B L 
prefs without piercing the paper : time, on the Ikle next 
to the writer’s hand, the letters are formed funk and in¬ 
verted ; but when the paper is-turned they appear right 
and in relievo. Tims the blind are enabled to form and 
decyplver, not only the characters required in common 
language, but alfo mathematical diagrams, arithmetical 
and geographical procetfes, and all the characters ufed in 
the written language of mufic. That thefe are not idle 
pretences, or intended to impofe on the credulous, many 
undeniable faCts might be adduced to prove. And in faCt, 
the blind themfelves are made to exhibit at their own aca¬ 
demy every Wednefday and Saturday to crowds of chari¬ 
table admirers, by whofe liberal donations the inftitution 
is now chiefly fupported. 
There is little doubt but that the blind are capable of 
being taught aflronomy, natural and moral philofophy, 
theology, grammar, logic, hilfory, and the belles lettres; 
but above all mufic, which is, perhaps, of all other feien- 
ces,. the mod attainable, the mod practicable, and the mod 
confolatory to the mind. If the pupil, however, be not 
endowed with natural talents for the latter, fuffer him by 
no means to be initiated in it. If his patural genius favours 
the attempt, the harpfichord, harp, or organ, are the mod 
proper indruments for him to begin with ; becaufeby thefe 
indruments he may be made more eafily acquainted with 
the extent of mufical feales., with the powers of harmony, 
with the relations of which it is condituted, and of courfe 
with the theory of his art. It would be not only unne- 
ceftary, but impracticable, to carry him deep into the 
theory, before he has attained fome facility in the praCtice. 
Let, therefore, his head and his hands (if we may life the 
expreffion) be taught to go paripajfu. Let the one be 
inftruCtedin thefimpled elements, and theotliers conducted 
in the eafied operations fird : contemplation and exercife 
I N D, H9 
will produce light in the one, and promptitude in the 
other. But as his capacity of {peculation and powers of 
action become more and more mature, difeoveries more 
abdraCt and retired, talks more arduous and difficult, may 
be adigned him. He Ihould be taught the names and gra¬ 
dations of the diatonic fcale, the nature and ufe of time, 
the diverfity of its modes whether Ample or mixed. He 
diould be taught-the quantity or value of notes, not only 
with re/peCt to their pitch, but to their duration. Yet, 
let him be indruCted not to condder thefe durations as :tb. 
folutely fixed, but variable according to the velocity of 
the movements in which they are placed. He fiiould 
never be habituated to take a piece of mufic either from 
the found of a voice or an indrument. His companion 
ought to read the mufic by the names and values of its 
characters, with the fame exaCtnefs as the words in any 
other language. When he becomes a confiderable adept 
in the.art, tangible figns may be invented, by which lie 
may not only be enabled to read, but even to let, mufic 
for himfelf. Such exercifes will render him infinitely 
more accurate, both in his principles and practice, than he 
w ould otherwife be. 
There is a hint of fuch tangible figns given in Tan. 
fure’s Mulical Grammar; and Mr. Cheefe has invented 
an indrument for teaching mufic to people deprived of 
fight, after they have been fufficiently indruCted in its 
theoretical and practical principles. But the bed contri¬ 
vance of this kind at prefent known in England, feems to 
be an invention of Mr. Chridie, teacher at the afylum for 
the blind in Liverpool, which he calls a theograph ; an ex. 
aCt reprefentation of which is here delineated,_and the foli 
lowing explanation of it has been tranfmitted to us by the 
inventor himfelf,. and is as follows ; 
aHifnBSEBfi3HSaa!Eiaitgnfliai»i»i»»«wn>»wiii|n>»«>t»i<WH%^wuw>aqggg^ptmim»i»TjtgB^|gg 
“ The theograph is an indrument defigned for initiating 
young pupils in the art of mufic, and to enable them not 
only to read, but, if they have a fade for compodtion, to 
fet their own mufic in tangible characters. In form it re¬ 
sembles a mufic-book; and is to the blind what a book is 
to thofe who have fight. The fird fide confids of a cudiion, 
on which the nmfic is to be fet. It is divided by eighteen 
parallel lines, each line being reprefented by two brafs 
firings, between which the pin Ihould pafs when a note is 
to be placed on a line, to prevent midakes, which would 
frequently happen if the lines were tingle. Some of thefe 
lines are plain, others twided. The four lowed, FACE, 
are plain, and reprefent the ledger lines in the bafs. The 
next five, G B D F A, are twided, and correfpond with the 
five lines or dave in the bafs. The line above is plain, 
and denotes the middle, C, of the indrument. The next 
five, E G B D F, are twided, and anfwer to the dve lines 
or dave in the treble. The next three, ACE, are plain, 
and reprefent the ledger lines in alt. The fpace above is 
F) which completes the fcale, and provides a line or fpace 
for each key cf the harpdeord, as appears by the letters 
on the margin. Additional keys may be provided for 
by changing the cliff. When the dudent is become fami¬ 
liar with the fcale, he may proceed to acquire the names, 
properties, and feel,' of the characters. 
The fecond dde reprefents a cufhion, divided into fix- 
teen fqnares, in which are placed the characters ; fix made 
of cork or leather; fix of card-paper a little fmaller ; and 
four pins headed with fealing wax. The notes are repre¬ 
fented by cliaraCters made of cork; the marks chiefly by 
wax-headed pins, and their combinations with corks ; and 
the terms by the card-paper characters, and their combi¬ 
nations with wax-headed pins. 
No. i, are femibreves ; 2, minims ; 3, crotches ; 13, 
quavers ; 14, femiquavers ; 15, demi-femiquavers. 
Marks. No. 16; The fquare wax-headed pin pafiing 
through any one of the fix cork notes, fignifies a reft equal 
in time to the note on which it is placed. No. 4. A round 
wax-head placed in like'manner, makes that note an ap- 
poggiatura. No. 8. A Iharp wax-head fo placed, fignifies 
a fhatoo 
