ei4 
better of the most minute defect in speak- 
ig, as provincial and foreign accents, 
hee. 42: os 
There are about twenty. diferent 
schools in. Europe for the education of 
the deaf and dumb: Of this number. 
there are five established in the United 
Kingdom; the remainder are all situated 
upon the Continent. 
The school of Paris is the stock from 
which the greater part of the Continental 
Institutions. for the same object have 
sprung. It was founded by: the cele- 
brated Abbé de'Epée, already men- 
tioned, under a grant from the king: and 
has been continued without intermission, 
since his death, by the Abbé Sicard ; who, 
through his merits in this. department, 
has obtained a.cross of the Imperial Or- 
der of Knighthood, the Legion of Ho- 
nobr, and a seat in the National Insti- 
tute. ali 
The Abbé uses emblematical gesticu- 
lations te develope the understandings of 
his scholars, and convey his instructions, 
during the whole course of their educa- 
tion. «By gestures they converse swith 
their masters, and among each other. 
‘They argue in gestures, and by gestures 
they assist each other to understand their 
other lessons,and explain every difficulty. 
In proper time they are taught to under- 
stand the languase of their native coun- 
fry in print and writing, and to write 
themselves. They are. afterwards in- 
structed invarithmetic, algebra, drawing, 
and every exercise or branch of the ma- 
thematics that their friends desire, or their 
abilities fit them for. When their school 
education is finisued, they are sent home 
to their families, or apprenticed to useful, 
trades. Some of those who have dis- 
played superior abilities for the scholas- 
tic profession, are retaiued as tutors to 
the rest.' Of these, one, named Mas- 
sien, is highly famed for his ingenuity, and 
readiness to reply to any metaphysical 
question. Indeed, the worthy Abbé, 
seems to be remarkably desirous of push- 
ing on the education of his pupils toa 
familiarity with the most abstruse points 
of metaphysical speculation; and he is 
perhaps so far right; as exercise of this 
kind, which necessarily requires a vast- 
supply of words, and the nicest discrimi- 
naticn between all their various mean- 
ings, may promote a facility of substi- 
tuting words for thought. I do not, how- 
ever, pretend to boast of a perfect coin- 
cidence withthe system of Mr. Sicard, in, 
my own private opinion. 
i have mentioned Massicu; I shall 
Aceoint of the Establishments for the Instruction [June t, 
here relate an anecdote of him, which 
caused at the time much ‘amusement 
throughout Paris :— . 
_ Massien, in one of his’ excursions 
through the gay’ part of the city, was 
stripped of his watch and purse by some 
good-natured dames, who. never in the 
least suspected that a deaf and dumb 
man would te/l tales. On the young 
man’s return. to the institution, he was 
brought to account for thewecident which 
had happened tohim. Massiea, it seems, 
never tells lies-this. was” alittle ‘trial 
fur him; but here’ too: he was can4 
did enough to. acknowledge the truth, . 
The ladies were, in consequence, brought 
before the proper tribunal in the Palace 
of Justice, aud Massieu was obligedito 
attend. . Although this young man! i$ 
such a celebrated) metaphysician,! and. 
writes with wonderful swiftness, he was 
obliged to have an: imterpreten present ini 
court, and the good sAbbé was required 
to fuiil tuat cice for his favourite’ pu=: 
pil. The trial was a very ludictous one, 
notvaithstanding. Foieh delicacy spared 
the modesty of the Abbé asitar as was 
reconcileable with the euds of justices 
The ladies were censured fur ‘their mis= 
take, and the watch and purse regoveredy 
No legal steps are ever takenin France’ 
in which the life, liberty, or interest‘ot a. 
deaf aud. dumb. person is. concerned) 
witgout assigning and allowing them wo 
chuse an interpreter; a regulation’ which 
it would be well te eutoree inva’ couns 
try where personal liberty and property 
are much better secared, generally, by 
the constitution. I have. heard, how- 
ever, of a very fine voung man, the nata- 
ral son of a Jate great statesman by a lady 
of quality, having been shut up ma mad- 
house without the benefit of any such 
privilege; although his preceptor, the late 
Mr. T. Braidwood, was, as.1 am well 
informed ‘by person= intimately comnect- 
ed with the family of that gentleman, of 
opinion that he was far from labouring: 
under auy mental derangement oranabe 
lity whatever. . I have nat heard whether 
his imprisonment was the act of: ns fae 
ther, with whom he. was: knewn. not:to! 
agree perfectly in political .opmions, \nor 
if he be at preséut im existeaces ‘but cer 
tain it is, that no.mention was:made of 
hima in that great: man’s will, nor in the 
subsequebt arrangement made forthe be- 
nefit of the widow and a daughter.. He 
must, then, be no: more. Peace to the 
ashes of the dead! It will be enough 
for the object of ny mentioning here the 
fate of this wnhappy. young mam, iit - 
serve 
