1807. | 
were brought. With her sister, however, 
she held a conversation even in the 
dark; having learned in bed together to 
feel the different motions of the words 
by. laying her hand upon her’ sistev’s 
mouth, and thus came at a knowledge of 
what she said. 
The nice sense of feeling here described 
is very remarkable, but still inferior to 
what is enjoyed by many blind people, 
who are said to distinguish the difference 
of colours by the touch. It is not less 
natural to suppose, that the sight of deaf 
persons may, acquire a corresponding de- 
gree of acuteness, so as to be able to see 
what is absolutely evident to the touch 
of any body. 
Instances of the accidental articula- 
tion of a few words, in a manner more or 
less perfect, have frequently: occurred ; 
but too often, unfortunately, from the 
principle of instraction not baving been 
understood by those about the deat per- 
son, nor his own attention guided toward 
the proper means of mastering the neces- 
sary combinations of sound, until gradu- 
ally he should have become able to’ pro- 
nounce every word in the language at 
will, and of distinguishing-upon the faces - 
of persons speaking the words they. deli- 
vered, the greater part of these promis- 
ing beginnings have tailed of the result 
that might have been expected from them 
in judicious hands. Stil so- eneeurag= 
ing is the prospect held out to persever- 
ance, that'a few words of any kind, as a. 
rlime, or a prayer, may be taught many 
deat children, without~ any previons as- 
sistance from elementary’ -imstruction.- 
By merely repeating a set of words in & 
uniform manner to a pupil who is-very 
watchtul, and possessed of strong mimic 
powers, it is not unusual to find that he - 
at length succeeds in rendering the imita- 
tion perfect. nuh ee 
Undoubtedly it would require’ more 
than the labour of a whole life to get 
through a language in this tedious way. 
A pupil may be able to repeat his prayer 
or his rhime by rete, and not understand 
the meaning of a single word of it sepa- 
rated from the rest, nor be perhaps able 
to read the same words in any different 
order of construction. It only proves 
that it is possible to imitate articulate 
sounds by imitating the motions that pro- 
duce them. Instances of the repetition of 
single words and phrases do not entitle a 
professor to lay claim to any remarkable 
degree of merit, unless he can shew that 
his pupil understand the meaning of 
every word, and cau read them in what- 
of the Deaf and Dumb, in Great Britain, Ke. 
413 
ever book or page they are found. That 
deat-dumb children can be ,taught to 
speak, and to understand the speaking 
countenance of others, is incontestable ; 
a professor of genius will then, to found 
just claims to a superior reputation, teach 
his pupil to pronounce-each word in. the 
language he himself speaks; to distinguish 
them at once, and with precision, upon 
the lips of others; and thoroughly to un- 
derstand the meaning of what he himself 
may utter, or what others say. 
Vhe time required: for the complete 
instruction of deaf-dumb children in 
speaking, and every subsequent useful 
acquirement or accomplishment, may be 
computed from the usual course of nature 
with those who retain their hearing... The 
superior aptness to learn, and the eager 
attention, of some children, bave, 1n more 
than one. instance, even anticipated the 
ingenuity of the professor to whom their 
progress has done honour. Miss. St. 
Servan, now a pupil of the Abbé Sicard, 
in Paris, learned, in-a short period, to 
speak : although speaking is not a part of 
the ordinary instruction. i that school ; 
where the art of thinking, silent reading, 
writing, and the. langeage of gesticula- 
tion, form the. principal features am the 
coarse of education.. And Mr, Haber- 
mass, of Berlin, -who. was instructed by 
Mr, Esechke, to whom he is-now an as- 
‘sistant, not only expresses himself with 
-great correctness, but,.im the motions of 
the countenance, reads with imstaht faci- 
lity-the words expressed by:any person 
who speaks in his presence. aed 
It is surprising that-it-has been possi- 
ble to derive so little benefit to the art 
of instructing the deaf and dumb, from 
the essays and-declamations of the most 
profuse orthcepists and professors of ora- 
tory; seeing that the -same species of 
knowledge upon which-depends the in- 
struction of the absolutély deaf, 1s indis- 
pensably necessary to correct all defects 
or impedinents in utterance which are 
susceptible of remedy, aud do not.arise 
from the loss of one or more of the re- 
quisites organs. - The removal of every 
removeable cause: of defective pronun- 
ciation, whether called obstruction, hesi- 
tation; or impediment, stammering, stut- 
tering, drawling, lisping, speaking through 
the nose, &c. depends upon one and the 
same theory; and whoever possesses the 
art of teaching the totally dumb to speak, 
is from that reason competent, In @ SUPCe, 
rior degree, to cofrect any minor disa- 
bility; and should be to give the most 
effectual instructions how to get the 
better 
