W., before the shells of some of which from the oast of 
ho undertakes to correct others in the sci- Madagascar wo have seen, measuring more 
ence of frogology, should first know that ho ^ lan a h>ot and a half in diametei. Some 
, j w x of those are said to contain food sufficient 
is right himself, then go ahead. We want for n meal for sevoral men . All the various 
the truth, and not theory, even on frogol- species of oysters, also some other kinds of 
ogy. I. H. shell fish, contain at times pearls, but one 
April, 17,1852. particular species called the pearl oyster is 
Remarks. —Thus speaketh one who is especially valuable on this account. It has 
sure that, “ho himself is right, and then a strong shell, rough and hard on the out- 
i i» riM <• n • a • side, but smooth and polished within. From 
goes ahead. fhoiol eying description of the coats s |, 0 n is taken what 
the peeping frog, ( Hylodes gryllus, or Ilyla - g called mot } ier 0 f pearl, resembling the 
gryllus—not II. Squirella, as was pub- pearl in color. But it is tho pearl itself, 
lishod last week in the Notes of a Naturalist, which is by far the most valuable. The 
value of this article increases in proportion 
to its figure and color, as well as to its size. 
The most extensive pearl fishery is said 
to bo in the Persian Gulf. It is as wretch- 
Characteristics. —Cinereous, [or ash-col- e d an q hurtful an occupation for a human 
ored,] with a green or red vertebral lino, being, as it is possible to conceive. Thoso 
and two or three black blotches bordered engaged in it are chiefly slaves; thoy dive 
with white. Head, green above. Length to the bottom of tho water, with a net fas- 
ono and a half inches. tenod to their necks for the purpose of con- 
Description .—Body slender. Hoad some- taining the oysters, and are let down by a 
what elongated. Eyes largo and prominent, rope, with a "stone of forty or fifty pounds 
the supra-orbital ridge being much elevated, weight, fastened to it, to keep them down to 
Nostrils lateral, midway between tho orbits the bottom, where they remain a length of 
and snout. Fore feet small, with slender time almost incredible to thoso who have 
fingers, slightly enlarged at tho tips. Hind never witnessed the operation. Sometimes, 
legs nearly twice tho length of tho body, j s said by long practice, being enabled to 
with five long, slender, palmated toes. remain under water a quarter of an hour, 
Color .—Head greenish above, with a black which we think is an exaggeration. Their 
triangular spot between the orbits. Iredes lives are consequently very short, boing 
golden above, blackish beneath; pupil black, mostly cut off in the prime of life, by disease 
Body, dusky abovo, with a greenish or red- occasioned by tho pressuro upon tho lungs 
dish lino extending backward to tho vent; while in the water. 
CONTENTMENT. 
The real happiness, the true enjoyment, 
of life on earth depends, more than any¬ 
thing else, upon the spirit with which wo 
meet our changeful lot,—upon the cheerful¬ 
ness with which we endure its ills, and tho 
satisfaction with which wo look upon its 
blessings, bo they small or great; upon our 
contentment with the ordering of tho way in 
which God, by the hand of his providences, 
shall direct our footsteps. 
It takes but few things to give real happi¬ 
ness, if all within is right. It is the eyo with 
which we view our situation in life which 
makes it one of pleasantness or gloom. It 
is tho feeling with which we regard the 
world around us that tints the scene, ma¬ 
king tho picture bright to us with sunshine, 
or dark with cloud and storm. It is the 
heart that influences us, which renders our 
intercourse with our fellow-beings pleasant 
to them and ourselves, or otherwise. It 
matters but little, in all this, how it may ap¬ 
pear to tho stranger, or how influence his 
feelings; but it makes all difference how in 
our own heart we regard it. and with what 
disposition of spirit we encounter it. 
With contentment, flowing from its only 
source—the consciousness of purity of life 
and purpose,—our happiness is sure. Wo 
have that within which makes sunshine, 
though clouds may overshadow us. Wo 
have that within which gives peace, though 
all around may bo at strife. Wo have vis¬ 
ions of beauty and thoughts of pleasantness, 
though a desert waste meet the eye, or the 
walls of a hovel enclose us. 
What the future has in store for us, wise¬ 
ly, we may not know. It will doubtess bring 
good and evil, joys and sorrows, hopes and 
fears, to each and to all. Which shall come, 
and how they meet us, tho moments will 
unfold as they pass ; but if we receive tho 
good with thankfulness, and the sorrow and 
evil with patience and resignation, the gold¬ 
en boon of Content will be ours, whatever 
else wo may suffer or enjoy. 
Nor circumstance nor station give content; 
Iteometh of the spirit, brod within 
The heart with which we meet our varied lot. 
Contentment’s peaceful presence blesses him 
Whose pride and whose ambition are subdued,— 
The servants, not the masters, of the mind. 
Sartains Magazine. 
THE POWER OF HABIT. 
I trust everything, under God, to habit, 
upon which, in all ages, the lawgiver, as well 
as the school-master has mainly placed bis 
reliance: habit which makes everything 
easy, and casts all difficulties upon tho devi¬ 
ation from a wonted course. Make sobrie¬ 
ty a habit, and intemperance will bo hate¬ 
ful ; make prudence a habit, a reckless pro¬ 
fligacy will bo as contrary to the nature of 
tho child, grown or adult, as the most atro¬ 
cious crimes are to any of your lordships.— 
Give a child the habit of sacredly regarding 
the truth; of carefully respecting thc prop¬ 
erty of others; of scrupulously abstaining 
from all acts of improvidence which can in¬ 
volve him in distress, and ho will just as 
likely think of rushing into an element in 
which ho cannot breathe, as of lying, or 
cheating, or stealing.— Brougham. 
The Greatest Blessing. —I have known 
what the enjoyment and advantages of this 
life aro, and what the more refined pleasures 
which learning and intellectual power can 
give. I now on tho evo of my departure, 
declare — that health is a great bless¬ 
ing ; competence, attained by industry, is a 
great blessing; and a great blessing it is to 
havo kind, faithful, and loving friends and 
relatives; but that the groatost of all bless¬ 
ings, as it is the most ennobling of all priv¬ 
ileges,is to be indeed a Christian.— Coleridge. 
Little does ho know of human nature, 
and less of gospel charity, who expects to 
root out the prejudices either of individuals 
or societies by unkindness, to extinguish 
animosity by violence, or a spirit of revenge 
by want of confidence.— Bishop Watson. 
