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travis' | | _the young malefactor._ introduction by | | hon. ben b. lindsey. revised edition. | | mo, $ . net. | | | | william p. trent's | | _southern statesmen of the old régime._ | | with portraits. mo, $ . . | +-----------------------------------------------+ | thomas y. crowell company | +-----------------------------------------------+ the deaf their position in society and the provision for their education in the united states by harry best new york thomas y. crowell company publishers copyright, , by harry best. _published april, ._ transcriber's note: minor typographical errors have been corrected without note. significant corrections have been listed at the end of the text. the oe ligature has been transcribed as [oe]. to the deaf of the land and to those who love them foreword the aim of the present study is to ascertain as far as possible the standing of the deaf, or, as they are so often called, the "deaf and dumb," in society in america, and to examine the treatment that has been accorded to them--to present an account of an element of the population of whom little is generally known. in this effort regard is had not only to the interests of the deaf themselves, but also, with the growing concern in social problems, to the fixing of a status for them in the domain of the social sciences. in other words, the design may be said to be to set forth respecting the deaf something of what the social economist terms a "survey," or, as it may more popularly be described, to tell "the story of 'the deaf and dumb.'" the material employed in the preparation of the work has been collected from various documents, and from not a little personal correspondence: from the reports and other publications of schools for the deaf, of organizations interested in the deaf, of state charities, education or other departments, of the united states bureaus of education and of the census; from the proceedings of bodies interested in the education of the deaf, of organizations composed of the deaf, of state and national conferences of charities and corrections; from the statutes of the several states; and from similar publications. from the _american annals of the deaf_ the writer has drawn unsparingly, and to it a very considerable debt is owed. valuable assistance has also been obtained from the _volta review_, formerly the _association review_, and from papers published by the deaf or in schools for the deaf. other sources of information used will be noted from time to time in the work itself. for all that has been set down the writer is alone responsible. he is, however, keenly mindful of all the co-operation that has been given him, and it would be most pleasant if it were possible to relate by name those who have been of aid. mere words of thanks could but very little express the sense of obligation that is felt towards all of these. indeed, one of the most delightful features connected with the work has been the response which as a rule has been elicited by the writer's inquiries; and in some cases so courteous and gracious have been the correspondents and informants that one might at times think that a favor were being done them in the making of the request. to certain ones the writer cannot escape mentioning his appreciation: to dr. e. a. fay, editor of the _american annals of the deaf_, and vice-president of gallaudet college; dr. j. r. dobyns, of the mississippi school, and secretary of the convention of american instructors of the deaf; mr. fred deland, of the volta bureau; mr. e. a. hodgson, editor of the _deaf-mutes' journal_; mr. e. h. currier, of the new york institution, and dr. t. f. fox and mr. ignatius bjorlee, also of this institution; dr. joseph a. hill, of the census bureau; mr. alexander johnson, formerly secretary of the national conference of charities and corrections; dr. h. h. hart, of the russell sage foundation; professor s. m. lindsay and dr. e. s. whitin, of columbia university; and to the officials of the library of congress, of the new york public library, of the new york state library, of the new york school of philanthropy library, of the new york academy of medicine, of the columbia university library, of the volta bureau, and of the gallaudet college library. contents page introduction xiii part i position of the deaf in society chapter i. the deaf in the united states meaning of term "deaf" in the present study--number of the deaf in the united states--age when deafness occurred--ability of the deaf to speak--means of communication employed by the deaf. ii. the deaf as a permanent element of the population increase in the number of the deaf in relation to the increase in the general population--the adventitiously deaf and the congenitally deaf--adventitious deafness and its causes--possible action for the prevention of adventitious deafness--adventitious deafness as an increasing or decreasing phenomenon--the congenitally deaf--the offspring of consanguineous marriages--the deaf having deaf relatives--the offspring of deaf parents--possible action for the prevention of congenital deafness--congenital deafness as an increasing or decreasing phenomenon--conclusions with respect to the elimination or prevention of deafness. iii. treatment of the deaf by the state general attitude of the law towards the deaf--legislation discriminatory respecting the deaf--legislation in protection of the deaf--legislation in aid of the deaf--tenor of court decisions affecting the deaf--present trend of the law in respect to the deaf. iv. economic condition of the deaf the extent to which the deaf are a wage-earning and self-supporting element of the population--views of the deaf as to their economic standing--the deaf as alms-seekers--homes for the deaf--conclusions with respect to the economic position of the deaf. v. social organization of the deaf social cleavage from the general population--desirability of organizations composed of the deaf--purposes, activities, and extent of such organizations--newspapers of the deaf. vi. popular conceptions concerning the deaf viewed as a strange class--viewed as a defective class--viewed as an unhappy class--viewed as a dependent class--need of a changed regard for the deaf. vii. private organizations interested in the deaf general societies interested in the deaf--the volta bureau--parents' associations for the deaf--church missions to the deaf--organizations interested in the education of the deaf--publications devoted to the interests of the deaf. part ii provision for the education of the deaf viii. the education of the deaf prior to its introduction into the united states ix. history of education of the deaf in the united states early attempts at instruction--beginning of the first schools--early ideas concerning the schools for the deaf--aims of the founders--extension of the means of instruction over the country. x. organization of the institutions and general provisions arrangements in the different states--semi-public institutions--"dual schools"--provision for the deaf-blind--provision for the feeble-minded deaf--government of the different institutions--procedure in states without institutions. xi. the day school for the deaf inception and growth of the day school--design and scope of day schools--extent and organization of day schools--arguments for the day school--arguments against the day school--evening schools for adults. xii. denominational and private schools denominational schools--private schools. xiii. the national college xiv. provision for education by states xv. constitutional provisions for schools extent of constitutional provisions--language and forms of provisions. xvi. question of the charity connection of schools institutions sometimes regarded as educational: sometimes as charitable--charity in connection with schools for the deaf--arguments for the connection with boards of charities--arguments in opposition to the connection---conclusions in respect to the charity connection of schools for the deaf. xvii. provisions concerning admission of pupils into schools rules as to the payment of fees--provision for the collateral support of pupils--age limits of attendance. xviii. attendance upon the schools the proportion of the deaf in the schools--the need of compulsory education laws for the deaf--present extent of compulsory education laws. xix. methods of instruction in schools the use of signs as a means of communication--rise and growth of the oral movement--present methods of instruction--courses of study and gradations of pupils--industrial training in the schools. xx. cost to the state for education value of the property used for the education of the deaf--cost of the maintenance of the schools--form of public appropriations--cost to the state for each pupil. xxi. public donations of land to schools grants by the national government--grants by the states--grants by cities or citizens. xxii. private benefactions to schools donations of money--gifts for pupils--present tendencies of private benefactions. xxiii. conclusions with respect to the work for the deaf in america appendix a table with respect to homes for the deaf in america. appendix b tables with respect to schools for the deaf in america. i. public institutions ii. public day schools iii. denominational and private schools index introduction society as a whole knows little of the deaf, or the so-called deaf and dumb. they do not form a large part of the population, and many people seldom come in contact with them. their affliction to a great extent removes them from the usual avenues of intercourse with men and debars them from many of the social activities of life, all tending to make the deaf more or less a class apart in the community. they would seem, then, to have received separate treatment, as a section not wholly absorbed and lost in the general population, but in a measure standing out and differentiated from the rest of their kind. thus it comes that society has to take notice of them. by reason of their condition certain duties are called forth respecting them, and certain provision has to be made for them. the object of the present study of the deaf is to consider primarily the attitude of society or the state in america towards them, the duties it has recognized in respect to them, the status it has created for them, and the extent and forms, as well as the adequacy and correctness, of this treatment. hence in our study of the problems of the deaf, the approach is not to be by the way of medicine, or of law, or of education, though all these aspects will be necessarily touched upon. nor is our study to deal with this class as a problem of psychology or of mental or physical abnormality, though more or less consideration will have to be given to these points. nor yet again are we to concern ourselves principally with what is known as the "human interest" question, though we should be much disappointed if there were not found an abundance of human interest in what we shall have to consider. rather, then, we are to regard the deaf as certain components of the state who demand classification and attention in its machinery of organization. our attitude is thus that of the social economist, and the object of our treatment is a part or section of the community in its relation to the greater and more solidified body of society. more particularly, our purpose is twofold. we first consider the deaf, who they are, and their place in society, and then examine the one great form of treatment which the state gives, namely, the making of provision for their education. this we have attempted to do in two parts, part i treating of the position of the deaf in society, and part ii of the provisions made for their education. as we shall find, the special care of the state for the deaf to-day has assumed practically this one form. means of education are extended to all the state's deaf children, and with this its attention for the most part ceases. it has come to be seen that after they have received an education, they deserve or require little further aid or concern. but it has not always been the policy of the state to allow to the deaf the realization that they form in its citizenship an element able to look out for themselves, and demanding little of its special oversight. they have a story full of interest to tell, for the way of the deaf to the attainment of this position has been long and tortuous, being first looked upon as wards, and then by slow gradations coming to the full rights and responsibilities of citizenship. in this final stage, where the state provides education for the deaf only as it provides it for all others, and attempts little beyond, the deaf find themselves on a level with citizens in general in the state's regard. in part i, after we have ascertained who are meant by the "deaf," and how many of them there are, we are to find ourselves confronted by a question which is of the foremost concern to society; namely, whether the deaf are to be considered a permanent part of the population, or whether society may have means at hand to eliminate or prevent deafness. after this, our discussion will revolve about the deaf from different points of view, regarding them in the several aspects in which they appear to society. we shall examine the treatment which the state in general accords the deaf, how they are looked upon in the law, and what changes have been brought about in its attitude towards them. this may be said to be the view of the publicist or legalist. next, we shall attempt to see how far the deaf are really a class apart in the life of the community. this will involve an examination, on the one hand, as to whether their infirmity is a bar to their independent self-support, that is, whether they are potentially economic factors in the world of industry, how far their status is due to what they themselves have done, and to what extent this result has modified the regard and treatment of society; and, on the other, how far their want of hearing stands in the way of their mingling in the social life of the community in which they live, whether the effect of this will tend to force the deaf to associate more with themselves than with the rest of the people, and what forms their associations take. these will be the views respectively of the economist and the sociologist. then we shall consider the regard in which the deaf are popularly held, the view of "the man in the street," and whether this regard is the proper and just one. lastly, we shall note what movements have been undertaken in the interests of the deaf by private organizations, and to what extent these have been carried. in part ii we shall consider the provision that has been made for the instruction of deaf children. first we shall review the attempts at instruction in the old world, and then carefully follow the development of instruction in america, considering the early efforts in this direction, the founding of the first schools, and the spread of the work over the land; and noting how it was first taken up by private initiative, in time to be seconded or taken over by the state, and how far the state has seen and performed its duty in this respect. public institutions have been created in nearly all the states, and we shall examine the organizations of these institutions and the general arrangements in the different states. the development of the work also includes a system of day schools, a certain number of private schools and a national college, all of which we shall consider, devoting especial attention to the day schools and their significance. following this, we shall consider how each state individually has been found to provide for the instruction of the deaf, observing also the extent to which the states have made provision in their constitutions, and the extent to which the schools are regarded as purely educational. next, we shall proceed to inquire into the terms of admission of pupils into the schools; and we shall particularly concern ourselves with the investigation of the question of how far the means provided for education by the state are actually availed of by the deaf. the great technical problems involved in the education of the deaf will be outside the province of this work, but we shall indicate, so far as public action may be concerned, the present methods of instruction. this done, we shall mark what is the cost to the state of all this activity for the education of its deaf children, noting also how far the state has been assisted in the work by private benevolence. in the final chapter of our study we shall set down the conclusions which we have found in respect to the work for the deaf on the whole in the united states. part i position of the deaf in society chapter i the deaf in the united states meaning of term "deaf" in the present study by the "deaf" in the present study is meant that element of the population in which the sense of hearing is either wholly absent or is so slight as to be of no practical value; or in which there is inability to hear and understand spoken language; or in which there exists no real sound perception. in other words, those persons are meant who may be regarded as either totally deaf or practically totally deaf.[ ] with such deafness there is not infrequently associated an inability to speak, or to use vocal language. hence our attention may be said to be directed to that part of the community which, by the want of the sense of hearing and oftentimes also of the power of speech, forms a special and distinct class; and is known, more or less inaccurately, as the "deaf and dumb" or "deaf-mutes" or "mutes." in our discussion it is with deafness that we are primarily concerned. _deafness_ and _dumbness_ are, physically, two essentially different things. there is no anatomical connection between the organs of hearing and those of speech; and the structure and functioning of each are such as to preclude any direct pathological relation. the number of the so-called deaf and dumb, moreover, who are really dumb is very small--so small actually as to be negligible. almost all who are spoken of as deaf and dumb have organs of speech that are quite intact, and are, indeed, constructively perfect. it comes about, however, that dumbness--considered as the want of normal and usual locution--though organically separate from deafness, is a natural consequence of it; and does, as a matter of fact, in most cases to a greater or less extent, accompany or co-exist with it. the reason of this is that the deaf, particularly those who have always been so, being unable to hear, do not know how to use their organs of speech, and especially are unable to modulate their speech by the ear, as the hearing do. if the deaf could regain their hearing, they would have back their speech in short order. the character of the human voice depends thus on the ear to an unrealized degree. number of the deaf in the united states according to the census of there were , persons in the united states enumerated as totally deaf;[ ] and according to that of there were , enumerated as "deaf and dumb."[ ] hence we may assume that there are between forty and fifty thousand deaf persons in the united states forming a special class.[ ] the following table will give the number of the deaf in the several states and the number per million of population, according to the census of .[ ] number of the deaf in the several states no. per no. per million of million of no. population no. population united states , montana alabama nebraska arizona nevada arkansas new hampshire california new jersey colorado new mexico connecticut new york , delaware north carolina , district of columbia north dakota florida ohio , georgia oklahoma idaho oregon illinois , pennsylvania , indiana , rhode island iowa south carolina kansas south dakota kentucky , tennessee , louisiana texas , maine utah maryland vermont massachusetts , virginia , michigan , washington minnesota , west virginia mississippi wisconsin , missouri , wyoming from this table the largest proportions of the deaf appear to be found in the states rather toward the central part of the country, and the smallest in the states in the far west and the extreme east. the highest proportions occur in kentucky, north carolina, utah, indiana, west virginia, maryland, tennessee, missouri, kansas, virginia, new mexico, ohio, south dakota, wisconsin, nebraska, new york, and minnesota, all these states having over per million of population. the lowest proportions are found in wyoming, arizona, new jersey, nevada, florida, delaware, connecticut, colorado, montana, washington, massachusetts, california, district of columbia, idaho, vermont, oregon, alabama, and rhode island, in none of these states the number being over per million. why there should be these differences in the respective proportions of the deaf in the population of the several states, we cannot say; and we are generally unable to determine to what the variations are to be ascribed--whether they are to be set down to particular conditions of morbidity, the intensity of congenital deafness, or other influences operating in different sections; or, perhaps in some measure, to the greater thoroughness with which the census was taken in some places than in others. age when deafness occurred the vast majority of the deaf lost their hearing in early life, and most of them in the tender years of infancy and childhood. more than ninety per cent ( . , according to the returns of the census) became deaf before the twentieth year; nearly three-fourths ( . per cent) under five; over half ( . per cent) under two; and over a third ( . per cent) were born deaf. deafness thus occurs in a strongly diminishing ratio with advancing years.[ ] these facts may be indicated by the following table,[ ] which shows the percentages of those who became deaf at different ages. the deaf according to age of occurrence of deafness at birth . after birth and under two . under two years . and under . and under . and under . and under . and under . and under . and under . and under . and under . under five . and under . and under . and under . under . and under . and under . and under . and over . ability of the deaf to speak we have just seen that "dumbness" frequently follows upon deafness, or that it is usually believed to be an effect of deafness. it is true that with the majority of the deaf phonetic speech is not employed to any large extent; but there is at the same time a fair number who can, and do, use vocal language. this speech varies to a wide degree, in some approximating normal speech, and in others being harsh and understood with difficulty; and it depends in the main upon three conditions: . the age at which deafness occurred, this being the most important factor; . the extent to which the voice is cultivated; and . the remaining power of the ear (which is found but seldom).[ ] of the deaf persons enumerated in the census,[ ] . per cent were reported able to speak well; . per cent imperfectly; and . per cent not at all. in other words, somewhat over a third of the deaf can speak more or less, one-fifth being able to speak well, and one-sixth imperfectly, while over three-fifths do not speak at all. the dependence of the ability to speak upon the age of becoming deaf is clearly in evidence here, the proportion of those not able to speak showing a great decrease with the rise of this age. thus, of those born deaf, . per cent cannot speak at all; of those becoming deaf after birth and under five, . per cent; of those becoming deaf after five and under twenty, . per cent; and of those becoming deaf after twenty, . per cent. some of the deaf are able to read the lips of the speaker, or as it is better expressed, to read speech, or to understand what is being said by watching the motions of the mouth. this in reality is a distinct art from the ability to speak, though popularly they are often thought to be co-ordinate or complementary one to the other. like the ability to speak, it varies in wide degree, from the ability to understand simple and easy expressions only, to the ability to follow protracted discourse; and like the ability to speak, it is found in increasing frequency with the rise of the age of becoming deaf. according to the census,[ ] . per cent of the deaf are able to read the lips. of those born deaf, . per cent have this ability; of those becoming deaf after birth and under five, . per cent; of those becoming deaf after five and under twenty, . per cent; and of those becoming deaf after twenty, . per cent.[ ] means of communication employed by the deaf if the larger number of the deaf do not use the speech which is used by those who can hear, how is it that their communication is carried on? the chief method is a certain silent tongue peculiar to the deaf, known as the "sign language,"[ ] a part of which may be said to be the manual alphabet, or the system of finger-spelling,[ ] the two usually going hand in hand. in this way most of the deaf are enabled to communicate with each other readily and fluently. but this language, or at least the greater part of it, not being known to people generally, the deaf frequently have to fall back on writing to convey their ideas in communicating with hearing persons. this, while slow and cumbersome, is the surest and most reliable method of all. in addition, as we have seen, a certain number of the deaf are able to use speech, which of course has manifold advantages. these are the several methods, then, of communication employed by the deaf; but they are not usually employed singly, as most of the deaf are able to use two or more. according to the census,[ ] the sign language alone or in combination with other methods is employed by . per cent, or over two-thirds of the deaf; finger-spelling by . per cent, or over one-half; writing by almost the same proportion-- . per cent; and speech by . per cent, or some two-fifths. it is probable, however, that the proportions employing the sign language, finger-spelling and writing, either singly or with other methods, are really somewhat larger. in this case, likewise, we find that the lower the age of becoming deaf, the smaller is the proportion of the deaf with speech, which shows again the connection of the ability to speak with the age of the occurrence of deafness. of those born deaf, speech alone or in combination with other methods is used by . per cent; of those becoming deaf after birth and under five, by . per cent; of those becoming deaf after five and under twenty, by . per cent; and of those becoming deaf after twenty, by . per cent. footnotes: [ ] there are no sharply dividing lines between the different degrees of deafness, but it is only those described that really constitute a special class. persons whose hearing is such as to be of use even in some slight degree are rather to be distinguished as "hard of hearing." [ ] by this census both the partially deaf and the totally deaf were enumerated, or , in all. the former should not have been enumerated, the enumerators being instructed not to include those able to hear loud conversation. [ ] for the census returns for , see "special reports of the census office. the blind and the deaf," . this report was under the special direction of dr. alexander graham bell, who has long been interested in the deaf. the returns of the census for are yet to be revised, while at the same time additional data are to be secured to be published as a special report like that of . as yet the census office has for only the actual enumeration of the deaf and dumb in the various states, and the returns with respect to other particulars regarding them are yet to be completed. see _volta review_, xiii., , p. . hence in our discussions we shall, except for the number by states, deal with the census of . for a review of this census, see _american annals of the deaf_, sept., , to may, (li., lii.). in a number of states certain county officers are required from time to time to enumerate the deaf. for a census in one state, see bulletin of labor of massachusetts, july-aug., . [ ] included in the census of were deaf-blind persons (totally deaf), and in that of , . [ ] from statistics kindly furnished by the census bureau. [ ] this is just the opposite of the case with the blind. [ ] special reports, , p. . some , cases were thrown out for indefinite replies, leaving , , upon which our percentages are based. [ ] a somewhat frequent classification of the deaf in respect to their power to speak is to regard them roughly as falling into three great divisions: . "deaf-mutes," who come nearest to being deaf and dumb. they have always been deaf, and have never had natural speech. what speech they may possess has come from special instruction, with the result that it is more or less artificial. . "semi-mutes," who are deaf, but who have once had hearing as well as speech; and this speech they are able to use to a greater or less degree, though in time it is likely to become more and more astray. . "semi-deaf" persons, who are only partly deaf, and possess a little hearing, though it is too slight to be of real practical use; and who have voices most nearly approaching the normal. they belong somewhere between the really deaf and the hard of hearing. [ ] special reports, pp. , . [ ] _ibid._, pp. , . for , no returns were made. [ ] on the subject of lip-reading, see especially e. b. nitchie, "lip-reading: its principles and practice", . [ ] this "sign language" is referred to at somewhat more length in chapter xix. [ ] sometimes called "the deaf and dumb alphabet". [ ] special reports, pp. , . for , no returns were made. chapter ii the deaf as a permanent element of the population increase in the number of the deaf in relation to the increase in the general population are the deaf to be a permanent element in the constitution of the population? are they always to be reckoned with in the life of the state and the regard of society? would it not be well to inquire whether or not deafness may be eliminated, or at least reduced to an appreciable degree? these are questions that present themselves at the outset in a consideration of the relation of the deaf to society, and to them we now devote our attention. our first inquiry in the matter is directed to the question whether deafness as a whole is increasing, decreasing or remaining stationary, in relation to the general population. to determine this, we have recourse to the census returns of the deaf in connection with those of the general population. unfortunately, however, comparisons of the different censuses respecting the deaf are not altogether to be depended upon, for the reason that they have not always been taken on the same basis, and conclusions from them consequently have to be accepted with qualifications. special census returns of the deaf have been made since ; but the censuses of - purport to be of the deaf and dumb; the census of , of the deaf who became deaf under sixteen years of age; that of , of the deaf and dumb; that of , of the totally deaf; and that of , of the deaf and dumb. the results thus obtained are in the main analogous, but there are a certain number of cases included on one basis that would be excluded on another, and _vice versa_.[ ] taking the statistics as they are, we have the following table,[ ] which gives the number of the deaf as found in the several censuses, according to the bases upon which they were made, together with the ratio per million of population. number of the deaf according to the censuses of - no. per million of year number population (the deaf and dumb) , (the deaf and dumb) , (the deaf and dumb) , (the deaf and dumb) , (the deaf and dumb) , (deafness occurring under sixteen) , (the deaf and dumb) , (the totally deaf) , (the deaf and dumb) , from this table there appears to be a steady decrease in the number of the deaf in relation to the general population from to , this latter year seeming to be the low water mark. from to there is a slight increase, and from to a very large one, due to some extent to the method of taking the census. from to there is a certain decrease, though the proportion is still very high. from to there is a very considerable decrease, probably indicating a return to true conditions; and a not negligible decrease from to . on the whole, with respect to these statistics, probably the most that we can safely say is that deafness is at least not on the increase relatively among the population, while there is a possibility that at present it is decreasing. for further determinations, we shall have to seek other means of inquiry. the adventitiously deaf and the congenitally deaf we may perhaps best approach the problem of deafness as an increasing or decreasing phenomenon in the population, if we think of the deaf as composed of two great classes: those adventitiously deaf, that is, those who have lost their hearing by some disease or accident occurring after birth, and those congenitally deaf, that is, those who have never had hearing.[ ] in regard to the former class, it follows that we are largely interested in the consideration of those diseases, especially those of childhood, which may affect the hearing, and in their prevention or diminution we can endeavor to ascertain how far there are possibilities of reducing the number of the deaf of this class. in the latter case we are called upon to examine some of the great problems involved in the study of heredity, especially in respect to the extent that the offspring is affected by defects or abnormalities of the parent, and to see what, if any, means are at hand to alter conditions that bring about this form of deafness. we shall first discuss the causes of adventitious deafness, together with the possibilities of its prevention and the likelihood of its diminution, and then consider the questions involved in congenital deafness. adventitious deafness and its causes from three-fifths to two-thirds of the cases of deafness are caused adventitiously--by accident or disease. to accidents, however, only a very small part are due, probably less than one-fiftieth of the entire number.[ ] nearly all adventitious deafness results from some disease, either as a primary disease of the auditory organs, or as a sequence or product of some disease of the system, often one of infectious character, the deafness thus constituting a secondary malady or ailment. the larger portion is of the latter type, probably less than a fourth resulting from original ear troubles.[ ] in either case deafness occurs usually in infancy or childhood, and does its harm by attacking the middle or internal ear. from diseases of the middle ear results over one-fourth ( . per cent, according to the census) of all deafness, and from diseases of the internal ear, one-fifth ( . per cent), very little ( . per cent) being caused by disorders of the outer ear. of the classified cases of deafness, according to the census, . per cent are due to diseases affecting the middle ear, and . per cent to diseases affecting the internal. of diseases of the middle ear, per cent are of suppurative character, often with inflammation or abscess, and per cent non-suppurative, or rather catarrhal in character. of diseases of the internal ear, per cent are affections of the nerve, and per cent of the labyrinth. it is to be noted that when the affection is of the internal ear, the result is usually total deafness. by specified diseases, the leading causes of deafness are scarlet fever ( . per cent), meningitis ( . ), brain fever ( . ), catarrh ( . ), "disease of middle ear" ( . ), measles ( . ), typhoid fever ( . ), colds ( . ), malarial fever ( . ), influenza ( . ), with smaller proportions from diphtheria, pneumonia, whooping cough, la grippe, and other diseases. a large part of deafness is seen to be due to infectious diseases, the probabilities being that fully one-third is to be so ascribed, with one-fifth from infectious fevers alone. after birth and under two years of age, the chief causes of deafness are meningitis, scarlet fever, disease of middle ear, brain fever, and measles. from two to five scarlet fever and meningitis are far in the lead, with many cases also from brain fever, disease of middle ear, measles, and typhoid fever. from five to ten scarlet fever alone outdistances all other diseases, followed in order by meningitis, brain fever and typhoid fever. from ten to fifteen the main causes are meningitis, scarlet fever, brain fever, and catarrh; from fifteen to twenty catarrh and meningitis; from twenty to forty catarrh, colds and typhoid fever; and from forty on, catarrh. the following table[ ] will show in detail the several causes of deafness and their respective percentages. causes of deafness total classified . external ear . impacted cerumen . foreign bodies . miscellaneous . middle ear . suppurative . scarlet fever . disease of ear . measles . influenza . other causes . non-suppurative . catarrh . colds . other causes . internal ear . labyrinth . malarial fever . other causes . nerves . meningitis . brain fever . typhoid fever . other causes . brain center . miscellaneous . unclassified . congenital . old age . military service . falls and blows . sickness . fever . hereditary . miscellaneous . unknown . in fairly approximate agreement with the returns of the census, are the records of the special schools for the deaf in respect to the causes of deafness in their pupils, with information also as to the amount from the minor diseases. the following table will give the causes by specific diseases, as found in one school, the pennsylvania institution, for two years:[ ] causes of deafness of pupils in pennsylvania institution per cent per cent total number . . born deaf . . scarlet fever . . meningitis . . falls . . diseases of ear and throat . . catarrh and colds . -- -- measles . . brain fever . . convulsions . . abscesses . . la grippe . . accidents (not stated) . . whooping cough . . typhoid fever . . diphtheria . . mumps . . paralysis . . marasmus . . pneumonia . . dentition -- -- . dropsy of blood . -- -- chicken pox . . poisoning . . intermittent fever . . blood clotting on brain . -- -- cholera infantum . -- -- gastric fever -- -- . sickness (not stated) . . unknown . . possible action for the prevention of adventitious deafness in respect to present activities for the prevention of adventitious deafness, we find the situation very much like that of marking time. deafness, since the beginning of time, has largely been accepted as the portion of a certain fraction of the race, and any serious and determined efforts for its eradication have been considered for the most part as of little hope.[ ] with the auditory organs so securely hidden away in the head, entrenched within the protecting temporal bone, and with their structure so delicate and complicated, the problem may well have been regarded a baffling one even for the best labor of medicine and surgery. hence it is that after deafness has once effected lodgment in the system, a cure has not usually been regarded as within reach, though for certain individual cases there may be medical examination and treatment, with attempts made at relief. for deafness in general, it has been felt that there has been little that could be done in the way of prevention or cure beyond the preservation of the general health and the warding off of diseases that might cause loss of hearing. as a matter of fact, however, altogether too little attention has been given hitherto to the possibilities of the prevention of deafness. without question there is much at the outset that can be accomplished towards the prevention of those diseases that cause deafness. a large part, perhaps fully a third, as we have seen, are due to infectious diseases, and it is probably here that measures are likely to be most efficacious. a considerable portion likewise are the result of diseases affecting the passages of the nose and throat, and help should be possible for many of these if taken in hand soon enough. in certain diseases also, as scarlet fever, measles, typhoid fever, diphtheria, and others, there are not a few cases which, so far as deafness as a development is concerned, would prove amenable to skillful and persistent treatment. at the same time due attention to primary ear troubles would in a number of instances keep off permanent deafness. indeed, it is possible that some thirty or forty per cent of adventitious deafness is preventable by present known means.[ ] aside from direct medical treatment for those diseases that cause deafness, there are other measures available in a program for the prevention of deafness. one of the foremost essentials is the report to the health authorities of all serious diseases that are liable to result in deafness. in this way proper medical care may be secured, and due precautions may be taken to isolate infectious cases. even with meningitis, which is so hard usually to deal with and which is so severe in its ravages, there is often some concomitant trouble, and if made notifiable in all cases deafness from it might be checked in no inconsiderable measure. the report of births is also especially needed, and as it becomes obligatory in general, with the consequent detection of physical ailments or disabilities, early cases of deafness may come increasingly to notice, and timely treatment may be availed of. particular attention is likewise necessary in respect to the medical examination of school children. the proportion of such children with impaired hearing is not slight, even though no great part of them become totally deaf. a committee on defective eyes and ears of school children of the national educational association in found that of , children examined in seven cities, , , or . per cent, were extremely defective in hearing.[ ] an investigation of the school children in new york city has disclosed the fact that one per cent have seriously defective hearing.[ ] under proper and adequate medical inspection of schools, not only would the need of treatment for adenoids and similar troubles be brought to light, with the result that a number of incipient cases might be stopped in time, but in some instances of deafness already acquired beneficial treatment might be possible.[ ] there is thus a considerable sphere for action towards the prevention of adventitious deafness both by legislation and by education. for the ultimate solution of its problems, however, we have to look mainly to the medical profession. in recent years medical science has won some great triumphs, and in the field of the prevention of deafness no little may be in store to be accomplished in the years to come.[ ] even now, with more particular attention to the diseases of children, and with stronger insistence upon general sanitary measures, the probabilities are that there is less deafness from certain diseases than formerly--a matter which we are soon to consider. though as yet there has been little direct action for the prevention of adventitious deafness, there is an increasing concern in the matter, and in this there is promise. by medical bodies in particular is greater attention being given to the subject,[ ] and in the widening recognition of their part as guardians of the public health it may be possible for them to do much for the enlightenment of the public. in one state legislative action has been taken expressly for the protection of the hearing of school children. this is massachusetts, which requires the examination of the eyes and ears of the school children in every town and city, the state board of education furnishing the tests.[ ] in some states also general inspection of schools is mandatory by statute, and in others permissive, while in several there are local ordinances with the force of a state law. in combating adventitious deafness, then, our attack is to be directed in the largest part upon those diseases, especially infantile and infectious diseases, that cause deafness; and it is upon the checking of their spread that our main efforts for the present have to be concentrated. at the same time the better safe-guarding of the general health of the community will insure a proportionate diminution of deafness. beyond this, we will have to wait upon the developments of medical science, both in the study of the prevention of diseases and of their treatment; and can trust only to what it may offer.[ ] adventitious deafness as an increasing or decreasing phenomenon our main interest in the problem of adventitious deafness lies in the possible discovery whether or not it is relatively increasing or decreasing among the population, and in what respects signs appear of a diminution. we have just seen the likelihood of a decrease from certain causes; but we are to find what is indicated by statistical evidence. to be considered first is adventitious deafness as a whole. respecting it our only statistics are in the returns of the censuses since , the different forms of deafness not being distinguished before this time. the following table will show the number of the adventitiously deaf as reported by the censuses of , and , with their respective percentages and ratios per million of population.[ ] number of the adventitiously deaf in , and total adventitiously percentage ratio number deaf per million of population , , . . , , . . , , . . from this it appears that adventitious deafness is increasing in relation to total deafness, which is most likely the case, as congenital deafness, as we shall see, is evidently decreasing. whether or not adventitious deafness is increasing in respect to the general population, the table does not disclose definitely. the statistics probably are not full enough to afford any real indication yet. our next inquiry is in respect to the increase or decrease of adventitious deafness from the several diseases individually, which is, upon the whole, the more satisfactory test. here also, unfortunately, our statistics are very limited, and our findings will have to fall much short of what could be desired. the following table, based on the returns of the censuses of , and , so far as the approximate identity of the several diseases can be established, will give the respective percentages found.[ ] causes of adventitious deafness in , and scarlet fever . . . meningitis . . . catarrh and catarrhal fevers . . . [ ] diphtheria . . --[ ] abscess and inflammation . . --[ ] measles . . . whooping cough . . --[ ] malarial and typhoid fevers . . . other fevers . -- . in this table the most noticeable thing is perhaps the persistency with which we find most of the diseases to recur, with apparently no great change, while in certain ones, as catarrh and malarial and typhoid fevers, there seems to be rather an increase. it would be best, however, not to place very great confidence in these figures, but, so far as the census reports are concerned, to wait for more precise and uniform statistics. we have, further, the statistics published in the reports of certain schools for the deaf. while these are perhaps not of sufficient extent to warrant full conclusions, they may be regarded as quite representative;[ ] and though to be taken with something of the caution as the census figures, they may serve to throw some light upon the situation. comparison of the proportions of pupils deaf from the several diseases at different times may be made in two ways: by finding the respective proportions over a series of successive years from a certain time back down to the present, and by contrasting the proportions in two widely separated periods, one in the present and one in the past. these will be taken up in order. the following tables give the percentages of cases of deafness in pupils from the important diseases as found in six schools in successive years: in the new york institution in the total annual attendance from to ; in the michigan school in the total biennial attendance from to ; in the pennsylvania institution in the number of new pupils admitted quadriennially from to ; in the western pennsylvania institution in the number admitted biennially from to ; in the maryland school in the number admitted biennially from to ; and in the wisconsin school in the number admitted biennially from to . i. causes of deafness in new york institution from to | | | | | | | | | | | +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- total number | | | | | | | | | | | +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- congenital | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . scarlet fever | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . meningitis | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . brain trouble | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . falls | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . measles | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . typhoid fever | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . convulsions | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . various fevers | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . catarrh | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . diphtheria | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . pneumonia | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . whooping cough | . | -- | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . miscellaneous | | | | | | | | | | | and unknown | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | ----+----+----+ total number | | | ----+----+----+ congenital . | . | . | scarlet fever . | . | . | meningitis . | . | . | brain trouble . | . | . | falls . | . | . | measles . | . | . | typhoid fever . | . | . | convulsions . | . | . | various fevers . | . | . | catarrh . | . | . | diphtheria . | . | . | pneumonia . | . | . | whooping cough . | . | . | miscellaneous | | | and unknown . | . | . | ii. causes of deafness in michigan school from to | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- total number | | | | | | | | | | | +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- congenital | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . meningitis | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . scarlet fever | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . brain fever | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . typhoid fever | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . measles | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . diphtheria | . | -- | -- | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . catarrh | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | -- | . | . | . various fevers | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . whooping cough | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . pneumonia | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | . | . | . la grippe | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | . | . | . miscellaneous | | | | | | | | | | | and unknown | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | | | ----+----+----+----+ total number | | | | ----+----+----+----+ congenital . | . | . | . | meningitis . | . | . | . | scarlet fever . | . | . | . | brain fever . | . | . | . | typhoid fever . | . | . | . | measles . | . | . | . | diphtheria . | . | . | . | catarrh . | . | . | . | various fevers . | . | . | . | whooping cough . | . | . | . | pneumonia -- | . | . | . | la grippe . | . | . | -- | miscellaneous | | | | and unknown . | . | . | . | iii. causes of deafness in pennsylvania institution from to | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- total number | | | | | | | | | | | +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- congenital | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . scarlet fever | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . meningitis | -- | -- | . | -- | -- | . | . | . | . | . | . measles | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . whooping cough | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | -- catarrh | -- | . | -- | -- | -- | -- | . | . | . | -- | -- brain fever | -- | -- | . | . | -- | . | . | -- | -- | -- | . typhoid fever | -- | -- | -- | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . diphtheria | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | . | -- | -- | -- | -- pneumonia | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- la grippe | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- mis. and unknown | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | | | | | | | | | ----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ total number | | | | | | | ----+----+----+----+----+----+----+ congenital . | . | . | . | . | . | . | scarlet fever . | . | . | . | . | . | . | meningitis . | . | . | . | . | . | . | measles . | . | . | . | . | . | . | whooping cough . | . | . | . | . | . | . | catarrh . | . | . | . | . | . | . | brain fever . | . | . | . | . | . | . | typhoid fever . | . | -- | . | . | . | . | diphtheria . | . | . | . | . | . | . | pneumonia . | -- | -- | . | . | . | . | la grippe -- | . | -- | . | . | . | -- | mis. and unknown . | . | . | . | . | . | . | iv. causes of deafness in western pennsylvania institution from to | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- total number | | | | | | | | | | | +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- congenital | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . scarlet fever | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . meningitis | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . measles | . | . | . | . | . | -- | . | . | . | . | . catarrh | . | -- | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . brain fever | . | . | . | . | -- | . | -- | . | . | . | . typhoid fever | -- | . | . | -- | . | . | -- | -- | . | . | . whooping cough | . | -- | . | -- | . | -- | . | . | . | . | . diphtheria | . | -- | . | -- | -- | -- | . | . | . | -- | . la grippe | -- | -- | -- | -- | . | -- | . | -- | -- | . | -- pneumonia | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | . | . | -- | -- | . | . miscellaneous | | | | | | | | | | | and unknown | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | ----+----+ total number | | ----+----+ congenital . | . | scarlet fever . | . | meningitis . | . | measles . | . | catarrh . | . | brain fever . | . | typhoid fever . | -- | whooping cough -- | . | diphtheria . | . | la grippe -- | -- | pneumonia -- | -- | miscellaneous | | and unknown . | . | v. causes of deafness in maryland school from to | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- total number | | | | | | | | | | | +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- congenital | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . meningitis | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . scarlet fever | . | . | . | . | -- | -- | . | . | . | . | . measles | . | -- | -- | -- | . | . | . | -- | . | . | -- diphtheria | -- | -- | -- | -- | . | . | . | . | -- | . | . catarrh | -- | -- | -- | -- | . | . | . | . | . | -- | -- typhoid fever | -- | -- | . | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | . | -- whooping cough | . | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | . | -- | -- pneumonia | . | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | . | -- | . brain fever | . | -- | . | . | . | . | -- | -- | . | . | -- various fevers | -- | -- | . | . | . | -- | -- | . | -- | . | . miscellaneous | | | | | | | | | | | and unknown | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | ----+----+-------+ total number | | [ ]| ----+----+-------+ congenital . | . | . | meningitis . | . | . | scarlet fever . | . | . | measles -- | . | . | diphtheria -- | -- | . | catarrh -- | -- | -- | typhoid fever . | . | . | whooping cough -- | . | . | pneumonia . | . | . | brain fever . | -- | . | various fevers . | -- | . | miscellaneous | | | and unknown . | . | . | vi. causes of deafness in wisconsin school from to | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | +----+----+-------+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- total number | | | [ ]| | | | | | | +----+----+-------+----+----+----+----+----+----+---- congenital | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . meningitis | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . scarlet fever | . | . | . | -- | . | . | . | . | . | . measles | . | . | . | -- | . | -- | . | . | . | -- typhoid fever | -- | . | . | . | -- | . | . | -- | . | -- whooping cough | -- | -- | . | . | . | -- | -- | -- | -- | . diphtheria | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | . | . | -- | -- | . catarrh | -- | -- | . | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | . | . brain fever | -- | -- | -- | -- | . | -- | -- | . | -- | -- miscellaneous | | | | | | | | | | and unknown | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | | | | | | | | | | ----+----+----+----+----+ total number | | | | | ----+----+----+----+----+ congenital . | . | . | . | . | meningitis . | . | . | . | . | scarlet fever . | . | -- | . | . | measles -- | . | . | . | . | typhoid fever . | . | -- | . | . | whooping cough -- | -- | -- | . | . | diphtheria . | -- | -- | . | . | catarrh . | . | . | . | . | brain fever -- | . | . | . | . | miscellaneous | | | | | and unknown . | . | . | . | . | we may take these tables together to see how the proportions of deafness from the leading diseases have changed in the course of the several periods indicated, proper allowance being made for the shorter length of time covered in some schools than in others. in respect to scarlet fever, one of the two foremost causes, we find in the new york institution, the michigan school and the maryland school, a distinct and steady decline; in the pennsylvania institution a decline of late years, which is especially significant in view of the extended period covered by it; and in the western pennsylvania and the wisconsin school little change, though in the latter there is less than at the beginning. in meningitis, on the other hand, the second of the two most important causes, a marked increase is seen in the pennsylvania institution for the entire period, while in the new york a sharp increase is found in the time designated, this being all the more noticeable because of the large proportion already attributed here to convulsions, often a trouble of kindred origin. in the western pennsylvania institution and the maryland school little change is observed, though in the latter some decline is apparent in the later years. in the wisconsin and michigan schools a very strong decline is seen. on somewhat the same order as meningitis is brain fever. it, however, shows little change on the whole, though in the michigan and maryland schools and the new york institution some decline is evident. of the remaining diseases none plays singly a large part in the causation of deafness, and in most of them the results are similar. measles, typhoid fever, diphtheria, pneumonia, and whooping cough show, with some fluctuations at times, little change on the whole, beyond certain local differences. in the new york institution a decline is reported in nearly all. in the pennsylvania institution a rather larger proportion for measles is seen in later than in earlier years. in the michigan school an increase seems to be the case with whooping cough, but a decrease with typhoid fever. in catarrh the results are not so uniform. in the new york and pennsylvania institutions a decline is manifest, though in the latter a larger proportion is reported than at the beginning. in the michigan and wisconsin schools rather an increase is noted. la grippe is only reported occasionally of late years, and its real effects cannot yet be ascertained. with respect to general fevers, their classification is found to be so varying that little can be determined. we now proceed to make comparison of the proportions of deafness from the principal diseases in a series of years some time past with similar proportions in recent years. the following tables give the several proportions in the american school (connecticut) in the entire attendance from to and from to , and in the new admissions from to ; in the ohio school in the entire attendance from to , and in the average annual attendance in , , , and ; in the iowa school in the entire attendance from to and from to ; and in the new york institution in the entire attendance from to and in the average annual attendance from to .[ ] i. causes of deafness in american school from to , from to , and from to . period |total number | |congenital | | |scarlet fever | | | |meningitis | | | | |typhoid fever | | | | | |measles | | | | | | |whooping cough | | | | | | | |general fevers | | | | | | | | |brain fever | | | | | | | | | |pneumonia | | | | | | | | | | |diphtheria | | | | | | | | | | | |catarrh | | | | | | | | | | | | |unknown | | | | | | | | | | | | |and mis. ---------+----+----+----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+-------- - | | . | . | . | --| . | . | . | --| --| --| --| . - | | . | . | . | --| . | . | . | --| --| --| --| . - | | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . ii. causes of deafness in ohio school from to and from to . period |total number | |congenital | | |scarlet fever | | | |meningitis | | | | |typhoid fever | | | | | |measles | | | | | | |whooping cough | | | | | | | |general fevers | | | | | | | | |brain fever | | | | | | | | | |pneumonia | | | | | | | | | | |diphtheria | | | | | | | | | | | |catarrh | | | | | | | | | | | | |unknown | | | | | | | | | | | | |and mis. ---------+----+----+----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+-------- - | | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | --| . | --| . - | --| . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . iii. causes of deafness in iowa school from to and from to . period |total number | |congenital | | |scarlet fever | | | |meningitis | | | | |typhoid fever | | | | | |measles | | | | | | |whooping cough | | | | | | | |general fevers | | | | | | | | |brain fever | | | | | | | | | |pneumonia | | | | | | | | | | |diphtheria | | | | | | | | | | | |catarrh | | | | | | | | | | | | |unknown | | | | | | | | | | | | |and mis. ---------+----+----+----+-----+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+-------- - | | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | --| --| --| . - | | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . iv. causes of deafness in new york institution from to and from to . period |total number | |congenital | | |scarlet fever | | | |meningitis | | | | |typhoid fever | | | | | |measles | | | | | | |whooping cough | | | | | | | |general fevers | | | | | | | | |brain fever | | | | | | | | | |pneumonia | | | | | | | | | | |diphtheria | | | | | | | | | | | |catarrh | | | | | | | | | | | | |unknown | | | | | | | | | | | | |and mis. ---------+----+----+----+------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+-------- - | | . | . |--[ ]| --| . | . | . | --| --| --| --| . - | --| . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . | . taking these tables also collectively, we find in respect to scarlet fever a decline in all the schools, this being especially pronounced in the case of the ohio. in meningitis, however, there is an increase so heavy as to call in question the accuracy of the earlier records; and it is possible that it failed to be entirely recognized then. in most of the other diseases, as in the previous case, no very great change is perceptible. in general fevers a decline is apparent in all, in most being considerable; and probably several diseases were formerly included which are now listed separately. in measles rather a decline is found in the american and ohio schools, but a slight increase in the iowa, and a somewhat larger one in the new york institution. in typhoid fever there is a slight increase also in the iowa school, but a decrease in the ohio. in brain fever a considerable increase is observed in the iowa school, but a slight decrease likewise in the ohio. in whooping cough there is an increase in the new york institution and the iowa school, but a decrease in the american. such diseases as pneumonia, diphtheria and catarrh seem not usually to have been separately classified in the past, though in the ohio school we find diphtheria noted, and with somewhat smaller proportions than in later years; while in several of the schools we find "colds" given in former times, which may have been in part really catarrh. combining now the results of our two groups of tables, we may be able to reach some conclusions with respect to the increase or decrease of deafness from certain diseases, though on the whole far less definite than we could wish. in the first place, it seems safe to affirm that deafness from scarlet fever is becoming relatively less with the years; and it is possible that if it continues its present rate of decline, it will in time cease to be one of the main causes of deafness. on the other hand, meningitis, its great companion in evil, shows a striking increase in comparison with past years, as a cause of adventitious deafness; while its accretion may be traced as well in a series of recent years in certain schools, though not in others. but how far there is an absolute increase in meningitis over the past, and whether it is tending at present actually to increase, may be a matter for question. in view of the possibility that the disease was not sufficiently accounted for in the past, and in the absence of any knowledge to indicate a reason for its less prevalence in earlier years, at least not to the extent indicated by the statistics, it may be that its increase is, after all, more apparent than real. the fact, moreover, that in the series of recent years a marked increase is found in some schools, but a marked decline in others, may perhaps be taken to mean that at present meningitis may be on the increase only in certain sections, depending possibly on local conditions. with the greater medical skill of to-day, and with a larger proportion of children in the schools, it may be open to considerable doubt if the movement of this disease is really one of increase, though it seems that we are on the whole making no great headway against it. as to the minor diseases causing deafness, our statistics do not indicate just to what extent and in what direction deafness from them is being affected, and no precise conclusions can at present be set down. it is probable, however, that with the increased attention to children's diseases, as we have noted, there is really less deafness from most of them than formerly.[ ] the congenitally deaf when we come to consider the question of congenital deafness, which comprises a little over a third of the total amount of deafness, we have an even more difficult problem on our hands, for here we are to deal with some of the great questions of heredity--though hereditary deafness and congenital deafness are not altogether one and the same thing.[ ] for the purposes of our inquiry, let us think of the congenitally deaf as divided into three great classes in respect to their family relations: . the offspring of parents who were cousins; . the offspring of parents who were themselves deaf or members of families in which there are other deaf relatives; and . the product of families without either consanguinity or antecedent deafness. of these three classes the first two only will engage our attention. of the last, comprising, according to the census, nine-twentieths, or . per cent, of the congenitally deaf, there is not much that we can say. for a great part of it there no doubt exists in the parent, or perhaps in a more remote ancestor, some abnormal strain, physical or mental, in the nature of disease or other defect. but in respect to such deafness we have too little in the way of statistical data to help us arrive at any real determination; and for it as a whole we shall have to wait till we have greater knowledge of eugenics and the laws of heredity.[ ] the offspring of consanguineous marriages not all the deaf born of consanguineous marriages are congenitally deaf, but as the majority are so, and as the fact of the parents being blood relatives is assumed to have at least a contributing influence in the result, we may consider the matter in this place. it is in fact closely connected with the question of deaf relatives in general. in the census investigations,[ ] of the number who answered on this point, , , or . per cent, have parents who were cousins. of these cases, deafness occurred in per cent before the fifth year of age, and in per cent at birth. of all the deaf born without hearing, . per cent are the offspring of consanguineous marriages. the proportion of those born deaf is thus nearly twice as great when the parents are cousins as it is among the whole class of the congenitally deaf; and the proportion is also nearly twice as great of the offspring of consanguineous marriages among the congenitally deaf as the proportion of the deaf from such marriages among the total number of the deaf. moreover, . per cent of the offspring of cousin-marriages have deaf relatives of some kind, and of the congenitally deaf from cousin-marriages, . per cent have deaf relatives; while the respective proportions when the parents are not cousins are . per cent and . per cent--in the one case less than half, and in the other two-thirds, as great. further statistics bear out the findings of the census. dr. e. a. fay in his "marriages of the deaf"[ ]--a work we are soon to notice--finds that, though consanguineous marriages form only about one per cent of the total number considered, . per cent of the children of deaf parents who are cousins are deaf, and that . per cent of such marriages result in deaf offspring; but that when the parents are not cousins, the respective proportions are . per cent and . per cent--only about a fourth and a fifth as great. in the colorado school, out of pupils in attendance from the beginning to , in , or per cent, the parents were related before marriage. in the kentucky school, out of pupils admitted in and , , or . per cent, and out of admitted in and , , or per cent, were the offspring of parents who were cousins. in the iowa school, out of admissions in and , , or . per cent, and in the maryland school, out of a total attendance in of , , or . per cent, had parents who were cousins.[ ] consanguineous marriages, so far as the effect on deafness is concerned, are not of relatively frequent occurrence. but where they do take place, there is found a decided connection between them and deafness, the increased tendency thus to transmit a physical abnormality being plain. how far, however, if at all, such deafness is to be directly ascribed to consanguineous marriages, is a matter for question. the main consideration seems to be that in such marriages the chances are at least doubled of the offspring acquiring the characteristics of the parents; and that in them the liability is thus proportionately enhanced of transmitting deafness.[ ] the deaf having deaf relatives we are now to examine what traces there may be of deafness in a family by noting what proportion of the deaf have deaf relatives, and are to attempt to see what may be its bearings upon the question of heredity. in the census investigations,[ ] we find that out of , deaf persons who answered, there are , , or . per cent, who have deaf relatives of some kind, direct or collateral, , , or . per cent, having deaf brothers, sisters or ancestors. in all of these we can without difficulty discover the influence of heredity. in the congenitally deaf the trace of a physical defect is even more clearly indicated. of these . per cent have deaf brothers, sisters or ancestors, and . per cent have also deaf uncles, cousins, etc.[ ] it is thus evident that there are certain families in society deeply tinged with deafness, that it sometimes passes from parent to child, from generation to generation, and that like a cloud it hangs over a section of the race. the offspring of deaf parents all this argument leads up to one most pertinent question: are the statistics which we have indicative that this deafness which passes so remorselessly in certain families will be found all the stronger in the children of deaf parents? have we ground to believe or fear that this deafness will crop out far more surely than in the children of parents not deaf? and can we determine to what extent possibilities are increased of the offspring of deaf parents being likewise deaf? let us now consider the statistics which we have in this matter, first examining the results of the census investigation.[ ] of the , married deaf persons for whom statements are made, we find that there are who have deaf offspring, or . per cent. of the , deaf persons who are married to deaf persons, have deaf children, or . per cent; and of the , deaf persons married to hearing persons, have deaf children, or . per cent. of the married deaf having deaf children, . per cent have deaf relatives of some kind, and . per cent are congenitally deaf, the proportion of those having deaf relatives who are also congenitally deaf being . per cent. of the deaf married to hearing partners, who have deaf children, . per cent are congenitally deaf, while . per cent of the partners in such marriages have deaf relatives of some kind. from the census statistics, then, it appears that the married deaf as a class do not have a large proportion of deaf children, and that this proportion is only a little more than twice as great when the deaf are married to the deaf as when they are married to the hearing. it appears also, however, that when there are deaf relatives involved in either kind of marriages, or when there is congenital deafness in the deaf parent, the effect is quite marked in the offspring. besides the census returns, we have the statistics presented in the reports of certain schools, which are found to point, as far as they go, to the same conclusions. in the kentucky school, out of pupils admitted in and , there were none the children of deaf parents, though , or . per cent, had deaf relatives; and out of admitted in and , there were , or . per cent, the children of deaf parents, and , or . per cent, with deaf relatives. in the iowa school, out of admissions in and , , or . per cent, had deaf parents, and , or . per cent, "defective" relatives. in the michigan school, with an annual enrollment of some three hundred, there were from to but three children of deaf parents.[ ] in the colorado school, out of a total attendance since its founding to of , , or . per cent, were the children of deaf parents, though , or . per cent, had deaf relatives. in the missouri school, out of a similar attendance to of , there were , or . per cent, with deaf parents, though there were , or . per cent, with deaf relatives.[ ] the most exhaustive study of the question of the liability of the deaf to deaf offspring is that of dr. e. a. fay in his "marriages of the deaf"--covering the majority of the marriages of the deaf in america at the time it was made ( ).[ ] statistical information is presented for , deaf persons and for , marriages with either deaf or hearing partners.[ ] in the following table are summarized the results of this investigation.[ ] marriages of deaf persons number of number of marriages children ---------------------------------+------+---------+-----+------+----+----- partners in marriage |total |resulting|per |total |deaf|per | |in deaf |cent | | |cent | |children | | | | ---------------------------------+------+---------+-----+------+----+----- one or both deaf | , | | . | , | | . | | | | | | both deaf | , | | . | , | | . one deaf, other hearing | | | . | , | | . | | | | | | one or both congenitally deaf | , | | . | , | | . one or both adventitiously deaf | , | | . | , | | . | | | | | | both congenitally deaf | | | . | | | . one congenitally, other | | | | | | adventitiously deaf | | | . | , | | . both adventitiously deaf | | | . | , | | . | | | | | | one congenitally deaf, other | | | | | | hearing | | | . | | | . one adventitiously deaf, other | | | | | | hearing | | | . | | | . | | | | | | both had deaf relatives | | | . | , | | . one had deaf relatives, other not| | | . | , | | . neither had deaf relatives | | | . | , | | . | | | | | | _both congenitally deaf_ | | | | | | both had deaf relatives | | | . | | | . one had deaf relatives, other not| | | . | | | . neither had deaf relatives | | | . | | | . | | | | | | _both adventitiously deaf_ | | | | | | both had deaf relatives | | | . | | | . one had deaf relatives, other not| | | . | | | . neither had deaf relatives | | | . | | | . | | | | | | partners consanguineous | | | . | | | . it is thus seen that . per cent of the marriages of the deaf result in deaf offspring, and that . per cent of the children born of them are deaf--proportions far greater than for the the population generally.[ ] a striking fact to be noted, however, is that these proportions are greater when one parent is deaf and the other hearing than when both are deaf. the percentage of marriages resulting in deaf offspring when only one parent is deaf is . , and when both are deaf, . ; while the percentage of deaf children born of them when only one parent is deaf is . , and when both are deaf, . . this is apparently a very strange result, though it probably may be accounted for in some part on the theory that it is not so much deafness itself that is inherited, but rather an abnormality of the auditory organs, or a tendency to disease, of which deafness is a result or symptom, and that with different pathological conditions in the parent there is less likelihood of deafness resulting. the most significant part of the results seems to be found, as before, in respect to whether or not deaf parents are themselves congenitally deaf or have deaf relatives. on the one hand, when one or both of the parents are adventitiously deaf, the percentage of marriages resulting in deaf children is . , and the percentage of deaf children is . ; when both parents are so, the percentages are lower: . and . . the percentages rise when one parent is adventitiously deaf, and the other congenitally: . and . . in respect to deaf relatives of parents, the percentages are very low when neither has such relatives: . and . . the lowest percentages of all are in the case where both parents are adventitiously deaf and neither has deaf relatives: . and . . on the other hand, we find the proportion of marriages resulting in deaf offspring and the proportion of deaf children much greater when there is congenital deafness in one or both parents, when one or both have deaf relatives, and greatest of all when these influences are combined. when one or both parents are congenitally deaf, the percentage of marriages resulting in deaf offspring is . , and the percentage of deaf children is . ; when both parents are so, the percentages are doubled: . and . . when one parent has deaf relatives and the other has not, the percentages are . and . ; when both have, the percentages are nearly four times as great: . and . . when both parents are congenitally deaf but neither has deaf relatives, the percentages are . and . . when both are adventitiously deaf and both have deaf relatives, the percentages are . and . . when both are congenitally deaf and one has deaf relatives, the percentages are . and . ; and when both have deaf relatives, the percentages are . and . . the evidence is very strong, then, with regard to the form of deafness and the presence or absence of deaf relatives. in cases where the parents are not congenitally deaf and have no deaf relatives, the proportion of deaf children is very low. when one or both parents are congenitally deaf or have deaf relatives--when the deafness is inherited or in the family--the likelihood becomes far greater, and greater still when the two influences are in conjunction. in general, in respect to the influences of heredity upon deafness, the main determinants seem to be found in the existence in the parties, whether hearing or deaf, of deaf relatives, and, to a less extent, in the existence in parties who are deaf of congenital deafness. possible action for the prevention of congenital deafness we come now to the consideration of the question of possible action for the prevention of congenital deafness. this examination naturally centers about the matter of the regulation of marriage, with due attention to the extent that action on the part of the state is to be regarded as desirable or feasible. we have seen that congenital deafness may, hypothetically, be divided into three distinguishable classes: that in which consanguineous marriages are concerned, that in which there is antecedent deafness in the family, and that in which neither of these conditions occurs; and in our inquiry it has seemed best to take up each of these separately. it may be, however, that there is in fact no very radical difference between these several forms, and that with increased knowledge on the subject a more or less intimate relation will be found to exist. of that form of deafness in which neither consanguineous marriages nor antecedent deafness is involved, we are at present, as we have noted, able to say little definitely. in most cases we may be convinced that there exists in the parent some peculiar state of morbidity or other affection, latent or manifest, perhaps to some extent of hereditary influence, which has an effect on the organs of hearing of the offspring. a certain proportion is quite possibly due to recognizable defects both of physical and mental character. our statistical evidence, however, in respect to this form of congenital deafness is too slight to warrant any positive deductions; and we will have to wait for further investigation to determine its nature fully. none the less, marriage of persons known to be liable to have ill effect on possible offspring is objectionable for not a few reasons, from the standpoint of the interests of society; and in their reduction there will probably be a greater or less diminution of congenital deafness. with regard to consanguineous marriages and their effect on deafness we are on surer ground, so far as may be indicated by statistical data. this question is found in very great measure to be connected with that of deaf relatives in general. the matter appears to be largely a part of a law of wide application, namely, that in the blood relationship of parents the possibilities are intensified of the perpetuation of a certain strain, which holds true no less with the transmission of deafness. consanguineous marriages are perhaps not of sufficiently frequent occurrence, so far as concerns the effect on deafness, to require special action; but in the consideration of such marriages in general, their part in the causation of deafness should have due weight; and whatever may be said regarding them in other relations, they are to be avoided if we wish to remove all chances of this kind of deafness resulting. the problem of deaf relatives and their connection with congenital deafness is a very large one. attention however, has mostly been focused upon it in relation to the intermarriage of the deaf and its effect upon their offspring. indeed, in such unions there has already been more or less concern, and there has even been question whether it is a wise or unwise policy to allow the deaf to marry other deaf persons. the deaf, as we shall discover, not only find their companions for social intercourse among similar deaf persons, but _a fortiori_ very often seek such persons for their partners in marriage--in fact, more often than they do hearing partners, nearly three-fourths of the married deaf being married to deaf partners.[ ] not only has it been feared that the offspring of such marriages might likewise be deaf, but there has also been apprehension lest in their encouragement there might result a deaf species of the race.[ ] from our discussion, however, we have found that in most of the marriages of the deaf we have but small reason for disquiet. if deafness in the parent is really adventitious, there is little possibility of its passing on to the offspring. when the deafness in the parent is itself congenital, the situation becomes more serious. if in such case there is no added risk from the existence of deaf relatives, the likelihood of transmitting deafness need not always be a matter of deep concern, though the hazard is materially larger than for adventitious deafness. when there are deaf relatives involved, the peril, made stronger if coupled with congenital deafness, is most pronounced; and, indeed, the existence of collateral deafness seems a more certain sign of warning than direct heredity itself. finally, even in the marriage of the deaf with the hearing, the dangers are not in fact lessened if conditions otherwise unchanged are attendant. what action should be taken in respect to that part of the deaf who may marry under conditions favorable to the production of deaf offspring is not at present clear. legislation would not appear on the whole to be advisable;[ ] and the exertion of moral suasion, so far as possible, in the individual cases concerned would seem a more acceptable course. the matter, however, really belongs in the province of eugenics, and we will probably do best to await the authoritative pronouncement of its decrees before full procedure is resolved upon. congenital deafness as an increasing or decreasing phenomenon the final matter to be ascertained in respect to congenital deafness is whether it is relatively increasing or decreasing. the following table will show the number of the congenitally deaf in the censuses of , , and , with their respective percentages and the ratios per million of population.[ ] number of the congenitally deaf in , , and ratio per total congenitally per million of number deaf cent population , , . , , . , , . from this it appears that congenital deafness is decreasing both in relation to all deafness, and to the general population. for further statistics, we may revert to our tables under adventitious deafness. in the tables relating to periods of successive recent years we find in respect to three schools, the new york and western pennsylvania institutions and the maryland school, with certain fluctuations, no great change on the whole, though the last named school shows still a very high proportion. in two schools, the michigan and wisconsin, rather an increase is observed. in the pennsylvania institution, which covers a period of seventy years, there is a decrease from over per cent to less than . a better test perhaps lies in the comparison of the proportions found for congenital deafness in the tables relating to periods widely separated in time. in these an increase is seen in the single case of the ohio school; while a decrease is apparent in three, namely, the american and iowa schools and the new york institution. these decreases in percentages are respectively from . and . to . ; from . to . ; and from . to . .[ ] from the evidence that we have, then, taken together, it seems reasonable to conclude that congenital deafness is, though slowly, becoming less in the course of the years. conclusions with respect to the elimination or prevention of deafness most of what has been said in this chapter with respect to the elimination or prevention of deafness may be summed up as follows: . there are two kinds of deafness--adventitious and congenital. of the total number of cases adventitious deafness comprises nearly two-thirds, and congenital deafness a little over one-third. . nearly all adventitious deafness is caused by some disease of infancy or childhood attacking the middle or internal ear, a large part being of infectious character. the two chief diseases causing such deafness are scarlet fever and meningitis, with a less amount from brain fever, typhoid fever, measles, catarrh, diphtheria, whooping cough, etc. . a considerable part of this deafness is preventable under enlightened action. medical science is principally in control of the situation, but there is also much that can be done in general measures for the protection of the health. in attacking the problem, the most immediate practical program lies in the arrest of those diseases, especially infantile and infectious diseases, that cause deafness. . our evidence is incomplete to determine definitely whether adventitious deafness is increasing or decreasing relatively among the population; but it is hardly other than likely that it is decreasing. although certain diseases producing deafness fail to show any extensive signs of abatement, there are other diseases from which there can be little doubt that deafness is decreasing. . in the outlook there is, on the whole, promise, both in respect to the treatment of deafness itself and of the diseases that lead to deafness, though it cannot be said in any sense that any large or general relief is at present in sight. . of congenital deafness nearly half occurs in families often without any positively known strain to indicate a predisposition to deafness. though concerning this deafness little in the present state of our knowledge can be predicated, it is likely that with measures to secure a race sound in all particulars there will be a reduction to a greater or less extent of such deafness. . consanguineous marriages do not take place, so far as deafness as an effect is concerned, to any great extent; though where they do the consequences are very marked. their relation to deafness consists apparently for the greatest part in the fact that the chances of its transmission are thereby intensified, there being also a very strong connection with the question of deaf relatives in general. . there are a certain number of families in society deeply tainted with deafness, in evidence both lineally and collaterally, and this deafness may be transmitted from parent to offspring. . children of deaf parents are far more likely to be deaf than children of hearing parents. . the great majority of the children of deaf parents, however, are able to hear, the proportion of those who are not being small. . the likelihood of deaf offspring is not necessarily greater when both parents are deaf than when one is deaf and the other hearing. . the liability to deaf offspring depends in the greatest degree upon the presence or absence in the parents, deaf or hearing, of deaf relatives, and, to a less extent, upon whether or not the existing deafness is congenital--being especially great under a combination of these two conditions. . action in respect to marriages of the deaf likely to result in deaf offspring seems for the present rather to be limited to moral forces. . congenital deafness appears, from all the evidence, to be decreasing relatively among the population, though probably only at a very slow rate. . finally, with respect to our original inquiry, it is to be said that there are no indications that deafness will disappear from the human race within any time which we can measure; and hence that the deaf are to be in society not only for a season, but for a period apparently as yet indefinite. nevertheless the situation is not without encouragement. from the data in our possession regarding deafness as a whole, it seems certain that deafness is not on the increase relatively among the population. from our knowledge concerning adventitious deafness, the probabilities are that, if anything, it is decreasing; while the evidence as to congenital deafness is that it is decreasing. it is likely, then, that deafness in general is tending to decrease; and we are thus justified in believing that the number of the deaf will in time become less. footnotes: [ ] moreover, later censuses are probably taken more thoroughly than former, with a consequent discovery of a larger number of the deaf; while at the same time greater care is employed in preparing the later censuses, with the more rigorous elimination of doubtful cases, all in some measure, however, tending to even up the differences. on the difficulty of making comparisons of the censuses of the deaf, see special reports, pp. - ; _annals_, li., , p. . [ ] _ibid._ [ ] deafness has also been divided into three classes: adventitious deafness, congenital or hereditary deafness, and infantile or sporadic congenital deafness, the last class including many cases where there are other antecedent defects, mental or physical, or where the deafness occurred shortly after birth with the exact cause not definitely determined. see proceedings of international otological congress, ix., , p. ; _volta review_, xiv., , p. ; xv., , p. . [ ] of the cases usually ascribed to accidents, as falls, blows and the like, the probabilities are that a large part are really to be attributed to some other cause. deafness is not often likely to result from such occurrences. [ ] see proceedings of international otological congress, ix., , p. ; _volta review_, xiv., , p. . [ ] special reports, pp. , , . see also _annals_, xxxiii., , p. ; lii., , p. . in the table are given only the specified causes that represent at least . per cent of the total amount of deafness. in respect to external ear trouble, impacted cerumen is usually found to result from water in the ear, or wax in the ear. other diseases of the middle ear of suppurative character are diphtheria, pneumonia, erysipelas, smallpox, tonsilitis, teething, bronchitis, and consumption. other non-suppurative diseases of the middle ear are whooping cough, scrofula, exposure and cold, disease of the throat, thickening of eardrum, croup, etc. of the internal ear, other causes affecting the labyrinth are malformation, noise and concussion, mumps, and syphilis; affecting the nerve, paralysis, convulsions, sunstroke, congestion of brain, and disease of nervous system; and affecting brain center, hydrocephalus and epilepsy. among unclassified causes are also adduced neuralgia, childbirth, accident, medicine, heat, rheumatism, head-ache, fright or shock, overwork, lightning, diarrhea, chicken-pox, operation, and other causes. [ ] proceedings of national conference of charities and corrections, , p. ; ceremonies of laying of corner stone of rhode island school, , p. . [ ] there are no general or organized movements on foot for the prevention of deafness as there are for the prevention of blindness. this is perhaps chiefly because there are believed to be nothing like so many preventable cases of the one as of the other, so much of blindness being due to diseases that might have been avoided without great difficulty, and to accidents and other injuries to the eye. [ ] it has been estimated that three-fourths of deafness from primary ear diseases, and one-half from infectious diseases, is preventable. see proceedings of international otological congress, _loc. cit._; _volta review_, xiv., , pp. , . [ ] proceedings, , p. . [ ] _volta review_, xv., , p. . see also _ibid._, v., , p. ; _outlook_, civ., , p. . [ ] see _medical and surgical monitor_, vii., , p. ; _new york medical journal_, lxxxiii., , p. ; _annals_, lv., , p. ; _volta review_, xiii., , p. . [ ] the possibilities, for instance, in the use of antitoxins and vaccines in certain diseases are just beginning to be known, and some results as affect deafness may be expected from such operations. [ ] in a special committee in regard to the prevention of deafness was created by the otological section of the american medical association, and in both by the american laryngological, rhinological and otological society and by the american otological society. see _laryngoscope_, xx., , pp. - ; _volta review_, xii., , pp. , . [ ] laws, , ch. . [ ] on the possibilities of the prevention of adventitious deafness, see dr. j. k. love, "deaf-mutism", ; archives of otology, xxiv., , p. ; _journal of american medical association_, liii., , p. ; _new york medical journal_, l., , p. ; lxxxix., , p. ; xcv., , p. ; _new york state journal of medicine_, xii., , p. ff.; _maryland medical journal_, lv., , p. ; _pediatrics_, xxiv., , p. ; _popular science monthly_, xlii., , p. ; "progress in amelioration of certain forms of deafness and impaired hearing," proceedings of american association to promote the teaching of speech to the deaf, iv., ; _annals_, xxxiv., , p. ; lvi., , p. ; lviii., , p. ; _volta review_, xii., , p. ; xv., , p. ; new york _times_, april , ; public school health bulletin, eyes and ears, by superintendent of public instruction of north carolina, . [ ] census reports, . report on defective, dependent and delinquent classes of the population of the united states, , p. ff.; census reports, . report on insane, feeble-minded, deaf and dumb and blind, , pp. ff., ; special reports, , p. . [ ] _ibid._ [ ] probably with the "fevers" the proportion would be larger. [ ] less than . per cent. [ ] probably included with certain of the suppurative diseases. [ ] not a large number of schools, it is greatly to be regretted, give, regularly and over an extended period of time, such information in statistical form and upon the same basis from year to year. [ ] total attendance. [ ] these tables are based upon statistics given in the reports of the schools, and given in _annals_, vi., , p. ; xv., , p. ; xvii., , p. . [ ] one case reported. [ ] letters of inquiry as to whether or not "total" deafness appeared to be decreasing were sent by the writer to the professors of diseases of the ear of the medical schools of johns hopkins university, university of pennsylvania, columbia university, cornell university, harvard university, university of chicago, northwestern university, university of michigan, and the jefferson medical college of philadelphia. the opinion of four of these is that such deafness is clearly decreasing; of three that little or no decrease is apparent; while by two no opinion can be vouched yet. the greatest encouragement is found in respect to treatment for middle ear affections and infections from fevers. by dr. s. maccuen smith, of the jefferson medical college, it is believed that there is a decrease, "largely due to the fact that not only the general medical profession, but the public at large, are recognizing the importance of having the minor aural lesions promptly and properly cared for. this being the case, it is no longer possible for children in the public schools to continue their studies when suffering from diseased tonsils and enlarged adenoid vegetations. from this cause alone, many cases of impairment of hearing which usually occur later in life will be prevented in the future". by dr. e. a. crockett, of harvard university, it is believed that, although there is a larger amount of deafness from measles, there is less, not only from scarlet fever, but also from chronic suppurations, from adenoid and throat troubles in general, and even from meningitis, owing to the use of serums. regarding his own observations, within a period of twenty-five years "the number of extremely deaf persons and deaf-mutes has very materially diminished". [ ] hereditary deafness is sometimes of a kind that manifests itself some years after birth, often with certain relatives similarly affected. this is especially true of catarrhal and middle ear affections, though their results may more often be partial rather than total deafness. [ ] in a part of such deafness, and also in a portion of that occurring shortly after birth, the cause is said to be syphilis. see proceedings of international otological congress, ix., , p. ; _volta review_, xiv., , p. ; xv., , p. . [ ] special reports, pp. , . there were , who failed to answer, and if all had made reply, our percentage would probably be higher yet. [ ] p. . [ ] in the louisiana school per cent of the pupils are said to have parents who were blood relatives; in the illinois, per cent; and in the kansas, from to . per cent. report of louisiana school, , p. . see also transactions of american medical association, xi., , pp. - ; proceedings of conference of principals, iii., , p. ; _annals_, xxii., , p. . [ ] on this subject, see francis galton. "natural inheritance", , p. ff. see also g. b. l. arner, "consanguineous marriages", , p. ff.; c. b. davenport, "heredity in relation to eugenics", , p. ff. [ ] special reports, pp. , , and _passim_. [ ] these proportions are further indicated in the succeeding section. [ ] special reports, p. ff. [ ] report, , p. . [ ] out of children born to former pupils of the minnesota school up to , , or . per cent, were deaf. report, , p. . out of children born to former pupils of the american school up to , , or . per cent, were deaf. report, , p. . [ ] the study had been originally planned by dr. f. h. wines for the _international record of charities and corrections_. see issue for october, . the work was published by the volta bureau. for a discussion of the results, see _association review_, ii., , p. ; publications of american statistical association, vi., , p. ; _biometrika_ (london), iv., - , p. . see also charts in current numbers of _volta review_. [ ] from the total number of marriages, were deducted, being cases concerning the offspring of which no information could be obtained, and also cases where there were no offspring. [ ] from p. . it has also been computed by dr. fay from his data that of , married deaf persons, , or . per cent, have deaf offspring. _annals_, lii., , p. . [ ] the proportions for the general population are hardly over . per cent and . per cent respectively. [ ] the proportion of the married deaf who are married to deaf partners is found by dr. fay to be . per cent, and of those married to hearing partners, per cent, there being no information for the remaining . per cent. the census returns, however, give the respective proportions as . per cent and . per cent. [ ] see proceedings of national conference of charities and corrections, , p. ; a. g. bell, "the formation of a deaf variety of the human race", memoirs, , ii., part , p. ; proceedings of conference of principals, i., , p. ; v., , p. ; a. g. bell, "marriage, an address to the deaf", ; evidence before the royal commission on the deaf, etc., , ii., pp. - ; _annals_, xxix., , pp. , ; xxx., , p. ; xxxiii., , pp. , ; _popular science monthly_, xvii., , p. ; _science_, aug., , to march, (xvi., xvii.); _arena_, xii., , p. ; _association review_, x., , p. ; _volta review_, xiv., , p. ; proceedings of reunion of alumni of wisconsin school for the deaf, vi., , p. ; national association of the deaf, iv., , p. ; ix., , p. ; report of board of charities of new york, , i., p. . [ ] no statutory action seems ever to have been taken in the matter. in connecticut, however, in when a law (laws, ch. ) was enacted forbidding the marriage of the feeble-minded and epileptic, a provision respecting the congenitally deaf and blind came near being included. _annals_, xl., , p. . [ ] census reports, . report on defective, dependent and delinquent classes of the population of the united states, , p. ff.; census reports, . report on insane, feeble-minded, deaf and dumb and blind, , pp. ff., ; special reports, , p. . the ages of the deaf were reported less fully in than in , and less fully in than in ; and if we take the numbers of those whose ages were reported in these three censuses, we have the following table, showing the proportion of the congenitally deaf. the congenitally deaf according to numbers in which age was reported number whose age congenitally per was reported deaf cent , , . , , . , , . if we assume that the proportion of the congenitally deaf to all the deaf in each census was the same that it was among the cases in which the age of the occurrence of deafness was reported, we have this table to show the number of the congenitally deaf and the ratio of the deaf among the population. the congenitally deaf according to numbers assumed assumed number of ratio per congenitally million of deaf population , , , these tables are taken from _annals_, li., , p. . [ ] in the three schools where an increase in congenital deafness appears to be found, namely, those of michigan, wisconsin and ohio, a partial explanation probably lies in the fact that in these states a number of day schools have been created of late years, which are not likely to draw congenitally deaf pupils to the extent that the institutions do, thus leaving a larger proportion for the latter. see also e. a. fay, _op. cit._, p. . chapter iii treatment of the deaf by the state general attitude of the law towards the deaf after examination of the question of how long the deaf are to be an element of the population, our discussion turns to their position at present as an actual part of society. the first relation to be considered is that of the state to them. the state acts on men through the law, and in the law is represented not only its authority, but its attitude as well towards the problems that confront society, including the treatment of the various elements of its population. in this chapter it is our purpose by a study of the law in respect to the deaf to discover the attitude of the state towards them and the treatment which it has accorded them. generally in ancient and even in more modern days the deaf, especially the congenitally deaf without education, have been held in the eyes of the law more or less as though they were an abnormal element in the state, at times being regarded as though they were of defective minds, and now and then being considered practically as idiots. though there was usually meditated no unduly harsh treatment of the deaf, they were for the most part deemed incapable of performing the full duties of citizenship, certain of the rights that belonged to their fellowmen were denied to them, and they were held in considerable degree in what amounted to legal bondage. it was only in the course of time in most countries that the law came to look upon the deaf differently, to regard them more as normal persons, and to grant them in greater measure the rights of other men.[ ] in america the attention of the law has been directed to the deaf both by legislation relating to them, and by court decisions affecting them. in addition, in the constitutions of a number of states, as we shall see, provision is made for institutions for the education of the deaf; and in one state, mississippi,[ ] a provision is found exempting the deaf from the payment of a poll tax. the law cannot be said to have concerned itself extensively with the deaf, but the light in which they have been viewed has been indicated fairly clearly. judicial _dicta_ and opinions have been of less frequency and importance than legislation, and have rather dealt with the mental capacity of the deaf in certain legal relations and proceedings, as in their responsibility for crimes, the making of wills, the appointment of interpreters, etc. legislation itself has not often been engaged in providing for the deaf as a special class, beyond maintaining schools for the education of the young. where this legislation has taken place, it may be said to be of three kinds. first, the deaf have been regarded as mentally deficient or incapable of certain civic acts, and discriminatory laws have been enacted. next, the deaf have been thought to need special consideration or protection on the part of the state, and laws have been passed for the appointment of guardians or otherwise for their security or benefit. the third class of legislation is where the state bases its action upon the supposed weakness of the deaf, their "physical disability," as it is frequently termed, and here we have a series of what may be called negative benefactions, designed to make less hard the way of the deaf. such special provision has consisted chiefly in the remission of taxes in certain instances or of some other form of more or less direct assistance. legislation discriminatory respecting the deaf legislation which may be termed discriminatory in respect to the deaf has really been of but slight extent.[ ] in georgia we find an enactment of ,[ ] in which the deaf were to be regarded _pro tanto_ as idiots, so far as concerned the managing of their estates, though this was in fact intended for their protection. in new mexico a law has been enacted, forbidding those deaf by birth from making wills, unless their intention is declared in writing;[ ] and in louisiana a deaf man is incapable of acting as a witness to a testament.[ ] in several states, as new york and massachusetts, there have been enactments in regard to deaf-mute immigrants together with other classes who might be likely to become a public charge, with the exaction of bond as security.[ ] in georgia[ ] there is an enactment in reference to various itinerant concerns which might leave deaf persons, as well as others, in the state as public charges.[ ] legislation in protection of the deaf legislation of the second class, where the deaf are thought to require particular consideration or protection, has likewise been infrequent. the first instance is an enactment of massachusetts in ,[ ] relating to the appointment, on certain occasions, of guardians for the deaf, especially those deaf "from their nativity," together with other persons--which is probably the earliest statutory reference to the deaf in america. a later example is an enactment in georgia in ,[ ] and still in force, providing for the appointment of guardians, on somewhat the same order as that which we have indicated, for deaf and dumb persons incapable of managing their estates. in new jersey in [ ] a law was enacted, forbidding deaf persons under seventeen years of age to be bound out as apprentices. in ohio a statute also of [ ] provided for guardians for the deaf, and several modern statutes are somewhat of this nature. in maine the deaf cannot be sent to the reform school.[ ] in arkansas[ ] and missouri[ ] it is provided that the court may appoint guardians for deaf persons from fourteen to twenty-one years of age in case of the death of a parent. of somewhat different character, but still for the protection of the deaf, is the enactment in several states, as wisconsin[ ] and virginia,[ ] where injury or abuse of the deaf is made a matter of special attention in the law. legislation in aid of the deaf examples of legislation designed to be of material aid to the deaf are rather more common, the chief of which, as we have noted, is the exemption from the payment of some personal or property tax.[ ] thus in missouri we find a statute of [ ] allowing a deaf man to be exempt from the poll tax and the tax on property up to $ . indiana in [ ] exempted its deaf and blind citizens from a poll tax and a property tax up to $ . mississippi[ ] exempted these classes from the road duty in , and two years later from the poll tax as well, this exemption being incorporated in the state constitution, as we have seen. tennessee[ ] in also exempted from the poll tax the deaf, the blind and those incapable of labor. in pennsylvania legislation seems to have gone the furthest in its desire to be of material help to the deaf, for here we find the deaf with the blind exempted from the penalties which usually apply to tramps.[ ] such are instances of this form of legislation, but similar legislation has been enacted in other states. very rare are instances where the state makes special provision for the care of, or extends special poor relief to, any of its deaf population. the chief example seems to be the action of some of the new england states with their so-called "missions for the deaf." these are associations, composed in great part of the deaf and engaged in various forms of mission work, and to them state funds are granted to aid the aged, infirm and helpless deaf. by this plan maine is said to have been without a deaf-mute pauper in ten years. the amounts allowed, however, for this purpose are not large, being $ a year in maine and $ in new hampshire.[ ] in ohio the counties are allowed to contract with private homes for the maintenance of the aged and infirm deaf--there being but one such in the state, that supported by the deaf themselves--and the state board of charities is given power to remove deaf persons thereto from the county infirmaries.[ ] instances are likewise rare where the state makes a distinct appropriation of money for the benefit of the deaf other than for schools. we have one instance in new york where the state for a certain number of years allowed a small sum to the publishers of a paper for the benefit of poor deaf-mutes.[ ] as a last species of legislation in aid of the deaf, we have a single enactment of quite different character from that which we have hitherto found, and of later appearance. this is the law enacted in minnesota in ,[ ] which provides for a division for the deaf in the state bureau of labor. its duties are to collect statistics of the deaf, ascertain what trades or occupations are most suitable for them and best adapted to promote their interests, ... use [its] best efforts to aid them in securing such employment as they may be best fitted to engage in, keep a census and obtain facts, information and statistics as to their condition in life with a view to the betterment of their lot, and endeavor to obtain statistics and information of the conditions of labor and employment and education in other states with a view to promoting the general welfare of the deaf in this state. such legislation may prove highly beneficial to the deaf, not only in rendering very desirable aid to them, but also in offering means of learning very important facts as to their condition. tenor of court decisions affecting the deaf the opinions of the courts of law in regard to the deaf have, as we have noted, rather revolved upon the mental capacity of the deaf in certain proceedings, and upon their competence in certain legal relations. these judicial expressions have in the main referred to four relations of the deaf in the law: . in their responsibility for crime; . in acting as witnesses; . in requiring guardians; and . in the making of wills and contracts generally. as to the responsibility of the deaf man for his misdeeds, there has been in times past more or less presumption against it, especially if he were born deaf and were without education; but to-day he is quite generally held fully answerable for his crimes and misdemeanors, and his deafness cannot mitigate his punishment.[ ] as a witness, the deaf man under proper circumstances is now allowed to appear without hindrance before virtually any court.[ ] as to special guardians, these will be accorded the deaf when there appears sufficient need, though there is less of this than formerly.[ ] with respect to the testamentary capacity of the deaf, we find that in times past the deaf were often said to be more or less incapable of making wills, though this presumption could always be overcome. naturally their wills were subjected to considerable scrutiny for the purpose of preventing fraud; but if written and apparently genuine, they could usually stand. to-day the deaf are practically everywhere held to be quite capable in this respect, and probably nowhere would a will be set aside for reason of the deafness of the testator alone. likewise the deaf are now generally held capable of entering into all contractual relations.[ ] present trend of the law in respect to the deaf in most of the statutes and decisions to which we have referred there appears a distinct trend towards treating the deaf quite as normal persons, and the tendency may be considered to be general to-day to hold them very much as other citizens. the greater part of all the special legislation has ceased of late years, and it is seldom now that a particular enactment is placed upon the statute books. where such does occur, it arises chiefly where some peculiar protection of the deaf has been felt to be needed. discriminatory legislation has practically disappeared, as has also beneficial legislation of the old sort, the only kind likely to be enacted in the future being along the new lines pointed out. in judicial proceedings likewise particular usage in respect to the deaf has almost entirely passed away, and the deaf to-day receive little distinctive treatment. practically the sole special consideration now accorded them is in the procurement of interpreters for proper occasions. on the whole, then, the present attitude of the law may be said to be to regard the deaf more and more fully as citizens, to allow them all the rights and duties of such, and to consider them in little need of particular aid or attention.[ ] footnotes: [ ] the legal treatment of the deaf, however, in past times has not been as severe as has been often supposed. both the justinian code and the civil law, as well as the common law, granted a number of rights to the deaf, these being in some cases as far as the policy of the law would permit. in a few instances a not unsympathetic attitude was displayed towards them. in the early roman law and in some other systems word of mouth was necessary to accomplish certain legal acts, and this of course bore hardly upon the deaf. in all cases it was the deaf-mute from birth who suffered most. on this subject, see a. c. gaw, "the legal status of the deaf," ; h. p. peet, "legal rights and responsibilities of the deaf," (proceedings of convention of american instructors, iv., p. ). [ ] constitution, , sec. . the blind are also included in the exemption. [ ] in new york we find an early reference to the deaf in the rules adopted in by the state assembly regarding suffrage qualifications in the election of its own members, one of which rules declared that "no man deaf and dumb from his nativity has a vote," though this may have been partly due to the fact that nearly all voting then was _viva voce_. william smith, "history of the late province of new york," , ii., p. . [ ] laws, p. . a kentucky statute refers to "idiots and those by speech or sign incapable" of understanding (stat., , § ), but the deaf may not necessarily be included. [ ] cod. laws, , ch. , § ; , § . [ ] civ. code, , § ; , § . [ ] in new york required the masters of ships landing in new york city to report to the mayor what passengers were deaf, blind or insane. laws, ch. . see also laws, , ch. ; , ch. . see public statutes of massachusetts, , p. . the present united states immigration laws do not directly exclude the deaf, but they have been thought at times to have been made to bear unduly upon them. [ ] code, , § . the application is to "proprietors of circuses and other migratory companies." [ ] in a few states, as california and new york, attempts have been made to secure laws barring the deaf from licenses to run automobiles. such measures, however, are to be regarded less as discrimination against the deaf than for the public safety. [ ] laws, , ch. . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; code, , § . [ ] laws, p. . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. . [ ] rev. stat., , ch. , § . [ ] digest, , § ; , § . [ ] stat., , p. ; rev. stat., , § . in kansas by opinion of the attorney-general, the juvenile court laws do not apply to the deaf. [ ] gen. stat., , p. . abuse or ill-treatment of an inmate of a state institution for the deaf, the blind and other classes may be punished by fine or imprisonment. [ ] laws, , p. . it is made a misdemeanor to abduct or kidnap inmates of "deaf and dumb and blind hospitals". [ ] in several states there are provisions in regard to the employment of interpreters for the deaf. see code of georgia, , § ; gen. laws of rhode island, , § . [ ] laws, p. . [ ] laws, ch. . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , p. . [ ] laws, , ch. ; ann. code, , § . [ ] purdon's digest, , p. . in georgia persons deaf and blind are expressly permitted to make wills if properly scrutinized. code, , § . [ ] see laws of new hampshire, , ch. . this relief is here known as the "granite state mission". see also _deaf-mutes' journal_, feb. , . [ ] see laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. . [ ] this seems to have been begun in , and continued nearly fifty years. see laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. . the sum of $ was first granted to the _radii_, and later appropriations to succeeding publications. [ ] laws, p. . the law was secured by the efforts of the deaf themselves. see _deaf-mutes' journal_, may , . [ ] see houst. crim. cas. (del.), ; jones l. (n. c.), ; mass., . this last case was one of larceny. see also i. l. peet, "psychical status and criminal responsibility of the totally uneducated deaf and dumb," (_journal of psychological medicine_, jan., ); _annals_, xvii., , p. . [ ] s. w. (tex.), ; mo., ; s. c., ; den. (n. y.), ; col., ; n. m., . [ ] see ohio st., , where a guardian was allowed; n. j. eq., , where the deaf were said to be liable to guardianship. [ ] see jones eq. (n. c.), . in johns. ch., , a new york case in , it was said by chancellor kent that the deaf and dumb were considered _prima facie_ as insane, incapable of making a will and fit subjects for guardianship, by the civil law. the presumption was due, he said, to the fact that "want of hearing and speech exceedingly cramps the powers of the mind," but it was to be overcome by proof. in this case the presumption was overruled. the implication, however, never applied to the deaf not born so. at present there is no presumption in connection with wills, deeds, witnessing, or guardianship. see conn., ; gratt. (va.), ; ga., ; ired. (n. c.), . in the missouri case, quoted above, it was said: "presumption of idiocy does not seem to obtain in modern practice, at least not in the united states." [ ] the deaf as a class may be said to be strongly opposed to nearly all forms of legal treatment different from those of their fellow-citizens. in texas, where they have been exempted from a personal or property tax, they have made formal protest against the exemption. _annals_, l., , p. ; report of mississippi school, , p. . they have, as another instance, voiced opposition to the release of criminals on the ground of their deafness. see proceedings of convention of national association of the deaf, ii., , p. . chapter iv economic condition of the deaf extent to which the deaf are a wage-earning and self-supporting element of the population in the want of the sense of hearing, and with it oftentimes the faculty of speech, the deaf are deprived of most important powers, and, it might appear, of an essential equipment for work among men. it is not to be denied that the deaf start out into life severely handicapped, nor can the difficulties which they must face in meeting the world pass unregarded. yet notwithstanding the particular adversity under which the deaf have to labor, they remain in full possession of all their other physical forces, and it may be a question whether on the whole they are to be considered disqualified from engaging in the industrial pursuits of men. it may be that there are occupations in which their deafness will not prove of material consequence, and that in such fields they will be able to enter without serious impediment. in the present chapter we shall attempt to see how far these possibilities seem to be realized in the actual industrial life of the community. in other words, we shall consider what is the place of the deaf as economic factors in this life, and how far they are independent wage-earners, at the same time comparing their economic standing with that of the general population. the returns of the census, covering the entire country and presenting the results of a careful investigation, will furnish our most complete source of information. here[ ] are reported in gainful occupations , deaf persons over ten years of age, or . per cent of the number of the deaf over this age.[ ] this is somewhat less than the percentage for the general population, which is . . of the deaf twenty years of age and over, however, the percentage gainfully employed is . , embracing , persons. in the following table is shown the number of the deaf over ten years of age in the five great occupations, with the respective percentages, and also the percentages for the general population. general occupations of the deaf per cent per of general occupation number cent population agricultural pursuits , . . manufacturing and mechanical , . . domestic and personal , . . trade and transportation . . professional . . it is seen from this that the proportions are very nearly the same for the deaf and the general population in agricultural pursuits, domestic and personal service, and professional service. in manufacturing and mechanical occupations the proportion of the deaf is indeed considerably higher. in trade and transportation, on the other hand, the proportion for the deaf is far lower than that for the general population--a condition to be accounted for by the very evident need of hearing in such pursuits. of the deaf engaged in agricultural pursuits, , , or about three-fourths, are in a position of ownership or direction, being farmers, planters, or overseers; , are agricultural laborers, while are gardeners, florists, or nursery-men. the large number of the deaf in professional occupations is in part explained by the fact that are themselves engaged in the instruction of the deaf. other specified occupations where fifty or more of the deaf are employed in each are as follows: specified occupations of the deaf laborers not specified , servants and waiters boot and shoemakers and repairers printers, lithographers and pressmen carpenters and joiners dressmakers seamstresses tailors painters, glaziers and varnishers launderers cigar and tobacco operators cabinet-makers merchants and dealers (retail) iron and steel workers clerks and copyists housekeepers and stewards machinists blacksmiths miners and quarrymen cotton mill operators barbers and hairdressers bakers agents artists and teachers of art harness and saddle makers and repairers draymen, hackmen, teamsters, etc. manufacturers and officials masons so far, then, as appears from the findings of the united states census, the deaf are seen to be distributed among the chief industries very generally, and in very many of what are known as "trades" they are able to be profitably employed. in some activities of life deafness is of course an effectual barrier, but these are rather restricted ones. there is but one great division of employment in which the deaf cannot enter extensively, namely, commercial and mercantile pursuits. with these exceptions, the deaf are found to be industrially occupied like the rest of the community, and to be able to engage, and actually engaging, in most of the employments of men.[ ] in respect to the general economic status of the deaf, a second source of information, at the bottom of the scale, as it were, is to be found in the proportion of the deaf cared for in public alms-houses. though a much greater proportion of the deaf are discovered here than of the general population, the deaf do not on the whole constitute a large part of the alms-house population of the country. in the census reported deaf-mutes to be in alms-houses, or six-tenths of one per cent of all their inmates.[ ] that is to say, a little over one per cent ( . ) of the total number of the deaf in the united states are found to-day in alms-houses.[ ] such is the evidence we have in respect to the economic standing of the deaf. yet the fact that the deaf are usually found capable of taking care of themselves should not be, after all, a matter either of doubt or of wonder. they are for the most part, as we have indicated, quite "able-bodied," and but for their want of hearing are perfectly normal in respect to "doing a job." if they are skillful and efficient, their deafness proves comparatively little of a drawback. another contributing cause in the situation lies in the fact that most of the deaf have attended the special schools provided for them, where industrial preparation with the opportunity to learn a trade is offered and largely availed of.[ ] when they go out into the world, they may be supposed to have an industrial equipment, which, besides taking in view their handicap, is one in many respects fully equal to that of their hearing fellow-laborers; and though many of the deaf, apparently the greater number, do not follow the trade learned at school, yet there is no doubt that the training and lessons in industry there acquired prove of decided practical advantage.[ ] views of the deaf as to their economic standing to what extent the deaf hold themselves able to stand alongside the general population may well be indicated by what they themselves have to say. of the adult deaf who have had schooling, it is claimed that eighty-one per cent are gainfully employed;[ ] and that of the adult male deaf ninety per cent are self-supporting.[ ] a large proportion are said to be the heads of families and the possessors of homes.[ ] in respect to the conditions of their employment, including that of wages, they are usually ready to declare that they are little different from those of the general population, sometimes taking pains to point out the substantial equality of the two.[ ] the views of the deaf in the whole matter of their industrial footing may be expressed as summed up in the following resolutions, which were reported by a special committee on industrial conditions of the deaf at the convention of the national association of the deaf in :[ ] . there are few ordinary occupations in which the deaf do not or cannot engage. . employers and foremen treat deaf workmen as they do hearing workmen. . deafness is a hindrance to a great extent, but it is not such a formidable barrier as has popularly been supposed. . the deaf workman usually has steady work. those that do not generally have only themselves to blame. . the deaf invariably get the same wages for the same class of work as the hearing. . employers and foremen are glad to have deaf workmen who can show that they have the ability to do the work expected of them, and take them on a basis equal to that of the hearing. if they are competent, their services secure ready recognition.[ ] the deaf as alms-seekers it might be thought that the deaf might sometimes find their infirmity a useful means of soliciting alms from the public. but it is gratifying to learn that very few of them ever try to make capital out of their affliction. that a deaf man merely as such is in no wise to be considered a special beneficiary of charity is a principle spiritedly endorsed by nearly all the deaf themselves; and they are found to be the last to lend encouragement to any appeals for aid from the charitably disposed.[ ] on the other hand, it is a fact, perhaps not as widely known as it should be, that there are persons able to hear who often pretend to be deaf and dumb in order to work on the sensibilities of the public. to such appeals a far more ready response is met with than should be the case. the deaf themselves usually do what they can to prevent this, a certain number indeed going to considerable lengths in this direction, and not infrequently running such impostors down.[ ] in nearly all the state associations of the deaf as well as in the national organization it is made a particular object to investigate and prosecute mendicants simulating deafness, while in their papers a vigorous war is being waged.[ ] at the same time by many of the deaf a campaign of education is being conducted for the enlightenment of the public. the following resolutions, adopted by the national association of the deaf in , attest their feeling in the matter:[ ] _whereas_, there is no necessity for an educated deaf person to beg or solicit alms on account of deafness; and _whereas_, there are many cases of persons who are not really deaf, but hearing people, who prey on the sympathy of the public to the injury of the respectable and self-supporting deaf; therefore be it _resolved_, that it is the sense of the association that stringent laws should be enacted, making it a penal offense to ask pecuniary aid on account of deafness or on pretense of being "deaf and dumb." only very rarely, however, has legal cognizance been taken of this evil, though it may sometimes be included under the general charge of "vagrancy" or "imposture." in a few states there have been special enactments, as in new york[ ] and minnesota,[ ] in the former the impersonation of a deaf man being expressly added to the offenses that constitute imposture, and in the latter to those that constitute vagrancy. homes for the deaf homes for the deaf in america have never been organized on other than a small scale, and in the main they may be said to serve a purpose similar to that of homes for the aged and infirm generally. though there is little call for such establishments to a wide extent, and though the proportion of the deaf to be benefited by them is small,[ ] yet for a number of the deaf there is a peculiar need. these are deaf persons, usually the old and decrepit, who are without means to support themselves, and have no family or friends to look to for help. to them a special retreat in association with others in similar condition proves an immeasurable blessing, and in such their last years may be spent in tranquillity and comparative happiness. the object of a home for the deaf is thus given for one of them.[ ] to take care of such of the deaf of the state as are incapacitated by reason of old age or other infirmity from taking care of themselves, to the end that they may have the comforts of a home, where they can associate with each other, and have the consolation of religious services in their own language of signs, instead of being sent to a county infirmary. the purpose of another home is thus described:[ ] this home is unique, being the only institution of its kind in the state, owned and controlled by the deaf, who have formed themselves into an association, known as the pennsylvania society for the advancement of the deaf. like our ohio cousins, who have already established a similar home, we pride ourselves upon our ability to own and control such a responsible institution. the home owes its existence entirely to the charitable impulse of the deaf themselves, aided by the generosity of their hearing friends. it exists because of the desire to provide a home of rest for the infirm of our class during their declining years, so that they may find here comfort and happiness in congenial companionship and intelligent conversation. at present there are five homes for the deaf.[ ] they are found in the states of massachusetts, new york, ohio, and pennsylvania, there being two in new york.[ ] the first to be created was the gallaudet home at wappinger's falls, new york, founded in ; the second the ohio home at westerville in ; the third the home of st. elizabeth's industrial school in new york city in ; the fourth the new england home at everett, massachusetts, in ;[ ] and the fifth the pennsylvania home at doyleston in . the homes in ohio and pennsylvania are owned and controlled by the societies for the deaf in these respective states, the management being in the hands of trustees, in the former of twenty, and in the latter of nine. the gallaudet home is under the church mission to deaf-mutes of the protestant episcopal church, with the direction vested in a board of twenty-five trustees. the home in massachusetts is controlled by a private society organized for the purpose, with a board of fifteen trustees in charge. the home in new york city is a part of st. elizabeth's industrial school of the roman catholic church.[ ] the homes are for the most part for the deaf of restricted areas, those in pennsylvania and ohio being for the deaf in these respective states. with but one exception,[ ] they are open to the "aged and infirm," in some there being an age limitation of sixty years. the homes are in general free to those qualified to enter, and though a charge may be exacted from persons able to pay, this is seldom done, the homes being intended for the destitute and friendless. the total number of inmates in the homes is , ranging in different ones from to , and averaging about . the total annual cost of maintenance is $ , , making the average cost of each inmate $ .[ ] the value of the property of the homes is about $ , , one home having two-thirds of this, and two homes four-fifths. as little is received in the way of pay from inmates,[ ] the homes have to depend for the most part upon private benevolence for their support. in the case of the ohio and pennsylvania homes this support comes largely from the deaf themselves.[ ] in nearly all the homes there are a certain number of inmates, but usually a very small number, cared for at public expense. private contributions to the homes are seldom large, though in one case these have amounted to a considerable sum.[ ] they usually range from three or four thousand dollars a year to several times as much.[ ] conclusions with respect to the economic position of the deaf from all the foregoing we may conclude the following with respect to the economic position of the deaf: . the deaf are not a burden upon the community. . they are wage-earners in a degree that compares well with the general population. . the occupations open to them and in which they are successfully employed are much larger in number than is generally thought, and in many their infirmity is very little of a drawback. . the deaf hold themselves on an economic equality with the rest of their fellow-citizens, and ask no alms or favors of any kind. . beyond homes for certain of the aged and infirm, which are called for in not a few quarters, the deaf stand in need of little distinctive economic treatment from society. footnotes: [ ] special reports, p. ff. [ ] the proportion for the deaf would no doubt be higher but for the large number in the schools. it should also be noted that "keeping house", the most usual occupation reported by females, is not listed among the occupations. [ ] several of the deaf have won distinction as artists, and there have been not a few inventors. in the civil service of the national government there are said to be nearly two score. in an order was issued by the civil service commission, debarring deaf persons from this service. so great was the protest, however, made by the deaf and their friends that the decision was reversed by the president, and the deaf were allowed to compete for any position where their deafness would not interfere. see _annals_, liii., , p. ; liv., , p. ; _volta review_, x., , p. ; _silent worker_, feb., ; proceedings of national association of the deaf, ix., , pp. , . [ ] paupers in alms-houses, , p. . in there were in the alms-houses of illinois, according to the report of the state board of charities, deaf-mutes, or . per cent of the entire alms-house population; in indiana, , or . per cent; in new york, , or . per cent; and in virginia, , or . per cent. in michigan, according to the annual abstract of statistical information relating to the insane, deaf and dumb, etc., for , of the , deaf persons reported, , or per cent, were cared for at public expense. [ ] the percentage for the general population is . . [ ] in many schools it is said that few of their former pupils have failed to be self-supporting, especially those who have taken the full prescribed course. of the new york institution the proportion is stated to be as low as four per cent. report, , p. . of the michigan school it is asserted that out of , former pupils, only three are not self-supporting. proceedings of michigan conference of charities and corrections, , pp. , . similar claims are made for other schools in respect to the condition of the deaf. by the head of the new jersey school it is stated: "inquiry at the state prison elicits the fact that there is not among its vast number of inmates a single deaf man or woman, and, indeed, i know of no educated deaf convict or pauper in the state." report of board of education of new jersey, , p. . in a committee of the convention of american instructors of the deaf was appointed to collect information and statistics as to the occupations and wages of the deaf. proceedings, xix., p. . [ ] a special committee on the industrial condition of the deaf of the national association of the deaf stated as a conclusion: "more deaf workmen learn a new trade when they leave school than follow the one they were taught at school." proceedings, vii., , p. . in minnesota the division for the deaf in the state bureau of labor works in connection with the state school. see _deaf-mutes' journal_, march , . on the general industrial training of the deaf and its results, see _annals_, l., , p. ; lvii., , p. ; _volta review_, xi., , p. (proceedings of american association to promote the teaching of speech to the deaf); xiii., , pp. , ; proceedings of american instructors, xv., , p. ; xvi., , p. ; xvii., , p. ; report of special committee of board of directors of pennsylvania institution to collect information as to lives and occupations of former pupils, ; report of pennsylvania institution, , p. ; mississippi school, , p. ; , pp. , ; manual and history of ohio school, , p. ; report of united states commissioner of education, , p. ccxxxv.; _journal of social science_, xxvi., , p. . [ ] proceedings of national association of the deaf, viii., , p. ; indiana bulletin of charities and corrections, june, . [ ] proceedings of national conference of charities and corrections, , pp. , . [ ] _ibid._; proceedings of national association of the deaf, _loc. cit._ [ ] in new york the deaf are said to "earn from $ a year to $ or $ a week", most being "journeymen at their trades or skilled factory operatives". proceedings of empire state association of deaf-mutes, xx., , p. . in missouri the earnings of the graduates of the state school are reported as ranging up to $ a year. report of missouri school, , p. . in massachusetts, in an investigation of the state board of education, it has been found that of deaf men who had left school between and , the average wage was $ . a week. _volta review_, xv., , p. . the deaf when opportunity offers often become members of labor unions. they are said "quite generally to join labor unions where the nature of their occupation permits", though, on the whole, it does not seem that a large proportion do. proceedings of national association of the deaf, vii., , pp. , . for other views of the deaf on their employment and its returns, see _ibid._, i., , p. ; iv., , pp. , ; v., , p. ; vi., , p. ; viii., , p. ; empire state association of deaf-mutes, xi., , p. ; illinois gallaudet union, v., , p. ; reunion of alumni of wisconsin school for the deaf, vii., , p. ; _louisiana pelican_, of louisiana school, oct. , . [ ] proceedings, vii., p. ff. questionnaires were submitted to deaf workmen and their employers, and the conclusions (p. ) were based on their replies. these resolutions were confirmed by further findings reported in , especially as to the similarity of the wages of the deaf and the hearing, and as to the satisfaction of employers with deaf workmen. proceedings, viii., p. . [ ] another conclusion was that rural pursuits are better for the deaf than factory work. [ ] see proceedings of convention of american instructors, v., , p. ; report of kentucky school, , p. n.; _annals_, x., , p. ; xxiv., , p. . [ ] in the year the number of impostors whose arrest was secured by the deaf was . _deaf-mutes' journal_, sept. , . [ ] in many issues this is made a prominent feature. [ ] proceedings, ix., p. . see also proceedings of pennsylvania society for the advancement of the deaf, xxiv., , pp. , ; iowa association for the advancement of the deaf, vi., , p. . the action on the part of the deaf is worthy of the highest praise, and speaks volumes for them. the real cause for wonder, however, is that the public should ever allow itself to be deceived by those asking alms on the pretexts given. by no disease known to medical science, save paralysis alone, can a man lose his speech and hearing at one and the same time. it may be safely estimated that of such gentry , perhaps , per cent are rank frauds. [ ] rev. stat., , p. . see also _annals_, xxxi., , p. . on the other hand, it would seem that such statutes as that in pennsylvania which we have noted, exempting the deaf from the provisions against tramps, would lend encouragement to alms-seeking. [ ] laws, , p. . the law in this state was secured by the action of the deaf. [ ] it is said that less than , or less than one per cent of the entire number of the deaf, are in need of special homes. proceedings of national association of the deaf, ix., , p. . [ ] report of ohio home for aged and infirm deaf, , p. . [ ] from an address given at opening of pennsylvania home for the deaf, . on the objects of a home, see also proceedings of reunion of alumni of wisconsin school for the deaf, vii., , p. . [ ] in three other states funds are being collected to establish homes: illinois, indiana and missouri. to that in indiana acres of land have been donated. a private home was opened in new jersey in for colored deaf, blind and crippled, lasting but a short time, and having less than a dozen inmates. see report of new jersey school for the deaf, , pp. , . [ ] a national home for the deaf has also been proposed. for arguments for and against it, see proceedings of national association of the deaf, ix., , p. . in such a home was projected, to be located in new york city, some $ , being collected for it. little encouragement, however, was met from outside, and the plan was abandoned for a local institution. see report of church mission to deaf-mutes, , p. ; , p. ("report of committee on building and fund of national home for the aged and infirm deaf"); new york _times_, sept. , . see also _international record of charities and corrections_, june, . [ ] this home was at roxbury till . [ ] in one or two cases there are ladies' auxiliary societies. [ ] the home in new york city receives only women from sixteen to fifty years of age. [ ] one home is exceptionally provided for, however. without it the average is $ . [ ] in the amount from pay inmates was $ , . special report of the census. benevolent institutions, . the nominal charge is usually $ . [ ] over $ , was contributed by the deaf of ohio for the establishment of a home in this state. [ ] the gallaudet home has an endowment fund of $ , , of which $ , came from one legacy. [ ] see appendix a for table in respect to the homes for the deaf. in connection with the scheme of homes for the deaf, it is interesting to note that there have been one or two suggestions for colonies for them, though such have never been taken seriously. one was by a deaf man in in the form of a memorial to congress for the creation of a deaf-mute commonwealth. see _annals_, viii., , p. ; x., , pp. , , ; xxix., , p. . see also "facts and opinions relating to the deaf from america", , p. ; proceedings of national association of the deaf, i., , pp. - . farm colonies on a small scale for poor deaf-mutes have also been considered occasionally, but little further has ever been attempted. see _deaf-mutes' journal_, aug. , ; sept. , . chapter v social organization of the deaf social cleavage from the general population the preceding chapter has dealt with the economic possibilities of the deaf, and the extent to which they stand alongside the population generally. the other side of the shield in relation of the deaf to society is now to be presented, that is, how far their want of hearing will count in their participation in the social life of the community. while the deaf man may be an active component in the economic and industrial life of society, yet his inability to hear and his frequently consequent inability to speak stand in the way of his prompt and continuous partaking in its social life. he may, and does, have many friends among his neighbors and acquaintances, but in the discourse between man and man which forms such a large part of the interest and delight in living, he is unable to join. there is usually at hand no ready and rapid means of communication as there is between two hearing persons in conversation, and his intercourse must necessarily be slow and tedious. the privileges of his church he cannot enjoy; in his lodge he misses the fellowship which is one of its fundamental ends; in few forms of convivial entertainment can he take part. thus seeking an outlet for those social instincts which charge through his being, the deaf man finds himself among men, but as though surrounded by a great impenetrable wall against which their voices break in vain. placed, however, with his deaf fellows, he discovers himself in a different situation. he soon learns that by the use of that language of signs so largely employed by other deaf men, and of which he in a short time becomes master, he is able to converse with an ease and quickness fully as great as by that means of which he has been deprived. hence he ceases in large measure to carry on his social intercourse with the hearing, and turns to his deaf comrades; in them he builds up an approximately congenial companionship and fellowship, and to them he looks largely for his means of social diversion. with them he feels a close bond of sympathy, and is moved to co-operate with them, and to stand with them when their mutual interests are concerned. in time associations in various forms come to be organized among them. in such wise is realized the desire of the deaf as of all men to commune with their fellows. desirability of organizations composed of the deaf by some people societies or organizations composed exclusively of the deaf have been opposed, or at least looked upon with disfavor. this is because it has been felt that it is not well for the deaf to form a class apart in the community, and that unless discouraged the practice will cause intermarriage among the deaf, which may result in an increasing number of deaf people--a matter to which we have already given attention. but in combating this tendency of the deaf to organize among themselves, we are really unmindful of an elemental sociological principle, that like-minded persons are prone to congregate, and will seek to form purposive societies and associations, exemplified as well in a boys' athletic club, in a church sewing circle, in a lodge of free and accepted masons, as in a "league of elect surds."[ ] if "clannishness" is the outcome, it must be accepted only as the necessary consequence of the infirmity of the deaf, in the practical affairs of life such men being bound to seek out and associate with others of like condition. by the deaf themselves it is claimed that the good readily outweighs the possible evils, and that, as the fact of their deafness forbids them belonging generally to societies for the hearing, they are thus forced to band together, or almost entirely to go without the social amalgamations which form such a conspicuous and valuable part of life.[ ] purposes, activities and extent of such organizations the organizations of the deaf are of several kinds: termed clubs, leagues, societies, associations and the like; and wherever a number of deaf persons are congregated, some such organization is likely to be effected.[ ] in large cities not a few may be found, planned perhaps on different lines or appealing to different kinds of people. the majority of the societies are formed for the mutual pleasure and culture of the members.[ ] a part are organized on fraternal principles, some with benefit features, paying out so much in case of illness and the like; while in a few a certain amount of relief may be dispensed to those discovered to be in need. in most of the societies, as with the body of the deaf generally, there is a considerable amount of solidarity, and the members are usually quick to act in a common cause or to apply the principle that the concern of one is the concern of all.[ ] while these societies of the deaf are usually local in their composition, there exists more or less communication with bodies in other cities and communities. in over a fourth of the states there are state societies, while in most of the states there are also alumni associations of the special schools, which are of state-wide extent.[ ] a national body is likewise in existence, the national association of the deaf, founded in , and incorporated in ; and there is a national fraternal society of the deaf, with benefits for sickness, injury and death, which has many local branches, this being probably the largest organization of the deaf in the country.[ ] an international organization has also been formed, known as the world's congress of the deaf. among the various associations of the deaf, particular mention may be made of church organizations in some of the larger cities and towns, which not infrequently serve in some measure the purpose of a social center. these deaf congregations are usually in communion with some denominational body, often being the result of church "missions" to the deaf, and are ministered to regularly or at stated times by clergymen, most of whom are themselves deaf. for the use of the deaf, the church building or rooms in it are generally given over at certain times. in a few cases the deaf are in possession of edifices of their own.[ ] newspapers of the deaf with the deaf there have been a number of special papers, published by and for them, and circulating for the most part only among them. their chief purpose is to chronicle the various happenings in deaf circles, and to serve as a medium for the discussion of matters of general interest to the deaf. these papers are usually weeklies or monthlies, more often the former, and frequently have correspondents in a greater or smaller number of localities. there have been not a few ventures in the establishment of such independent papers, but most of them have proved short-lived for want of sufficient support, some being of very brief duration, and only an exceptional one continuing over an extended period. as a rule there have been seldom more than two or three in existence at any one time.[ ] in addition, there have been several religious papers for the deaf, often under the auspices of some denominational body, but usually published by the deaf themselves. these, however, have never been numerous, and have been of limited circulation.[ ] footnotes: [ ] the deaf are not usually eligible to regular secret orders. [ ] on the subject of societies of the deaf, see _annals_, xviii., , pp. , ; xxi., , p. ; xxxii., , p. ; xxxiii., , p. ; xlix., , p. ; proceedings of convention of american instructors, ix., , p. ; national association of the deaf, ii., , p. ; iv., , pp. , ; vii., , p. ; viii., , p. ; reunion of alumni of wisconsin school for the deaf, v., , p. ; empire state association of deaf-mutes, xiii., , p. ; _deaf-mutes' friend_, aug., . see also e. a. hodgson, "the deaf and dumb; facts, anecdotes and poetry", ; j. e. gallaher, "representative deaf persons in the united states", ; _international review_, ii., , p. . [ ] the oldest organization of the deaf now existing is the new england gallaudet association of the deaf, which began in . it resulted largely from the gallaudet memorial association, organized two years before to raise funds for a monument to thomas hopkins gallaudet. in was created the alumni association of the high class of the new york institution; in the empire state association; and in the ohio alumni association. see proceedings of national association of the deaf, iv., , p. . [ ] some of these have special club rooms for social and literary meetings, where conversation can be carried on freely without attracting public notice. some of these club rooms are large and well appointed. in not a few of the younger clubs athletics forms a prominent feature. [ ] this spirit is illustrated in many ways, perhaps most strikingly in the case where a deaf man seems likely to be debarred from some public position because of his want of hearing, when the deaf promptly rally to his support. we have already seen their action in connection with the order of the civil service commission. sometimes candidates for office have been asked to state their views on this subject. as a further instance of mutual assistance among the deaf may be mentioned the raising of relief funds for deaf sufferers in other localities in times of some great disaster. [ ] in ohio and pennsylvania the state societies manage homes for the aged deaf, as we have seen; and in virginia the state association supports a special missionary to the deaf. in pennsylvania there are many county sections of the state body. in a number of centers a leading association is that of the alumni of gallaudet college. [ ] there has also frequently been discussion of a federation of the various state and local organizations. see proceedings of national association of the deaf, iii., , p. ; ix., , p. . [ ] such churches are now in new york, philadelphia and wheeling, under protestant episcopal auspices; in milwaukee under lutheran; and in baltimore under methodist. special church buildings are also in contemplation in other cities. funds for these churches are raised by the deaf with the assistance of their hearing friends. in the roman catholic church there is a special organization of the deaf, founded in , and known as the knights of l'Épée. [ ] there have been about thirty such publications created, the first of which seems to have been begun in , and the second in . see especially "periodicals devoted to the interests of the deaf," by the volta bureau, . see also _volta review_, xii., , p. ; proceedings of national association of the deaf, ix., , p. . the present publications are: the _deaf-mutes' journal_, of new york, a weekly; the _observer_, of seattle, a bi-weekly; the _frat_, of chicago, a monthly; and the _pennsylvania society news_, a quarterly. [ ] those now existing are: the _catholic deaf-mute_, of new york, under roman catholic auspices; the _silent churchman_, of chicago, under protestant episcopal; the _silent herald_, of chicago, under methodist; and the _deaf lutheran_, of milwaukee, under lutheran. chapter vi popular conceptions concerning the deaf viewed as a strange class the position of the deaf in society is yet to be seen from another standpoint. the question may be asked, how does the public at large, how does "the man in the street," look upon the deaf? are the deaf viewed merely as so many people deprived of the sense of hearing, in whom also the power of speech is often wanting? or is there superimposed upon this a feeling, owing perhaps to the supposed isolation of the deaf, that they are in other ways a peculiar class of beings? unfortunately, it is the latter of these two conceptions that is the prevailing one--unfortunately for the deaf, for their burden is quite sufficient as it is. the public has been and is under many misapprehensions and delusions regarding the deaf.[ ] being thrown intimately with them but seldom, people often come to form curious ideas respecting the deaf, but ideas which are more or less unhappy ones. there is frequently an attitude towards them combined of wonder, misgiving, fear, aversion--a vague feeling or belief that the deaf are more or less distinct in their thoughts and actions from other people, that they are somehow "unnatural" or "uncanny."[ ] viewed as a defective class not only are the deaf often looked upon as a strange class in the community, but they are not uncommonly known as "defectives," and this is the classification frequently applied to them. it is true that the deaf are "defective" in that they are deprived of one of the most important of the physical senses; but, in addition, the term often carries a connotation of mental, or even of moral, aberrance, and results in the infliction upon the deaf of an unnecessary brand. in many libraries such a classification is found, and the deaf are catalogued under the heading "defective." in the "index of the economic material in documents of the states of the united states" of the carnegie foundation, the deaf and the blind are grouped as "defectives" along with the feeble-minded and consumptives.[ ] though in such a classification, any untoward signification is disclaimed, and it is held to be merely one of convenience of arrangement, it remains true that terms are employed and associations involved that to a certain extent do a very real injury to the deaf.[ ] viewed as an unhappy class people are also prone to think of the deaf as an unhappy, morose or dejected class. professor e. t. devine in his "misery and its causes" ( )[ ] enumerates the deaf, among other classes, as embodiments of misery--"not for the most part," he is careful to state, "personally unhappy," but rather with reference to their imperfect senses. this view is clear enough, and in one sense is doubtless correct; but it does not express the entire situation in respect to the deaf. while their deafness must always be a serious and distressing affliction, and even handicap and burden as well, and while the deaf must often bemoan their fate, it yet seems to be true that the deaf as a lot are not "unhappy." they are good-natured, see the world from an odd angle sometimes, yet are as much philosophers as the average man; and when in the company of their deaf associates are able to derive fully as large a portion of happiness as any other group of human beings. the deaf are cheerful, swayed by the same emotions as other mortals, responsive equally to all the touches of life, and are not, at least in these days of education, a morbid, brooding, passionate folk, as is too often the popular judgment. viewed as a dependent class in some quarters the deaf continue to be looked upon as one of the dependent classes of society. mr. robert hunter in his "poverty" ( )[ ] under the head of "dependents and their treatment" places the deaf and dumb as "absolute dependents." such views, however, are no longer general, the deaf having themselves demonstrated to what extent they are a self-supporting part of the community. but where this belief is still shared, the deaf are thought in many cases to be in need of aid or public charity; or at any rate to be economically inferior to the rest of society. deaf pupils in the schools, for instance, are often referred to as "inmates" or even as "patients," not only by the public but by newspapers as well; and the schools themselves are often spoken of as "asylums" or as charitable institutions.[ ] this nomenclature is hardly defensible on any ground, and by it the education of the deaf is not even given its true status. as a further illustration of the general feeling, though rather of different order, may perhaps be cited the attitude of the general insurance companies toward the deaf. though some of the companies accept the deaf at their regular rates, a number refuse them altogether, while others limit their liability or demand an extra premium.[ ] this is largely because of the fear that the deaf are more liable to accidents than other people; but in point of fact the deaf seem to be a long-lived people, and it is likely that with greater statistical knowledge concerning them, most of the discrimination would cease.[ ] need of a changed regard for the deaf thus in many ways are the deaf made to suffer from popular misconceptions, and quite unnecessarily. too long have designations been employed regarding them that call up undeserved associations. too long have they been set down as a strange and uncertain body of human beings, removed in their actions, manners and modes of thought from the rest of society. the interests of the deaf require a different consideration and treatment. they demand that the deaf be regarded exactly as other people, only unable to hear. theirs will be a great boon when they are looked upon no more as a distinct and different portion of the race, but entirely as normal creatures, equally capable and human as all other men.[ ] footnotes: [ ] very often in the public mind the deaf and the blind are associated, the two classes sometimes becoming more or less merged the one into the other, and the problems of the one are not infrequently assumed to be those of the other. as a matter of fact, there is but one point of similarity in the two classes--both are "defective" in that they are deprived of a most important physical sense. the gulf that really separates the blind from the deaf is far deeper than that which lies between either of the two classes and the normal population. [ ] in this connection it may be interesting to note the regard for the deaf as has been indicated by the deaf characters that have been created in fiction. though not a large number are found, there is displayed towards them an attitude largely of kindly sympathy, in some cases mingled with wonder. such characters appear in lew wallace's "prince of india", where three deaf-mutes are instructed to speak; scott's _fanella_ in "peveril of the peak"; dickens' _sophy_ in "dr. marigold" (an unusually attractive and lovable character); collins' _madonna mary_ in "hide and seek"; caine's _naomi_ in "the scapegoat"; haggard's "she"; maarten's "god's fool"; de musset's "pierre and camille"; and elsewhere. thomas holcroft's "deaf and dumb; or the orphan protected" is an adaptation from the french play "abbé de l'Épée" of j. n. bouilly, in , in which the founder of the first school for the deaf and his pupils are touchingly portrayed. feigned characters are also found, as scott's mute in "the talisman"; in moliere's "le médecin malgré lui"; jonson's "epicoene"; and john poole's "deaf as a post". defoe has a character, _duncan campbell_, which is possibly based on one from real life, being referred to by addison in the _spectator_ and the _tatler_. on the subject of the deaf in fiction, see _silent worker_, dec., ; _annals_, xxxix., , p. ; indiana bulletin of charities and corrections, june, ; _athenaeum_, feb., april, . [ ] it may be recorded here that in the present compilation of the bibliography of the united states bureau of education, the expression formerly used, "delinquents, dependents and defectives", has been dropped in favor of the term, "special classes of persons". on this subject, see proceedings of national educational association, , p. . [ ] a possibly more serious misapprehension respecting the deaf arises from the impression often current among a large number of people, and apparently encouraged not infrequently in the proceedings of some scientific bodies, to the effect that nearly all deaf-mutes are so either because of a similar condition in their parents or because of the existence in the parents of some physical disease, sometimes of an immoral character. this is in a great part due to the increasing emphasis upon eugenics, with the desire to weed out from the population as many as possible of the "unfit" or "defective". in consequence has been the belief that if there were proper regulation of certain marriages, especially of the deaf and of others suffering from particular maladies, "deaf-mutism", which is looked upon as an excrescence upon society, would in the course of a short time be stamped out. an illustration of this conception is the following extract from the handbook of the child welfare exhibit held in new york in (p. ): "mating of the unfit. 'the law'. marriages of cousins, insane or feeble-minded, alcoholic, syphilitic parents and effects. the cost-- , blind infants, , deaf and dumb, , feeble-minded". see also proceedings of national conference of charities and corrections, , p. ; report of philadelphia baby saving show, , p. ; _annals_, lvii., , p. . as a matter of fact, as we have already seen, the question of deafness is not one so much of eugenics as of medical science, although eugenics may well be called in play in respect to the marriages of persons under unfavorable conditions, including to an extent the congenitally deaf and those having deaf relatives. the total number of the deaf, however, marrying under unfavorable conditions, is not large. every effort to remove or diminish deafness is entitled only to the highest praise; but when it is made to appear that deafness generally results from such causes as are often ascribed, it is seen how wrongly the deaf, upon whom a great affliction is already resting, may be made to suffer. [ ] p. . see also proceedings of empire state association of deaf-mutes, xii., , p. ; national conference of charities and corrections, , p. . [ ] p. . see also p. . similarly professor c. r. henderson in his "dependents, defectives and delinquents" says (p. ): "many of the deaf and blind are so deficient in industrial efficiency, owing to their infirmity, that they must be cared for in adult life and old age". [ ] in the special census report of benevolent institutions of schools for the deaf and the blind are included, because they contain "free homes for care and maintenance". in some charity directories schools for the deaf are listed. [ ] it is claimed that per cent of the general fraternal organizations consider the deaf as "hazardous" or "undesirable". proceedings of national association of the deaf, ix., , p. . accident insurance is usually refused by all. when an extra rate is charged in life insurance, this is usually one-half of one per cent. on the subject of insurance and the mortality of the deaf, see _annals_, xxxiii., , p. ; xlix., , p. ; proceedings of convention of american instructors, ii., , p. ; iii., , p. ; xi., , p. ; empire state association of deaf-mutes, xii., , p. ; xiii., , p. : xvi., , p. ; xix., , p. ; national association of the deaf, ii., , p. ; vii., , p. ; report of new york institution, , p. . [ ] the foregoing illustrate some of the most striking misconceptions regarding the deaf. on the other hand, no doubt the deaf as well as the blind suffer from sentiment on the part of the public, and from the sensational accounts which appear from time to time in the newspapers and magazines concerning what the deaf have been found able to accomplish. many things are referred to as "wonders", as though it were strange that they could be done by people without hearing, some of the achievements of the deaf being set down as most remarkable. such writings are usually in a kindly spirit, and may often serve a useful purpose in making known the similarity of the capabilities of the deaf and of the hearing; but when they make the deaf appear as a peculiar and unlike part of the race, their effect may be most misleading. the worst result is that the public becomes ready and willing to believe almost any thing about the deaf. [ ] in the convention of american instructors of the deaf appointed a committee to consider the question of the dissemination of knowledge regarding the attainments of the deaf. proceedings, xviii., p. . chapter vii private organizations interested in the deaf general societies interested in the deaf we have now considered the interest of society in the deaf in its several relations, together with the treatment that has been extended to them. it remains to be noted whether there have been any private undertakings organized in behalf of the deaf or interested in their welfare, and what has been done by such bodies. in america virtually the only organizations composed of persons not deaf and formed for the purpose of advancing the interests of the deaf have been those more or less closely related to the education of deaf children, and with their exception practically no movements in respect to the deaf may be said to have been undertaken.[ ] these organizations interested in the instruction of the deaf are of two divisions: bodies actively engaged in the work of this instruction, and bodies only indirectly concerned. the first division includes, on the one hand, associations of instructors of the deaf, and, on the other, societies or corporations formed to promote and establish schools, which have either passed out of existence, their mission being fulfilled, on the taking over of the school by the state, or have remained in control of certain schools--to be considered when we come to the general provisions for the education of the deaf. in the second division are three kinds of organizations: the volta bureau, an organization in a class of its own; associations of parents concerned mainly with the instruction of their own children; and undertakings interested in the extension of religious knowledge to the deaf, usually in the form of church missions. the volta bureau the one organization in america of large compass and concerned solely with the interests of the deaf is the volta bureau, located in washington. this has resulted from the gift of dr. alexander graham bell in , who having received , francs from the french government in recognition of his services in the field of invention, decided to use the money to establish the bureau for the "increase and diffusion of knowledge relating to the deaf." the bureau now contains much information regarding the deaf as a class, as well as carefully compiled data regarding many individuals; and also publishes works on the deaf, including the "volta review," a monthly periodical. it is much interested in the methods of instruction of the deaf, while another important aim may be said to be the elimination of deafness as far as possible, or the removal of many of the effects of deafness. dr. bell's total benefactions to this bureau, together with the association to promote the teaching of speech to the deaf, to which it is now joined, have amounted to more than a quarter of a million dollars.[ ] parents' associations for the deaf associations of parents have been organized chiefly in relation to the education of their own deaf children, though in some cases friends as well as parents are included. they have often been particularly concerned in the creation of day schools for the deaf, but have also shown an interest in other ways.[ ] these associations have been mostly confined to cities, and have been organized in a dozen or so of them, as boston, cleveland, cincinnati, chicago, detroit, milwaukee, st. paul, new york, los angeles, and san francisco.[ ] state associations have been rare, being found in only two or three states, as ohio, wisconsin and nebraska.[ ] church missions to the deaf practically all the religious denominations have shown more or less concern in the spiritual welfare of the deaf, so far as individuals have been affected, and many churches have deaf members on their rolls. some of the church bodies have, in addition, given more particular attention to the deaf, and have instituted special activities to embrace as many of them as possible. such movements have their greatest opportunities in the cities, where it is easier to reach the deaf than in the scattered districts of the country, though some efforts have been made there too. on the whole, however, only a small part of the religious duty towards the deaf is found to have been done; and it remains beyond question that they have been neglected in this regard far too much, and that there is indeed a field "white unto the harvest" for the spiritual well-being of the deaf. perhaps also there is no sphere of religious endeavor where the need of mutual understanding and co-operation is so manifest as with the deaf. the denominations that have taken special action usually maintain what are called "missions to the deaf," and have clergymen, both deaf and hearing, who give part or all of their time to the work. in a few of the larger cities, as we have seen, special churches for the deaf have been organized, supported with the aid of the denominational body, while in other cases the use of the church building is allowed to the deaf at certain times. visits are also made from time to time to smaller places when a number of deaf people may be assembled together, and special meetings are arranged for them.[ ] in such missions, while the aims are largely spiritual, there are often in addition operations of a material character, with appropriate attention to individual cases of need.[ ] among protestant churches, the protestant episcopal may be considered the pioneer, and it has taken up the work with considerable zeal and effectiveness. in work was begun in the east, and in formally organized. in it was extended to the mid-west, and in to the north-west and south-west. in a number of the dioceses the work is now given attention, in some of the large cities, as new york, philadelphia and chicago, its labor being notable.[ ] the lutheran church has been active particularly in some of the states of the middle west, as in the synods of missouri, ohio, and others, and in a few cities of the east. the methodists have likewise been engaged in certain sections of the country, especially in the south and in the mid-west. the baptists have also taken up work, especially in the south and in new england. together with the congregationalists, they started action in the latter section in , though most of the work in new england is now done by a union organization of several denominations, called the "evangelical alliance." in other protestant bodies little has been attempted beyond local undertakings in a few places. the work of the roman catholic church in respect to the deaf is well organized in a number of centers, and many of the catholic deaf are carefully looked after. with the hebrews most of the attention has been confined to certain large cities.[ ] organizations interested in the education of the deaf there are in america three large bodies interested in the education of the deaf, and composed for the most part of those directly connected with the work of education. these are the convention of american instructors of the deaf, the conference of superintendents and principals, and the american association to promote the teaching of speech to the deaf, all meeting, as a usual thing, triennially in different years. of these the oldest is the convention of american instructors, which was organized in .[ ] it is a large and representative body, and has manifested its interest from the beginning in the general welfare of the deaf, as well as in the particular demands of education. the conference of superintendents and principals, as its name implies, is composed of the heads of schools, and was organized in .[ ] the association to promote the teaching of speech to the deaf was incorporated as such in , though it was not the first body concerned in this work.[ ] it is now countrywide, and embraces a large number of those interested in the teaching of speech to the deaf, whether active educators or not. a large section of its members are "pure oralists," that is, believing in the exclusive use of speech with the deaf. in the volta bureau was taken over by this body.[ ] it may be mentioned here also that the educators of the deaf are represented in the national educational association.[ ] publications devoted to the interests of the deaf there are two publications devoted to the interests of the deaf: the "american annals of the deaf" and the "volta review," both published in washington. the former was begun in . it appears bi-monthly, and is under the direction of the conference of principals.[ ] it has long been known as the standard periodical relating to the deaf in america, and represents current thought and opinion of practical educators of the deaf, as well as constituting a general record of the work. the "volta review," formerly known as the "association review," was begun in , and was published by the association to promote the teaching of speech to the deaf. it is now published conjointly by the association and the volta bureau, and appears as an illustrated monthly. it is "devoted to the problems of deafness," but deals in the greatest measure with the matters pertaining to the education of the deaf.[ ] in most of the residential schools, or institutions, there are also papers, which often serve to keep parents and others informed of the work of the respective schools. we have already referred to the publications by the deaf themselves, both secular and religious. footnotes: [ ] general organizations of a philanthropic or other character have seldom extended activities to include the deaf, though at times some institution, as the young men's christian association or a social settlement, has manifested an interest, chiefly in providing a place for meeting. [ ] the bureau contains a card catalogue of more than , deaf children who have been in the special schools from to ; authentic manuscript respecting , marriages of the deaf; and the special schedules of the census of respecting the deaf. it serves, moreover, as a bureau of information and advice, with suggestions for the hard of hearing also, and as a teachers' agency. on the work of the bureau, see _deaf-mute advance_, of illinois school, march , ; _silent worker_, may, ; and current numbers of the _volta review_, especially that for jan., (xiv., p. ). [ ] the purpose of the boston parents' education association for deaf children is "to encourage home instruction, aid schools for the deaf in boston, help deaf children to continue their education in schools or colleges for hearing persons, aid them in acquiring a practical knowledge of useful trades and business, assist them in obtaining remunerative employment, bring them into more extensive social relations with hearing persons, and employ such other means for their advancement as may be deemed advisable." see "offering in behalf of the deaf", by this association, , p. . see also _association review_, ii., , p. . most of the associations have also been interested in the employment of the oral method of instruction. dues in such associations are usually only one or two dollars, and there is often a board of directors appointed. [ ] the first seems to have been the boston association, formed in . [ ] in several of these associations membership is over a hundred. in milwaukee there is also a similar society known as the wisconsin phonological institute to promote the teaching of speech to the deaf, which was organized in , and incorporated in , as a philanthropic society. see report, , p. . [ ] on the subject of church work among the deaf, see proceedings of national association of the deaf, i., , p. ; iv., , p. ; vi., , p. ; vii., , p. ; empire state association of deaf-mutes, xii., , p. ; conference on church work among the deaf (protestant episcopal), i., , p. ; ii., , p. ; iv., , p. ; v., , p. ; report of diocesan commission on church work among the deaf, ; church mission to the deaf (new york), , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; _annals_, xxix., , p. . [ ] direct relief may be afforded in some cases, and in others visits made to hospitals, prisons and the like, where deaf persons may be found, without regard to religious affiliation. assistance is also often rendered in acting as interpreters in court, though this work is frequently shared in by instructors of the deaf. in one or two instances, as we have seen, homes for the deaf have been established by religious bodies. [ ] in the protestant episcopal church there are now some twelve clergymen engaged in this work, ten of whom are deaf, and more than twice this number of lay helpers. [ ] in new york there is a society for the welfare of the jewish deaf, which was organized in , and incorporated in . laws, ch. . it is controlled by a board of from seventeen to thirty governors, and is interested in the educational, industrial, social and religious concerns of the deaf. see _hebrew standard_, march , ; _jewish charities_, jan., . see also proceedings of national conference of jewish charities, , p. . [ ] its first meeting was at the new york institution, after a call had been issued by several of the leading educators. in this body was incorporated. [ ] the organization was effected at washington. see report of columbia institution, , p. . [ ] a convention of articulation teachers was held as early as . another meeting was held in . see _annals_, xix., , pp. , ; xxix., , pp. , ; _volta review_, xiv., , p. . in was formed the association to promote auricular training of the deaf, which was subsequently merged with the larger organization. [ ] the association has a board of fifteen directors, and an advisory board of twelve. [ ] this was organized in . proceedings, p. . it is known as department xvi, or the department of special education. both instructors of the deaf and of the blind are represented, those interested in the education of the feeble-minded having also been included up to . in addition to the three general organizations of educators of the deaf, there have been several local conferences, as of the principals of schools in the southern states and in new york, and of teachers in the state of michigan and of the city of new york. [ ] its first publication was by the instructors of the hartford school. publication was omitted in , and from to . [ ] for other publications that have appeared in the interest of the deaf, see "periodicals devoted to the interests of the deaf," by the volta bureau, . part ii provision for the education of the deaf chapter viii the education of the deaf prior to its introduction into the united states among the ancient peoples generally the deaf and dumb, especially those so by birth, were deemed as of deficient mentality, and were accounted, intellectually, as little better than children, or, indeed, as idiots. though treated, it seems, for the most part humanely, they were regarded not without some aversion; and their affliction was not infrequently looked upon as a visitation of the gods, some of the hardy races even destroying their deaf offspring. for a long period there were scarcely any serious attempts to give instruction to the deaf. allusions to the deaf and their state with respect to education are found in certain of the greek and latin writers, and occasionally in those of other languages. herodotus speaks of the deaf son of cr[oe]sus, and hippocrates has reference to the deaf as a class. plato and aristotle also make mention of the deaf, the latter considering them incapable of education because of the absence of the sense of hearing. among latin authors we find an account by pliny the elder of a deaf man who had learned painting. it is only after the fifteenth century that we have more or less authenticated accounts of the instruction of the deaf, and many of these are hardly more than a passing reference here and there. it was, moreover, well after europe had taken its present political appearance that the modern attitude towards the deaf and their instruction began. before this their education as a class was not thought of, and while no doubt there have always been sporadic instances of the instruction of the deaf, it is only since the middle of the eighteenth century that the deaf have come generally into the birthright of their education. yet it is not so great a matter of wonder that the movements for the instruction of the deaf took organized shape so late in the world's civilization. learning or schooling was in no sense popular till some time after the passing away of the so-called dark ages. for long it was rather the privilege of the rich and powerful. the great mass of the people were not deemed worthy of learning, and education itself in any general application did not have a recognized standing in society. after the renaissance, however, had ushered in a new age, and when the desire for learning was the master passion among many men in southern and western europe, it is natural to suppose that efforts should have more frequently been made to instruct the deaf child; and after this time we are prepared to find an increasing number of instances of the instruction of the deaf. this was all the more true when an air of mystery was felt to surround these silent ones, and to bring the light of the new learning to these afflicted creatures was considered well worth the attempt. the earliest instance recorded of instruction given to the deaf in the english language is that of the venerable bede about the year , who tells of a deaf person taught to speak by bishop john of york, related as though it were a miracle. after many years we meet accounts of other cases. rudolph agricola ( - ) of gröningen, holland, and later a professor at heidelberg, cites in his "_de inventione dialecta_" a deaf man who could write. in italy a little later we find certain deaf children whose instruction is mentioned by pietro de castro; while in the sixteenth century girolamo cardano ( - ), the distinguished physician of pavia, attempted to state the principles of the education of the deaf, demonstrating the use of a written language for them, and advocating the teaching of speech. he further invented a manual alphabet, which was one of the first of its kind. in giovanni bonifaccio also wrote regarding the "art of signing" and speech for the deaf. but it is to spain that credit is to be given as being the first country of europe where there are recorded accounts of successful instruction of the deaf. in , or perhaps earlier, pedro ponce de leon of the order of st. benedict taught, chiefly by oral methods, several deaf children in the convent of san salvador de oña. great success must have attended his efforts, for in addition to the spanish language and arithmetic, his pupils are reported to have mastered latin, greek and astrology. about this time there lived a deaf artist, known as _el mudo_, and he had very likely received instruction in some way. in juan pablo bonet, who had had several deaf pupils, instructing them largely in articulation methods, published a treatise on the art of instructing the deaf, called "_reduccion de las letras y arta para enseñer a hablar los mudos_;" and he was the inventor of a manual alphabet, in considerable part like that used in america to-day. sir kinelm digby of england, visiting spain about this time, saw bonet's work and wrote an account of his pupils. in appeared in england "_chirologia_, or the natural language of the hand" by a physician, dr. john bulwer, who had perhaps also observed the results in spain. this was followed in by his more important work, "_philocophus_, or the deaf and dumb man's friend," mostly describing a kind of process in articulation and lip-reading. bulwer's friend, john wallis, a professor at oxford, seems to have been the first practical teacher here, instructing two deaf persons by writing and in speech, and showing them to the king. in his "_tractatus de loquela_" was published. along the same line was the writing of dr. william holder on the "elements of speech," published in , in which he advocated articulation teaching. in there appeared a treatise by george sibscota on "the deaf and dumb man's discourse," but this was really a translation from the writings of a german named deusing. in dr. george dalgarno of scotland published his "_didascalocophus_, the deaf and dumb man's tutor," in which preference was given to the use of a written language and a manual alphabet, of one of which he was himself the inventor. in appeared "_digiti lingua_," written "by a person who had conversed no otherwise in above nine years." some half a century later we find the name of henry baker, son-in-law of daniel defoe, who gave instruction in speech. other countries of europe were hardly behind england in their interest in the deaf and their instruction. spain, besides the names we have mentioned, had notably ramirez de carion, himself a deaf man, who lived not long after bonet. italy had in particular padre lana terzi, who in published a work on articulation; and also fabrizio d'acquapendente and affinité, who in their writings threw out references to speech for the deaf. in holland there were peter montans, who about issued several tracts on speech; jan baptista van helmont, who in wrote on speech and an alphabet; and john conrad amman, formerly a swiss physician, who in gave out his "_surdus loquens_," which was enlarged and republished in as "_dissertatio de loquela_." the name of amman is especially notable, not only for his instruction in speech of several deaf children, but for his influence on later oral methods. in switzerland we find at basel in , or perhaps a few years sooner, an account of a deaf person who was instructed in speech by [oe]colampadius, the reformer and friend of luther; at geneva in of a deaf child instructed by st. francis de sales; and also in geneva in of a deaf person who had probably received instruction. in germany we have a regular succession of names of those who either attempted to instruct the deaf or who wrote of this instruction, some of these names being among the earliest of those in europe who showed an interest in the matter. in the year we meet the name of pasch, a clergyman of brandenburgh, who taught his daughter by means of pictures. in rudolph camerarius wrote a book on speech, and in gaspard schott mentions a case of successful instruction. in or kerger at liegnitz in silesia taught some pupils orally, having what seemed a temporary school. in georges raphel, who had taught his three deaf daughters, wrote a book explaining his process of instruction. among other names appearing earlier or later were those of morhoff, mallenkrot, wild, niederoff, lichwitz, shulze, ettmuller, arnoldi, lasius, heinicke, and nicolai. of all these much the most renowned is that of samuel heinicke. in at dresden he became interested in the deaf, and a few years later started a school near hamburg. in , at the instance of the state, he moved to leipsic, his school thus being the first public school for the deaf to be established. he was also the author of several books on the education of the deaf. heinicke was instrumental in bringing the oral method into favor, and in many respects, so far as its present use is concerned, may be said to be its father. he was in fact one of the greatest teachers of the deaf, and the influence of his work has been felt in no small measure in america. in france, too, there were great names, though they were late in appearing; père vanin, rousset, ernaud, de fay, pereire, abbé de l'Épée, abbé deschamps, and others.[ ] of these vanin, pereire, deschamps, and de l'Épée are the most notable. vanin about instructed some children by means of pictures and a manual alphabet. rodriguez pereire, a portuguese jew, had several pupils at bordeaux before the middle of the eighteenth century, and though his methods were kept secret for the most part, he appeared to have met considerable success, in giving an exhibition before the academy of sciences. abbé deschamps in published at orleans a work on the instruction of the deaf, largely favoring the oral method. it is to charles michel abbé de l'Épée, however, that is given the highest reverence of all the initial workers for the deaf, being the founder of the first regular school, and receiving nearly equal distinction for his impression on early methods of instruction--this being especially true in respect to america, where his influence in the introduction of the sign language has been greater than any other man's. the abbé had become interested in two deaf orphans in paris, whom he attempted to teach, and in established a school near the city, conducting it at his own expense. this proved a success, and he decided to give his whole life to the instruction of the deaf. he wrote several works on their education, the chief one being "_la veritable manière d'instruire les sourds et muets_," published in . the achievements of de l'Épée were soon far-famed, and the people were taken with their novelty. many honors were offered him, and his work was brought to the notice of the french academy and approved. in his school was adopted by the state. the successor of abbé de l'Épée was abbé sicard, and the work continued to flourish in france. not long after de l'Épée and heinicke had started their schools in france and germany respectively, thomas braidwood, in , opened a school in edinburgh, scotland. in a school was established in rome, in in madrid, and in in genoa. in the early years of the nineteenth century other schools were started over western europe. thus by the time that the work for the education of the deaf was to enter america, in the establishment of the first school in the second decade of the century, there were already in europe a number of schools in existence.[ ] footnotes: [ ] in diderot published his "_lettre sur les sourds et muets_," in which there is reference to the education of the deaf. [ ] for accounts of the early work for the education of the deaf, both before and after it was taken up in the united states, the following may be referred to: thomas arnold, "a method of teaching the deaf and dumb speech, lip-reading and language", ; "the education of deaf-mutes", ; e. m. gallaudet, "life of thomas hopkins gallaudet", ; h. n. dixon, "a method of teaching deaf-mutes to speak, with a historical introduction" (including a translation of bonet's work), ; j. k. love, "deaf-mutism", ; henry barnard, "a tribute to gallaudet", with other papers, ; heman humphrey, "life and labors of t. h. gallaudet", ; h. w. syle, "retrospect of the education of the deaf", ; j. a. seiss, "the children of silence", ; j. r. burnet, "tales of the deaf and dumb", ; e. j. mann, "deaf and dumb", ; j. n. williams, "a silent people", ; w. r. scott, "the deaf and dumb, their education and social position", ; history of first school for deaf-mutes in america, ; addresses delivered at the new york institution, ; h. p. peet, address at laying of corner stone of north carolina institution, ; proceedings of laying of corner stone of michigan institution, ; collins stone, "address on history and methods of deaf-mute instruction", ; addresses commemorative of the virtues and services of abraham b. hutton, ; _american annals of the deaf_ (especially early numbers, often giving accounts of individual schools as well as of the general work); _north american review_, vii., , p. ; xxxviii., , p. ; lxxxvii., , p. ; civ., , p. ; _american journal of education_, (n. s.) i., , p. ; _american annals of education_, iv., , p. ; _literary and theological review_, ii., , p. ; _american biblical repository_, viii., , p. ; _de bow's review_, xvii., , p. ; _national magazine_, ix., , pp. , (sketches of humane institutions); _scribner's magazine_, xii., , p. ; _association review_, ii.-v., - ("historical notes concerning the teaching of speech to the deaf"); proceedings of convention of american instructors of the deaf, i., , p. ; v., , p. (h. p. peet, "memoirs on the origin and early history of the art of the instruction of the deaf and dumb"); iii., , p. ; iv., , p. ; ix., , p. ; american association to promote the teaching of speech to the deaf, v., , p. (p. g. gillet, "some notable benefactors of the deaf"); national association of the deaf, iii., , p. ; national conference of charities and corrections, , p. ; _californian_, iv., , p. ; iowa bulletin of state institutions, viii., , p. ; xii., , p. ; transactions of royal historical society, viii., ; encyclopedia americana, (history of the education of the deaf in the united states, given in _annals_, xxxi., , p. ); various reports of the several schools for the deaf in america (as that of new york institution, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; american school, , p. ; , p. ; pennsylvania institution, , p. ; , p. ; kentucky school, , p. ; , p. ; michigan school, , p. ; illinois school, , p. ; new york institution for improved instruction, , p. ; mississippi school, appendices, , , ); "histories of american schools for the deaf", edited and with an introduction by dr. e. a. fay, (containing accounts of individual schools, and a most valuable work). chapter ix history of education of the deaf in the united states early attempts at instruction the first instance of which we have record in america of an attempt to teach the deaf was in [ ] when a man named philip nelson of rowley, massachusetts, tried to instruct a deaf and dumb boy, isaac kilbourn by name, in speech, though with what success we do not know.[ ] these, however, were the witchcraft days, and the work of nelson seemed such an extraordinary thing that the ministers of the community are said to have made an investigation, fearing that witches might be involved in the affair. the next instance of which we have mention occurred in virginia a century later, when john harrower, a school-master of fredericksburg, had in his school from to a deaf boy named john edge, reference to whose instruction is made in his diary.[ ] the earliest effort for the establishment of a school for the deaf in america of which we know was made almost contemporaneously with the opening of the nineteenth century, and at the time that such schools were being created over europe. there lived at this time in boston a man named francis green, who had a deaf son. this boy he sent to the school in scotland which braidwood had started; while he himself became much interested in the subject of the education of the deaf. in he published in england a work entitled "_vox oculis subjecta_." in he had, with the help of some of the ministers, a census made of the deaf in massachusetts, when were found, and it was estimated that there were in the united states. green felt the need of a school, and in several of the publications of the time appeared his writings, in which he urged the creation of one.[ ] it was in , however, and in the city of new york that the real beginning of deaf-mute education in the united states was marked. this was when john stanford, a minister, found several deaf children in the city almshouse and attempted to teach them. though his efforts continued but a short time, it was these from which resulted the establishment a few years later of a school in the city, the new york institution.[ ] in virginia shortly afterwards a second school was started, which in itself is to be set down as an important stage in the course of the early attempts to create schools for the deaf in america. in there came to the united states john braidwood, a member of the family which was in control of the institution at edinburgh, scotland, in the hope of establishing a school. he began plans for one at baltimore, but before it had gotten under headway, he was called to virginia to undertake the instruction of the deaf children of william bolling, of goochland county. this private school continued, with seemingly satisfactory results in the progress of the pupils, for two and a half years. in it was moved to cobbs, chesterfield county,[ ] to be open to the public. the school now promised well, and there were already several pupils. however, braidwood was looking about for other opportunities, and had been in touch with several parties in regard to the employment of his services.[ ] in he went to new york, where he proposed to start a school, and collected a few pupils, only to return to virginia again after a few months. in he began operations anew, this time at a private classical school at manchester under john kilpatrick, a minister. in less than a year this too was abandoned by braidwood, who soon after met his death. kilpatrick attempted to continue the school only a year or two longer, possibly even taking a few pupils with him when he moved to cumberland county in ; and so was brought to an end the checkered career of this early school for the deaf in virginia.[ ] such were the beginnings of the instruction of the deaf in america. with the exception of these undertakings, barely touching the surface in the number of children reached, the only means of education possible in the land was in sending children to a school in europe, which was done in the case of a few wealthy parents. for the great mass of the deaf, isolated and scattered though they were at the time, there was no instruction to be had. but this period was now nearly passed. attention in more than one quarter was being directed to the deaf and the possibilities of their education; and in the breasts of not a few men a feeling was astir that instruction was somehow to be brought to them.[ ] the seed was already sown, and by the time the school in virginia was broken up, others were beginning to arise elsewhere. when the work was finally to be taken up, it was to be upon a solid foundation which should last with the lastingness of education. beginning of the first schools the seat of the first permanent school to be established in the united states for the education of the deaf was hartford, connecticut; and the name of the one man with which the beginning work will forever be coupled is that of thomas hopkins gallaudet. america, however, was not to commence the work of itself: the spirit and the method had to be brought from europe. early in the nineteenth century there lived at hartford a young deaf girl, alice cogswell by name, the daughter of a physician, and in her a group of men had become interested. an investigation of the number of the deaf had been made in by a body of clergymen, when were found, and it was estimated that there were in new england, and , in the united states; and the question of a school had been considered.[ ] in the friends of alice cogswell decided to organize a society for the purpose of providing means to instruct some of these, and to secure an instructor. to take up this work, attention was directed to gallaudet, then a young theological student. he was fixed upon as the man to go to europe and acquaint himself with the methods there employed. gallaudet responded at once to the appeal made to him, and proceeded to prepare himself forthwith. the same year, , saw gallaudet start upon his errand, his expenses being defrayed by the society.[ ] he first visited england, but finding there a monopoly composed of the braidwood and watson families, he betook himself to france. in this country he met with a warm reception, and here he eagerly set upon his labors of study and investigation at the school which de l'Épée had established. he observed closely, and then the following year turned his face towards america, equipped for the great work before him, and bringing with him one of the deaf teachers from paris named laurent clerc. on gallaudet's return the second part of the undertaking for the creation of a school was to be accomplished, namely, the securing of funds, which required half a year more. for this purpose gallaudet and a few others set about soliciting contributions. new york, philadelphia, albany, new haven, and other cities were visited, and the interest in the new undertaking was shown by the response made.[ ] by the time the school was ready to open, over $ , had been obtained, which was soon after more than doubled.[ ] the contributions came from various sources, including individuals, societies and churches, and were from not a few states, and even foreign countries. a charter was granted the society in by the legislature of connecticut; and $ , was appropriated for the school,[ ] which was probably the first appropriation of public money for education not in regular schools.[ ] on april , , the new school threw open its doors, and thus was established the first institution for the instruction of the deaf--in fact, the first for any of the so-called "defective classes." its success was assured from the start, and there were many applicants, coming from different parts of the country. the school had to depend mainly upon private contributions, and for its maintenance efforts had to be continued to collect funds, pupils being taken for this purpose to several cities for exhibition, especially before church assemblies and the legislative bodies of new england.[ ] it was not long in appearing, however, that, as the school was really to be national in scope, the united states government might be appealed to for aid. visits were accordingly made to washington in , and the interest of certain of the members of congress was secured. among these was henry clay, who showed a particular regard for the new undertaking, and it was largely through his influence that congress was prevailed upon to bestow upon the school , acres of the public land, from which in time $ , was realized.[ ] it was the understanding, there being no census of the deaf at this time, that any state or individual might participate in the benefit of this grant, and that the school was to be open on equal terms to all.[ ] though the school was regarded as national in one sense, it was also felt to be particularly new england's from the share that these states took in its development. very soon after it had commenced operations a lively interest had been manifested; and in a meeting was held at hartford of official representatives of all these states except rhode island, to discuss the possibilities of co-operation in its work.[ ] hardly, indeed, had the school entered upon its labor when, without solicitation, massachusetts began sending its deaf children to it. it was followed in turn by the others, all the states of new england thus coming to provide for their children here as at a common school--a policy continued with all for many years. by this arrangement a certain amount from the state treasury was allowed for each pupil. the action of massachusetts was taken in , of new hampshire in , of vermont and maine in , of connecticut in , and of rhode island in . two other states, far removed from new england, also by special legislative grants provided for pupils in this school for a time. these were georgia and south carolina, both beginning in .[ ] in addition, there were private pupils sent here from a number of states.[ ] the school at hartford was now in full operation, with a nation-wide interest upon it.[ ] but scarcely had it received its first pupil when other schools began to be established, and indeed new york and pennsylvania are hardly to be considered behind connecticut at all, schools in these states being in the course of formation when the hartford school was opened. from the concern now apparent in many sections, it was soon evident that the new work was to spread over the land, and that the education of the deaf had achieved for itself an established position. in new york, as we have seen, the rev. john stanford had found several deaf children in the almshouse of the city, and, moved by their condition, had sought to teach them. interest was felt by other men, and the agitation for a school was furthered by letters from the american consul at bordeaux in , one of which was written by a french teacher and addressed to the "philanthropists of the united states." a census was made of the deaf in the city,[ ] meetings were held in their behalf, a notable one taking place at tammany hall, and private funds collected. in a charter was secured from the legislature, and the following year the school was opened. the city of new york displayed a warm interest in it, making a special appropriation at its beginning, and undertaking the support of a number of pupils for a time, besides furnishing quarters free of cost. in the state legislature, after an exhibit of pupils, decided to assist, making an appropriation for the benefit of the school, and soon afterward allowing a certain amount for each pupil. in new jersey began sending children to the school, action being taken in this state by a unanimous vote. pennsylvania followed close upon connecticut and new york. a committee had been organized in philadelphia in to secure contributions for a school, and meetings had been held, though without immediate result. late in the year , or early in , david seixas, a jew, finding several poor deaf-mute children to whom he gave shelter, made attempts to teach them. in the latter year a society was formed by certain citizens, after a meeting in the rooms of the american philosophical society; and being pleased with the work of seixas, it decided to adopt his school. the following year, after an exhibit of pupils, the school was incorporated by the legislature, and granted a _per capita_ appropriation of $ , while contributions from friends were numerous. in , also, pupils were admitted from new jersey, this state providing for them both at the new york and philadelphia schools. in maryland, and in delaware, authorized the sending of children to the pennsylvania institution, exhibits of pupils having been made before the legislatures of these states.[ ] kentucky in was the fourth state in the union to establish a school. in this case, however, action was taken directly by the legislature, and the school has always been the property of the state. in [ ] congress granted to it a township of land in florida, on the theory that this school would be the center for pupils from the western and southern states; and it was for some years the place of education for many of the children from the southern states,[ ] and also for a number from western states. with the establishment of this school directly by the state begins a new policy in the provision for the education of the deaf--the work no longer being entrusted to private individuals and societies. all the states that followed kentucky in the creation of schools, with the exception of maryland and some of the new england states, adopted this policy. ohio came next in , although an attempt had been made to establish a school in cincinnati as early as .[ ] pupils were also received into it from neighboring states.[ ] in virginia established a joint school for the deaf and the blind, after exhibitions of pupils had been given in the state. in indiana a private school was started in , and three years later the state institution, action being taken by the legislature without a single dissenting vote. in this state another stage is reached in the work of educating the deaf: education which had hitherto been, by statute, free to the "indigent" only is in positive terms made free to all. this was done in , and the action has been thus described:[ ] the doors of all asylums built at public expense for mutes, for the blind, and for lunatics were thrown open to all, that their blessings, like the rain and dew of heaven, might freely descend on these children of misfortune throughout the state, without money and without price. well might this paean break forth, for this is probably the broadest benevolent legislation ever enacted up to this time. in georgia a private school was opened in , and in the state school was established, after a visit of pupils from the hartford school. in a school was started in tennessee, after an exhibit of pupils from kentucky. the same year in north carolina, after an exhibit of pupils from virginia, a school was opened for the deaf and the blind, though one had been projected as early as .[ ] in a school was established in illinois, the bill passing the legislature by a unanimous vote. to it came pupils from missouri, iowa and wisconsin. in a school was established in south carolina. thus by the middle of the nineteenth century, or thirty-two years after the founding of the first school in america, there were schools in a dozen states. in the next quarter century schools were created in nineteen other states, and since in nearly all the remainder. early ideas concerning the schools for the deaf it was but natural that for some years the providing of schools for the education of the deaf should be looked upon with wonder. to many the very thought of their instruction seemed strange. curious notions had been held as to the deaf-mute's mind, and it was not certain how far it was capable of instruction. by some the idea of the education of the deaf was received with scarcely concealed skepticism, and despite the enthusiasm of the promoters and despite the cordial interest manifested in many quarters, there were not a few doubters. efforts to educate the deaf were even declared quixotic and absurd. when the state of illinois was erecting a building to be used as a school, it was by some called "the state's folly."[ ] the legislatures themselves occasionally had misgivings, and now and then an appropriation was voted for a school more in hope than otherwise.[ ] the work was thus with many often misunderstood, and a few of the schools did not have altogether easy sailing. but when it was found that the deaf could be, and were being, educated, not only were all doubts dispelled, but the astonishment almost goes beyond bounds, and even passes into a rapture of thanksgiving. visitors, in some cases, flocked to the places where these wonderful things were transpiring. they came to convince themselves, and stood hushed in admiration at the spectacle before them. the accounts of a number of the early schools attest the greeting given to the new work. the new york institution in its first report[ ] speaks of the "numerous visitors" and their "expressions of mingled surprise and delight." in the new pennsylvania institution interest was markedly aroused. by _poulson's american daily advocate_ of philadelphia it was stated that , people crowded into a church to witness an examination of pupils, and by the _columbian observer_ it was declared that this scene "was impressive beyond description," and that "the exercises excited wonder mingled with the acutest sensations of compassion for these isolated beings."[ ] an early report of the tennessee school[ ] speaks of the interest "evinced by the great numbers of persons" who visited the school, which was shown "by the sympathy warmly expressed with the great affliction" of the pupils, and the "surprise at the attainments made by them." indeed, the new work is more than once referred to in the accounts of the period as a miracle. the age of miracles, we are told, was not past.[ ] when a private school was opened in kansas, the advertisement ran: "behold the educational miracle of the nineteenth century. the deaf hear, the dumb speak, the blind see."[ ] the wonders of education had become all the more marked and expectations were aroused to a high pitch, when it was seen about this time that the blind and other classes as well were being instructed. great things were believed to be in store for the human race. with the schools for the deaf there was now general approbation and support. doubters were silenced, and the promoters took heart. soon the new institutions had won for themselves a place in the intelligent and affectionate regard of all; and to those instrumental in their creation the people universally "pledged their gratitude." aims of the founders though the first schools for the deaf in the united states were founded to a considerable extent with the idea of charity or benevolence present, yet this was not so much the uppermost purpose as to provide instruction for them; or rather, it may be said that the benevolence itself was prompted by the desire to see the deaf led from the darkness of ignorance to the light of education. it is true that many of the pupils were recognized as entitled to material assistance as well as instruction. some of the schools were chartered as benevolent institutions, while several even avowed themselves as charitable affairs.[ ] it is also true that the promoters were in part concerned with deaf children found in poverty, these being likely to engage not a little attention. it was desired to furnish homes for a number without charge; and early accounts and statutes speak of the "care," "aid," "maintenance" or "support"[ ] of these children. but it is none the less true that the great purpose in establishing institutions was educational, and the instruction of the children was the primary and chief thing guiding the hands of the men who created the schools. in the prospectuses of some of the schools any object is disclaimed other than that of education. in a circular describing the proposed school in kansas were the words: "this is not an asylum, but a school for the education of the deaf."[ ] homes, or institutions, were provided largely for the reason that this plan appeared the only practicable means of reaching a considerable number of pupils. with the early workers, then, the purpose was to give the children an education. but this was not all. in their vision, a far greater opening presented itself. heretofore the deaf had been outcasts from society, had no place among civilized beings, and were a dead weight in the community. now all was to be changed. eyes saw a glorious transformation: the deaf were to be restored to society, and education was the magic by which it was to be done. in full measure were the founders thrilled with this prospect; and to reclaim the deaf from their condition was the great resolve. many of the early reports, charters and organic acts express such a purpose, and speak of the "lonely and cheerless condition" of the deaf, and the hope to "restore them to the ranks of their species." in the preamble of an "address to the inhabitants of pennsylvania," prepared by the society to establish the school in this state,[ ] the deaf are said to be in "entire and invincible separation from the vast stores of knowledge which human talent has accumulated--ignorant of the truths of revelation, her glorious assurances and unspeakable consolations," all being "among the bitter ingredients which fill up the vast measure of the affliction to the deaf and dumb;" and that "among the various efforts of philanthropy and learning to enlarge the circle of human happiness and knowledge, none should perhaps rank higher than those which have been directed to the discovery and application of means for the instruction of the deaf and dumb." in language glowing and impassioned the condition of the deaf without education is described. almost universally they are thought of as abiding in impenetrable silence and deep darkness. in an address delivered before the new york forum in behalf of the new york institution[ ] in its early days, it is asserted that the deaf dwell in "silence, solitude and darkness," and in the second report of this school[ ] they are declared to be "wrapt in impenetrable gloom of silence, sorrow and despair." in an ohio report[ ] they are said to be in "intellectual and moral midnight;" and in a michigan report[ ] to be "groping in thick darkness." in a louisiana report[ ] they are called "sorrow-stricken children of silence;" and in a kentucky report[ ] their lives are described as "dark, dreary and comfortless." the _southern literary messenger_[ ] of richmond, virginia, characterizes their existence as "intellectual night." the new york _commercial advertiser_[ ] in the year the first school was opened affirms that "their intellectual faculties ... are ... locked in the darkness of night and shrouded in silence." in an address delivered shortly after the opening of the tennessee school[ ] they are referred to as "entombed in a prison." the _albany argus_ and _daily city gazette_[ ] points to the deaf man as "abandoned to his hard fate, to wander in darkness, the pitiable object of dismal despair." in an address delivered in the capitol in washington[ ] the deaf are said to be "doomed to wear out their lives in intellectual darkness." the results of education were to be great beyond measurement, and the passing of the deaf from ignorance to education is likened even to the glories of the resurrection. a committee of congress[ ] in recommending the granting of land to the kentucky school speaks of education as "the only means of redeeming this unfortunate portion of our species from the ignorance and stupidity to which they would otherwise be consigned by the partial hand of nature, and, indeed; of transferring them from a state of almost mental blindness to that of intellectual and accountable beings." the new york _statesman_[ ] speaks of the effects in "improving the moral principle, which is torpid and almost obliterated, and opening the way to moral and religious instruction and knowledge of the deity which is almost void." an early report of the american school[ ] tells of the transition of their "imprisoned minds which have too long been enveloped in the profoundest shade of intellectual and moral darkness to the cleansing and purifying light of divine truth." an ohio report[ ] states that they "have come forth into the light of truth, that truth that teaches them that they possess a rational and immortal spirit." in the address in behalf of the new york institution before noted,[ ] it is said of the deaf that the "powers of torpid and dormant intellects are resurrected from an eternal night of silence." the first report of the minnesota school[ ] refers to the deaf as "liberated from the winding sheets of silence and ignorance," and tells how "their souls vibrate with such joy as lazarus felt when he stepped forth from the gloom of the grave." in the first report of the indiana school[ ] the state of the deaf without education is thus contrasted with that of the deaf with education: indeed, the difference between the uneducated and the educated mute is almost incredible. the former "winds his weary way" through life in ignorance and obscurity, often an object of charity, and almost a burden to himself; but the latter, gladdened by the genial rays of knowledge and fitted for the discharge of duty, becomes a blessing to his friends and to society, acts well his part as a member of the great human family, enjoys the present, and looks forward to the future with cheerfulness and hope. the charter of the pennsylvania institution refers to the desire of certain citizens "to restore the deaf and dumb to the ranks of their species;" and the preamble of the statutes creating schools in kentucky and other states contains similar language. the purpose of the illinois school is given in the organic act, the language of that of nebraska and other states being almost identical: to promote by all proper and feasible means the mental, moral and physical culture of that portion of the community, who by the mysterious dispensations of providence, have been born, or by disease have become deaf, and of course dumb, by a judicious and well adapted course of education, to reclaim them from their lonely and cheerless condition, to restore them to the ranks of their species, and to fit them to discharge the social and domestic duties of life. the object of the schools in wisconsin, south dakota, and other states is declared to be: to afford the deaf and dumb of the state, so far as possible, an enlightened and practical education, that may aid them to obtain the means of instruction, discharge the duties of citizenship, and secure all the happiness they are capable of obtaining. the early educators of the deaf felt themselves that they were indeed carrying the light to shine in a dark place. in the language of one of the foremost of them:[ ] then the great triumph of science and benevolence over one of the most terrible of human calamities will be complete, and the deaf and dumb, objects of interest, but hardly of compassion, will stand forth among their kindred who hear, heirs of all the hopes, the privileges and the lofty aspirations of their race. extension of the means of instruction over the country interest in the education of the deaf had thus become general, public concern was awakened, and movements were early on foot in not a few states to start schools. the enthusiasm aroused by the success of the first schools only increased the hopes that others would be provided to reach the deaf children in all the states. a writer in the _north american review_ in [ ] declared that there were "no doubts that the wants of the deaf and dumb will soon be supplied, and that the public beneficence already extended to a portion will, before the lapse of many years, be extended to all." nor were these hopes to be shattered, for the states followed each other in rapid succession in providing means for the instruction of their deaf youth. indeed, when we consider how early some of the newly settled states began to devote attention to the education of the deaf--a work that was undertaken in europe only after the middle of the eighteenth century--we are persuaded that it speaks no less for the regard for and devotion to education implanted in the breasts of the american people, than for the bigness and benevolence of their hearts. the credit remains just as deep, even though it has ever been the mission and spirit of america to bring education to the door of every one of its children, and though what it has done for the deaf is but a part of this great principle. the early workers, despite the preliminary journeys to europe, were largely pioneers, and this country owes an immeasurable debt to the founders and directors of the first schools. many of them were ministers of the gospel, and all of them were men of high ideals. possibly there has never been a movement undertaken for the good of humanity that has drawn to it a more capable or earnest band of men. these early workers were possessed of a determination, an ardor, a resourcefulness, combined with scholarship and understanding of no common order, that would have graced any human cause. they were truly of those in america that have blazed trails, and to them belonged those elements of character that are a pride to any people.[ ] the first schools were created by societies of private citizens, funds being contributed from "membership fees" in the societies, from subscriptions and from other private donations.[ ] to the aid of these schools the state later came with appropriations; but while an oversight and general control were assumed by it, the schools were left as private corporations. with the establishment, however, of the kentucky school in , a second stage is reached in the extension of the new work, the state now undertaking the task itself and providing the schools at its own initiative and expense. at first admission into the schools was restricted to a certain number of pupils, often based upon some political division of the state, as a senatorial district in tennessee, or a judicial in ohio. when such limitations were swept away, we have the third stage in the provision for the education of the deaf. the fourth and last stage--though not necessarily in this order in any one particular state, and not in every case formally accomplished--is attained when in indiana all charges are removed, and education is made free to all.[ ] in the schools created in later times all these steps were usually merged into one: limitations of any kind were mostly omitted, and the schools were in general thrown open to all from the beginning. thus is reached the culminative point in the course of the provision for the education of the deaf in america. no longer was private benevolence to inaugurate and carry on the work, but the state was coming to see its responsibility in part, finally to realize its full duty in making education free to all its deaf population, just as it was free to the rest of its citizens.[ ] in many instances, before action by the state, instruction of a small collection of deaf children was taken up by a group of citizens;[ ] but hardly had this been done when as a rule the state proved itself ready and willing to move in and shoulder the responsibility. these private schools were thus often the nuclei of the state institutions, at first aided to an extent, and then taken over. in fact, the private schools were not infrequently started more or less as experimental affairs, but with the expectation that the state would speedily come to their help. "the idea of the founders seemed to be to give barely enough to keep the school going, and to depend upon getting support of a substantial character in the course of time."[ ] in some cases there were exhibitions of pupils, either from the school which was hoped to be aided, or from an already established school in another state. these were designed to awaken interest in the public, and especially among the legislators, and to quicken the desired action. in more than one instance the school was established at or near the state capital to show the legislatures what could be done and to influence their proceedings. not infrequently memorials or petitions, in some cases containing a great number of names, were presented to the legislatures, praying for the establishment of the schools. sometimes if doubt as to the wisdom of the proposed course seemed to delay matters, a point was to be gained in the dispatch as a preliminary procedure of a special committee or agent to some existing school in another state, to examine and report upon its work, this report being, as was expected, nearly always highly favorable.[ ] but appeals to these bodies, whatever their nature, were rarely turned away, and usually secured prompt response. when action was finally to be obtained, the measure relating to the deaf was passed with few dissenting votes, sometimes with none at all. so eager had the representatives of the people now become, that, if it was not deemed practicable at once to create a state institution, haste was made to provide for the children in a school in another state till one within their own borders could be established. in some cases steps were taken to this end by the legislative assemblies of territories before statehood had been bestowed upon them.[ ] at the same time not to be forgotten, in the narration of the extension of the means of education to the deaf of the country, is the real debt to private action. it was private initiative that often brought the schools into being, and it was private solicitude that often won their final endorsement and adoption by the state. in not a few places there were citizens found who were willing to give of their substance to forward the new work.[ ] for some of the schools money was not only subscribed, but it came also from the proceeds of fairs and concerts, and for a few also from lectures, debates, exhibits of pictures, and similar affairs; while exhibitions of the pupils themselves from the schools seldom failed to draw a generous offering.[ ] indeed, many were glad of the opportunity to lend a hand, and contributions were tendered not only by various individuals, but also by different societies and organizations[ ]--churches probably among the latter proving the most ready givers, with aid, in addition, at time from newspapers, and now and then from a school or college. in some cases funds were collected by citizens with which to purchase a site, and sometimes the land required was given by the cities themselves. indirect aid was extended as well of not a few kinds; and in the early schools there was seldom great difficulty in securing reduced transportation on railroads and steamboats.[ ] however, except in a few instances, private assistance in the aggregate did not prove great: as a rule in most schools it was limited, usually sufficing only to tide them over their nascent stage, and in large part ceasing upon their full establishment. from then on the maintenance was assumed practically entirely as a public charge, the legislatures of the several states undertaking themselves to provide for the schools. in a few cases, however, there was public aid of another sort. in several schools there were allowances for a longer or shorter period from municipal funds, as in maryland, pennsylvania and new york, and from county, as in north carolina and utah.[ ] but much the most important assistance of this character came from the national government; and while only a few schools were favored by its action, the benefactions to those were hardly less than munificent. for the benefit of the connecticut and kentucky schools early in their careers congress granted great areas of the public domain; and later, on the admission of half a dozen or so states in the west into the union, set apart extensive tracts for the schools to be established in them.[ ] when the school for the deaf had been formally recognized by the state, its first act of assistance as a rule was in the form of _per capita_ allowances for the pupils, with only occasionally a specific appropriation. these allowances were in the beginning small, but in time were gradually increased. it was usually some years before the policy was adopted of making regular appropriations. in a few cases, as in indiana and illinois, when it was decided to create a state institution, the first proceedings were, in lieu of a direct appropriation, the levying of a small mill tax upon the assessed property of the state. in new york benefit was allowed from the fines or licenses on lotteries, and in ohio from the receipts of a tax on auctions in one of the counties of the state. in a few cases the schools were even located where there appeared the greatest financial inducement,[ ] as with the requirement that a certain number of acres of land should be donated for the school.[ ] for the organization of the new schools a small body of citizens was appointed, often the original promoters of the undertaking, to act as trustees, and to them was confided its direction, with the support and general oversight of the state back of them.[ ] now and then the trustees of an existing educational or other institution were given charge as a temporary arrangement.[ ] in the material projection of the schools, little was to be expected at the beginning. with the meagre resources at their disposal, the directors had small choice in what was to be provided. in not a few cases the schools started out under conditions far from auspicious, and in some the circumstances in connection with their origin were quite discouraging.[ ] the quarters secured for the schools were nearly always of unpretentious, and sometimes of humble, type. many began in a single rented room, and a few in a church building lent for the purpose. it was only in the course of the years, as the communities grew in population and wealth, that the establishments for the deaf assumed appearances in keeping with their character. the schools for the deaf were now in being, and were ready for the reception of their pupils. but what of these pupils, and where were they? were they found at the doors of the new institutions, clamoring for admission? the situation was hardly this. in point of fact, in nearly every case the schools were ahead of the pupils. though in practically every community where a school was created, there were a greater or less number of children in need of an education, these children, or rather their parents, were slow in availing themselves of the privilege. it was thus that the schools when established had to wait, as it were, for the coming of their pupils, and indeed, in not a few instances, to go out after them. on the opening of the schools, none was found to have a large number of pupils, and in most there were only a handful, as three, four or five.[ ] it was discovered that it was a far from easy task to get the children in.[ ] the parents were in no small measure ignorant themselves, and the real value of the school was not always readily understood. besides, in many sections the country was new, the roads bad, and the facilities for travel scant. oftentimes in the course of the founding of the schools, before any direct act was attempted, a census was taken of the deaf of the state. it was also frequently made the duty of certain local officers as county clerks, assessors, etc., to register and report prospective pupils. by many of the schools circulars were distributed to postmasters, tax-collectors, ministers, school-teachers and others to enlist their help in reaching deaf children;[ ] and by certain of the schools the newspapers were even availed of to carry their advertisements. sometimes special agents were sent out to scour the state and gather in pupils. in many of the schools at the same time the terms of admission were carefully prescribed,[ ] and in some, especially the older ones, these terms were often published. notices of vacancies were also in a few cases put in the newspapers, while in one or two instances, as in massachusetts, it was provided that lots should be drawn when it was found that the number of applicants exceeded the number allowed. in a large portion of the schools at first the pupils were individually committed, or were "appointed," as it was called.[ ] it was usually some years before the greater part of such formalities ceased. charges were also occasionally made at the beginning,[ ] later to be reduced and in time to be abolished.[ ] in most of the schools in their first days the period of attendance allowed to the pupils was very short, often being three or four years, and sometimes only two. usually, however, after a time one or two years were added to the number permitted, which procedure was repeated after certain intervals, and the length of residence was thus gradually increased. in few of the schools, moreover, was an early age held essential; and, indeed, in a considerable number pupils were not admitted at an early age, the limit not infrequently being ten or twelve.[ ] the upper limit was high as well, and in some cases pupils might enter up to thirty. these age limitations were also in turn lowered in the course of time. thus eventually we find the ages of attendance as well as the general rules and regulations of admission conforming more and more to those of the regular schools. the various schools that have been created for the deaf have been for the most part boarding institutions, in which the pupils have lived during the school year. but beginning in , and increasing rapidly since , a system of day schools has been brought into being, more on the order of the regular common schools, and more distinctly an integral part of the state's educational economy. such schools, now over three score in number, have been established in fourteen states, and belong especially to large cities. they may be regarded in many respects as denoting a new departure in the educational treatment of the deaf, and as marking the latest development in the course of the instruction of the deaf in the country. in addition, there have been created a class of schools, numbering some score at present, which are of denominational or private character, and are not affected by state control. finally, there has been established by the united states government a national college for the deaf of all the country--which may be called the crowning feature in the provision for the education of the deaf in america. for the great number of the deaf--over five-sixths of the total--the institutional schools remain the one means of instruction. they have been created in all but a few of the states, and in those without them the children are sent to a school in a neighboring state. in some of the more populous states two or more schools have been established. these schools are as a rule supported entirely from the public treasury, and are controlled by the legislatures, the actual administration being delegated to boards of trustees or other bodies. in half the states a regard of an enduring kind has been manifested for the schools in that provision for them has been included in the constitutions, and these states are thus committed to their maintenance. in the schools themselves not only is education presented in the usual sense, but in practically all industrial training has also been provided to no mean extent, and constitutes a prominent feature of the work. we have now traced the origin and development of the schools for the deaf in the united states. the present organization and arrangements are to be considered in the following chapters. we have found that the duty of the education of the deaf has been recognized in all the states of the union; that to-day everywhere in america provision has been made for the instruction of the deaf; and that to all the deaf children of the land the doors of education are open wide.[ ] footnotes: [ ] there is, however, a case reported before this of a deaf person who had received instruction, though hardly in america. this was a woman who was blind as well as deaf, and who lived at ipswich, massachusetts, in . she had come from england; but whether or not she had been taught before the coming on of her affliction, we are left in ignorance. all that we are sure of is that communication could be had with her. see john winthrop, "history of new england", ed. , i., p. ; _annals_, xlv., , p. . [ ] _association review_, ii., , p. ("historical notes concerning the teaching of speech to the deaf"). no little debt is owed to dr. alexander graham bell for his researches into the early attempts at instruction in america. [ ] _american historical review_, vi., , pp. , , , . see also _association review_, ii., , p. . [ ] see a. g. bell, "a philanthropist of the last century identified as a boston man", ; _north american review_, civ., , p. ; _annals_, i., , p. ; ix., , p. ; xii., , p. ; xiii., , p. ; _association review_, ii., , pp. , . in some of these are given letters of green appearing in the _new england palladium_ and _columbian centinel_, of boston, and the _medical repository and review of american publications on medicine, surgery and the auxiliary branches of science_, of new york. green also published a translation of de l'Épée's main work and extracts from his other writings. a review of "_vox oculis subjecta_" appeared in the _gentleman's magazine_, sept., , and in the _boston magazine_, dec., , jan., . [ ] report of new york institution, , p. ; _annals_, ix., , p. . [ ] at this time the united states and england were at war, and braidwood's adventure received official notice in a permit from the commissary general of prisoners to the marshal of virginia. [ ] braidwood was in communication with the promoters of the schools now being organized in hartford and new york. [ ] on these schools, see history of virginia school, , p. ; report, , p. ; report of new york institution, , p. ; _annals_, ix., , p. ; xxi., , p. ; _association review_, ii., , pp. , , ; v., , p. . in the last are given advertisements and notices concerning the school from the richmond _enquirer_, the petersburg _republican_, and _niles' weekly register_, of baltimore. [ ] among those who had given the matter thought was dr. william thornton of philadelphia, who in published "cadmus: a treatise on the elements of written language", there being an appendix on "a mode of teaching the deaf, or surd, and consequently dumb, to speak". transactions of american philosophical society, iii., p. , as cited in _association review_, ii., , p. . see also _ibid._, v., , p. ; _annals_, i., , p. . he was the first writer in america upon the education of the deaf. [ ] by some at this time there were not believed to be a sufficient number of the deaf to justify a school, and it was due to this mainly that the investigation was made. [ ] funds to the amount of $ , were subscribed before the departure of gallaudet. _association review_, iii., , p. . [ ] it is said that stephen girard declined to contribute because philadelphia was not chosen as the site of the school. tribute to gallaudet, p. . [ ] _ibid._, p. . [ ] this grant seems to have been used later for the benefit of connecticut pupils. [ ] this, however, was not the first appropriation to a benevolent institution. the colony of pennsylvania in had voted an appropriation for certain of its insane in a hospital to be opened the following year, while new york in granted $ , for the care of its insane in a hospital. virginia established its insane asylum at williamsburg in . [ ] see laws of maine, , p. . [ ] _annals_, iv., , p. ; _national magazine_, ix., , p. . [ ] tribute to gallaudet, p. . this was also expressed in the _missionary herald_, sept., , quoted in _american journal of education_, i., , p. . at the same time caution was advised as to the result, as the benefit was to depend upon the sale of the land. [ ] report of american school, , p. ; , p. . [ ] in steps were taken to establish a school in south carolina. a census of the deaf children in the state was made, being found. the school here, however, was not started till some years later. see report of south carolina school, , p. . in neither the case of this state nor that of georgia was the number of pupils annually sent to hartford large, ranging from to in each. see report of american school, , p. ; georgia school, , p. ; _american annals of education_, v., , p. . a joint school for the south-eastern states was also contemplated at this time. [ ] there were several pupils here supported by the united states government, who were the children of deceased veterans, the first coming from maryland in . history of maryland school, , p. . [ ] gallaudet remained at the head of the american asylum, as it was then called, till , when he resigned. he was engaged thereafter in various philanthropic activities, and was invited to lead in the work for the education of the blind, towards which attention was now being directed. notwithstanding the impairment of his health, his different labors were continued, not the least of which was his office as chaplain of the connecticut asylum for the insane. to thomas hopkins gallaudet america owes a rare debt. without him the work for the deaf would have been taken up eventually by other hands, but he brought to his task a disregard for obstacles, a splendid idealism, a fine conception of duty, a complete forgetfulness of self, a singular beauty of character, and a great human love that could have existed in but few other men. [ ] there were found in a very short time. [ ] volumes iii. and iv. of the _association review_ ( and ) contain most interesting accounts of these first schools, with extracts from early reports, letters of dr. cogswell, gallaudet and others; extracts from the hartford _courant_ and the _connecticut mirror_, both urging the importance of the school established at hartford and the need of contributions, and the latter (in the issue of march , ) giving the conditions and terms of admission; also extracts from other papers, as the albany _daily advertiser_, the new york _commercial advertiser_, the _general aurora advertiser_, _poulson's american daily advocate_, the _christian observer_, the _freeman's journal and columbian chronicle_, of philadelphia, and _niles' weekly register_, of baltimore. see also e. m. gallaudet, "life of thomas hopkins gallaudet." [ ] pub. stat., ch. . [ ] pupils were in time received here from all the southern states. history, , p. . [ ] this was to be called "the western asylum for the education of the deaf and dumb". an association was formed, and the legislature was asked to incorporate the school. in a census was taken for all the state except two counties, when deaf persons were found. the school was not established on the ground that it was too far removed from the center of the state. see _annals_, v., , p. ; xxv., , p. ; report of ohio school, , p. . [ ] a school under roman catholic auspices was established near st. louis in . [ ] report of indiana school, , p. . see also _annals_, vi., , p. . this honor is also to be shared in by the state of ohio. in , or four years before the action of indiana, the laws prohibiting the trustees from receiving more than a certain number of indigent pupils in one year at the expense of the state were repealed, and the trustees were authorized to admit suitable pupils, as they might deem necessary and proper. this probably had the effect of allowing all pupils free attendance, though it remained with the trustees to decide. the formal removal of limitations respecting indigent pupils did not take place till . [ ] a society was formed for the purpose, a charter secured from the legislature, and congress petitioned for land. _annals_, xiii., , p. . [ ] history, , p. . [ ] in maryland, for instance, we find an early appropriation for those "teachable". the _american journal of education_ tells of the wonder on the part of the legislators of massachusetts when a class of deaf-mutes was exhibited in their presence, iv., , p. . [ ] p. . [ ] see sketch of origin and progress of the institution for the deaf and dumb in pennsylvania, . [ ] report, , p. . [ ] see _annals_, iii., , p. , quoting from the _boston congregationalist_. [ ] history, , p. . [ ] see report of american school, , p. ; , p. ; , pp. , ; new york institution, , p. ; pennsylvania institution, , p. ; illinois school, , p. ; report of select committee to visit pennsylvania institution, , p. . [ ] it is interesting to note that of the first four institutions incorporated in new york, the purposes are thus respectively given: "to afford the necessary means of instruction to the deaf and dumb, and also provide for the support and maintenance of those whose parents are unable"; "to aid and instruct the deaf and dumb"; "to instruct and support"; and "to receive, care for, support and educate". [ ] history, , p. . see also _annals_, vi., , p. . [ ] account of origin and progress of the pennsylvania institution, , pp. , . see also "sketch of origin and progress," etc., , p. ; report of pennsylvania institution, , p. . [ ] by silvanus miller, , p. . [ ] , p. (reprint of ). [ ] , p. . [ ] , p. . [ ] , p. . [ ] , p. . [ ] i., , p. . [ ] jan., , . quoted in _association review_, iii., , p. . [ ] address at proceedings of laying of corner stone, , p. . [ ] march , . quoted in report of new york institution, , p. . [ ] by lewis weld, , p. . [ ] report of select committee of th congress, st sess., upon a memorial to give land, etc., , p. . [ ] quoted in _american journal of education_, i., , p. . [ ] , p. . [ ] , p. . [ ] address of silvanus miller, _loc. cit._ [ ] , p. . [ ] quoted in history, , p. . for other accounts of the condition of the deaf without education and the blessings to be obtained from it, see report of kentucky school, , p. ; ohio school, , p. ; kansas school, , p. ; history of mississippi school, , p. ; _southwestern school journal_ (tennessee), i., , p. ; j. h. tyler, "duty and advantages of the education of the deaf", etc., ; sermon by john summerfield, in behalf of the new york institution, ; discourse of samuel l. mitchell, pronounced at request of society for instruction of the deaf and dumb, new york, ; addresses of joseph h. lane and ebenezer demorest, before legislature of indiana, . [ ] harvey prindle peet, at first convention of american instructors, , p. . see also _annals_, iii., , p. . [ ] xxxviii., p. . [ ] when the accounts of brave endeavor, and the rolls of those inflamed for human service, are finally made up, high indeed will stand the names of thomas hopkins gallaudet, lewis weld, john a. jacobs, abraham b. hutton, harvey p. peet, collins stone, horatio n. hubbell, thomas mcintyre, luzerne rae, barabas m. fay, david e. bartlett, william w. turner, newton p. walker, jacob van nostrand, william d. kerr, and others both of those who worked with them and who followed in their steps. [ ] where the institutions were under regularly chartered societies, these dues were usually fixed at $ , with life membership at $ , though the size of the fees varied in the different schools. in the american school the office of vice-president was created for those paying $ . in some of these schools the fees proved of considerable assistance. [ ] the course of provision may be illustrated in the case of the ohio school. in , at the beginning, an indigent pupil was to be admitted from each of the nine judicial districts of the state, "to be selected by the board of trustees from persons recommended by the associate judges of the counties where they reside". in the number was increased to eighteen, in to twenty-seven, in to forty-eight, and in to sixty. in all suitable applicants were to be received, and in all limitations as to financial ability were removed. [ ] in many instances the school for the deaf was the first "benevolent" or "humane" institution created by the state. [ ] in several instances a deaf man himself came to a community and organized a school. [ ] mr. e. s. tillinghast, of the oregon school, in a letter to the writer. see also report of oregon school, , p. . [ ] on efforts to secure schools, see _southern literary messenger_, i., , pp. , . [ ] it is to be noted that some of the older schools did not look with favor upon the rapid increase in the number of the schools. the creation of many new ones was sometimes advised against, it being declared that the existing ones could answer for all the country, and that pupils would gain by attending them. see report of pennsylvania institution, , appendix, p. ; american school, , p. ; , p. . [ ] in some cases pathetic appeals were made for money. see address before new york forum in behalf of new york institution, ; discourse pronounced at request of society for the instruction of the deaf and dumb, appendix (address to the public), ; circular of president and directors of new york institution, ; addresses to contributors to the pennsylvania asylum, ; report of pennsylvania institution, , appendix, p. . [ ] in new york exhibits of pupils were given in a score of cities and towns, in a third of which there were repetitions. _annals_, xviii., , p. . in illinois there were more than two score exhibits given, witnessed by some , persons. report of illinois school, , p. . [ ] in connection with the new york institution there was a society called the new york female association, "to aid in giving support and instruction to the indigent deaf and dumb", which lasted from to . it raised in one year $ for "unsuccessful applicants". see address and constitution, ; report of new york institution, , p. . [ ] see report of mississippi school, , p. ; _annals_, ix., , p. . [ ] in a few instances, as in north carolina, the counties were authorized to raise funds by a special tax. [ ] aid was besought of the national government by a number of schools. in congress was asked for the endowment of the institutions then in being which had not already been assisted. see address of lewis weld in the capitol in washington, , p. . in the senate passed bills granting land to the schools in new york, pennsylvania and ohio, but these failed to be acted upon in the house. proceedings of laying of corner stone of ohio institution, ; report of ohio school, , p. . later there were applications from individual schools, most seeking grants of land. requests came from vermont, new york, new jersey, pennsylvania, north carolina, georgia, ohio, michigan, wisconsin, and nebraska. a township was usually desired, though vermont asked for , acres for the benefit of a hospital for the insane and for the education of the deaf and blind. see laws of vermont, , no. ; new jersey, , p. ; report of new york institution, , p. ; michigan school, , p. ; history of wisconsin school, , p. ; proceedings of convention of american instructors, i., , p. . [ ] in indiana several cities made efforts to secure the school. in bloomington $ , was raised, and an offer extended of a special local tax levy of one cent on $ of property for its benefit. _annals_, vi., , p. . [ ] thus in kansas the school was established on condition that acres be granted for a site, and for its benefit; in minnesota that acres be provided; and in colorado that be provided. in indiana the school was first only provisionally located by the statute. [ ] in one or two instances "contract" schools were provided for, the managers receiving a certain amount from the state and reserving the balance left after the payment of expenses as their compensation. this plan, however, did not continue long, and was generally condemned. see _annals_, iii., , p. . [ ] in kentucky the school was placed under the trustees of centre college at danville, and so remained for fifty years. [ ] the schools in indiana and tennessee were compelled for financial reasons to close for six months, and that in oregon for eight months, shortly after they had been opened. report of tennessee school, , p. ; history of oregon school, , p. ; _annals_, x., , p. . to add to the difficulties in some instances, was the belief that not enough deaf children could be assembled for a school. [ ] the number in the beginning at the kentucky and texas schools was , at the new york and illinois , at the indiana and tennessee , at the hartford , and at the ohio and missouri . [ ] on the difficulty in getting the pupils in, see report of iowa school, , p. ; , p. ; arkansas school, , p. ; indiana school, , p. ; kentucky school, , p. ; west virginia school, , p. ; illinois school, , p. ; wisconsin school, , p. ; _annals_, iv., , p. . [ ] see report of michigan school, , p. . [ ] in many of the schools there was, and still is, a formal requirement of good character. [ ] in some of the states the pupils were long known as "beneficiaries". the power of appointment was not infrequently vested in the governor of the state. [ ] in tennessee a charge was at first made for board, with the result that no pupil appeared; and after a month or two this was removed. report of tennessee school, , p. ; _annals_, ix., , p. . see also proceedings of convention of american instructors, iii., , p. . as to the desirability of free transportation, see report of ohio school, , p. . [ ] at the american school a charge of $ was laid for each pupil at first. this was reduced after a time to $ , then to $ , then to $ , and finally removed altogether. [ ] in massachusetts the law for a number of years allowed no applications under fourteen, while in georgia the age limits for pupils sent to connecticut were from ten to forty. at the first convention of american instructors, it was agreed that it was not expedient to receive pupils under ten, while twelve was considered more suitable. proceedings, i., , p. . on the ages of admission and attendance, see _annals_, v., , p. ; xviii., , p. ; report of american school, , p. ; iowa school, , p. ; indiana school, , p. ; missouri school, , p. ; proceedings of conference of principals, i., , p. ; documents of senate of new york, , no. (report of secretary of state on relation to deaf and dumb). [ ] how well america has performed its duty towards the deaf has been generally recognized in other countries. in the encyclopedia britannica (eleventh edition) the deaf of america are referred to as the best educated deaf in the world. a german opinion is that "america has given special attention to the care and education of deaf-mutes". _american journal of sociology_, vii., , p. . see also g. ferreri, "american institutions for the education of the deaf", ; education of deaf children, evidence of e. m. gallaudet and a. g. bell, presented to royal commission of the united kingdom on condition of the blind, the deaf and dumb, etc., ; e. m. gallaudet, report on deaf-mute institutions in the american commission at the vienna international exhibit, , report of united states commissioners, , ii.; j. c. gordon, "notes and observations upon the education of deaf children", ; e. e. allen, "education of defectives" in "education in the united states", ; e. g. dexter, "history of education in the united states", , p. ; g. g. smith, "social pathology", , p. ; cyclopedia of education, , p. ; _education_, xviii., , p. ; w. h. addison, report of a visit to some of the american schools for the deaf (the mosely commission), ; _association review_, ii., , pp. , , ; xi., , p. ; _annals_, xliv., , pp. , , ; xlv., , pp. , , , . chapter x organization of the institutions and general provisions arrangements in the different states provision for the education of the deaf is made by the different states as a general rule in local institutions. in only four states are deaf children sent at public expense to a school outside for their instruction: delaware, new hampshire, nevada, and wyoming. in these, owing to their comparatively small populations, it has been considered more economical and satisfactory to contract with the school in an adjoining state. in each of the other states there is at least one institution, or sixty-five in all. in connecticut and the district of columbia[ ] there are two, in massachusetts three, in pennsylvania four, and in new york eight. in some of these the schools are distributed over the state the better to reach all the pupils. in the southern states there are usually separate departments in the regular institutions for children of the colored race,[ ] but in some there are special arrangements. in virginia there is one school for the white deaf and blind, and another for the colored. in north carolina there is a school for the white deaf, and another for the blind with a department for the colored deaf and blind. in alabama, maryland, oklahoma, and texas each there is a school for the white deaf and another for the colored deaf and blind.[ ] in nearly all the states these schools are strictly public institutions, owned by the state and supported wholly by taxation, and are under the direct control and supervision of the legislature. in a few of the eastern states the institutions are in private hands and operated under their immediate direction, and in some cases supported in part by endowment funds, but at the same time receiving appropriations from the state, and subject to its authority and general oversight. they are thus "semi-public" or "quasi-public" institutions, and will need a brief separate treatment, as will also the "dual schools," where the deaf and blind are educated together. semi-public institutions the semi-public institutions are seventeen in number, and are found in six states: connecticut, maryland,[ ] massachusetts, new york, pennsylvania,[ ] and vermont. institutions in these states have remained private corporations from the time they were established, some of them being, as we have seen, the first schools that were created for the deaf. a certain number were especially favored by private munificence at their beginning, and continued to be supported by private funds till the state came to their aid and undertook to assist by regular appropriations. other schools have been similarly organized, but have always depended largely on the appropriations from the state. all of them are in the hands of societies,[ ] organized and chartered as corporations under the laws of the state. in some cases membership is open to those interested on the payment of the regular dues or fees.[ ] these institutions, while corporate bodies, are under the authority and supervision of the state. their relation to the state and the conditions under which they exist may be understood from their position in new york. here the institutions were chartered by the state as benevolent societies, the buildings and grounds being presented, or the money for them collected, by the trustees, and the property reverting to the state if alienated to another use.[ ] these schools are all subsidized from the state treasury in _per capita_ allowances for the pupils received;[ ] and to some, especially the newer ones, there are general appropriations from time to time for buildings and the like. the regular grants, however, are often not sufficient for the cost of maintenance, which means that the institutions are instructing the children of the state, and maintaining them, at a cost to which the state contributes only a part. such balances are covered from the endowment funds and private donations, but it would seem that the state gets a good bargain from the transaction.[ ] on the other hand, it is to be remembered in connection with these schools that in the matter of the education of certain of the children of the state this duty is turned over to a private society. an anomalous situation, it would seem, is thus created, the state abdicating one of its most important functions as now conceived. the question, however, is not of great practical moment, and the matter may be likened to the general policy of the state when it contracts out for any of its work to be done. if economy and efficiency are secured, it is felt that there can be little ground for objection. a more important question arises in the matter of the granting of public money to a private institution. the matter of such state subsidies has already received considerable discussion,[ ] and may receive even more attention in the future. notwithstanding, these private institutions for the deaf were largely organized before the present attitude in the matter: they have in some cases really anticipated the duty of the state, and in a general consideration of the subject would probably be the last to be condemned. "dual schools" "dual schools," that is, schools in which there are departments both for the deaf and the blind, are found in ten states: california, colorado, florida, idaho, montana, south carolina, utah, vermont, virginia, and west virginia.[ ] in a number of other states the deaf and the blind were for a certain period educated together, either the two classes being provided for jointly from the first or a department for the blind being later created; but in time in these the two classes have been separated, and distinct schools for the blind set up.[ ] as a general thing, this arrangement of having the deaf and the blind together in one school has been regarded as unfortunate, and educators of both classes have protested against it. the question has thus been stated: the deaf and the blind "have nothing in common in the matter of education, and the bringing of the two classes together is a prolific source of friction and compromise."[ ] the blind, it seems, are the worst sufferers, as they are in a minority, are often considered only a department or class in an institution designed primarily for the deaf, and consequently receive less attention than they should.[ ] however, this arrangement has not been adopted as a deliberate policy on the part of the state: rather, it was begun when the school was young, pupils of both classes few, and one plant was thought adequate; and was allowed to continue as a makeshift till separate schools could be created. as the states have grown in population and resources, most have seen the wisdom of severing the blind from the deaf; and even in the states where the dual school is retained it is probably only a question of time till provision will be made for the separate education of the two classes, and eventually there will be independent schools for each in all the states. provision for the deaf-blind in at the school for the deaf at hartford, connecticut, the first deaf-blind pupil in america began to receive instruction. to-day the names of certain illustrious deaf-blind persons are known over the civilized world.[ ] such children are provided for at present more often in schools for the deaf than in schools for the blind, only one or two schools for the latter class instructing them. the deaf-blind, however, do not form a large class, and only in a small number of schools are they to be found.[ ] in certain cases where the school is only for the deaf, special permission with a special appropriation has to be obtained, but there has been little difficulty met here from the legislatures. to certain of the deaf-blind individual benefactions have been made, as legacies, donations and subscriptions, sometimes given to the institutions to hold in trust; and in some cases these funds are for life. provision for the feeble-minded deaf in many of the schools for the deaf a problem has arisen in connection with a number of feeble-minded children more or less defective in speech or hearing who have sought to gain admittance. educators of the deaf have been called upon to give considerable attention to this class, and it has been a serious question what to do with them.[ ] many of those who have applied at the institutions have been denied. some have been allowed to enter, and their presence in the schools has constituted a difficult problem.[ ] it is felt by those concerned in the education of the deaf that they are out of place here, and that they should be removed to a regular institution for the feeble-minded, or should otherwise be specially provided for.[ ] government of the different institutions the government of schools for the deaf is practically the same in the different states. they are, for the most part, in the hands of boards of trustees, boards of directors, boards of managers, or boards of visitors, as they are variously termed. the semi-public institutions, as we have seen, were started as private concerns under private boards of directors. these boards still exist, and control the affairs of the institutions, having full powers but subject to such regulation as the state may direct. such boards are usually self-perpetuating bodies, though in some cases the governor has been allowed to name a part. in the american school the governors and secretaries of state of the new england states are _ex-officio_ directors. in the case of some schools, as the pennsylvania institution, where membership is open to any one on the payment of the dues, the governing board is elected by the members of the society or corporation.[ ] in all these boards the members serve without compensation. their size varies considerably, but they are usually large, having in some cases over twenty members.[ ] where the school is strictly a state institution, the board is usually appointed by the governor, sometimes with the approval of the state senate.[ ] in a few cases the boards are elected by the legislature, as in georgia and tennessee. in montana appointment is made by the state board of education. in several of the states the governor or some other public officer, most often the superintendent of public instruction, is a member _ex-officio_.[ ] these boards also as a rule serve without compensation, and are paid only for expenses actually incurred.[ ] their size is smaller than that of the corporate boards, usually consisting of from three to seven members, though in a few cases they may go beyond the latter figure. they are appointed to serve two, three, four or five years, and in a few cases even longer. in states where the members are elected by the legislature, the term is usually indefinite; and in one or two states, as in alabama, the board is self-perpetuating.[ ] in eight states the institutions are under special boards of their own, without supervision or regulation from other bodies: alabama, district of columbia, georgia, mississippi, new mexico, south carolina, texas, and utah. in eighteen states the schools are under special boards of trustees, while the state board of charities--or whatever the official title--may visit, inspect, supervise, advise, or may otherwise be connected with them: california, connecticut, idaho, indiana, louisiana, maine, maryland, michigan, minnesota, missouri, montana, new york, north carolina, oklahoma, pennsylvania, tennessee, virginia, and west virginia. it may be noted that such central boards--including the state boards of control--are found in thirty-nine states, and in all but five have some connection with the schools.[ ] in eleven states the schools are directly under the state boards of control, central boards or bodies with similar powers, no special or local board intervening: arkansas, florida, illinois, iowa, nebraska, north dakota, ohio, oregon, south dakota, washington, and wisconsin.[ ] in some of the states, on the other hand, the schools are related to the state department of education. in four states they are under boards of trustees, with supervision only by this department: colorado, kentucky, massachusetts, and rhode island. in idaho and new jersey the schools are directly under the department,[ ] though in the former there is also connection with another state board. in montana the board of trustees is appointed by the department. in indiana and oklahoma the schools have boards of trustees and are under the department of education, but with inspection also by the department of charities. in new york and north carolina there is supervision both by the department of education and of charities. in several states the board of trustees includes the state superintendent of public instruction as a member _ex-officio_, as in alabama, louisiana, minnesota, south carolina, tennessee, and virginia. in kansas the school is under the state board of administration for educational institutions, including the university, normal school and agricultural college, and in florida the school is under the board of control of state educational institutions, while in arizona the school is a department of the state university.[ ] procedure in states without institutions in states where pupils are sent to schools outside the state, appointments and commitments are usually made in the east by the respective governors, and in the west by the boards of education or of charities. in delaware the governor appoints pupils to outside schools, the state supreme court having first recommended. in new hampshire the governor recommends, while the children are placed by the board of control.[ ] in wyoming the education of deaf children is directed by the board of charities and reforms, and in nevada by the state department of education.[ ] footnotes: [ ] the two institutions here are the kendall school and gallaudet college, though both really form what is known as the columbia institution. [ ] in louisiana full action has not been taken as yet for the creation of a special school for the colored deaf, though this may be expected soon. see message of governor, , p. . in regard to the value of the schools for the colored, the opinion of the heads of the schools in the southern states has been ascertained by the board of charities of louisiana. the wisdom of the policy was agreed in by all, and the schools were reported as doing well, as were their graduates. by one superintendent it was stated that "ignorance is costly to the state in more ways than one". report, , p. . [ ] in the district of columbia and west virginia colored children are sent to maryland for education. [ ] the maryland school approaches more nearly a state institution, though it is under a self-perpetuating body of trustees. [ ] two schools in pennsylvania are entirely state institutions, the home for the training in speech and the pennsylvania oral school. [ ] in a few institutions there are aid or auxiliary societies composed of ladies, usually about fifteen in number, as in the new york institution, the new york institution for improved instruction, and the pennsylvania institution. [ ] these fees and dues, as we have seen, are of varying size. annual membership dues are often $ , and sometimes as high as $ . life membership fees range from $ to $ , with corresponding fees for patrons, vice-presidents and others. the highest fee is that of life donor in the new york institution for improved instruction, being $ , . [ ] dr. i. l. peet, proceedings of national conference of charities and corrections, , p. . [ ] the annual appropriations are from $ to $ for each pupil, but not often over $ or $ . [ ] in the case of the pennsylvania institution we are advised that the _per capita_ appropriation is $ less than the actual cost. see also report, , p. ; , p. ; , p. . in the case of the clarke school, the trustees declare that the state has never paid the school for each pupil the average annual cost of instruction and maintenance, and the legislature is repeatedly asked to increase its appropriations. see report, , p. ; , p. ; , p. . of the american school we are told that the state appropriation "has never been enough to meet the actual cost". report, , p. . in the case of the new york institution we are advised that the cost per pupil from to has ranged from $ to $ , while the state appropriation has never exceeded $ ; and that from to $ , has been expended for educational purposes, and $ , for buildings and equipment, from the school's own funds. [ ] on this subject, see _american journal of sociology_, vii., , p. ; report of superintendent of charities of district of columbia, , p. ; proceedings of national conference of charities and corrections, , p. . [ ] as we have noted, alabama, maryland, north carolina, oklahoma, texas, and virginia have similar arrangements for their colored deaf and blind. [ ] in new mexico, however, where there are schools for both classes, the governor has advised their consolidation, as one institution "could administer to the needs of both". message, , p. . [ ] report of colorado school, , p. . see also report of board of charities of west virginia, , p. . [ ] the educators of the blind have particularly arraigned this plan. at one of the first conventions of the american instructors of the blind, the following propositions were enunciated: . deaf-mutes and the blind differ from each other more widely than either class differs from those having all the senses; . the methods of instruction peculiar to each are entirely unlike and incompatible; . the deaf engross the main attention; . the development of the blind department is retarded. proceedings, , p. . educators of the deaf have likewise stated their objections. at an early conference of principals, a resolution was adopted that the arrangement was bad, the methods being entirely different. proceedings, ii., , pp. , . see also report of michigan school, (first report), p. ; , p. ; louisiana school, , p. . in times past, however, advantages of this arrangement have been pointed out. see report of california institution, , p. ; , p. . [ ] see individual accounts in william wade's monograph on the deaf-blind, ; see also _national magazine_, xi., , p. ; _review of reviews_, xxv., , p. ; ohio bulletin of charities and corrections, xiii., , p. ; proceedings of american instructors of the deaf, xvi., , p. ff.; _annals_, l., , p. . [ ] the chief schools where they have been of recent years or are now being instructed are the new york institution, the pennsylvania institution, the western pennsylvania institution, and the schools in ohio, mississippi, kentucky, illinois, iowa, minnesota, south dakota, wisconsin, colorado, north carolina, south carolina, virginia, arkansas, louisiana, and texas. the number in any one school at one time seldom exceeds two or three, most often there being but one. [ ] a considerable proportion of such children are rather dumb than deaf, having some oral, as well as mental, defect. [ ] on this question, see especially report of illinois school, , p. ; michigan school, , p. ; maryland school, , p. ; , p. ; mississippi school, , p. ; _minnesota companion_, of minnesota school, nov. , ; report of board of charities of new york, , i., p. . of the alabama school, it is said that it "has turned away a number of these feeble-minded children during the past two years". report, , p. . in ohio there are stated to be a hundred such children. report of ohio school, , p. . in another state there are said to be feeble-minded deaf. _annals_, liv., , p. . [ ] in the census reported deaf persons in institutions for the feeble-minded, or . per cent of all their inmates. insane and feeble-minded in institutions, , p. . it has also been estimated that five per cent of the deaf are feeble-minded. proceedings of conference of charities and corrections, , p. ff. on the subject of the feeble-minded deaf in institutions, mr. cyrus e. white, of the kansas school, sent letters to the heads of schools, receiving replies from . no state, it was found, had made special provision for the feeble-minded deaf. it was the general agreement that they should be in institutions for the feeble-minded, one superintendent declaring that "feeble-mindedness is a better classification than deafness". another superintendent suggested the establishment of such an institution in a central state, to which the different states could send suitable cases. see _annals_, lv., , p. . a committee of the pennsylvania society for the advancement of the deaf has found that all of the three feeble-minded institutions in this state are crowded, and that there is no hope for the feeble-minded deaf in them. proceedings, xxiv., , p. . in one institution for the feeble-minded there are said to be twenty deaf feeble-minded. _annals_, liv., , p. . in the institution for the feeble-minded in iowa a special class of such inmates was organized in . _ibid._, lviii., , p. . it is to be remembered in this connection that in many states there are no institutions for the feeble-minded. educators of the deaf have often been instrumental in securing the creation of such institutions. see proceedings of convention of american instructors, iv., , p. . in a few states, as illinois, minnesota and washington, departments for the feeble-minded have been created in schools for the deaf, the feeble-minded being removed later. in montana a department is still maintained. [ ] the columbia institution is considered a corporation, its governing board being composed of nine members, one of whom is a senator appointed by the president of the senate, and two members of the house appointed by the speaker, while the president of the united states is patron. [ ] in the new york institution and the new york institution for improved instruction the number is , and in the maryland school, the pennsylvania institution and the western pennsylvania institution, . [ ] such is the case in alabama, mississippi, new mexico, north carolina, rhode island, and utah. confirmation by the senate is also usual with boards of control. [ ] on rare occasions a deaf man himself is made a member of the board. [ ] in a few states compensation is allowed, as in indiana, montana, oklahoma, texas, and west virginia. [ ] on the arrangements in the several states, see especially _annals_, xlviii., , p. ; lviii., , p. . see also proceedings of american instructors, iv., , p. ; vii., , p. ; ix., , pp. , ; report of royal commission on the blind, deaf and dumb, etc., , iii., p. ff. [ ] in certain of these states, however, as idaho, indiana, maine, minnesota, montana, and west virginia, the boards of charities or central boards have only more or less financial concern, the statutes usually referring to some such connection with the several state institutions, though not always mentioning them by name. in one or two states, as rhode island, there is connection with a board of purchases and supplies. in minnesota there is also a board of visitors for state institutions, exerting rather a moral supervision. [ ] the duties of such boards may be indicated from the following extract in a letter to the writer from the secretary of the wisconsin board: the board "appoints the chief officers, purchases all the supplies for the institutions, formulates the provisions under which the institutions are managed, and has almost unlimited power with reference to the institutions". the boards thus have practically complete control of the public institutions of the state, and in some cases state universities have come within their direction. the boards have come especially into favor in states of the west and middle west. in their favor it is claimed that they secure economy, accuracy, better discipline and more equitable appropriations, introduce business methods, relieve the heads of schools from financial problems, visit other states, and keep in touch with the people. see university of nebraska studies, oct., . the evolution of state control is also here traced. see also bulletin of ohio board of charities, dec., , xiv., . [ ] in iowa the school for the blind is under the board of education. [ ] in nearly all the states the schools were placed at first in the hands of special boards of trustees, with connection with no other bodies, and it was only later that any change was brought about. in some states there have been various experiments in the organization of governing boards and in the number of members they were to contain. several schools at their beginning have been put under the direction of a state educational institution, as the university in utah, and the normal school in oklahoma. in a few states the schools have been placed under certain state officers, as in new mexico and oregon. in washington the first board of trustees of the school consisted of a physician, a lawyer and a practical educator. [ ] we have already noted that the colored deaf of the district of columbia and west virginia are sent to an outside school. [ ] in regard to the organization of the several boards that have to do with the education of the deaf, it may be stated that in some states, as in ohio and indiana, the law restricts the number that may be of any one political party. in connection with the government of schools for the deaf, the saddest feature has too often been the political influences which have been allowed to become factors in the conducting of some of them. in certain instances the playing of "politics" has been of serious moment, and with incalculable harm to the work of the schools. in some cases the administration of schools has been considered legitimate spoils to the party in power, and appointments have been made as a matter of reward, and removals as a matter of punishment. the evil effect of such procedure it is hard to overestimate, and indeed in an enlightened land it is even difficult of credence. public opinion should severely condemn all attempts at political interference in the work of the education of the deaf, and those seeking to promote it should be dealt with befittingly. happily, however, such conduct seems now on the decline in the schools, and it may earnestly be hoped that the end is not far in the future. chapter xi the day school for the deaf inception and growth of the day school a small number of the institutions for the deaf had begun as day schools, the pupils living away from the school outside school hours, and had continued so for a longer or shorter period. the schools were then in an experimental stage, and this plan came first to hand. in the course of time it was found that this feature was not practicable, as the pupils were often far scattered, and the boarding arrangement was accordingly adopted.[ ] this was the policy finally chosen in all the states having schools. later, however, when the states had grown in population, and in some of the cities there were found not a few deaf children, the demand was renewed for day schools.[ ] the result has been the beginning and development of a system of day schools in a number of states; and they have come to occupy part of the field formerly covered by the state institutions alone. of the day schools now existing, the horace mann school, of boston, which was established in , is accredited with being the initial one.[ ] two others were opened before , while from to there were started, and since , , making in all now.[ ] these schools are found in fourteen states, but the movement has reached its greatest growth in the middle west, especially in wisconsin and michigan. in some of the states special laws have been enacted, providing for the establishment of day schools.[ ] design and scope of day schools the day school for the deaf is still sometimes regarded as an experiment, while its advocates insist that its success has been demonstrated. among school authorities in cities especially, pleas for the establishment of day schools are often listened to with favor, and there is frequently a tendency to give them at least a trial. general bodies interested in education or the public welfare are likewise inclined to countenance day schools, largely for the reason that they are opposed to the institution idea, and would place as many children as possible in the regular schools. an illustration of this view is found in the report on children of the national conference of charities and corrections in .[ ] institutional care of healthy, normal children is objectionable.... institutional care for educational purposes is necessary for a portion of the deaf and blind children ... but it is recognized that in large cities public schools can be provided for many deaf and blind children. by some it is believed that in time the day school will supplant the large institution, so far at least as large cities are concerned, and that the deaf, and the blind as well, will not be differentiated from the pupils in the regular schools. separate apartments and special teachers will be provided for them, but in all public school systems these classes will be actual factors. on the other hand, it is maintained that there is an abundant field for both day school and institution. the former should only supplement the work of the latter, especially in reaching children that cannot otherwise be brought into school. the reason why the day school is called into being is thus given by an educational authority of one city:[ ] institutions that care for these children throughout the entire year, that feed, clothe and educate them, that render skilful and prompt medical attention, and afford uplifting social advantages--all under one roof--have a worthy place under our social and educational systems; but these institutions cannot care for all the unfortunate children in need of education. it is also suggested that it might be arranged that day schools should keep pupils during their early years, as from five to nine years of age, after which time they could enter the institution, and be placed in graded classes and in a suitable trade school.[ ] hence it is pointed out that the day school and institution should not be antagonistic, that their interests are common at bottom, and that they should work hand in hand, without friction or misunderstanding. the day school plan has not as yet been followed in a large number of states; yet as these schools are being looked upon with more and more favor by city boards of education, and as in the centers of population there is said to be a need for them, it is not improbable that they may be extended much farther in the future. it is doubtful, however, if very soon they will spread beyond the large cities; and states without great cities may be without such schools for many years at least.[ ] extent and organization of day schools the day schools, numbering in all, as we have seen, are found in the states of california, georgia, illinois, louisiana, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, missouri, new jersey, new york, ohio, oregon, washington, and wisconsin. in georgia, louisiana, massachusetts, minnesota, missouri, and oregon each there is but one school, in new jersey and washington each , in new york , in california , in ohio and illinois each , in michigan , and in wisconsin . where only one day school is found in a state, it is located usually in the largest city (atlanta, new orleans, boston, st. paul, st. louis, and portland), while the two schools of new jersey are in newark and jersey city, the two of washington in seattle and tacoma, and the three of new york in new york city. of the five schools in illinois, four are in chicago. in six of these states, namely, california, illinois, michigan, new jersey, ohio, and wisconsin, there are special state laws under which the schools are established and operated.[ ] by such laws it is generally provided that where there are a certain number of deaf children, usually three,[ ] a school may, on application of the local school trustees or district board, be organized by the state department of education.[ ] the minimum age for such children is often three. a stated sum is frequently allowed for each pupil, as $ .[ ] in the remaining eight states the schools are organized and directed by local school authorities, without assistance from legislative statute. these schools are supported by local funds or by state and local funds together. the latter is the more common procedure, and in the case of schools operating under a state law, it is the usual, but not the necessary, practice. the schools in six states, namely, georgia, illinois, louisiana, minnesota, missouri, and new york, are thus maintained only by local funds of the city or county, the remainder receiving aid in whole or in part from the state.[ ] the school in minnesota and one in california are aided by private contributions. in nearly all cases carfare is provided to and from school when necessary. in the day schools special buildings are not usually provided, separate classes being created in the regular school buildings; but in some of the larger cities there are special buildings, known as distinct schools, in which the class-rooms are for the different grades of deaf pupils. the number of pupils in the day schools in - was , . the smallest schools have but three pupils, while the largest one, in chicago, has , the number usually depending on the size of the city. the method employed in the day schools is exclusively the oral with but two exceptions.[ ] in all but a few certain industries are also taught, or more or less of manual training is given. arguments for the day school the great argument for the day school is that it is not well that children be "institutionalized." the institution life is said not to be the normal life, and its habits and associations are not in accord with the principles now being largely held in america. it is coming to be more and more realized that the home should always be the center of interest and attachment in the well established community, and that the character and influence of the family should be maintained unimpaired. in connection with orphan and other child-caring agencies, a greater emphasis than ever before is being put on the question of how to reduce the life to one of normality, and the "placing-out" of dependent children in homes where they can grow up as normal children is now a popular faith. the great watchword to-day in intelligent and constructive philanthropy is the "ideal of the normal," and it is on this ground that the institution is declared to be removed from the standard of the highest interests of society. even though a child should profit in the institution, and even though he should be sent out into the world strong and self-reliant, yet while in the institution, he is out of line, and is just so far displaced from the ideal of the normal; and even though the institution is cleanlier, more sanitary and otherwise better equipped than the quarters from which the child comes, still the institution cannot be justified, for no solution can be acceptable if in the end it results in the breaking up of the home.[ ] more specific charges are also brought against the institution. here life for the inmates is made too easy, and little can be known by them of the actual struggles of the world. the life is machine-like, and all is routine clockwork. by the discipline, which is necessary, much of the spontaneity of growing children is destroyed, and the surroundings are pervaded with the spirit of uniformity, "solidarity" and "dead levelism." on the other hand, the children fail to learn many important lessons in domestic economy which would be before them every day in the home; and they lose the attitude towards life, morally and socially, which is given by the home.[ ] the arguments for the day school may be stated more concretely yet. the special day school may be co-ordinated with, or made a part of, the state's educational system, standing on a level with its other schools. deaf children here come to feel their place in the normal world, while people in general become more ready to regard them in a proper manner. these children at the same time are not made strangers to their own family circles and communities; and certain ones, by a school nearer home and consequently more acceptable to their parents, may be reached who would otherwise possibly never enter an institution. in the way of cost the balance is distinctly on the side of the day school. with no costly special plant necessary, and with no charges to be incurred for food supplies, attendants and the like, it appears to decided advantage in the matter of economy in comparison with an institution; and its normal expenditures approach nearer those of the regular schools. at present the difference between the cost per pupil in the day schools and in the institutions is the difference between $ and $ .[ ] arguments against the day school the argument against the day school rests upon the fact that the deaf form, educationally, a special class, very small in most communities, who have to be reached by unusual methods. to them the large institution offers advantages not likely to be had outside. for this reason the case against the institution, however cogent and logical it may be in general, cannot well apply. in the institution the children may be under intelligent supervision and direction their entire time, and they may be able to get, outside school hours, a part of the education which the hearing child so naturally acquires, for in an institution learning continues outside the classroom as well as within. the "picking up" of knowledge and bits of information, which the hearing child begins to make use of from the time he first hears human words, and the importance and value of which the general public cannot be expected to appreciate, is lost in the greatest measure to the deaf in the home. here ready means of communication are lacking, and the necessary care and attention cannot be expected to be given in the household. even though deaf children can and do mingle with their hearing acquaintances, they cannot get so much happiness or zest out of their sports and intercourse as they can with their own deaf comrades; and while, no matter what their surroundings are, the difficulties of most of them in mastering language will never be overcome, still in associations with similar deaf children there will be far more stimuli to react on their consciousness, and the tendency will be for them to become more and more in their mental actions like the normal. in the home there can be no great assurance of study and supervision; and the growing deaf child, not being able to appreciate the forces that surround him as the hearing child does, may the more easily fall under unwholesome influences. in the institution there can be suitable discipline, regular attendance, enlightened general oversight, and co-ordination of all that is concerned in the child's proper development. furthermore, although there may be a growing feeling against the institution life, there is, on the other hand, an increasing social questioning as to the advisability of a child's remaining in a particular home if his welfare is not properly safeguarded. in many day schools there are comparatively few pupils, and in most of these we cannot expect to find the carefully graded classes, with a place for every pupil according to his needs, bright or dull, quick to learn or slow. a pupil in a day school, if not neglected to some extent, may be required to do work for which he is quite unfitted, being either beyond it or incapable of it. the backward child will here be the worst sufferer, for if there are but few classes, he can get little of the special attention he needs; and his progress cannot be the same as when in a class of like pupils and under an appropriate and patient teacher. again, the attention that is given in an institution with a considerable number of pupils to the learning of a trade--accounting in strong measure for success in after life--means much more to a deaf child than it could to any other. in an institution there will usually be found larger equipment, fuller apparatus and more varied lines than in any but a very large day school; and in its trade department habits of industry will be formed, talents developed, a knowledge of mechanism and the use of tools implanted, an ardor enkindled for the mastership of a trade, and an appreciation of the part to be played in the great world of industrial activity, besides the incentive of being in a great workshop with other workers--all in far greater measure and more effectively than would be possible anywhere else, save in a great trade school, in which there could not be expected to be taken the special care and provision necessitated by the want of hearing of the pupils. finally, it may be said that we have no evidence, as respects institutions for the deaf, to show that they have in any way undermined the character or mission of the home, or that their results have been other than desirable in a well-ordered state. hence we are told, in a word, that no matter how strong and valid are the theoretical objections to an institution, yet so far as the practical issues are concerned, in the preparation of the deaf for the world, and in what really counts for their development and progress, the institution, for many at least, occupies a position of demonstrated usefulness, recognition of which cannot rightly be withheld.[ ] evening day schools for adults thus far in this chapter we have discussed day schools in relation to children, that is, pupils in the usual sense. but there is another form of day schools to which attention is to be directed. this is in the creation of evening day schools for the use of adults only, the field open to which is as yet apparently but little realized. occasion for such schools arises chiefly in communities, especially large cities, where a considerable number of adult deaf persons are within reach, and where a real need may often be found. the matter is to be regarded in effect as the extension of the means of education by the state to include as large a part of the population as possible--a movement which is being so notably evidenced in the opening of evening schools of not a few kinds in cities to-day. with the deaf the demand is of a peculiar nature. their avenues for receiving instruction are materially restricted, and for some, especially the congenitally deaf, the acquisition of correct language always remains a difficult problem, while to others the advantages of the regular schools may have been limited. a large number of the deaf will not require such special opportunities, but for a portion of them the assistance may be of quite substantial character.[ ] footnotes: [ ] the new york institution, the pennsylvania institution and the western pennsylvania institution notably started out as day schools, the first remaining so for eleven years. in some of the institutions also there have been at times day school pupils in attendance. [ ] day schools have, moreover, been fostered and supported to a great extent by advocates of what is known as the oral method, in opposition to the manual, or sign method, which had been largely the method hitherto employed in the institutions. the day school may even be said to have entered the field in part as a protest against this method. [ ] a day school was started in pittsburg two months previously; but it was soon made into the western pennsylvania institution. _annals_, xv., , p. . [ ] a number of day schools which were started have been discontinued, but there were never so many as at present. [ ] wisconsin was the first state to have a day school law, which was enacted in . bills were offered in and , but were defeated. the movement in this state has been in large part due to the activities of the wisconsin phonological institute to promote the teaching of speech to the deaf, an organization formed in . the question has even been considered in this state of abolishing the state school as a boarding institution. see _public opinion_, xxv., , no. ; _association review_, iii., , p. . [ ] proceedings, p. . [ ] mr. c. w. edson, associate superintendent of schools of new york, _charities and the commons_, xix., , p. . see also report of illinois institution, , p. . [ ] see report of washington state school, , p. . a like solution was offered before the national educational association in . certain children might be "trained in special schools and live at home if possible up to the age of adolescence, when they may acquire trades at special institutions maintained by the state". proceedings, p. . [ ] it is to be remembered that in michigan and wisconsin schools have, under the operation of the state law, been organized in comparatively small towns. [ ] efforts have been made in several other states to secure laws. in ohio in the state law was declared unconstitutional, as being class legislation in granting special aid to the cities of cleveland and cincinnati. see report of ohio school, , p. . [ ] in california the number is five, and in new jersey ten. [ ] in ohio the state commissioner of education may appoint and remove teachers, and inspect schools. in wisconsin the state superintendent appoints inspectors, and the county judge may compel the establishment of schools. [ ] in wisconsin $ additional is allowed for the board of children who move to a town to attend a school. [ ] in massachusetts a direct appropriation of $ _per capita_ is made by the state. [ ] the methods employed in the instruction of the deaf are treated of in chapter xix. [ ] the importance of this is accentuated in the present apprehensions concerning the dissolving and loosening of the ties of the home, indicated in more ways than one in present programs of social work. [ ] see a. g. warner, "american charities", rev. ed., , p. ; r. r. reeder, "how two hundred children live and learn", , pp. , ; "philanthropy and social progress", , p. ff. [ ] it is claimed that in wisconsin with the centralization plan of a state institution one-third of the deaf children failed to be reached, and that by the day school there is a saving to the state of $ , a year. proceedings of national educational association, , p. . see also _ibid._, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; report of united states commissioner of education, , p. ccxi.; p. a. emery, "plea for early mute education," ; improvement of the wisconsin system of education of deaf children, ; public school classes for deaf children: open letter from chicago association of parents of deaf children, ; michigan day schools for the deaf, ; report of superintendent of public instruction of michigan, , p. ; report of department of public instruction of wisconsin, , p. ; report of board of education of chicago, , p. ; a. j. winnie, "history and handbook of day schools for the deaf", wisconsin, ; _annals_, xx., , p. ; _association review_, ii., , p. ; viii., , p. ; xi., , p. ; _volta review_, xiii., , p. ; _independent_, lxxiv., , p. . [ ] see _annals_, xxvii., , p. ; xxix., , pp. , ; xxx., , p. ; l., , p. ; lvi., , p. ; _volta review_, xv., , p. ; proceedings of convention of american instructors, vii., , p. ; xiv., , pp. , ; conference of principals, vi., , p. ; viii., , p. ; minnesota conference of charities and corrections, , p. ; report of iowa school, , p. ; pennsylvania institution, , p. ; california school, , p. . [ ] one or two evening schools have been started in the past, to be discontinued after a few years, both under private and under public auspices. in the consideration, however, of any general scheme for evening schools it should be arranged that the work of the regular schools for the deaf is not infringed upon, and that pupils in these schools should not have before them the temptation of leaving prematurely, with the expectation of making up later. probably the safest plan would be the securing of a satisfactory compulsory attendance law before evening schools are attempted upon a broad scale. chapter xii denominational and private schools denominational schools in addition to the state institutions and the day schools, there have been established in america certain schools for the deaf which are strictly under private management, and, as a rule, not subject to the immediate control and direction of the state. these are of two kinds: . denominational schools, maintained by some religious body; and . schools conducted as purely private and secular affairs. such schools now number twenty-one, ten denominational and eleven private, all in - having pupils. most are of comparatively recent date, the first having been established in , and nine since .[ ] the denominational schools are found in california, illinois, louisiana, maryland, michigan, missouri, ohio, pennsylvania, and wisconsin, there being two in pennsylvania. they are for the most part boarding institutions, in a few cases being departments of larger institutions. their controlling purpose is to surround their pupils with religious influences, and to provide them with religious instruction. all but one are under roman catholic auspices, as a usual thing in the hands of the sisters. the single protestant school is in the care of the lutheran church, and is controlled by the synod, with the direct management vested in a board of trustees. these schools are supported by denominational funds, by voluntary contributions, and in a small measure by tuition fees. in some of the schools, as in maryland and pennsylvania, there is state aid to a small extent. the fees paid by pupils are never high, and not many in the schools pay the full amount, though inability to pay is never allowed to keep any away who wish to attend.[ ] private schools the eleven non-denominational schools may be themselves divided into two classes: those which are really homes for very young deaf children, sometimes under the control of a society organized for the purpose; and those which are purely private enterprises, owned and directed by one or more individuals. of the former there are four homes or kindergartens--the sarah fuller home of boston, the mccowen homes of chicago, the home school near baltimore, and the home school of san francisco.[ ] their main object is to give their pupils an early start in the use of speech as well as to provide a home, and children as young as three, or even younger, may be admitted. the management of these schools is usually in the hands of trustees. support is derived largely from the fees of pupils, though some schools are often the recipients of private donations, especially when children are taken without charge; and one or two have aid from public allowances.[ ] the private schools of the second class are almost entirely dependent on tuition fees, though one or two likewise receive some state aid. with two exceptions,[ ] they are found in large cities, new york having two, and philadelphia, baltimore and cincinnati one each. these schools are both boarding and day schools. the method employed in the private schools is nearly always the oral, and this is the method also of some of the denominational schools. in some of the schools of both classes manual training and instruction in trades are given to an extent. footnotes: [ ] there have been a number of private schools at various times, perhaps a score or more, which have been discontinued--besides those which were the nuclei of the state institutions. there are, moreover, several private schools for the hard of hearing, where instruction and practice are offered in lip-reading, and attended for the most part by adults. [ ] thus in the michigan evangelical lutheran institute, where the minimum fee is $ a month, we are advised that only two or three pay the full amount. in st. john's institute of wisconsin, where $ a month is asked, we are advised that the officials are "contented with whatever part of this sum the parents or guardians can pay". voluntary contributions likewise do not always prove large. of the immaculate conception institution of st. louis, we are advised that private contributions are "too meagre to support one child". the industry of the sisters often adds much for the maintenance of the catholic schools. [ ] another such home is in philadelphia, but is now a state institution. [ ] to the sarah fuller home the state of massachusetts allows $ _per capita_ for some of the children. [ ] at lead, south dakota, and macon, georgia. chapter xiii the national college after our review of the various schools that have been created for the deaf in the united states, we come to what may be regarded as the culminative feature in the provision for their instruction--an institution for their higher education. in this particular the work in america stands unique among the nations of the world. this institution is gallaudet college--named after the founder of the first school--which is maintained at washington by the national government, and is open to all the deaf of the country. we have seen how the national government has rendered very distinct aid in the work of the education of the deaf; but in establishing the college it has gone far beyond this, and by this act may be said to have placed the capstone upon the structure of their education. this college has resulted from a school which was established in the district of columbia in , known as the kendall school. not long after congress was asked to create an institution for the higher education of the deaf as well, and to include all the country. no little interest was aroused in the matter, and zealous advocates appeared to present the claims of the new undertaking. the chief objection was the lack of precedent, while with some members of congress the idea seemed strange of conferring college degrees upon the deaf. opposition, however, did not prove strong, and the measure was finally enacted in by a practically unanimous vote.[ ] thus was the college established, and congress continues regularly to provide for it, together with the kendall school, both being known as the columbia institution for the deaf. in the college there are now provided one hundred full scholarships for students from the several states of the union.[ ] it is not surprising that this action on the part of congress should have been held without a precedent. in no other instance has the national government attempted to make provision for the education of any class or part of the inhabitants of the different states, beyond certain so-called wards of the nation, as the indians, for example. though the national government has very perceptibly encouraged learning in many ways,[ ] yet direct provision for the education of the youth of the several commonwealths has universally been regarded as their sole prerogative. in thus establishing a college for certain residents of the various states, the federal government has done something that stands out by itself. though the reason lies in the fact that no other means for the higher education of the deaf seemed at hand, it would appear that thereby the government has signally favored the deaf, as it indeed has; and in taking under its immediate direction this higher education of the deaf, the national government has won the gratitude of them all. footnotes: [ ] see e. m. gallaudet, "address in behalf of columbia institution," ; inauguration of the college for the deaf and dumb, ; report of columbia institution, ; , p. ; ; , p. ; ; proceedings of alumni association of gallaudet college, - , p. ; history of charities in district of columbia, , part ; _annals_, xiv., , p. ; xix., , p. ; lvi., , p. ; _journal of social science_, vi., , p. ; _scribner's magazine_, iii., , p. ; _harper's magazine_, lxix., , p. ; _review of reviews_, xvi., , p. . the college was considerably aided in its first few years by private contributions. the first president was edward miner gallaudet, son of thomas hopkins gallaudet, who served more than fifty years. [ ] the number was at first small, and has gradually been increased to . it has also been suggested that the states assist in providing scholarships. report of columbia institution, , p. . [ ] this is done, for instance, in the several bureaus established for investigation and the dissemination of knowledge, and in the grants of land for the benefit of agricultural colleges or state universities. chapter xiv provision for education by states having now considered the plan and organization of the several kinds of schools for the deaf in america, namely, the institutions, the day schools, the private schools and the national college, we proceed in this chapter to examine the work in the several states individually, and to note to what extent and in what manner the education of the deaf has been provided for in each. _alabama._ a private school was started near montgomery in , but was discontinued after one or two years. the state school was established at talladega in .[ ] in [ ] a school was created for the colored deaf and blind. the schools are governed by a board of thirteen members, including the governor and the superintendent of public instruction.[ ] _arizona._ before the opening of a local school the deaf were sent to other states for instruction.[ ] the state school was created in ,[ ] and is a part of the state university. on the admission of arizona as a state, , acres of the public land were granted for the benefit of the school for the deaf and the blind. _arkansas._ a private school was opened at clarksville in , which was moved to little rock in .[ ] after a suspension, it was started anew in , and in was taken over by the state.[ ] the school is now in the hands of the state board of charitable institutions.[ ] _california._ the state institution for the deaf and the blind was established at berkeley in ,[ ] after a society had been formed for the purpose. the school is controlled by a board of five directors, while the state board of charities supervises.[ ] there are four day schools in the state:[ ] at oakland, opened in , and supported by state and county; at los angeles in , supported by city and private subscriptions; at san francisco in , supported by the city; and at sacramento in , supported by state and city. there is a private school in oakland, the st. joseph's home, opened in , and one in san francisco, the holden home oral school, opened in . _colorado._ the state school was opened at colorado springs in ,[ ] and is for the deaf and the blind. it is supported by a one-fifth mill tax on the assessed property valuation of the state. the school is in the hands of a board of five trustees, and is connected with the state board of education.[ ] _connecticut._ the american school was established at hartford in .[ ] at the time the state made an appropriation of $ , , and in began to allow a certain sum for each state pupil, a policy still continued. the school has remained a private corporation, and its board is made up of eight vice-presidents and eight elected directors, together with the governors and secretaries of state of the new england states. in congress gave the school , acres of the public land, from which almost $ , has been realized. gifts from private sources have nearly equalled this, about half coming since .[ ] a second school is at mystic, known as the mystic oral school, this having been started in at ledyard, where it remained four years.[ ] it is under a board of ten corporators. both these schools receive _per capita_ allowances from the state, and are visited by the state board of charities.[ ] _delaware._ deaf children are sent to schools in neighboring states, the first provision having been made in . the supreme court judges act as trustees _ex-officio_, and recommend pupils to the governor to be placed.[ ] _district of columbia._ the kendall school, as it is known, was opened in ,[ ] and was designed primarily for the children of the district and of persons in the army and navy service. in [ ] congress decided to establish a collegiate department for the deaf of all the country, which was first known as the national deaf-mute college, but is now gallaudet college. the columbia institution, embracing both the college and the kendall school, is supported by congress, and is in the form of a corporation, of which the president of the united states is patron, and of the nine members of which one is a senator and two are members of the house.[ ] _florida._ the state school for the deaf and blind was opened at st. augustine in .[ ] it is now in the hands of the state board of control of educational institutions, which also directs the state university.[ ] _georgia._ the state began sending some of its deaf children to the hartford school in .[ ] a private school was started at cedar springs in , which continued two years. the state school was established at cave spring in .[ ] it is under a board of seven trustees.[ ] there is a day school in atlanta, supported by the city, and a private one at macon, both opened in . _idaho._ before the opening of a state school, deaf children were sent to outside institutions.[ ] the school for the deaf and the blind was opened at boise in , but in was removed to gooding. it is under the state board of education, and subject to other state inspection.[ ] _illinois._ the state school was opened at jacksonville in , although steps had been taken several years before for its establishment.[ ] the school is directed by the state board of administration, while the board of charities has moral and auditing supervision.[ ] there are in the state five day schools, four of which are in chicago, the first having been established in , and the last in . the other day school is at rock island, opened in . all these schools are operated under the state law, and supported by city funds.[ ] in chicago there are also two private schools: the ephpheta, opened in , and maintained by st. joseph's home for the friendless,[ ] and the mccowen homes for deaf children, opened in .[ ] _indiana._ prior to the opening of the state school, some children were sent to kentucky and ohio for education. in a private school was started in parke county, which lasted one year.[ ] in another private school was begun in indianapolis, which was adopted by the state in .[ ] the school is now governed by a board of four trustees, and is under the state board of education, with certain connection also with the board of charities.[ ] _iowa._ before the opening of the state school some pupils were sent to the school in illinois. in a private school was started at iowa city, which in was taken over by the state,[ ] in being removed to council bluffs.[ ] the school is under the state board of control.[ ] _kansas._ a private school was started in at baldwin city. after being removed to topeka in and back again to baldwin city in , it was taken over by the state in ,[ ] and permanently located at olathe. the state board of administration for educational institutions has the direction of the school.[ ] _kentucky._ the state school was established at danville in .[ ] in it received from congress a township of land in florida.[ ] the school is in the hands of a board of twelve commissioners, and is related to the state department of education.[ ] _louisiana._ in the state began to send some of its children to schools in other states, many being sent to kentucky.[ ] the state school was established at baton rouge in .[ ] it is governed by a board of trustees, including the governor and the superintendent of public instruction, and is visited by the state board of charities.[ ] in new orleans there is a day school, opened in , and supported by the city.[ ] at chinchuba there is a private school, the chinchuba deaf-mute institute, under the sisters of notre dame, opened in . _maine._ in the state began to send its children to the american school, and later to the schools in massachusetts as well.[ ] in a private school was started in portland with aid from the city, and the following year from the state also.[ ] in the state assumed charge, the school being placed under a board of five trustees.[ ] inspection is made by the state board of charities. _maryland._ in provision was made for pupils in the pennsylvania institution, and in in the district of columbia.[ ] in [ ] the maryland school was established at frederick. it is under a private society, composed of twenty-seven visitors, but is supported and controlled by the state. in a department for the colored was opened in connection with the institution for the blind, now located at overlea.[ ] both of these schools are inspected by the state board of charities.[ ] there are two private schools in baltimore, the st. francis xavier under the mission helpers of the sacred heart, opened in , and a department in the knapp school, opened in ; and at kensington a home school, opened in . these schools are aided by the state.[ ] _massachusetts._ in , just after the american school had been established, massachusetts began sending its deaf children to it, which policy was continued till the state had schools of its own.[ ] the first of these was the clarke school at northampton, which was established in .[ ] this had been started at chelmesford the year before, but removed to northampton when a citizen whose name it bears offered it $ , --subsequently adding to this till his total gifts reached $ , .[ ] in the legislature provided that state pupils might be sent to it. the school is under a board of twelve corporators. the new england industrial school was opened at beverly in ,[ ] for the purpose of teaching language and industrial training. it is under a board of thirteen incorporators. the boston school at randolph was established in , and is under the sisters of st. joseph.[ ] in boston there is a day school, known as the horace mann school, opened in , and directed by the city.[ ] the sarah fuller home is at west medford, and was opened in .[ ] all these schools receive state appropriations, and are supervised by the state department of education.[ ] _michigan._ action was taken in towards the establishment of an institution, but it was not till that the school was opened, flint being chosen as the site.[ ] in the state granted the school fifteen sections of its salt spring lands, later increasing the number to twenty-five, which amounted in all to , acres.[ ] the school is under a board of three trustees, and is visited by the state board of charities and corrections.[ ] there are fourteen day schools in the state, operating under the state law:[ ] bay city, opened in ; calumet, ; detroit, ; grand rapids, ; houghton, ; iron mountain, ; ironwood, ; jackson, ; kalamazoo, ; manistee, ; marquette, ; saginaw, ; sault ste. marie, ; and traverse city, . there is a private school at north detroit, the evangelical lutheran deaf-mute institute, opened in .[ ] _minnesota._ the state school was opened at faribault in , though it had been planned in .[ ] the school is governed by a board of seven directors, including the governor and the superintendent of public instruction, while the state board of control has the financial administration.[ ] there is a day school in st. paul, opened in , and supported by the city and with private aid.[ ] _mississippi._ the state school was opened at jackson in .[ ] it is in the hands of a board of six trustees, including the governor.[ ] _missouri._ a school under catholic auspices was established in st. louis in , to which the state sent some of its children, while others were sent to schools in other states.[ ] the state school was opened at fulton in .[ ] it is governed by a board of five managers, and is visited by the state board of charities.[ ] there is a day school in st. louis, founded in , and managed as part of the public school system. in the same city is a private school, under the sisters of st. joseph, opened in and offspring of the school of . it is known as the immaculate conception institute, and is part of a convent and orphans' home.[ ] _montana._ before the establishment of a school, deaf children were sent to schools in other states.[ ] the state institution for the deaf and blind was opened at boulder in ,[ ] , acres of the public land having been given by congress for its benefit. it is under a board of nine trustees, appointed by the state board of education, with a local executive board of three, there being other state inspection also.[ ] _nebraska._ before the establishment of a school, deaf children were sent to iowa.[ ] in the state school was opened at omaha.[ ] it is governed by the state board of control of state institutions.[ ] _nevada._ deaf children have been sent since to california or utah for education, the superintendent of public instruction contracting for them.[ ] _new hampshire._ in the state began sending its deaf children to the school at hartford.[ ] they are now sent to the schools in the several new england states, as the governor and council may direct, on the recommendation of the board of control.[ ] _new jersey._ in the state began to provide for the education of its deaf children in the schools in pennsylvania and new york.[ ] in the state school was established at trenton.[ ] it is related to the state department of education.[ ] there are two day schools in the state, at newark and jersey city, both opened in , and operating under the state law.[ ] _new mexico._ a private school was opened at santa fé in , which in was taken over by the territory.[ ] it was given , acres of the public land, and on the admission of new mexico as a state, this was increased to , . the school is directed by a board of six trustees.[ ] _new york._ there are in this state eight institutions, three day schools, and two private schools. the institutions are all private corporations receiving state aid. the first of these was the new york institution for the instruction of the deaf and dumb, which was opened in in new york city.[ ] in the state began to make appropriations. the school is governed by a board of twenty-one trustees.[ ] the next school was le couteulx st. mary's institution for the improved instruction of deaf-mutes, organized in buffalo in by a benevolent society, and opened in . in it came within the state law as to public aid.[ ] it is controlled by a board of seven managers. in new york city in the new york institution for the improved instruction of deaf-mutes was established, which had resulted from a private class. it is in the hands of an association formed for the purpose, the management being vested in a board of twenty-one trustees.[ ] in st. joseph's institution was opened in new york city, a branch being created in brooklyn in .[ ] it is under the control of the ladies of the sacred heart of mary, and directed by a board of seven managers. the central new york institution was opened at rome in , and is governed by a board of fifteen trustees.[ ] the western new york institution was established at rochester in , and has twenty-one trustees.[ ] the northern new york institution was established at malone in , and is under a board of fifteen trustees.[ ] the albany home school for the oral instruction of the deaf was opened in as a private affair, and came under the state law in .[ ] it has a board of eight trustees. the new york law admitting children into these several institutions is peculiar, pupils under twelve years of age being sent as charges of the counties, and those over that age as state pupils, who are appointed by the state commissioner of education. the schools are visited both by the departments of education and of charities.[ ] the three day schools are in new york city, one in manhattan, opened in , one in brooklyn, opened in , and one in queens, opened in , the last two being annexes of the first. the two private schools are also in this city: the wright oral, opened in , and the reno margulies, opened in .[ ] _north carolina._ a school was planned in this state in , but it did not come into being till , when the state institution was established at raleigh,[ ] which was for both the deaf and the blind. in a school was opened at morganton for the white deaf,[ ] the colored remaining in a department of the former school. both schools are controlled by boards of directors--eleven for the raleigh and seven for the morganton--and are inspected by the departments of education and of charities.[ ] _north dakota._ prior to the opening of a state school, children were sent to schools in other states. in the state institution was created at devil's lake.[ ] it is in charge of the state board of control.[ ] on the admission of north dakota as a state, , acres of the public land were set aside for the benefit of the school. it is further supported by a tax of six per cent of one mill on the assessed property valuation of the state.[ ] _ohio._ a movement was on foot for the establishment of a school at cincinnati in , but did not succeed. a private school was opened in at tallmadge, which lasted two years. the state school was established at columbus in .[ ] it is now in the hands of the state board of administration.[ ] five day schools are in operation in the state: cincinnati, opened in ; cleveland, ; dayton, ; ashtabula, ; and toledo, .[ ] there are two private schools in cincinnati: one, the notre dame, under the sisters of notre dame, opened in , and the other in .[ ] _oklahoma._ before creating an institution of its own, oklahoma provided for the education of its deaf children in a private school at guthrie, which had been opened in .[ ] in the state school was established at sulphur,[ ] and in a second school was opened at taft, known as the industrial institute for the deaf, the blind and orphans of the colored race.[ ] the former school is directed by a board of four trustees, and the latter by a board of five regents, the state superintendent of public instruction being a member of each. the schools are related to the state department of education, and are inspected by that of charities.[ ] _oregon._ a private school was started at salem in , which in was taken over by the state.[ ] it is now administered by the state board of control.[ ] there is a day school in portland, opened in , and supported by the city. _pennsylvania._ there are four institutions and two private schools in this state. two of the institutions are private corporations receiving state aid, and two are state-owned schools. the first to be established was the pennsylvania institution, which was opened in in philadelphia.[ ] friends of this school have been generous from the start, and it has probably received several hundred thousand dollars in gifts. the governing board is composed of twenty-seven members.[ ] the western pennsylvania institution near pittsburg was established in , and was the result of a church mission which had begun in and developed into a day school. it is directed also by a board of twenty-seven members.[ ] the pennsylvania oral school was founded at scranton in . it was a private institution till , when it was made a state school. it is governed by a board of eighteen trustees, six of whom are appointed by the governor.[ ] the home for the training in speech of deaf children before they are of school age was started in philadelphia in as a private school, and then adopted by the state.[ ] it is under a board of five trustees. all these schools receive appropriations from the state, and are visited by the state board of charities.[ ] the private schools are the forrest hall in philadelphia, opened in , the de paul institute of pittsburg, opened in , and the archbishop ryan memorial institute in philadelphia, opened in . to these a certain amount of state aid is granted.[ ] _rhode island._ in the state began to send its deaf children to the school at hartford, a policy continued till a local school was created.[ ] in a class for the deaf was started in providence, for the benefit of which the state made appropriations, and which was soon taken over as a state school.[ ] it is now under a board of eleven trustees, including the governor and lieutenant-governor, and is related to the state board of education.[ ] _south carolina._ a school was proposed in this state in ,[ ] but it was some years later that one was established. in the state began sending deaf children to the hartford school.[ ] in a private school was opened at cedar springs as a department in a hearing school, and in this was adopted by the state.[ ] the school is for the deaf and blind, and is under a board of five commissioners, one of whom is the state superintendent of education.[ ] _south dakota._ in a private school was started at sioux falls which the territory of dakota soon took over,[ ] before this some of the deaf having been sent to the schools in iowa, nebraska and minnesota. in when south dakota was admitted as a state, the school was retained at the same location; and congress granted it , acres of the public land. the school is under the direction of the state board of control.[ ] a private school was established at lead in , known as the black hills school. _tennessee._ the state school was established at knoxville in .[ ] it is under a board of fourteen trustees, including the superintendent of public instruction, and is visited by the state board of charities.[ ] _texas._ the state school was established at austin in ,[ ] receiving , acres of the public land which had been set apart by the state for its several eleemosynary institutions. in a school for the colored deaf and blind was opened in the same city.[ ] the schools are each under a board of five trustees.[ ] _utah._ in a class for the deaf was begun at the state university at ogden, and in a department was created. in the state school was established.[ ] it is for both the deaf and the blind, and is under a board of six trustees, including the attorney-general.[ ] on the admission of utah as a state, , acres of the public land were bestowed upon the school. _vermont._ in the state began to send pupils to the american school,[ ] and later to the schools in massachusetts as well.[ ] in a school for the deaf and blind was established at brattleboro, known as the austine institute. it is a private institution, with a board of six trustees, but receiving state aid and under state supervision.[ ] _virginia._ a private school was started in in goochland county, thence moved to cobbs, and finally to manchester, coming to an end in . the state school for the deaf and the blind was established at staunton in , though planned several years before.[ ] in a school for the colored deaf and blind was created at newport news.[ ] the first school is under a board of seven trustees, including the superintendent of public instruction, and the second under a board of five. both are visited by the state board of charities.[ ] _washington._ before the creation of a state school some of the deaf children were sent to oregon for instruction.[ ] in a private school was started at tacoma, which lasted one year. the state school was established at vancouver in .[ ] it is governed by the state board of control.[ ] at seattle and tacoma there are day schools supported by the respective cities, the former opened in and the latter in . _west virginia._ the state school for the deaf and the blind was opened at romney in ,[ ] before which time children had been sent to the schools in virginia and ohio.[ ] the school is under a board of nine regents, while the state board of control has charge of financial affairs.[ ] _wisconsin._ prior to the establishment of a school of its own, wisconsin sent some of its deaf children to the illinois school. the state institution, which had been planned in , was opened in at delavan, resulting from a private school started two years previously.[ ] it is under the direction of the state board of control.[ ] there are day schools in the state, operating under the state law:[ ] antigo, opened in ; appleton, ; ashland, ; black river falls, ; bloomington, ; eau claire, ; fond du lac, ; green bay, ; kenosha, ; la crosse, ; madison, ; marinette, ; marshfield, ; milwaukee, ; mineral point, ; new london, ; oshkosh, ; platteville, ; racine, ; rice lake, ; sheboygan, ; stevens point, ; west superior, ; and wausau, . a private school, the st. john's institute, was established at st. francis in , and is conducted by the sisters of the third order of st. francis. _wyoming._ deaf children have been sent since to the schools in california, utah, colorado and montana, the state board of charities and reform having them in charge.[ ] _the american possessions._ outside of the united states proper very little has been done for the education of the deaf. in the philippine islands a school has been established, this being opened at manila in .[ ] a school under roman catholic auspices was started in porto rico in ; and it is possible that one under the direction of the state will be created in time, a school for the blind having already been opened. in alaska there is no school, though the deaf have been looked after to some extent by missionaries.[ ] no provision has been made in the panama canal zone or the hawaiian islands.[ ] footnotes: [ ] laws, - , p. ; - , p. . [ ] laws, ch. . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; code, , § ff. the school has received a gift of $ , for shops. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; rev. stat., , §§ - . [ ] laws, , p. . [ ] to this the legislature appropriated a small sum. another private school was started at fort smith in , but lasted only one year. [ ] acts, july , ; april , ; digest, , p. . there were a few gifts at first, and aid came also from the city. the state granted two tracts of land, one of acres. [ ] laws, , p. ; , ch. ; , chs. , ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; digest, , § ff. [ ] laws, , pp. , ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. . in the beginning there were contributions from friends and proceeds from fairs. the city of san francisco gave $ , for a site, and the county a lot. [ ] laws, , ch. ; pol. code, , § ff. in addition to the funds given at first, over $ , has been donated to the school, three-fourths coming from one source in . [ ] laws, , p. ; code, § . separate classes (oral) may be established by city boards or district trustees where there are five or more pupils, to years of age. there were day schools in fresno from to , and in san diego from to ; and private schools in san francisco and oakland from to . [ ] act feb. , ; gen. laws, , p. . the school resulted largely from the action of some public-spirited men. it was established on condition that acres be given, and it received . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , ch. ; , p. ; ann. stat, , § ff.; , § ff. the school has been the recipient of $ , or more, largely from two men. [ ] a charter was granted in may, . see laws, , ch. ; , p. ; , p. . [ ] at the beginning about $ , was raised for the school. [ ] this was known as the whipple school at first. in it was made a joint stock corporation, capitalized at $ , . it began to receive state aid in . act july ; laws, , p. . [ ] laws, , p. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; rev. laws, , § . the _per capita_ allowance is $ . in a private school was opened at hartford, lasting one year. [ ] the counties paid the cost at first. act march , ; laws, , p. ; , p. ; rev. stat., , p. ; laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; rev. code, , pp. - . the president of the state hospital for the insane is authorized to visit the schools to which pupils are sent. [ ] stat., , ch. ; , ch. . an unsuccessful attempt had been made a year or two before to start a school. to the new school $ , of a former orphans' home was turned over. [ ] stat., , ch. ; , ch. . [ ] u. s. comp. stat., , pp. - . colored children are sent to maryland for education. to the college and school $ , or more was given at the beginning, funds coming from several cities in the east. a few acres of land were also given. for two years support largely came from private funds. in the college there are now full scholarships. in washington also an experimental school was opened in , continuing three years. another private school was started in , lasting one year. [ ] laws, , ch. . the school resulted from the work of the association for the promotion of the education of the deaf and the blind. the city gave acres of land and $ , , and in gave acres further. [ ] laws, , no. ; , ch. ; gen. stat., , §§ - . a department for colored pupils was opened in . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. . an appropriation, first of $ , , then of $ , , was made. [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. . it was first part of an academy. another private school was established at lexington in , but it too was short lived. at the school at cedar springs there were several state pupils. [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; code, , § ff. in a department was created for the colored. for a time the deaf and the blind were allowed free transportation on the state-owned railroad. laws, , p. . the school has received a gift of $ . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; rev. code, , § ff. the school has been given acres of land. in this state, , acres of public land are granted to the charitable and other institutions, the school for the deaf not being mentioned by name. [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , pp. , ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. . it seems that at first one-fourth of the interest of the school fund was allowed to the institution, but in a tax of one-sixth mill was laid for its benefit, which lasted four years. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , p. ; rev. stat., , ch. . the school has been given five acres of land by the city, and a private gift of $ , . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; rev. stat., , p. . the superintendent of public instruction may grant permission for teaching one or more classes of not less than three pupils, average attendance, in the public schools. the amount authorized from the state is not to exceed $ for each pupil. the first chicago school was a private one, established in , and lasting one year. in another school was opened, which was taken over by the city in . the state allowed it $ , , and appropriated $ , a year till , instead of creating an institution in the northern part of the state. see laws, , p. ; report of illinois institution, , p. ; p. a. emery, "brief historical sketch of chicago deaf-mute schools", . there has been connection between the chicago schools and the mccowen homes. other day schools in illinois have been: la salle, - ; streator - ; derinda, - ; rockford, - ; moline, - ; galena, - ; dundee, - ; aurora, - ; and elgin, - . in there were eleven day schools in chicago, which were consolidated into four. in this city a vacation school is also maintained for the deaf. [ ] this school has received among other gifts a bequest of $ , , a donation of $ , from a ladies' society, and of $ , from friends. [ ] this school is under a board of twelve trustees. it has received some private gifts, in addition to an endowment fund from its first trustees. there was in chicago a private school for adults from to . [ ] this school was taught by a deaf man largely at his own expense. in the state granted it $ . a census of the deaf was authorized in . laws, p. . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , p. ; rev. stat., , p. . for the benefit of the school a tax levy was laid, first of two mills, then of five, and later of fifteen, which continued till , netting the school some $ , . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , p. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; ann. stat., , p. ff. there was a private school at evansville from to . [ ] code, , ch. ; laws , ch. ; , chs. , . an appropriation was made to the school while still a private one. [ ] laws, ch. . [ ] code, , p. ff.; laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , p. ; code, , p. ff. there was a private school at dubuque from to , which received contributions, proceeds of fairs, etc., of several thousand dollars. it was hoped that this would be made a state school for the children of eastern iowa. [ ] laws, , p. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. . to the private school the state granted some aid. the school was located at olathe on condition that acres of land be given for a site, and for its benefit. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , chs. , ; gen. stat., , § ff. [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. . a private school was opened at hopkinsville in , which lasted ten years. pupils were received from several states. _annals_, xliv., , p. . [ ] this grant seems not to have been wisely administered, but over $ , was realized from it. [ ] laws, , p. ; , ch. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , ch. ; stat., , § ff. a department for the colored was created in . laws, p. . there have been some private gifts to the school, amounting to about seven thousand dollars. [ ] see laws, , p. ; digest, , ch. ; report of kentucky school, , p. . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; rev. stat., , pp. - . [ ] a day school was also maintained here from to . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , ch. ; , p. ; , p. . [ ] in the state made appropriations for pupils outside of portland, and in for the entire state. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; rev. stat., , p. . the property was conveyed to the state. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , chs. , ; , p. ; , ch. . the society was to have power of perpetual succession, and the state was to appropriate $ , a year till the endowment fund should reach $ , . the school was opened in certain barracks belonging to the state. [ ] laws, , p. . this school was formed under a board composed of three visitors each from the school for the deaf and that for the blind. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; gen. laws, , i., p. . the school has received in gifts over six thousand dollars since . grants have also been made to it by the city of baltimore. [ ] the first receives $ , a year, and the second $ , . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , p. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. . [ ] laws, , chs. , ; , ch. ; , ch. . [ ] some other gifts have also been received, including a gymnasium and two donations of $ , each. [ ] see laws, , ch. ; , p. . this school resulted from a gift of $ , to the new england gallaudet association, a home for adults first being contemplated. see report, , p. ; report of united states commissioner of education, , p. clxviii. the school has received a legacy of $ , , and there are annual donations of two or three thousand dollars. [ ] this school came within the law as to state pupils. some gifts have no doubt been received by it. [ ] laws, , p. ; , ch. ; , ch. , the state granted the land for a building. this school has received gifts of several thousand dollars. [ ] the home is under an executive committee of twenty-five, with powers of trustees. subscriptions and donations average one or two thousand dollars a year, and in all have amounted to some $ , . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; rev. stat., , p. . appointments are made by the governor with the approval of the secretary of the board of education. the state appropriations are $ for the day school, and from $ to $ for the other schools. [ ] laws, , pp. , ; , pp. , ; , p. ; , no. ; , p. . [ ] the school also received acres of land and $ , from the city. [ ] laws, , p. ; , chs. , ; , pp. , ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , chs. , ; comp. laws , §§ - . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. . the law reads: "upon the application of a district board or of a board of education of a city in this state to the superintendent of public instruction, he shall grant permission to such board to establish, and such board shall be empowered to establish and maintain, within the limits of its jurisdiction, one or more day schools, having an average attendance of not less than three pupils, for the instruction of deaf persons over the age of three", etc. the amount allowed for each pupil is $ . there have been other day schools in this state: menominee, - ; ishpeming, - ; flint, - ; and l'anse, - . the school at flint was an evening school for adults. [ ] ten congregations may be incorporated to organize such an institution, and hold property to the value of $ , . laws, , ch. . this school was for a time part of an orphan asylum. it has been given acres of land. the control is in the hands of a board of nine trustees. a private school was maintained at marquette from to . [ ] laws, , p. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. . in also provision was made for pupils in outside schools. the school was established on condition that the city give it acres of land, and it received acres in addition. [ ] laws, , ch. ; laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; rev. laws, , §§ - . there is also a board of visitors of state institutions. departments for the blind and for the feeble-minded were created here, but later separated. [ ] there was another day school here from to ; and a private school from to . a department for the deaf was established at st. olaf college at northfield in , but discontinued in . see _bulletin_, may, ; _viking_, , p. . [ ] act, march ; laws, , p. ; - , ch. ; , p. ; , p. ; stat. l., , p. . the governor had recommended a school in . [ ] ann. code, , ch. . the school has received a gift of $ , . a department for the colored was opened in . [ ] in $ , was appropriated for the deaf at st. louis, and $ for a pupil in the kentucky school. laws, pp. , . some pupils were sent to ohio and illinois also. see also laws, , p. . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. . forty acres of land provided for the insane asylum were given to the school. [ ] laws, , p. ; rev. stat., , § ff. a department for the colored was opened in . [ ] a branch of this school was maintained at hannibal from to , and another branch in st. louis from to . in st. louis there was also a private school from to , and from to . [ ] comp. stat., , p. . [ ] laws, , p. ; code, , § ff. [ ] laws, , chs. , ; rev. code, , § ff. a department for the feeble-minded has been connected with this school. [ ] rev. stat., , p. . [ ] laws, , p. ; , pp. , ; , p. . ten acres of land were given by the city of omaha. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; ann. stat., , § , ff. a private school was opened in omaha in , lasting one year. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , p. ; , p. ; rev. laws, , § ff. [ ] in a committee was appointed to inquire into the circumstances of the deaf and the blind. laws, p. . see also laws, , p. ; , p. ; , ch. . [ ] laws, , p. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; pub. stat., , ch. . [ ] the first appropriation was of $ , . laws, , p. ; , pp. , ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. . a few pupils were sent to the school at mystic, connecticut, shortly before the state school was created. [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. . the property of an old school for the children of soldiers was first made use of. in a school was incorporated in this state, and $ was allowed by the legislature for each pupil. laws, pp. , . some private donations seem to have been made, but the school never came into being. in a tract of land was offered for a school. report of commission on proposals for sites and plans for buildings for the deaf, blind and the feeble-minded, . in a private school was opened in trenton, which continued six years. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , p. ; , ch. ; , p. ; comp. stat., , p. ff. [ ] day schools are authorized where there are ten or more pupils in a city. laws, , p. . [ ] laws, , ch. . there were a few contributions at first. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; comp. laws, , p. . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , chs. , ; , p. ; , p. ; , ch. ; , chs. , ; , p. ; , p. . see also cammann and camp, "charities of new york", , p. ; j. f. richmond, "new york and its institutions", , p. . the city granted $ annually for several years, allowed the use of land at a nominal rental for twenty-one years, and later gave an acre of land, besides furnishing quarters in a public building for eleven years. by the state the institution was, together with a certain free school society, allowed for fourteen years one-half of the proceeds from fines or licenses on lotteries, which from to netted over $ , . in the legislature granted $ , on condition that an equal sum be raised from private funds, and that inspection be allowed to the state. in a school was established by the state at canajoharie, but in its property was ordered sold, and its pupils brought to the new york institution. laws, , p. ; , p. . [ ] from to a primary department was maintained at tarrytown. in it was proposed that the buildings and other property be conveyed to the state as trustee, but to be used always for the instruction of the deaf, on condition that the state pay all the debts and finish the buildings then in course of construction; but this plan was not adopted. report, , p. ; assembly documents of state of new york, , no. . the total amount of private gifts to this school seems to be about $ , , nearly all coming in the first few decades of its existence. see report, , p. . the institution holds names in "perpetual and grateful remembrance". the funds are given in as $ , , , which are largely due to favorable investments. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. . funds were received in the beginning from the proceeds of bazaars, etc., and an acre of land and a building were given to it. contributions are still received from time to time. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. . within a short time after opening, $ , was donated for the school. see addresses upon laying of corner stone, . other considerable gifts have come to it, one in being of $ , , while there are annual contributions of several thousand dollars. land for a building was granted by the city for ninety-nine years at an annual rental of one dollar. this school has been under hebrew auspices, but there has been discussion of its being turned over to the city on the payment of its debts, to be kept as a public non-sectarian school. see reports, , . [ ] laws, , ch. . to this school about $ , seems to have been donated, to gather from the reports. several thousand dollars are received annually. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. . six acres of land and several thousand dollars were given at the beginning. [ ] laws, , ch. . a few gifts were received at first. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. . in the census report of benevolent institutions of this school is given as under the direct control of the state. [ ] laws, , ch. . [ ] in it was enacted that county overseers or supervisors should place a deaf child when likely to become a public charge in an institution; or a parent or friend of such a child from five to twelve years of age might prove that the health, morals, or comfort of such child was endangered by the want of education or of proper care, and might apply to the county officer for an order to admit the child to an institution. laws, ch. . the _per capita_ allowance to the schools is $ . see laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , chs. , ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , p. ; cons. laws, , p. ff. the state allows $ a year to a deaf person seeking a higher education. laws, , ch. . [ ] there have been a number of private schools in the state: the bartlett family school, established in new york city in , in moved to fishkill, in to poughkeepsie, and discontinued in ; a school at niagara, - ; the home for the young deaf in new york city, organized in , and in operation from to , which was intended for those too young to enter the new york institution, and which received a number of contributions; a class in the cayuga lake academy at aurora, - ; syle's free evening class in new york city, principally for teaching trades to adults, - ; the keeler school, a private class in new york city, - ; the warren articulation school, - ; and the peet school, - . [ ] act, jan. , ; rev. code, , ch. ; laws, - , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , p. ; , ch. . at first the counties were to raise $ by taxation for each pupil. in a tax of cents on $ was laid for the benefit of the school. this school has received a gift of $ , . in colored deaf and blind were admitted, and in a department was created for them, this being the first public action in the united states for their education. see laws, , ch. ; report of north carolina institution, , p. . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. . [ ] laws, , chs. , ; , chs. , ; rev. code, , § ff. [ ] laws, , ch. . [ ] laws, , chs. , ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , chs. , ; rev. code, , § ff. [ ] from this $ , a month is received. [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , pp. , ; , p. ; , p. . to the school at tallmadge the legislature granted $ a year for two years. the state school was at first allowed the benefit from the taxes on auction sales in hamilton county, which netted $ , a year at first, but afterward of diminishing amounts. the lots for the school were bought "at a price considerably below their supposed value". a donation of $ , has also been received by this school. in acres of land were bequeathed to the schools for the deaf and the blind. [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; gen. code, , § ff. [ ] there was a school also in cleveland from to , and in toledo from to . in cincinnati a school was established by the city in , and in incorporated with the present one, which had been started as a private school. both the cincinnati and cleveland schools received aid from the state, but in this was held up by the courts. other day schools have been at elyria from to ; at canton from to ; and at conneaut from to . according to the present law, on the application of a local board, schools may be established; $ may be allowed from the state school funds for each pupil; and the state commissioner is to appoint teachers, and inspect schools. laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; gen. code, § . in the establishment of day schools was made obligatory in certain cities. laws, pp. , . local tax levies have been of considerable aid in this state. [ ] a private school was in operation in cincinnati from to , and in columbus from to . [ ] laws, , ch. ; rev. stat., , § ; governor's message, , p. . in a tax of two-fifths of a mill was levied for the benefit of the deaf. laws, p. . there was a private school at byron from to . [ ] laws, p. . [ ] laws, p. . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; rev. laws, , §§ , . the public land for the benefit of the schools is said to be worth $ , . the school at sulphur was given acres of land by the city, and that at taft acres by citizens. [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. . the legislature made an appropriation to the school while it was still in private hands. it was largely founded through the efforts of the society to promote the instruction of deaf-mutes. donations amounting to two or three thousand dollars, and four lots, were received at the beginning. [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , ch. ; , pp. , ; oregon laws, , ch. . the school was formerly under the state board of education. [ ] a charter was granted in . laws, ch. . see also laws, , p. ; , ch. ; , pp. , ; , p. ; j. p. wickersham, "history of education in pennsylvania", , p. ; report, , appendix; , appendix. [ ] in a gift of $ , was received, and in one of $ , , as well as other gifts. there are over life members who have contributed each $ , while there are scholarships of $ , each. the present endowment funds amount to about $ , , as we are advised. see also reports of state board of charities. from to a day school was conducted as part of the institution. [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. . aid was received from the city of pittsburg at first. the school has been given over $ , , a number of acres of land, and a carnegie library. [ ] laws, , p. . there have been some gifts, including five acres of land. [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. . about $ , came at the beginning as well as some land. contributions now average several thousand dollars a year. [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; purdon's digest, , p. ff. the _per capita_ appropriations to the several schools range from $ to $ . in school districts of , population, special schools with eight or more pupils may be established. laws, , p. . [ ] there have been day schools at pittsburg, - ; erie, - ; allegheny, - ; and philadelphia, - . there was a private school in philadelphia from to . [ ] rev. stat., , p. . [ ] laws, , p. . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , chs. , ; , ch. ; , ch. ; gen. laws, , chs. , . the governor makes the appointments. there is a state board of purchases and supplies in connection with the school. [ ] act, dec. . [ ] laws, , p. . at first $ , was appropriated. see also laws, , p. . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. . [ ] laws, , p. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; code, , ch. . a department for the colored was created in . [ ] laws of dakota, , pp. , ; , ch. ; , ch. ; comp. laws, , § ff. ten acres of land and a thousand dollars or more were given to the school. [ ] laws, , ch. ; comp. laws, , p. ff. [ ] act, jan. , ; laws, - , ch. ; - , ch. ; code, , p. ; laws, , chs. , ; - , ch. . the law creating the school was appended to one providing for the blind alone. at the beginning $ , and two acres of land were given to it. [ ] laws, , ch. ; ann. code, , §§ - . a department for the colored was created in . laws, ch. . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. . [ ] laws, p. . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , p. ; rev. stat., , p. . [ ] laws, , pp. , ; , pp. , ; comp. stat., , p. . for two years the school was conducted as a day school. it received some county assistance at first, and there were some private donations. [ ] laws, , p. ; , ch. ; , p. ; , p. ; , ch. ; , p. ; , pp. , ; , ch. ; comp. laws, , p. ff. [ ] in a census of the deaf was taken. laws, no. . [ ] laws, , no. ; , no. ; , no. ; , p. ; rev. stat., , p. ; laws, , no. ; , no. ; , no. ; , nos. , ; , no. ; , chs. , ; , no. ; , chs. , ; pub. stat., , ch. . [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. . the governor is commissioner for the deaf, and designates and commits them. this school resulted from a fund of $ , , which was bequeathed for a "hospital for the temporary treatment of strangers and local invalids peculiarly situated", but which the court allowed to be used for the school. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. . in a committee was sent to kentucky to examine the school. in a private association was formed to organize a school. [ ] laws, ch. . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , p. ; , ch. ; , p. ; code, , ch. . the staunton school received some private donations at first, and acres of land, besides a later legacy of $ , for poor deaf children; and the newport news school has received a few gifts, including some land. [ ] laws, , p. . [ ] laws, , p. . at the beginning acres of land were donated. the school seems not to have profited by the gift from congress of , acres for charitable and reformatory institutions. [ ] laws, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , ch. ; , p. ; , p. ; , ch. ; code and stat., , § ff. there was a department for the feeble-minded till , and for the blind till , all being known as the "school for defective youth". [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. . a building and acres of land were given by the city. [ ] laws, , ch. . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , chs. , ; , ch. ; , ch. ; code, , § ff. colored pupils are sent to maryland for education. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; rev. stat., , ch. . eleven acres of land were given to the school. [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. : , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; rev. stat., , ch. . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; rev. stat., , § . it is provided that on the application of a local board of education, the state superintendent of public instruction, with the consent of the board of control, may authorize the establishment of schools. inspectors are also appointed by him, and the creation of schools may be compelled by the county judge. for each pupil the amount first allowed was $ , then $ , and now $ . for the board of pupils who do not live near the school, $ additional is allowed. the first day school in the state was a private one at milwaukee, founded in and lasting till , when the law was enacted. it was under the auspices of the wisconsin phonological institute, $ , being contributed for it by a ladies' society, and a city allowance being made to it in . there have been other day schools in the state: manitowac, - ; oconto, - ; neilsville, - ; sparta, - ; tomah, - ; rhinelander, - ; and waupaca, - . there was another school in oshkosh from to . [ ] laws, , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; , ch. ; comp. stat., , ch. . it has been provided that when there are as many as applicants, a state school will be organized. a building was erected and designed for the school in , but was set aside for military purposes. by the act of admission to the union, , acres of land were granted for the school. the income from this fund in was $ , . [ ] see _annals_, lii., , p. ; liii., , p. ; liv., , p. ; _association review_, ix., , p. . the school opened with pupils. [ ] see report of dr. sheldon jackson, proceedings of conference of charities and corrections, , p. . in the report of the department of the interior for , pp. , , we have the following: "congress in its appropriations for the education of the natives has also provided for their support. acting under this authority, an effort is being made to reach the sick and indigent". it is possible that the needs of the deaf will be discovered in this way. [ ] in the report of the minister of public instruction to the hawaiian legislature, april , , p. , it is stated: "provision for the deaf, dumb and blind: no provision for such sufferers among us, and from the returns of the census there are on the islands deaf and dumb, and blind". no mention of "such sufferers" has been found in a later report. for much of the information concerning the american possessions presented here, the writer is indebted to the chief bibliographer of the library of congress. chapter xv constitutional provisions for schools extent of constitutional provisions not only has provision for the education of the deaf been consummated in all the states, but in some of them this provision has been buttressed, as it were, by a permanent guarantee in the organic law. this regard, while not necessary practically for the continuance of the schools, is none the less commendable,--and indeed is one that should be declared in every state. such provision concerning the education of the deaf, more direct in some than in others, is found in the constitutions of twenty-seven, or a little over half of the states. these are alabama, arizona, arkansas, colorado, florida, idaho, indiana, kansas, louisiana, michigan, minnesota, mississippi, montana, nevada, new mexico, new york, north carolina, north dakota, ohio, oklahoma, south carolina, south dakota, texas, utah, virginia, washington, and west virginia.[ ] new york in was the first state to make reference thus to a school for the deaf. michigan, however, in was the first state to provide directly for their education, followed in by indiana and ohio. of the forty-two states adopting constitutions since , twenty-seven have made reference to schools, while fifteen have failed to do so. of the twenty states adopting constitutions since , sixteen have made such provision.[ ] it is to be noted, however, that many of the states with special reference to the education of the deaf have comparatively recent constitutions, while in others where no such provision is found, the present constitutions often date far back in our national history, and were adopted before attention had been called to the needs of the deaf and similar classes. hence, in general, it is not to be concluded from the mere presence or absence of a reference in the constitution that certain states are more solicitous than others for the education of their deaf children. language and forms of provisions the language of these constitutional provisions for schools for the deaf varies to some extent.[ ] in all of the constitutions, with the exception of that in minnesota, schools for the deaf are coupled with those for the blind, and unless the provision is under the caption of "education," institutions for the insane are likewise provided for in the same clause. in several instances there is more than one reference to the school for the deaf.[ ] the most usual statement is that institutions for the deaf and dumb, the blind, and the insane shall be established and maintained, or fostered and supported, by the state, as in arizona,[ ] colorado,[ ] florida,[ ] idaho,[ ] kansas,[ ] michigan,[ ] montana,[ ] nevada,[ ] ohio,[ ] south carolina,[ ] utah,[ ] and washington.[ ] in the south carolina constitution the school is also declared to be exempted from taxation; and in the utah constitution a further provision establishes the location, and guarantees against diversion the lands granted by the united states.[ ] in the constitutions of arkansas,[ ] indiana,[ ] mississippi,[ ] and oklahoma,[ ] the statement or its equivalent is that it is the duty of the legislature to provide by law for the support of institutions for the education of the deaf and dumb, and blind, and for the insane. in other states less direct or authoritative references are found. in west virginia[ ] the legislature "may make suitable provision for the blind, mute and insane whenever it may be practicable," while in north carolina[ ] the matter seems also optional. in the minnesota constitution[ ] there is an amendment by which the public debt is increased for the purpose of establishing certain public institutions, including the school for the deaf. in the south dakota constitution[ ] the several charitable and penal institutions are enumerated, among which is the school for the deaf, while direction is also given as to the sale of land held for the benefit of the school. in new mexico[ ] the school is enumerated among the educational institutions, reference also being made to the public land; and in virginia[ ] the school is mentioned in connection with the composition of the state board of education. in the texas constitution[ ] a permanent fund is provided from the lands which have been granted prior to its adoption, while another reference is made to the printing to be done at the school. in the north dakota constitution[ ] the lands from congress are declared to be a perpetual fund and inviolable, while in another place the location of the school is provided for. in the alabama constitution[ ] the legislature is expressly declared not to be empowered to change the location of the school. in new york[ ] the constitutional provisions have reference to the subsidies granted to private institutions, it being stated that "nothing in the constitution shall prevent the legislature from making such provision for the education and support of the blind, the deaf and dumb, and juvenile delinquents ... as it may deem proper," and that the legislature is not to be prohibited from action by the prohibition of the credit or land of the state being "given to private associations, corporations and undertakings." in louisiana[ ] a similar, though less explicit, reference to state aid is found. footnotes: [ ] the constitutions of most of the states provide for the education of all their children, and the deaf could well be included here. moreover, in the constitution of nebraska (viii., ) there is a provision for children growing up in mendicancy and crime; and in that of wyoming (vii., ) that such charitable, penal or reformatory institutions shall be established as the claims of humanity and the public good many require. in either of these the provision might be construed to apply to schools for the deaf. [ ] in the constitutions of some states, as michigan, mississippi, new york, and south carolina, there were provisions in the preceding as well as the present drafts. [ ] in the constitutions no reference is made to the deaf other than in provisions for schools, except in the case of mississippi, where exemption from a certain tax is found. [ ] in these constitutional references, the provision is as a rule found under some general head as "public institutions", "state institutions", or "miscellaneous". in the south carolina constitution the provision is found under the caption "charitable", and in the north carolina under "charitable and penal". under the heading of "education" are the provisions in the constitutions of arizona (one clause), colorado (as an amendment), michigan, mississippi, new mexico, oklahoma (one clause), texas (though under the sub-title "charitable"), utah (one clause), and virginia. [ ] xxii., ; xi., . [ ] viii., . a later amendment classifies it with the educational institutions of the state. [ ] xiii., . adopted the same year that the school was established. [ ] x., . [ ] vii., . [ ] xi., . [ ] x., ; xi., . [ ] xiii., . [ ] vii., . [ ] xii., ; x., . [ ] x., ; xix., , . [ ] xiii., . [ ] it is to be noted that in nearly all the states having government donations of land, reference is made to its inviolability. [ ] xix., . [ ] ix., . [ ] viii., . [ ] xii., ; xxi., . [ ] xii., . [ ] xi., . [ ] ix., , as amended. [ ] xiv., . [ ] xii., . [ ] ix., . [ ] vii., ; xvi., . [ ] ix., ; xix., . see also amendment, , sec. . [ ] xiv., . [ ] viii., , . [ ] . chapter xvi question of the charity connection of schools institutions sometimes regarded as educational: sometimes as charitable in considering the relation of the state to its schools for the deaf, the question is raised as to the way they are regarded by the state, and in what scheme of classification they have been assigned. we find that with many of the states the institutions are held to be charitable, and the further question is presented as to whether this is proper and just. in times past this has been the usual classification, but of late years an increasing number of states have made a change and now regard the institutions as merely educational. it would be difficult to say with precision to what scheme of classification the schools in the several states should be ascribed; and in quite a number the lines shade off one into the other. from what has been said in the preceding chapters and also from certain legislative classification, it would seem that the schools in the following states are regarded largely, if not entirely, as educational: alabama, arizona, colorado, district of columbia, florida, georgia, idaho, indiana, iowa, kansas, kentucky, massachusetts, mississippi, montana, new jersey, nevada, new mexico, oregon, rhode island, south carolina, texas, utah, vermont, and west virginia. in about half of the states, however, the institutions continue to be regarded as charitable to a greater or less extent from their connection with charity boards or from some other classification. some are recognized as educational, but at the same time not held altogether free from the charitable touch.[ ] charity in connection with schools for the deaf considerable difficulty at the outset rests with the word charity. in its best sense, it is the finest word in our language, and from its springs flow all benevolence, material and spiritual: when looked upon scientifically much of the repugnance and prejudice felt toward it is lost, and it becomes the touchstone for the remedy of human ills. in one sense, education is most surely and deeply charitable, whether or not it is held to be but the equipment of the state for its self-preservation. this has long been accepted, and so unanimously have the states undertaken the instruction of their children that its very discussion is now unknown. but popularly conceived, charity is still something doled out and granted by the giver as a matter of grace, and to the recipient are carried associations that do not comport with independence and manliness of character. besides, education has long ceased to be thought of as charitable, and only such institutions as are for the education of the deaf and blind are left with the undesirable signification of the word. in addition, the state maintains institutions for certain of its classes, as the insane, the feeble-minded and the infirm, which as a rule are in no sense educational from our standpoint, and other institutions of a reformatory, corrective or punitive character, and with them have to be classed the institutions for the deaf, all being known as the state's "charitable institutions," or "state institutions;" while the public rarely makes discrimination, or notes the distinctions involved. the chief trouble, then, in classifying the schools for the deaf as charitable is this connection of the word charity, and the grouping of the deaf with certain other parts of the state's population which other children do not have to share. the deaf are thus differentiated from children who have no defect of sense, and the education of the one is thus education, and of the other charity. schools in which the deaf are educated would thus seem not to be given their just status. they are misrepresented by being aligned, on the one hand, with people of defective or diseased minds, and on the other, with the state's delinquent and criminal classes. the deaf thus become wards of the state, and constitute one of its dependent classes. they are "inmates" of an "eleemosynary" institution, and the fact that it is all for education is lost sight of.[ ] but, we are told, the treatment of deaf children should rest upon an altogether different basis, and they should, even in appearance, receive an education as a right and as nothing else. education as the paramount privilege of american children is so deeply established in american institutions and character that it would seem to be a principle to be applied to all the children of the state. admission into schools for the deaf has become more and more like that in the regular schools.[ ] the schools are open, as a general rule, only to those able and fitted to be educated, and the mentally and physically disqualified are often rejected. when a child has completed the prescribed number of years of attendance, he can be provided for no longer, and at vacation time in nearly all schools he must depart. the schools, as we are to see, have become free to all, while compulsory education laws have also been made to apply. hence if schools for the deaf are educational, they can be regarded as charitable only to the extent that all schools are so considered; they should not be looked upon in a different light, and the public should be as fully alive to their claims.[ ] arguments for the connection with the boards of charities hitherto we have been discussing the theory in regard to the proper place in which the institutions are to be held, but we are now to see what are the actual grounds upon which the connection with the state board of charities is to be justified. much might be said of the practical workings of schools in connection with such boards, and it is claimed that the schools get the substance at least in the way of beneficial treatment. by one superintendent it has been stated thus: "in theory it is all wrong, but in practice it could not be improved upon." where the boards are composed of capable, broad-minded, sympathetic men, the needs of the schools can be satisfactorily looked into, and their experience with other institutions, where the problems are akin in the way of housing a large number of people, can be utilized to great advantage, especially in connection with sanitary, hospital and other arrangements.[ ] such boards may secure supplies on more favorable terms, may systematize all the institutions, may properly apportion the appropriations to be asked of the legislature, may exercise a wider supervision, and may correlate all the means of the state for the maintenance of certain classes of its population. these boards may also have peculiar opportunities for coming across poor and neglected children and of getting them in the schools. lastly, and most important of all, even though the institutions are educational, there is much also to be considered besides education alone, for a home and board are furnished during the school year, and usually transportation and clothing as well to those in need of them.[ ] by the boards of charity themselves the institutions are not necessarily regarded as charitable.[ ] many of them hold the institutions to be educational, despite the charity connection, and few are unwilling to give recognition to their educational features. in none is there a desire to injure or stigmatize the deaf. the aim is to consider the matter in its practical bearings, and the question is held to be largely one of classification and administration. with all the fact weighs that board, lodging, etc., are given entirely free.[ ] the clearest and fullest presentation of the point of view of the charity boards is given in the following extract from a letter by one board:[ ] the institutions are doubtless both educational and charitable, or at least ought to be, using these words in their ordinary application. it is not a question of merit or demerit on the part of the unfortunates or their families. it is not a question whether they are entitled to an education as much as normal children. so far as there is any real issue, it is one of classification for purposes of administration. the question seems to be whether the institutions that care for the above mentioned classes can best be administered under the department of charities that has charge of public institutions, or the department of education that usually has to do with institutions that furnish education only in the limited technical sense, where pupils attend school a few hours a day, but are not boarded at the institutions. because an institution is an educational institution, i think it may be none the less a charitable institution. for example, it would hardly be denied that an orphan asylum is a charitable institution; yet an orphan asylum that was not an educational institution would be deplorable. in the state institutions for the deaf and the blind, throughout the country, the educational side is very properly emphasized.... these inmates would properly be classed as public dependents as they usually have been.... the whole trouble seems to arise from a feeling of aversion to the word "charity", and probably the word has been degraded.... to refer to the institutions under consideration as "educational institutions", without any qualification, would not be in the interest of clearness of thought, and would either lead to confusion or to some qualifying phrases, because the deaf and the blind are certainly different enough from the normal child to be considered, for many purposes, in a separate class, and the institutions which educate and support them, it would seem to me, need some term by which they can be designated, which would distinguish them from the educational institutions designed for the normal child. arguments in opposition to the connection yet over against all the arguments for the connection with the boards of charities the voice of the educators of the deaf is in unison that the connection of the schools be completely severed with whatever is of charitable signification.[ ] this feeling cannot all be ascribed to the prejudice regarding the words employed. in the dissolving of the charity connection an issue not to be disregarded is the moral effect on the public. a right conception is to be obtained respecting the education of the deaf, and while in the schools and in after life they are entitled to the recognition of the true character of this education and of their status in the community. if the deaf after they have left the schools have shown that they are capable of wrestling unaided with the difficulties of life, and are really not objects of charity at all, then they should be spared all discriminating associations. indeed, as our new view of charity is the making of men capable of standing alone, and economic units of gain in society, so the deaf should not be considered as a distinct or dependent class, when by the use of certain expressions this is done; and we should hold that if their work in the world has justified them, then no barriers should be raised which their fellows in society do not have to meet, and that their education should be offered to them without discrimination or stigma. the benefits derived from the relation with the board of charities may be more than offset by the connection with educational agencies, where the school is recognized as part of the state's educational system. in respect to the providing of maintenance for the pupils, this can be regarded as but an incidence, when any other plan would be impracticable. the main, overshadowing purpose in the work of the institutions is education, and what are supplied beyond are only to render this the more effective. but after all this is said, the opponents of the charity connection insist that the burden of proof is upon those who advocate the connection. why, they ask, should the deaf children of the state who are as capable of being educated as others be considered objects of the state's charity? why any more than other children? the feeling in the matter may be indicated by two declarations on the subject, one by the educators of the deaf, and the other by the deaf themselves. the first is in the form of a resolution adopted by the convention of american instructors:[ ] _resolved_, that the deaf youth of our land unquestionably deserve, and are lawfully entitled to, the same educational care and aid as their more fortunate brothers and sisters; and that this education, the constitutional duty of the state, should be accorded them as a matter of right, not of charity, standing in the law, as it is in fact, a part of the common school system. the second is a resolution adopted by the national association of the deaf:[ ] _whereas_, the privilege of an education is the birthright of every american child ...; and _whereas_, the deaf child ... has the same inalienable right to the same education as his more fortunate hearing brother; and _whereas_, ... the [modern] movement ... [is] giving schools for the deaf their proper place as part of the public school system of the country; and _whereas_, ... eighty-one per cent [of the deaf are] gainfully employed of those who have had schooling, thus indicating the value of education ...; therefore be it _resolved_, ... that education of the deaf on the part of the state is simply fulfillment of its duty as a matter of right and justice, not sympathetic charity and benevolence to the deaf; ... that schools for the deaf should not be known and regarded, nor classified, as benevolent or charitable institutions, ... [but] as strictly educational institutions, a part of the common school system ... [and not with such associations as] tend to foster a spirit of dependence in the pupils and mark them as the objects of charity of the state.... conclusions in respect to the charity connection of schools for the deaf certain inferences or conclusions may now be reached regarding our question as to whether schools for the deaf may be regarded and classified as charitable. . in america the schools have been regarded both as educational and charitable, but there is an increasing tendency to consider them as purely educational. at present about half of the states hold them entirely or in the main as educational. . the state boards or public authorities that regard the schools as charitable are in no wise prompted by any desire to discriminate against the deaf, or to deny that they are less capable or worthy of education than others. the question is held to be mainly one of administration. . inasmuch as board and a home are provided in the institutions, and in some cases clothing and transportation also, the charitable element is present, and in point of fact the schools must be regarded _ad hoc_ as charitable. . this charitable feature, however, plays a slight and almost negligible part in the work of the schools, being in fact only incidental, and the educational aims take precedence over all else. . because of the associations involved in the charity connection, which are not shared in by the regular schools, and because of the little to suggest charity in the after lives of the deaf, the schools for the deaf have reason to protest against the connection. as education is the one purpose of the schools, and as their operations are conducted solely to this end, they are entitled to an educational classification. . that the schools for the deaf should thus be held and treated, to the farthest possible extent, as purely educational, is demanded both by justice and by the regard for the proper effect on the deaf and on the public. footnotes: [ ] thus, in addition to the states named above, in the constitutions of michigan, oklahoma and virginia the institutions are designated educational. in certain states also, as we have seen, the state superintendent of public instruction is _ex-officio_ member of the governing board, and in a few other states report is made to the department of education. in new york and north carolina the schools are visited by this department. in a number also an educational classification is found in some of the statutory references or captions. see in particular on this subject, _annals_, xlviii., , p. ; lviii., , p. . [ ] the earlier conception of the schools is in part illustrated by the name "asylum" given. british schools were often called asylums or hospitals, and were largely founded and supported by charity. likewise in america the term "asylum" was frequently given to the schools when first started. but the name has now been generally discarded, and in but one state is the title retained, new mexico. "school" is now mostly used, while in a few "institution" is employed. see _annals_, _loc. cit._ see also report of board of penal, pauper and charitable institutions of michigan, , p. . [ ] in massachusetts appropriations were once "for beneficiaries in asylums for the deaf and dumb", but now they are "for the education of deaf pupils in schools designated by law". [ ] in a legal sense, nearly all educational institutions can be called charitable, especially if they are private affairs, and gifts for such purposes are held in the law as for charitable purposes. see wheaton, ; how. (u. s.), ; how., ; mo., ; o. st., . not many cases have arisen in regard to the status of institutions for the deaf. in the columbia institution was held in the opinion of the attorney-general to be under the department of charities, but congress the next year declared it to be educational. see _annals_, xlvi., , p. . in colorado an opinion was rendered that the school was educational alone, and not subject to the civil service rules, and this was later ratified in the constitution and by the legislature. some of the courts have been inclined to view the institutions as charitable. in nebraska the school for the deaf was at first considered an asylum and in the same class with almshouses, rather than educational. neb., . see also neb., . in new york the provision of the law allowing the state board of charities to inspect the institution for the blind was attacked, and it was held that, though the institution was partly educational and was visited by the department of education, yet the word charity was to be taken in its usual meaning, and if the institution as a private body educated, clothed and maintained indigent pupils, it was charitable. new york, ( ). [ ] see report of illinois board of charities, , pp. ff., ff. [ ] in a few cases a home during vacation is afforded to the indigent or unprotected. [ ] in order to discover how these institutions are regarded by the departments of charities, letters of inquiry were sent by the writer to all the states of the union. replies were received in out of cases, coming from boards of charities, boards of control, or in their absence from commissioners of education or other state officials,--and in a few cases from individuals or societies to whom the communication was turned over. in the answers, the institutions were called charitable by , educational by , both charitable and educational by , while by the question was not specifically answered. in some instances, these replies were only private opinions, but they represent none the less the views of those most in touch with the charity activities of the states. in a few cases the replies were at variance with what has been accepted regarding certain states. it was also found that boards of control do not necessarily consider the institutions as charitable. [ ] by one board, while such schools are admitted to be partly educational, they are held "charitable in that they afford a home for certain defective persons during the time of their dependence". by one board the pupils are called "charity patients". [ ] the district of columbia. [ ] many of the schools in their reports take pains to disclaim any but a strictly educational character. of the michigan school it is expressly stated that it is "not an asylum, reformatory or hospital"; of the colorado that it is "not an 'asylum' or 'home' for the afflicted; it is not a hospital for the care and treatment of the eyes and ears; and it is not a place for the detention and care of imbeciles"; of the illinois that it is "not a reformatory, poor house, hospital or asylum"; of the indiana that it is "not an asylum, place of refuge, reform school, almshouse, children's home or hospital"; of the georgia that it is "in no sense an asylum ... or charitable institution"; and of the mississippi that it is "in no sense an asylum ... a home ... [nor a place] for medical treatment." see also report of commissioner of public lands and buildings of nebraska, , p. ; education department of new york, , p. . [ ] proceedings, xvii., , p. . see also _ibid._, xv., , p. ; _annals_, lv., , p. . the schools are also said to be "maintained solely for the instruction of a large and interesting class of children who, by reason of a physical infirmity, the loss of hearing, are denied instruction in the public schools". dr. a. l. e. crouter, proceedings of national conference of charities and corrections, , p. . see also report of kentucky school, , p. . [ ] proceedings, viii., , p. . see also _ibid._, v., , p. . chapter xvii provisions concerning admission of pupils into schools rules as to the payment of fees hitherto we have considered the several forms of provision for the schools for the deaf, and the general treatment accorded them. we now turn our examination to the schools themselves in their relation to the pupils who enter them. our first concern is with the provisions as to the admission of pupils into the schools. we find that the schools, to all intents and purposes, are free to all applicants mentally and physically qualified to enter.[ ] usually, when started, the schools were free to the indigent only, though some, especially in the west, were made free to all from the very beginning. however, there was little attempt to observe closely these limitations, and in time, as we have seen, they were for the most part given up.[ ] at present limitations of any kind are found in the smaller number of states, and exist in these in form rather than in practice, so that to-day laws or regulations of a restrictive nature may be regarded as but nominal. in all the states the schools are by statute free to the indigent at least, and in less than a score is there a regulation short of universal admittance prescribed. by the wording of the statute, either directly or by implication, it would seem to be indicated that the schools, or, in their absence, the proper public authorities, in the following states were still empowered to demand a charge in whole or in part from those able to pay: alabama, arizona, delaware, district of columbia, florida, kentucky, maryland, mississippi, missouri, new hampshire, new jersey, new mexico, nevada, pennsylvania, south carolina, and virginia--these states at least making reference in some place to the indigent.[ ] but with or without such reference, as we have noted, in but few instances is there a charge to any, indigent or not.[ ] in some states proof of indigence is still formally necessary,[ ] and in others payment may be made if desired.[ ] little effort, then, is made to collect fees in american schools for the deaf. the circumstances of the deaf themselves are usually such as to demand for them education without cost; while at the same time the general american feeling that education should be a free gift of the state to its youth would be sufficient to prevent attempts to secure payment, even if such action should be considered proper. provision for collateral support of pupils the state thus supplies the means for the education and maintenance of pupils without cost to them; but to insure the attendance of those who by reason of poverty might be prevented from availing themselves of its bounty, it assists even further. where no other means are provided, clothing and transportation to and from the schools are furnished free of expense. such charges are usually paid by the counties from which the pupils come, though a few states undertake this directly. a given sum may be allowed for this purpose, or the actual cost may be collected.[ ] age limits of attendance with most of the schools the age limits of attendance are fixed, and pupils may be admitted only within the time prescribed by the law. in some the age permitted is the common school age; in others pupils are admitted who are of "suitable age and qualifications," or "capacity;" and in some cases, no limits being set down, the matter seems to be left to the discretion of the authorities.[ ] in schools where the limits of attendance are specified, the minimum age is usually six, seven or eight, while a few schools admit at five. in a few of the day schools, and in most of the oral home schools, children may be received as early as three, or even two, to make an early beginning in the use of speech, some of the home schools being designed expressly to receive children under five, or before the regular school period. the age limit for the completion of the school period is often twenty or twenty-one, while a few schools may keep pupils longer, as to twenty-five. the most frequent age period at present, where age limits are stated, is from six to twenty-one, but the period often begins and ends at other ages.[ ] in some cases pupils are allowed to remain a certain number of years, but none beyond a certain limit, while in many the period may be extended two, three or five years, when it appears that the progress of the pupil justifies a more protracted residence.[ ] finally, it is to be noted that the limits of attendance have in general been lowered, and have been made to conform more and more with those of the regular schools.[ ] footnotes: [ ] certain of the schools receive a few pay pupils, but these are usually from outside the state or are otherwise exceptionally provided for. receipts from such sources are inconsiderable, and have little effect on the revenues of the schools. according to the census of benevolent institutions of , less than $ , came to the schools in this way, the greater amount being for pupils of other states. [ ] the statutes of some states, as of maine and massachusetts, even go so far as distinctly to declare that no discrimination shall be made on account of wealth. on this subject, see report of clarke school, , p. . [ ] in florida tuition at least seems to be provided free by the statute, and in georgia free admission seems to be provided only for the indigent blind, while education is made free to all the deaf. on this subject, see _american journal of sociology_, iv., , p. ff. [ ] on this subject the superintendent of the mississippi school addressed letters to heads of southern schools, and found only two--those in texas and mississippi--having any requirement as to payment. in mississippi there had been only two payments in the course of a considerable number of years. in the texas school for the year we find the sum of $ , collected as a "reasonable amount" for board,--an unusual item in the receipts of a school. [ ] wherever a formal regulation is stated, we are advised that the schools are "free to the indigent", "free if parents are unable to pay", "free under certain circumstances", etc. in a few states, "certificates of inability" have been demanded. [ ] in maine, for instance, the law states that the school is free, "provided, however, that nothing herein contained shall be held to prevent the voluntary payment of the whole or part of such sum by the parent or the guardian". [ ] some states, notably washington, minnesota, mississippi, south carolina, arkansas, utah, nebraska, and oklahoma allow funds to pay the transportation of students who enter the college at washington, and in some cases an even further allowance is made. in minnesota and nebraska, for instance, the amount is $ a year. see _annals_, lvi., , p. . [ ] even where the age period is fixed by law, it is not always rigidly adhered to, and considerable elasticity may be allowed. of the michigan school we are told that the state "wisely allows the board of trustees the privilege of admitting those [pupils] who are older or younger, if they see fit". report, , p. . for discussion of the age period, see report of new york institution for improved instruction, , p. ; ohio school, , p. ; clarke school, , p. ; american school, , p. ; michigan school, , p. ; new jersey school, , p. ; pennsylvania institution, , p. ; proceedings of convention of american instructors, xviii., , p. ; _association review_, v., , p. . [ ] the formal age period is from to in colorado, florida, idaho, maryland, montana, oklahoma, south dakota, and washington; from to in kansas, michigan, nebraska and new mexico; to in georgia and north dakota; to in wisconsin; to in minnesota; to in indiana; to in west virginia; to in california; to in iowa and maine; to in vermont; and in north carolina at one school to , and at the other to . in alabama pupils between the ages of and may remain years, with an extension of , but none beyond . in arkansas the limits are and , and the time of residence may be extended to years. in texas they are and , with a residence of years permitted. in missouri they are and , with a residence of years. in kentucky and virginia they are the same, with a residence of years. in rhode island they are and , with a stay of years, which may be extended. in new jersey the limits are and , and a pupil is entitled to a stay of years, which may be extended , and more in addition. in louisiana the limits are and , pupils under being allowed to stay years; between and , ; and over , --with an extension in each case of years. in delaware a pupil may stay years, with a further extension of . in ohio the lower limit is , and none may remain more than years. in new york pupils may enter at , but after , the period is years, with an extension of , and a further one of . in wyoming pupils may enter at ; and in connecticut at , with a residence of years and an extension of . in massachusetts a residence of years is permitted, which may be extended, but here the clarke school has no fixed time, and the horace mann takes pupils over . in pennsylvania, though the statute seems to have provided from to years as the period, there are no strict limits, the pennsylvania institution receiving from to , the western pennsylvania from to , and the pennsylvania oral none under , except in special circumstances. in utah there seems to be only an upper limit of . [ ] it sometimes happens that there are found a small number of deaf persons who are beyond the age allowed, but who are in need of a certain amount of schooling. their condition is said to be "due to their environments, to merciless and exacting parents, to sickness, and to other causes." report of iowa school, , p. . see also report, , p. . under special arrangements, some of these might be benefited no little by a few years of instruction. in iowa such persons may now be received up to the age of thirty-five, if the state board of control consents. [ ] we have already noticed that in the first schools an early age was not insisted upon, some pupils entering at or , while their attendance was also of short duration. the period was often from to . the latter age has been allowed in some states till recent years, as in texas, arkansas and missouri. it may be stated here that the law as to residence applies usually only at the time of entrance, and the removal of the parent may not always effect a change. for a case in point, see r. i., p. . chapter xviii attendance in schools the proportion of the deaf in the schools the question now arises as to whether the deaf generally attend these schools provided for them. this inquiry really resolves itself into two parts: how far the deaf have at some time and for a longer or shorter period had recourse to the schools; and how far they may be found to be in attendance at a given time. the one has relation rather to how widely the schools are extending their educational opportunities, and the other to how effectively they are accomplishing their ends. as to the first consideration, the schools are found to reach most of the deaf children with the privileges of an education to a greater or less extent. from the returns of the census[ ] we find that nearly four-fifths ( . per cent) of the deaf have attended school, over three-fourths ( . per cent) of these having attended the special schools. the proportion would be greater still but for the number of the deaf too young to enter school. the proportion of the deaf of school age who have attended school may likewise be estimated by comparing the total number of approximate school age with the number who were reported to have been in attendance. there were, according to the census, , deaf children from five to twenty years of age. of these, , , or . per cent, were reported to have attended school.[ ] in - the total number in attendance was , , which probably means a higher proportion. on the whole, then, it would seem that, in respect to the number of deaf children actually reached at one time or another, the schools make a really commendable showing, and one that is becoming better from year to year. the second matter, however, cannot be disposed of nearly so satisfactorily. it is difficult to determine with any approach to exactness the respective proportions of the deaf in the several states of school age who are out of school. the census does not give us definite information on this point; and though the school authorities themselves are usually aware of conditions in their respective states, they seldom have the means of fully ascertaining. but we may learn something of the general situation. in the reports of some of the schools complaint is not infrequently made as to the number of deaf children out of school who should be in, and in a portion the number is said to be large.[ ] the proportions, furthermore, found in attendance in the different states in comparison with their total population, or with their total deaf population under twenty years of age, indicate that the attendance in some states is far greater than in others, which means that in the latter a relatively smaller part are in school.[ ] it would appear, then, that the number of the deaf out of school who are of school age is probably not negligible in any of the states, and that in some it is very considerable.[ ] the fact that the schools do not have their full quota of pupils is not all due to the refusal of deaf children to avail themselves of the opportunity for a schooling. it is in good part owing also to the failure of some of the pupils who attend to remain a sufficient length of time. in the preceding chapter we have seen what are the limits of attendance prescribed in the schools; but as a matter of fact a large proportion of the pupils do not remain the full period allotted, and in some of the schools an appreciable number do not remain the better or a substantial part of the term.[ ] as in all schools, there is in the passing of the pupils from the years of childhood an increasing tendency to leave, and with the deaf this applies with no less force;[ ] so that on no small portion of the pupils the work of the schools is not permitted to have full effect. the need of compulsory education laws for the deaf it is thus quite evident, however large the true proportion of the deaf who attend the school may be, and whatever the proportion remaining a satisfactory period may be, that in practically every state there are a certain number of deaf children not in the schools who should be there, and that the offer of the state to provide an education for all its deaf children is not availed of as it should be.[ ] for the existence of this condition of affairs the schools are not to be held responsible. they are usually doing all they can to get the children in, and all the deaf if they will may receive an education. the cause lies further back: most often in the ignorance or short-sightedness of the parent. for it all there is but one remedy--the enactment of a strong compulsory education law and its uncompromising enforcement. no matter how strenuous and diligent may be the efforts to reach the children,[ ] it is only when such a law is on the statute books that the state's really effective weapon is at hand to secure attendance.[ ] however urgent are the needs of compulsory education laws for children generally, there are special reasons for them with the deaf. the deaf stand in particular need of an education, and without it their condition is peculiarly helpless and pitiable. compelling reason is also found in the fact that, besides the ordinary schooling, industrial training is likewise afforded to the deaf, which is hardly possible elsewhere, and which may mean no little towards success in after life. even though it sometimes seems hard to take a deaf child from his home, and separate him from his parents for a number of months at a time, especially if the child is in his tender years, the greater necessity of the law is but indicated if such children are to be kept from growing up in ignorance. the hardship in separation is rather apparent only and is temporary, while the gains are not to be measured. not only should the deaf child be required to attend school, but for reasons equally strong it should be seen that he remains at school a sufficient number of years, and a sufficient length of time each year. it is a difficult matter as it is to secure full attendance, but too often also the temptation is at hand for pupils to leave early to take up work on their own account, or because the school routine seems irksome; and too often is a pupil called away to help on the farm or in the shop by what is sometimes hardly less than the greed of the parent, or by what is sometimes miscalled his poverty. the state should allow nothing at all to stand in the way of the child's best interests. present extent of compulsory education laws how important are compulsory education laws for the deaf is being generally seen, and the demand has become practically unanimous for their enactment, the feeling not being confined to educators of the deaf but shared in by others interested in them.[ ] such laws have begun to find their way upon the statute books, and are now being increasingly enacted. already practically half of the states have them, nearly all of which were enacted since . in other states the matter is also being agitated, with the likelihood that provisions will be extended to them in time. states with such laws now number at least twenty-three: california, colorado, idaho, indiana, iowa, kansas, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, minnesota, montana, nebraska, new mexico, north carolina, north dakota, ohio, oklahoma, oregon, rhode island, south dakota, utah, washington, and wisconsin.[ ] with respect to the provisions of these statutes, we find that in some cases the general compulsory education law applies with its age-periods, fines, etc., while in others there are special enactments for the deaf. in most states an exception is made if there is instruction at home, or with equal facilities, and at the same time and in the same branches. in certain ones truancy officers are expressly designated to enforce the law.[ ] fines for violation are placed at sums varying from $ to $ .[ ] the period of attendance required may be the school year, but more often a part, as five, six or eight months;[ ] and the term for which attendance is required is either a designated number of years, as five or eight, or a period between certain age limits, as from eight to sixteen or from seven to eighteen, etc.[ ] footnotes: [ ] special reports, , pp. , , . of the colored deaf less than one-half-- , out of , --had been to school. [ ] in the proportion of deaf children between five and twenty years found to be in school was only per cent, to be accounted for in part by the fact that only those children actually in school at the time that the census was taken were included. census reports, . report on insane, feeble-minded, deaf and dumb and blind, , p. . [ ] in the case of the alabama school it is said that "there are many deaf children of school age in the state not in school". report, , p. . in the case of the kentucky school it is stated that "there are still [children] of school age in the state who have not received the benefit of the school". report, , p. . see also report, , p. . in tennessee it is stated that there are "doubtless quite a number of deaf children of whom we have no knowledge in certain counties". report of tennessee school, , p. . in texas there are said to be " deaf children in the state within scholastic age who are not in school", this proportion possibly being per cent. report of texas school, , pp. , . see also report of board of charities of new york, , i., p. ; arkansas school, , p. ; western pennsylvania institution, , p. ; , p. ; maryland school, , p. . [ ] it has been found that, by comparing the number of the deaf in school in the several states with the total population of , the best record is . per , of population, which belongs to wisconsin; and if this ratio be accepted as an approximate standard, the average proportion for all the united states is only one-half, with a ratio of . per , , while in a few of the states it is only one-third, the lowest ratio being . per , . if all the states had as high a ratio as , the number in attendance would be , . the finding of these results is due to mr. f. w. booth, _volta review_, xii., , p. . if we compare the number of the deaf reported by the census under twenty years of age with the number found at school. in - , the lowest proportion is seen to be per cent, though only half a dozen states have proportions under . [ ] the proportion of children generally out of school is found by the russell sage foundation to average . per cent in all the states, ranging from . to . per cent. comparative study of public school systems in states, . [ ] in respect to the ages most common in the schools for the deaf, it has been found by dr. harris taylor, of the new york institution for improved instruction, that of , pupils in schools for whom returns were made, . per cent were seven years of age; . per cent, eight; . per cent, six; . per cent, nine; and . per cent, ten. only . per cent were over nineteen. _volta review_, xiv., , p. . [ ] see report of western new york institution, , p. ; kentucky school, , p. . in the regular schools per cent of the pupils are said to drop out between the twelfth and fifteenth years. f. m. leavitt, "examples of industrial education", , p. . see also report on condition of women and children wage earners in the united states, , vol. . [ ] in some cases it happens that the school is already crowded, but the need is no less, and it should be the business of the state to provide sufficient accommodations for all those who seek an education. [ ] great credit is often due to the schools for their efforts to get all the children in. of the kentucky school it is said that "there remain but few deaf children whom we have not seen personally". report, , p. . [ ] we do not have sufficient data to enable us to make comparison between the attendance in states with a compulsory education law and those without it, though the former have in general apparently the better record. in michigan it is stated that the compulsory education law has brought in many who otherwise would not have come. report, , p. . [ ] see proceedings of national conference of charities and corrections, , p. ; report of commissioner of charities and corrections of oklahoma, , p. ; proceedings of convention of american instructors, vii., , p. ; x., , p. ; xi., , p. ; conference of principals, ii., , p. ; national association of the deaf, iii., , p. ; _annals_, xv., , p. ; xliv., , p. ; liv., , p. ; lviii., , p. ; _association review_, v., , p. ; report of clarke school, , pp. , ; north carolina school (raleigh) , p. ; illinois school, , p. ; colorado school, , p. ; indiana school, , p. ; oregon school, , p. ; nebraska school, , p. ; and current reports of schools generally. [ ] in a certain number of states, moreover, as connecticut and west virginia, town and county authorities are required to make report of the deaf at fixed times, and this may sometimes have the effect of a regular law. in addition, in some states with the full law, as wisconsin, michigan and north carolina, it is the duty of certain county officials, as superintendents of education, assessors, etc., to send in the names of possible pupils to the schools. in north carolina many county superintendents of education are said to take an interest in thus getting the children in. report of north carolina school, , p. ; , p. . by the secretary of the state board of charities of california, however, we are advised that the state does not compel a parent to send his deaf or blind child to an institution. [ ] as in kansas, maryland, michigan, minnesota, nebraska, ohio, and oregon. [ ] the fines in some of the states are as follows: $ in maryland, $ -$ in minnesota, $ -$ in montana and oregon, $ in rhode island, $ in iowa, $ -$ in wisconsin, $ in kansas, and $ -$ in washington. in utah the offense is a misdemeanor. [ ] kansas requires months, oklahoma, oregon and montana , and maryland, north dakota and wisconsin . [ ] the number in montana is , and in california . the limits in wisconsin are and , in north carolina and , in indiana and maryland and , in north dakota and , in kansas and oklahoma and , in michigan, nebraska and rhode island and , in montana, ohio, oregon and utah and , in minnesota and , and in iowa and . in minnesota it is suggested that the law apply to those over as well. report of board of control, , p. ; report of minnesota school, , p. . chapter xix methods of instruction in schools the use of signs as a means of communication deaf children cannot be educated as other children, and in the schools there have to be employed special means of instruction. in the present chapter it is our purpose to consider these methods only as they represent, in a complete study of the provision of the state for the education of the deaf, the means which have been found necessary to employ to attain this end. from the beginning of organized instruction of the deaf in america a system of signs has been in use to a wide extent. at the time when the methods of instruction of the deaf were introduced into the first schools, the "sign language" was brought in as an essential part from france, where it had largely been formulated. modified somewhat and considerably enlarged--and in conjunction with the manual alphabet, of spanish origin--the system has taken its place as a recognized means of education and communication in the great number of the schools. the deaf themselves after passing from the doors of the schools have employed the sign language mainly in their intercourse with one another, and with most of them meetings and social affairs are conducted virtually entirely in this manner. thus the sign language has for long been one of the vehicles--usually the chief vehicle--of communication among the deaf and their instructors. with the sign language for practical use goes the manual alphabet, or "finger-spelling," by which the several letters of the alphabet are represented on the hand, the two together really constituting the language.[ ] the order of signs itself forms to an extent a universal language. it consists of gestures, bodily movements, mimic actions, pantomime, postures--and to carry a close shade of meaning, even the shrugging of shoulders, the raising of eyebrows and the expression of the face--all appealing graphically to the accustomed eye. the signs of which it is made up are partly natural, and partly arbitrary or conventional; and the whole system as now practiced has been codified, as it were, for experienced users. by the deaf it can be employed rapidly and with ease, and is readily and clearly understood. many of them become such masters of this silent tongue that it may be used with grace, warmth and expressiveness.[ ] rise and growth of the oral movement this system of signs, however, has not been looked upon with favor by all parties. the "sign language" is said to be a foreign language, known and understood by only a very small part of the population, standing as a great barrier to the acquisition of language used by people generally, and tending to make the deaf of a class apart or "clannish." in its place in the schools would be substituted what is known as the "oral method," and speech and lip-reading would be used as the means of instruction. it has been sought thus to give all the schools over to the oral method, and summarily to drive out the sign language.[ ] though the system of signs has been used in america as the prevailing method from the beginning, it cannot be said that speech-teaching had not been employed at all in the early days. several schools had started out as oral schools,[ ] and in others speech had been employed to a greater or less extent.[ ] but in none of the schools had the oral method been retained to the exclusion of all others. in time, however, attempts were made to secure the adoption of a pure oral system. attention was called especially to germany, which had long been known as the home of this method, and it was sought to introduce it into america.[ ] in horace mann and dr. samuel g. howe visited that country, and on their return reported in favor of the oral method, though no change was then brought about.[ ] a few years later the matter was further agitated, and in an effort was made to have an oral school incorporated in massachusetts, but without success. a small oral school was then started at chelmesford in , which after a short time was removed to northampton, having been very liberally endowed, and becoming known as the clarke school. in the legislature decided to incorporate this, and to allow some of the state pupils to be sent to it. in the meantime--in fact, seven months prior to the actual establishment of the clarke school--a school which had resulted from a private class had been started in new york city, known as the new york institution for the improved instruction of deaf-mutes. this was under a former austrian teacher, and its stated purpose was to use the oral method as in germany. two years later the school board of boston, having made a canvass of the deaf children of the city, resolved to establish a day school, which was to be a pure oral one, and which not long after was called the horace mann school. these three schools were thus the pioneers in the present oral movement.[ ] the oral method has gained ground steadily since these times. it is now used exclusively in twelve of the institutions, while it has always remained the prevailing method in the day schools.[ ] a great extension is also found in the institutions employing what is called the "combined system," and in them more and more attention is given to the teaching of speech. the growth in the number of speech-taught pupils may be indicated in the following table, showing the number and percentage of those taught speech in different years from , the year we first have record; of those taught wholly or chiefly by the oral method since ; and also of those taught wholly or chiefly by the auricular method since .[ ] number of the deaf taught speech, number taught wholly or chiefly by oral method, and number taught wholly or chiefly by auricular method, in different years ------+--------+--------+------+---------+------+------------+------ | | | | number | | number | | total | | | taught | | taught | | number | number | | wholly | | wholly | year | of | taught | per | or | per | or | per | pupils | speech | cent | chiefly | cent | chiefly by | cent | | | | by oral | | auricular | | | | | method | | method | ------+--------+--------+------+---------+------+------------+------ | , | , | . | | | | | , | , | . | | | | | , | , | . | , | . | | | , | , | . | , | . | | . | , | , | . | , | . | | . | , | , | . | , | . | | . | , | , | . | , | . | | . | , | , | . | , | . | | . | , | , | . | , | . | | . it thus appears that in a little over a quarter of a century the proportion of pupils in the schools taught speech has nearly trebled; and that in a score of years the proportion taught chiefly or wholly by the oral method has more than trebled. the proportion of the pupils taught wholly or chiefly by the auricular method never rises above two per cent. it should be stated, however, that these figures are not to be taken as meaning that all the pupils thus enumerated have become proficient in the employment of speech, or have become able to speak clearly and intelligibly, and well enough for general practical use. it would be nearest the truth to say that they are "taught articulation," or that they are instructed by the use of speech and speech-reading. oftentimes the greatest success lies in the preservation in fair shape of the speech of those who have once had it. the speech acquired by the deaf is of varying degrees, as we have seen; but in some it may be such as to be of distinct service, as well as the lip-reading which may be said to go with it.[ ] present methods of instruction the methods of instruction at present employed in american schools for the deaf are known as the manual, the manual alphabet, the oral, the auricular and the combined. they are thus described in the _annals_:[ ] i. the manual method.--signs, the manual alphabet, and writing are the chief means used in the instruction of the pupils, and the principal objects aimed at are mental development and facility in the comprehension and use of written language. the degree of relative importance given to these three means varies in different schools; but it is a difference only in degree, and the end aimed at is the same in all. ii. the manual alphabet method.--the manual alphabet and writing are the chief means used in the instruction of the pupils, and the principal objects aimed at are mental development and facility in the comprehension and use of written language. speech and speech-reading are taught to all of the pupils in the school (the western new york institution) recorded as following this method. iii. the oral method.--speech and speech-reading, together with writing, are made the chief means of instruction, and facility in speech and speech-reading, as well as mental development and written language, is aimed at. there is a difference in the different schools in the extent to which the use of natural signs is allowed in the early part of the course, and also in the prominence given to writing as an auxiliary to speech and speech-reading in the course of instruction; but they are differences only in degree, and the end aimed at is the same in all. iv. the auricular method.--the hearing of semi-deaf pupils is utilized and developed to the greatest possible extent, and with or without the aid of artificial appliances, their education is carried on chiefly through the use of speech and hearing, together with writing. the aim of the method is to graduate its pupils as hard-of-hearing speaking people, instead of deaf-mutes. v. the combined system.--speech and speech-reading are regarded as very important, but mental development and the acquisition of language are regarded as still more important. it is believed that in many cases mental development and the acquisition of language can best be promoted by the manual or manual alphabet method, and so far as circumstances permit, such method is chosen for each pupil as seems best adapted for his individual case. speech and speech-reading are taught where the measure of success seems likely to justify the labor expended, and in most of the schools some of the pupils are taught wholly or chiefly by the oral method or the auricular method.[ ] of these methods the oral and the combined are practically the only ones found. the auricular is employed only in connection with certain pupils in some of the schools; while the manual method is found in but two schools, and the manual alphabet in but one. in the institutions the combined is by far the preponderating system, being employed in all but fifteen of the sixty-five; while the oral is employed in twelve. on the other hand, the oral method is used in the day schools almost altogether, there being but two of the sixty-five schools employing the combined system. in the twenty-one denominational and private schools the oral method predominates, fifteen employing the oral or the oral and auricular, and six the combined. in such schools, the denominational more often employ the combined method, while the strictly private are oral. in respect to the number of pupils in the schools using the two chief methods, we find that . per cent of those in institutions are in institutions employing the combined system, and . per cent in oral institutions; that of those in day schools . per cent are in oral schools, and . per cent in combined; and that of those in denominational and private schools, . per cent are in combined schools, and . per cent in oral. of all the pupils in the schools, . per cent are in schools employing the combined system of instruction, and . per cent in schools employing the oral. the percentage taught by the manual or manual alphabet method is . . the percentage given auricular instruction is . . courses of study and gradations of pupils schools for the deaf have courses of study corresponding in general with those in regular schools, although special emphasis and drill have to be put upon language--something the congenitally deaf child in particular finds exceedingly difficult to use properly. pupils capable of taking the full course are carried through the kindergarten, primary, intermediate, grammar and high school grades; and on the completion of the prescribed course may receive diplomas, while in some cases a certificate may be granted for a certain period of attendance. not a large proportion of the pupils, however, really graduate.[ ] in all the schools for the deaf in the united states in the year - there were , pupils. of these, , , or . per cent, were in institutions; , , or . per cent, in day schools; and , or . per cent, in denominational and private schools.[ ] the instructors employed in all the schools (not including teachers of industries, but including superintendents or principals) number , , or one instructor for every . pupils: in the institutions, , , or one to ; in the day schools, , or one to . ; and in the denominational and private, , or one to . .[ ] the total number of pupils who have received instruction from the beginning is , , of whom . per cent have been in institutions, . per cent in day schools, and . per cent in denominational and private schools. the following table, based on the figures given in the report of the united states commissioner of education will show the number of pupils in the different grades and classes in the schools for the year - .[ ] grades of pupils in the schools --------------+------------+---------------+-------------+------------- | | classes | classes | classes | | corresponding |corresponding|corresponding kind of school|kindergarten|to grades to | to grades | to high |departments | in elementary| to | school | | schools | | grades --------------+------------+---------------+-------------+------------- institutions | , | , | , | , day schools | | , | | denominational| | | | and private | | | | schools | | | | +------------+---------------+-------------+------------- total | , | , | , | , for there were reported graduates from the schools: from institutions, from day schools, and from denominational or private schools.[ ] industrial training in the schools the industrial training given in the american schools for the deaf forms a very important feature of the work--in many respects it may be said to be the most important. in many of the schools industrial instruction was recognized almost from the very start, and in a number it commenced practically with the beginning of the work of education.[ ] it is now provided in all the institutions, in nearly all the day schools, and in over half of the denominational and private schools. many of the institutions have large, well-equipped shop and trade departments, with skilled and capable instructors. nearly every pupil at a suitable age is put at some industry, and encouragement and special opportunity are often given to those who show a particular bent or aptitude. the value of this industrial preparation of the schools in the after lives of the deaf has already been referred to.[ ] the following table will show the number and percentage of the pupils in the several kinds of schools in industrial departments, according to the report of the united states commissioner of education for - .[ ] number of pupils in industrial departments in schools for the deaf -----------------------------------+--------+-----------+---------- | total |number in | kind of school | number |industrial | per cent | |departments| -----------------------------------+--------+-----------+---------- institutions | , | , | . day schools | , | | . denominational and private schools | | | . +--------+-----------+---------- total | , | , | . in all the schools there are industrial instructors, being in institutions.[ ] the industries taught in the schools, as given in the _annals_,[ ] are as follows: art, baking, barbering, basket-making, blacksmithing, bookbinding, bookkeeping, bricklaying, broom-making, building trades, cabinet-making, calcimining, carpentry, chalk-engraving, cementing, chair-making, china-painting, construction work, cooking, clay-modeling, coopery, dairying, domestic science, drawing, dress-making, electricity, embroidery, engineering, fancy work, farming, floriculture, gardening, glazing, harness-making, house decoration, half-tone engraving, housework, horticulture, ironing, knife work, knitting, lace-making, laundering, leather work, manual training, mattress-making, millinery, needlework, nursing, painting, paper-hanging, photography, plastering, plate-engraving, plumbing, pottery, poultry-farming, printing, pyrography, raffia, rug-weaving, sewing, shoemaking, shop work, sign-painting, sloyd, stone-laying, stencil work, tailoring, tin-work, tray work, typewriting, venetian iron-work, weaving, wood-carving, wood-engraving, wood-turning, wood-working, working in iron, and the use of tools. the number and kinds of particular industries taught in the different schools vary not a little. in a few as many as a score are offered, while in others only three or four are given. the average seems to be about six or eight. the most usual industries afforded are art, cabinet-making, carpentry, cooking, domestic science, drawing, dress-making, farming, gardening, laundering, painting, printing, sewing, shoemaking, sign-painting, tailoring, wood-working, and the use of tools. the most common of all are carpentry, sewing, printing, farming, shoemaking, and painting. in most of the institutions papers are printed to afford practical instruction in printing, as well as to give local news of interest. these papers are published weekly, bi-weekly or monthly. a number of the schools, especially those in agricultural states, also have small experimental farms in connection with their industrial work, and dairy farming and truck gardening are often given particular attention.[ ] footnotes: [ ] in america the one-hand alphabet is used practically altogether, which is also the case with most of the countries of europe. in england the double-hand is employed mainly. finger-spelling, as well as sign-making, is very old with the human race. the egyptians, greeks and romans are said to have made use of a system of finger notation. in the middle ages monks in their enforced silence often resorted to a finger alphabet. dalgarno, one of the early english writers on the deaf, had an alphabet in which the letters were represented by parts of the hand. see j. c. gordon, "practical hints to parents concerning the preliminary training of young deaf children", , p. ff.; w. r. cullingworth, "a brief review of the manual alphabet for the deaf", . [ ] for a description of the sign language, see j. s. long, "the sign language: a manual of signs", . see also _american journal of science_, viii., , p. ; _annals_, i., , pp. , ; v., , pp. , ; vii., , p. ; xvi., , p. ; xviii., , p. ; xxxii., , p. ; lvii., , p. ; proceedings of american instructors, ii., , p. ; iv., , p. ; vii., , p. ; xii., , pp. , ; report of new york institution, , p. ; , p. ; american school, , p. ; california school, , p. . see also "the deaf: by their fruits," by the new york institution, . [ ] against the arguments to abolish the sign language, it is claimed that signs are free, and are as natural to the deaf as spoken words to the hearing; that with certain of the deaf, especially the congenitally deaf, they are all but indispensable; that they cause mental stimulation as cannot otherwise be done; that the acquisition of speech requires a great amount of time, which is often needed for other things; that the voices of many of the deaf are disagreeable and attract notice; that communication readily and with pleasure among the deaf by speech and speech-reading cannot be accomplished to any wide extent; that only with the gifted few, and not with the general body of the deaf, can such proficiency in the use of speech and speech-reading be attained as to cause them to be "restored to society", in that they can with ease and with any considerable degree of satisfaction carry on intercourse with the hearing; and that, finally, the great majority of the deaf vigorously demand the retention of the sign language. [ ] the new york institution, by a resolution adopted at the first meeting of its board of directors in , decided for the employment of articulation teaching, which policy was continued for some ten years. report, , p. ; e. h. currier, "history of articulation teaching in the new york institution", (proceedings of american association to promote the teaching of speech to the deaf, iv., sec. ); _american journal of education_, iii., , p. . [ ] in addition, there have always been sporadic instances of private instruction in speech, as by one's family or friends. [ ] it is also claimed that it was by accident that the sign method came into vogue in america, gallaudet in his trip to europe having found the london and edinburgh schools closed to him, and having for this reason been compelled to turn to france, where the sign method was in use. [ ] it is interesting to note that after mann and howe had made their report, the american school at hartford and the new york institution sent special representatives to europe to investigate, these advising little change on the whole. see report of american school, , p. ; new york institution, , p. ; , p. . [ ] see "life and works of horace mann", , iii., p. ; "life and journals of samuel g. howe", , p. ; report of board of charities of massachusetts, , p. lxxii.; , p. lx.; report of special joint committee of the legislature on education of deaf-mutes, massachusetts, ; _north american review_, lix., , p. ; civ., , p. ; american review, iii., , p. ; _common school journal_ (boston), vi., , p. ; nation, iv., , pp. , ; report of new york institution for improved instruction, , p. ; , p. ; american school, , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; , p. ; clarke school, , p. ; addresses at th anniversary of clarke school, ; report of committee of school for deaf-mutes (horace mann), , p. ; , p. ; _annals_, xxi., , p. ; _lend a hand_, xiii., , p. ; _international review_, xi., , p. ; g. g. hubbard, "education of deaf mutes", , and "rise of oral method" (in collected writings, ); a. g. bell, "the mystic oral school: argument in its favor", , and "fallacies concerning the deaf", ; boston parents' education association, "offering in behalf of the deaf", ; fred deland, "dumb no longer: the romance of the telephone", ; _educational review_, xii., , p. ; _century magazine_, xxxi., , p. ; _american educational review_, xxxi., , pp. , , ; proceedings of american association to promote the teaching of speech to the deaf, i., , p. ; _volta review_, xiv., , p. (proceedings of same); evidence before royal commission on the deaf, etc., , i., p. ; ii., p. ; iii., p. . [ ] in many of the day school laws the use of the oral method is required, which is also partly the case in several state institutions. [ ] these statistics are taken from the special reports of the census office, , p. , and the january issues of the _annals_. see also _volta review_, xv., , p. ; proceedings of american association to promote the teaching of speech to the deaf (condition of articulation teaching in american institutions), ii., ; report of committee of horace mann school, massachusetts, , p. ff.; (proceedings of th anniversary). [ ] the greatest usefulness of this speech is often found in one's own family circle, or with immediate friends. [ ] jan., , lix., p. . [ ] the choice of methods for pupils may often depend on their classification, as noted before, into deaf-mutes, that is, those who have never been able to hear; semi-mutes, those who have been able to hear and speak, and retain their speech to some extent; and semi-deaf, those able to hear a little. [ ] for accounts of possible correspondence or extension courses for the deaf outside the schools, see report of california institution, , p. . [ ] from _annals_, jan., , (lix., p. ). for a few schools the figures refer to the number present on november , . the total number on this date was , . the _volta review_ for may, (xv., p. ), gives the total number present on march , , as , . the report of the united states commissioner of education gives the number for - as , : in institutions, , ; in day schools, , , and in denominational and private schools, . the total number of volumes in the libraries of the institutions was reported to be , . for tables respecting the schools, see appendix b. [ ] normal departments for the training of hearing teachers of the deaf are maintained at gallaudet college and the clarke school, the latter having a special fund, largely contributed by the american association to promote the teaching of speech to the deaf. several of the institutions also have training classes, and there are normal departments in connection with the chicago and milwaukee day schools. on the subject of pensions for teachers of the deaf, see _annals_, xxix., , p. ; proceedings of convention of american instructors, xviii., , p. ; report of california school, , p. . [ ] report, , ii., ch. xiii. [ ] it is hardly necessary to state that physical education is provided for in the schools for the deaf quite as fully as in the regular schools. [ ] the first school to give industrial training was the american school at hartford, this being begun in . see history, , p. ; report of new hampshire board of charities, , p. . [ ] on this industrial training, see _craftsman_, xiii., , p. . [ ] ii., ch. xiii. [ ] _annals_, jan., (lix., p. ). [ ] _ibid._, p. . [ ] in some of the schools, as we find from the reports, the value of the products of the farms and gardens may amount to a tidy sum, as may also be the case with the trade schools. chapter xx cost to the state for education value of the property used for the education of the deaf the various provisions for the education of the deaf have now been examined. there is to be considered but one question further. this is, what is the cost of it all? in the present chapter we are to see if we may not obtain some figures representing this cost to the state. first we shall find what the plants, that is, the grounds and buildings in actual use, are worth in dollars and cents. taking the nearest available statistics, which are those for the year - , we have the plants of the institutions valued at $ , , ,[ ] or, in round numbers, nearly seventeen million dollars. in all the institutions there were in this year , pupils, and we may thus calculate that there is property worth $ , for each pupil. we do not know the full value of the property used in the day schools and the denominational and private schools,[ ] but this would no doubt increase by some two million dollars the value of the property employed in the instruction of the deaf. hence we have something like nineteen million dollars as the amount invested in plants for the education of the deaf in the united states. for new buildings, repairs, and general expenditures for lasting improvements, so far as is reported, there was expended on institutions $ , for the year - , which may represent the yearly cost of the upkeep of the institutions.[ ] for the other schools we have few figures, but they would add to this sum somewhat. cost of the maintenance of the schools for the maintenance of the institutions for the year - there was expended $ , , .[ ] in forty-four, or about two-thirds, of the day schools for the year - there was expended $ , , and on the basis of $ as the average cost of the pupils in them, we have $ , as the full cost of the support of the day schools. for five of the private schools, the cost per pupil was $ , and assuming that this will hold for all, we have $ , as the full cost of the support of such schools, a part of course coming from tuition fees. then our total expenditures amount to $ , , ,[ ] or to over three and a half million dollars, which represents the annual cost of the education of the deaf in the united states.[ ] form of public appropriations save for certain endowment funds in a few institutions,[ ] and for limited donations in a small number of schools, all the means for the support of the schools for the deaf, other than the private ones, come from the public treasury. in some of the day schools there are municipal subventions; in a few states the maintenance of certain pupils is paid for by the counties from which they come;[ ] and in the case of the columbia institution at washington support is received from the national government.[ ] with these exceptions, the entire maintenance of the schools is undertaken by the legislatures of the respective states.[ ] appropriations by the legislatures are usually made in lump sums.[ ] in the case of the semi-public institutions the allowances are upon a _per capita_ basis, being from $ to $ , but more often near $ . in a few of the state schools appropriations are also based upon the number of pupils, as in alabama with $ a year for each pupil, in kentucky with $ a year, and in iowa with $ a quarter, the last two states having additional annual grants. in the states in which pupils are sent to schools outside, a sum of from $ to $ is allowed for each pupil thus provided for. in a few cases funds are received from a special tax assessment levied for the benefit of the school, as in colorado with a one-fifth mill tax on the assessed property valuation of the state,[ ] and in north dakota with six per cent of one mill. cost to the state for each pupil the average cost for the support of the pupils in the institutions for the year - was $ . .[ ] in few of the schools does the cost go as low as $ , while in a number it is between $ and $ . the cost per pupil in the day schools averages, where known, $ . ;[ ] and in the private schools, where known, $ . .[ ] for pupils in the common schools of the country, the average cost is $ . .[ ] thus it costs the state eight times as much to educate its deaf children in institutions as it does its hearing children in the regular public schools, and four times as much to educate them in day schools. the education of the deaf, then, is not an inexpensive undertaking on the part of the state. because of the special arrangements necessary for its accomplishment, it comes high, compared with the cost of education in general. but considered merely as an investment, the outlay for this instruction bears returns of a character surpassed in few other fields of the state's endeavor. footnotes: [ ] the figures in this chapter are for the most part from _annals_ for january, (lix., pp. , ), usually for the latest fiscal year, these being supplemented in a few cases from the report of the united states commissioner of education for (ii., ch. xiii.). in the institutions where there are departments both for the deaf and the blind, we have ascertained the proportionate part for the deaf of the entire institution. if no allowance is made for the blind in these, the worth of all is $ , , , and the amount of property for each pupil $ , . for - the value of all was $ , , , or according to the report of the commissioner of education, $ , , . in this report the value of scientific apparatus, furniture, etc., is stated to be $ , . [ ] in most cases, as we have seen, the day schools are housed in public school buildings, special establishments being provided only in a few large cities. in the report of the commissioner of education, the property value of four day schools, two being large ones, is put at $ , , or $ for each pupil; and if this be accepted as a measure, the property value of all the day schools is $ , , . the property value of seven denominational and private schools is likewise given as $ , , or $ , for each pupil; and if this is taken as a measure, the property value of all is $ , . [ ] in - this was $ , , and in - , $ , . if allowance be made for the dual schools, it is about ten per cent less. in the report of the united states commissioner of education it is placed at $ , for - . [ ] with no allowance for the dual schools, this is $ , , . in the report of the commissioner of education it is $ , , , for all but six institutions. [ ] at the conference of charities and corrections in this was estimated to be $ , , . proceedings, p. . [ ] for tables as to the cost of the support of the schools, see appendix b. [ ] these endowment funds are found for the most part only in certain of the semi-public institutions, and in a few state schools which have received land from the federal government. in the report of the commissioner of education the amount of productive funds in thirteen states for - is given as $ , , , as follows: maine, $ , ; massachusetts, $ , (in - , $ , ); connecticut, $ , ; new york, $ , , ; pennsylvania, $ , ; maryland, $ , ; district of columbia, $ , ; kentucky, $ , ; north dakota, $ , ; south dakota, $ , ; montana, $ , ; utah, $ , ; california, $ , . thus practically two-fifths belongs in the states of massachusetts, connecticut, new york and pennsylvania, nearly one-third being in new york alone; while a little under two-fifths belongs in north dakota, south dakota, montana and utah. [ ] this is especially true of new york, where the counties pay the entire amount up to the age of twelve, and after that the state. [ ] in this connection it may be noted that congress has been asked to grant $ , to "encourage the establishment of homes in the states and territories for teaching articulate speech and vocal language to deaf children before they are of school age". teachers are to be trained for this purpose, and pupils are to enter at two years of age and remain till the regular school age. see report of pennsylvania home for training in speech of deaf children, , p. ; proceedings of conference of national association for the study and education of exceptional children, , p. . [ ] charges for clothing and transportation of indigent pupils are as a usual thing paid for by the county, though this is assumed by some states. often a given sum, as thirty dollars, is allowed for clothing, or the actual cost thereof is collected from the county. this is done through the proper administrative offices of the county, there being also some judicial procedure, as where the county judge or similar official certifies by proof. the school is then reimbursed for the expenditures it may have made. some such procedure is quite general, especially in the south and west, though in a few states, as vermont and new jersey, the town or township, where this is the political division, plays a similar part. in rhode island, massachusetts, maine, louisiana, california, nevada, and possibly other states, these charges are paid by the state. in maryland they may be paid by the county, city or state. [ ] it happens sometimes that legislatures are inclined to reduce the appropriations to as low a sum as possible, and superintendents may receive commendation for efforts to cut down expenditures. there is danger, however, that such a policy may be carried to a point where efficiency is sacrificed to seeming economy. on the question of cost, see report of mississippi school, , p. ; iowa bulletin of state institutions, june, , ix., ; ohio bulletin of charities and corrections, nov., , xiii., . [ ] on the value of this tax, see report of colorado school, , p. . [ ] in - this was $ . ; in - , $ . ; in - , $ . ; and in - , $ . . without allowance for the blind in the dual schools, the amount in - is $ . . according to the report of the commissioner of education, the average cost is $ . . it may be noted in this connection that the _per capita_ cost for the blind in schools is more than that for the deaf, being $ . [ ] in - this was $ . . [ ] in - this was $ . . [ ] report of commissioner of education for - . the figures for subsequent years have reference rather to average attendance. chapter xxi public donations of land to schools grants by the national government to the schools in some of the states land has been donated, either as an investment, the proceeds of which should be used for their benefit, or as sites for the erection of buildings. this has been done by the national government, by the states, by cities and by individuals and corporations. the most important of such gifts have been the grants of the public domain made by congress for the benefit of certain of the state institutions. shortly after the work of the education of the deaf had commenced in the country, it bestowed , acres upon the hartford school and a township of land upon the kentucky.[ ] after nearly three-quarters of a century it came again materially to the aid of this education, this time by directing that certain tracts of the public lands located in states about to be admitted to the union should be set apart for the benefit of the schools. thus in the enabling act of [ ] for the admission of the states of north dakota, south dakota and montana, land was set aside for the benefit of the schools for the deaf and the blind, which are mentioned by name. in north dakota and south dakota the number of acres allowed to each was , , and in montana , .[ ] likewise when wyoming was admitted in ,[ ] , acres were granted for an institution for the deaf and the blind, though the school has not yet been established. when utah was admitted in ,[ ] , acres were granted to the school for the deaf. on the admission of arizona and new mexico in ,[ ] like amounts were respectively granted for institutions for the deaf and the blind, , acres having already been set aside in the latter while a territory.[ ] grants by the states grants by the states themselves for the schools on a large scale have not been numerous. the state of texas has set apart large tracts of public land for its institutions, the school for the deaf coming in for , acres as its share. the school in michigan has received a number of sections of the state salt spring lands, amounting to , acres.[ ] grants by cities or citizens small tracts of land have been donated in some cases by cities where the schools were to be established, sometimes accompanied by a cash donation as a further inducement for a particular location. similar gifts have been made by individuals and corporations. these donations have occurred in about half of the states, but they have usually been small in size, most being of five or ten acres.[ ] footnotes: [ ] we have also seen how applications were made to congress for the endowment of other schools. [ ] stat. at large, , ch. . washington was also admitted by this act, and there was a grant of , acres for "charitable, penal and reformatory institutions". the schools for the deaf and the blind, which were not mentioned by name, seem not to have shared in this grant. [ ] similar amounts were allowed to the reform schools, the agricultural colleges and the universities. [ ] stat. at large, ch. . when idaho was admitted the same year (_ibid._, ch. ) , acres were granted to charitable, educational, penal and reformatory institutions, the school for the deaf not being directly mentioned. [ ] _ibid._, , ch. . similar amounts were allowed for the school for the blind and other institutions. as the school in utah is for both the deaf and the blind, it really has , acres. [ ] _ibid._, , ch. . in the act admitting oklahoma, though the school for the deaf is not mentioned among the institutions upon which land is bestowed, it has shared in the grant, having land reported to be worth at least $ , . _annals_, lvi., , p. . [ ] in general with respect to the land granted by congress, it is provided that such land is not to be sold at less than $ an acre. [ ] the state of massachusetts granted a small parcel of land to the horace mann school in boston. to the school in missouri acres were granted by the state, and to that in arkansas two tracts of land, one being of acres. [ ] thus land of perhaps five acres or less has been donated to the schools in california, district of columbia, illinois, new york (new york institution, le couteulx st. mary's, and central new york) oregon, pennsylvania (oral and pennsylvania home), tennessee, virginia, and doubtless to other schools. larger tracts, of ten acres or more, have been given in colorado, florida, idaho, michigan (state school and evangelical lutheran institute), nebraska, pennsylvania (western), south dakota, west virginia, wisconsin, and perhaps elsewhere. to the kansas school acres were presented, to the minnesota , to the washington , to the oklahoma , to the school for the colored in oklahoma , and to the school for the deaf, together with that for the blind, in ohio . to the new york institution for improved instruction the city of new york granted the land for ninety-nine years at an annual rental of one dollar. chapter xxii private benefactions to schools donations of money to schools in our final chapter on the provision for the schools for the deaf we are to consider how far they have been assisted by private munificence. we have already seen that certain of the schools in the east--those we have called "semi-public institutions"--were started by private societies and were supported entirely by private funds till the state came to their aid, though in no instance was this dependence on private means of long duration. we have also seen that in a number of states private schools were first started, in a brief time to be taken over by the state, and thus received a modicum of private aid. in addition, there have been from time to time donations from private sources to one school or another. as to the entire amount of these private donations to the schools, it is of course impossible to say. the full receipts of the various schools cannot be known, and our reckonings must necessarily be incomplete.[ ] however, the data which we have are quite sufficient to enable us to discern in what measure schools for the deaf have been assisted by means other than public, and in what proportion the distribution has taken place; and our calculations, based on the best information to be obtained, may not be altogether without value.[ ] we find, then, that to a considerable number of the schools, apparently the majority, there have been gifts large or small from private sources. in most of these cases, however, the gifts have been slight, and have almost always come when the schools were being started, usually ceasing soon after their establishment or their taking over by the state. nearly all the donations of any importance have been to schools in the east, the greater part also coming in their early days and when still in private hands. at present in the great number of the schools such gifts are not bestowed. in perhaps a dozen schools--practically all in the east--they are still received in greater or lesser degree; and come in three forms: . as membership fees in some half dozen schools; . as certain annual donations, varying in amount, in about the same number; and . as an occasional legacy or similar gift to some school or other.[ ] in respect to the funds already received, we find that the great preponderance have fallen in four states, namely, connecticut, massachusetts, new york and pennsylvania. in five others there have been gifts of what may be called measurable size: district of columbia, california, colorado, illinois, and vermont. in the remaining states private benefactions have been few: where they have occurred they have been small and infrequent. in a score of schools or more there seem to have been gifts of a few thousand dollars--hardly over ten or fifteen thousand, and in most much less.[ ] in some sixteen, donations appear to have been received of more appreciable size--twenty-five thousand dollars and upwards. in about half of these the gifts seem to have been from twenty-five thousand to fifty thousand, in one or two cases possibly more: the california, colorado, columbia, new england (massachusetts), sarah fuller (massachusetts), pennsylvania home, and austine (vermont).[ ] to six schools donations seem to have reached a sum between seventy-five or one hundred thousand dollars and twice that amount. four of these are in new york: the new york institution, the institution for improved instruction, st. joseph's and le couteulx st. mary's; one in pennsylvania, the western pennsylvania; and one in illinois, the ephpheta. in three schools the quarter million mark has been passed: the american in connecticut, and the clarke in massachusetts, both with receipts well beyond this figure; and the pennsylvania institution, which has probably been the largest recipient of all. total private gifts to schools for the deaf in the united states would probably foot up to little under two and a quarter million dollars, and perhaps to two and a half millions, though these figures cannot be fully substantiated. gifts for pupils in the schools there have been gifts for the pupils in the schools as well as for the schools themselves. these have been of various kinds: clothing, books, pictures, magazines, newspapers, christmas presents, prizes, etc., as well as money gifts in a few cases. in many instances reduced transportation has been allowed on railroads, and there have been a number of benefactions of like character. we have already referred to the funds left to certain of the schools in trust for deaf-blind pupils.[ ] present tendencies of private benefactions private benefaction, as we see, has not played any great part in providing the means of education for the deaf in the united states. in a few schools private gifts have been of appreciable aid in the work, but on the whole they have not been of considerable moment, and in the great majority of schools they have been practically negligible. to judge from past experience, it would not seem likely that in the future many of the schools will to any great extent be beneficiaries from private means, or that they will thus be enabled to extend their plants or to make innovations as yet unattempted, though of course such a thing is possible. this condition, however, is not to be entirely deplored. many of the schools, it is true, could receive large money benefactions to most desirable ends, and in many cases the work of the schools for the best results is hampered for lack of sufficient funds. yet the schools may feel that they are in reality but agencies of the state in carrying out one of its great functions, and as such should have no need to call upon or depend upon means other than the state's. whether or not in the course of time there may be an increased incentive for private gifts, it would seem that the schools should be entitled to look with full confidence to the attention and care of the state, since it is but contributing to the education of its citizens. footnotes: [ ] in the case of some of the schools, figures of a financial nature are not to be had, and in many little record has been kept, especially when gifts have been small. [ ] in our discussion, few estimates have been made, and these have been conservative. it should be stated that only a part of the figures given are "official", and for the rest the writer alone is responsible. no reference is made to schools that are not now in existence, nor is any money value set on the land which has been donated to some of the schools. [ ] now and then a gift has been in the form of a scholarship, usually of $ , . some of the schools aided by fees are the pennsylvania institution, western pennsylvania, pennsylvania oral, new york institution for improved instruction, and le couteulx st. mary's (new york). some that receive annual donations varying in amount are the new england (massachusetts), sarah fuller (massachusetts), pennsylvania home, new york institution for improved instruction, st. joseph's (new york), and le couteulx st. mary's (new york). it should be remarked that the three last named institutions are affiliated to an extent with certain religious bodies, receiving assistance from this source also. the smaller denominational schools receive similar aid irregularly. [ ] some of the schools that seem to have received gifts of from five to fifteen thousand dollars, or thereabouts, are the kentucky, maryland, ohio, central new york, pennsylvania oral, tennessee, and the day schools of milwaukee. some of those that have received gifts somewhat smaller are the alabama, illinois, michigan, mississippi, horace mann (massachusetts), western new york, north carolina, virginia, and the day schools of chicago. more trivial or more uncertain amounts have been received in arkansas, florida, georgia, maine, new mexico, albany (new york), oregon, south dakota, utah, and the day schools of a few cities. [ ] gifts to semi-public institutions as the mystic, connecticut, and boston, massachusetts, have also probably been made, though we do not know of what size; and also to some of the denominational and private schools. the mccowen homes of illinois have received some gifts, especially at their beginning. [ ] the american school at hartford has a fund of $ , to be used for the publication of books for the deaf. chapter xxiii conclusions with respect to the work for the deaf in america we have now examined the position of the deaf in society in america and the course and the extent of the treatment accorded them. it only remains for us to inquire if this treatment is well-considered, and how far it is commensurate with the real, actual needs of the deaf, and at the same time consonant with the larger interests of society. the question of paramount concern to society is in respect to the possibilities of the prevention of deafness. as yet it would seem that only a minor degree of attention had been directed to this consideration, though it is likely that in the future much more serious study and thought will be given to it. the problem is for the greater part in the hands of medical science, and for much of it we shall probably have to wait for solution in the laboratory; while no small aid can be rendered by general measures for the protection of health. already there can be little doubt that there is less deafness from certain diseases than in the past, though the statistics that we have on the question are not as definite as could be wished. the matter is really a part of the long battle against disease, and as human skill takes one position after another, it may be that many of those diseases bringing deafness will be forced to yield, and that such deafness will thus cease in great part to be an affliction upon human flesh. eugenics also will be looked to for help, and it may in time bring to light much that is now hidden from our ken. as yet our knowledge of the causes of deafness from birth is very imperfect. a small part may be ascribed to consanguineous marriages, and a larger part to the marriages of those whose families are affected with deafness, these perhaps not being wholly distinct, and together comprising a little over half of congenital deafness. marriages of relatives, even though not of frequent occurrence so far as deafness is affected, have a relation to it which is not to be ignored. intermarriages of the deaf themselves are not found for the most part to result in deaf offspring; while the likelihood of such is not always greater when both parents are deaf than when one is deaf and the other hearing. the one distinct fact of which we seem altogether certain in this matter is that when there is in the parent congenital deafness, or especially when there are deaf relatives concerned, the chances are vastly increased of deaf offspring. these are the danger signals, and not to be passed without heed. as to that form of deafness occurring when consanguinity and antecedent deafness are not involved, we are in greater ignorance. for most of it, however, we may believe that there is inherited some strain or influence predisposing to deafness; and that in the discovery and application of eugenic principles a greater or less portion will be eliminated. though, so far as is discernible from the immediate prospect, we cannot look to an early disappearance of deafness from the race, there are indications at present that deafness is tending to become less. the probabilities are that the future will be able to report advance, and so far as the ultimate results are concerned, we have no reason to be other than hopeful. in respect to what has been accomplished for the deaf since america has become concerned in them, we have a record that may well be a distinct cause of pride. the work for the deaf in america is hardly a hundred years old. yet in that time there has transpired what, without violence being done to language, can be called a revolution. a century ago the deaf were practically outside the pale of human thought and activities. they were in a measure believed to be without reason, and were little less than outcasts in society. to-day they have become active components of the state, possessed of education, on a level with their fellow-men nearly everywhere in the scale of human employment, capable of all the responsibilities of life, and standing in the full stature of citizenship. perhaps the first workers for the deaf had not placed their faith too high after all, when they declared that the deaf and dumb were to be restored to the ranks of their species. perhaps, after all, the visions of these men have come true. perhaps this that we call education has had something of the power they were trying to articulate. for it has come about that a part of society known as the deaf and dumb has been brought to a place of honor and worth and usefulness in the community in which they live. however much of what was claimed has been achieved, it is certain that a great part has been realized. it has been by a slow, silent process, keeping time with the years, but none the less wonderful things have been wrought; and through it all the advance of the deaf has been constant and onward. it might be said with all truth that this whole progress has been simply the march of events. education has ever been the master passion of americans, and in its wide sweep the deaf too have been gathered in, and have been borne to the place where all the state had to offer as instruction was laid before them. yet it remains that by and through all this the deaf have been the gainers as no other people in the world have ever been, and their story is as no other's in the rise of a section of mankind towards the richness and fullness of living which are the fruits of humanized society. great indeed can be the rejoicing of the deaf, for they are those to whom the way has been hard and long, but who have come from the darkness into the light. yet the victory of the deaf is not complete. they have not reached the full position among men to which they are entitled. so long as people look upon them as an unnatural portion of the race, view them with suspicion or hold them as of peculiar temperament and habits, or otherwise consider them distinct from the rest of their kind, and by voice or in their own consciousness make use of terms or associations that give fixedness to such a classification or differentiation: just so long will the deaf be strangers in the land in which they dwell; and just so far will they be removed from the place in society which should be theirs, and which is accorded to all the rest of their fellow-men. with regard to their economic position in the world, the deaf have, on the whole, fared well. their own achievements have thrown out of court the charge that they are a burden upon society. it has been proved by themselves that they are not a dependent class, or a class that should exist to any degree on the bounty of the state. they are wage-earners to an extent that compares well with the rest of the population, and, economically, they form generally a self-sustaining part of society. for a certain number who are aged and infirm and are otherwise uncared for, special homes are to be desired--and with such the need is peculiarly strong. these, however, do not comprise a large part of the deaf; and with their exception there is practically no portion, at least of those with an education, that demands particular economic attention. the community for the most part has been quite ready and willing to recognize the status of the deaf in this respect. here the deaf are accepted on equal terms with the people collectively, and are in fact lost in the mass of the world's workers. the state has perhaps displayed more reluctance to admit the deaf to the standing of its other citizens, largely no doubt due to the fact that in the sphere of law action is usually slow-moving, and responds less readily to newly recognized conditions. though on the statute books there are found few examples of legislation directed to the deaf as if they were peculiarly in need of the state's attention, and though such are hardly more than reminders of the past legal attitude, they are mostly an anachronism to-day, and should in great part be removed. the courts have quite generally adopted the true view in regard to the deaf, and hardly anywhere now differentiate them. there is always one particular kind of provision which may be made for the deaf at law, and this is in the employment of interpreters on proper occasion. but even here the matter may be left to the ordinary rules of the court, as well as to the good sense and justice of the law-makers and the law-dispensers. in most things, special attention of the law in relation to the deaf is not often required, and they should, in nearly all respects, be left in its eyes exactly as the rest of their fellow-citizens. when particular legislation is called for in respect to them, it is needed rather to meet some peculiar or unusual situation, which would probably arise most frequently in connection with some special abuse of the deaf, though such is really seldom likely to occur. provision for young deaf children who are otherwise without protection may well be included in "children's codes," or in other statutes of similar kind. useful legislation is also feasible in connection with departments for the deaf in state bureaus of labor, the procedure possible being already indicated; and it may be that a considerable field will be revealed, not only in assisting the deaf in securing employment but also in securing information as to their condition. opportunity is open to the national government likewise in this regard, and valuable statistics and other information may be collected for the country generally. in one further direction the law can be invoked very materially in aid of the deaf, and just where very little has been attempted. in every state there should be enactments, backed up by vigorous public opinion and the co-operation of all citizens, providing severe punishment for those who go about begging alms on the pretense that they are deaf and dumb. for such creatures the law should have no mercy. the deaf themselves demand that such impostors be put out of business, for a real and cruel injury is done to them. they ask this as a great boon, but it should be accorded them absolutely as a right. the deaf do not want alms or pity. but in unnumbered ways can they receive good at the hands of their fellow-men. they need friends as do all others, and power is never lost to the right hand of fellowship. to be desired above all else is the gaining of the right attitude on the part of the community. as one great need, there should be far more attention to the social and spiritual concerns of the deaf, even though they are often found scattered and far apart. there is much that can be done in many communities of a social nature for the deaf, and in manifold forms can life be made more abundant for them. most important of all, there should be no longer in any place a neglect of the ministrations for the cure of souls, and it should be seen that all of the deaf are made to know the religion of the man of galilee, with its untold blessings and consolations. in our present review of the work for the deaf in america, most of our attention has been directed to the provisions for their education. it may be said that to-day this work is as a rule of a high order, and that in many respects, considering the problems involved, it can compare well with the work of education in general. there is still more or less conflict as to methods, but this does not seem vital to the success of the schools, and their character has in general advanced. in the beginning of instruction in some of the states we read of the struggles of the early schools, but eager hands came to push on the new work. this work was taken up with an enthusiasm and earnestness scarcely paralleled elsewhere in the history of education, or in any other of the great movements for the betterment of human kind. strong and brave souls manned the new enterprise, and these early workers are well worthy of honor at our hands. oftentimes, at the first, private societies came forward as volunteers in the task of education, but the states early recognized their duty, and usually established schools as soon as they were deemed practicable, either taking over the existing private school or creating one of their own. after a time, as another stage in their development, the schools were made free by express provision, or have become so to all practical purpose. in time also all restrictions or limitations as to the admission of pupils have been in general swept away, and rules and regulations have come more and more to conform with those in the regular schools. now education is offered to every deaf child, and to the poor and destitute the state provides all collateral necessaries as well, so that instruction may be denied to none. at present much the larger part of the deaf are educated in institutions. but alongside this plan there has grown, especially of late years, a day school system with the pupils living in their own homes, and the result is that in a number of states such schools have now been established. their main field is recognized to be in large cities, and it is here that they are able to be of the greatest usefulness. it is still a mooted point, however, how far they have passed the experimental stage, and it probably remains to be determined to what extent they really offer advantages to the deaf over the institutions. as a part of this activity, and as an extension of the general public facilities for education to the entire community, we have also the question of evening schools for adult deaf. there seems to be a definite need for them in certain centers, and it may well be hoped that much greater attention will be given to the matter. all the schools are really parts of the public school system, with the exception of a comparatively small number of private schools which have been created in certain communities. in addition, the work in america is characterized by a national college, which represents the completing mark in the system of their instruction. by this the education of the deaf is made not only to stand all along the way parallel with education in general, but also to assume a place accorded it in no other land. in the schools one of the great features is the industrial instruction, and this is rightly emphasized. as much as the need of vocational training is insisted upon on all sides to-day, with the deaf it is essential to a greater degree than it can be anywhere else. the pupils of the schools who have had this industrial training as a rule do well in the world, and in many cases put their training to most practical account. it could be wished, however, that we had a careful and detailed record, uniform over the country, of the former pupils, which would be a test, demonstrative as well as suggestive, of the efficiency of the industrial training of the schools, and which would be equally of value in other spheres of industrial education. though in the work of the education of the deaf in america, industrial instruction occupies a very prominent part, yet in the schools there is an abundance of "schooling" in the strictest sense. the problems of the education of the deaf are peculiar, and their instructors have to face difficulties of a kind not found in any other lines of education. yet earnest thought and study are being given to these problems, and efforts made to solve them as far as it is possible. in the conventions and conferences of instructors notable work has been accomplished, and these bodies are insistent upon progress and better results. for the greater efficiency and success of the schools, the law as well as public sentiment can be called in aid. deaf children everywhere should be prevailed upon or compelled to enter the schools, and should be required to remain as long as their best interests demand it. education should be a matter, forced if need be, for every deaf child, for terrible as ignorance always is, in the deaf it is the most dreadful of all. in america private assistance to schools for the deaf has not been great, and very few schools have been beneficiaries from resources other than the state's. to-day, with the exception of a few cases, aid from private means has ceased to be expected, and calls for such bounty are now seldom made. at present nearly all the schools are public institutions, and rely entirely upon the care of the state. the state has in general recognized its duty towards the education of the deaf, and has engaged to provide for it. in half of the states this responsibility is recognized, and provision guaranteed in the organic law. in all the states the legislatures have undertaken to see that means of instruction are offered to all their deaf children, and it is found that, all things considered, the states have in general taken a keen interest in their educational welfare. few schools can boast of overgenerous appropriations; many not infrequently have failed to receive all that has been asked for, and have thus often been prevented from doing their best work. yet it may be said that if the legislatures have not always responded with alacrity, or always bounteously, or at all times with a full sense of their responsibility, they have responded at least with cheerfulness, and mindful of all the calls upon the state's treasury, and often according to the best of their light. it has been realized that the education of the deaf is an expensive undertaking, far more so than the education of ordinary children; but it is none the less realized also that this education pays--pays from every possible point of view. that the school for the deaf is not given its full educational recognition is a grievance in some states, and this cannot be regarded otherwise than unfortunate. in time, however, this will most likely be changed, and the schools everywhere will come into their proper standing, and be considered only as the agencies of the state for the education of its children. the most deplorable thing in the treatment of the schools by the state is that in some quarters politics with its baneful influence has been allowed to interfere. but as hideous and disgraceful as is this action, we may now believe that in most places its back has been broken, and that hereafter men everywhere will think better of themselves than to allow it in a single instance. finally, in respect to the work for the deaf in america as a whole, it may be said that the state makes but one form of provision in their behalf. this is in allowing to all its deaf children a means of education. even this is hardly to be called "provision for the deaf." it is rather the attention that is paid to a certain portion of the population for its education. it is to be distinguished from the provision for general education only in that special means and methods are necessary for its accomplishment. this being done, the state may practically let the deaf alone. no distinctive form of public treatment is usually to be called for in respect to them as a class. they demand little in the way of special care or oversight, they are able as a rule to look after themselves, asking few odds not asked by other men, they have become citizens without reservation or qualification, and economically they form no distinct class, but are absorbed into the industrial life of the state. they have assumed the responsibilities of life in a highly organized community, and in turn reap the benefits that belong to all men in such an order. but though this is true, their affliction bestowed upon them by the partial hand of nature, is not to be minimized, nor its effects lightened by any human words. their deafness rests indeed upon them as a very material, tangible burden, so sharp and pointed in its operations that they are in great measure cut off socially from the rest of their kind. because of this their concern becomes great in respect to the form of consideration from the community about them, and their need turns to one not so much of material character as of the attention of the good neighbor. from their condition all the more does it avail that no further load should be placed upon them, and that their prayer should be heard that they be treated fully as men. for even with their ever missing sense, the power of the deaf is only retarded, and not seriously diminished, to derive from life much of its richness and color and well-being. appendix a homes for the deaf in america --+------------------+-------------+-------------+-------+-------+------- | | | | year |number |annual | name | state | location |founded| of |cost of | | | | |inmates|support --+------------------+-------------+-------------+-------+-------+------- | | | | | | |gallaudet home |new york |wappinger's | | | | | |falls | | | $ , | | | | | | |ohio home for |ohio |westerville | | | , |aged and infirm | | | | | |deaf | | | | | | | | | | | |st. elizabeth's |new york |new york city| | | , |industrial school | | | | | | | | | | | |new england home |massachusetts|everett | | | , |for deaf-mutes | | | | | | | | | | | |pennsylvania |pennsylvania |doyleston | | | , |home for the deaf | | | | | appendix b tables with respect to schools for the deaf in america i. public institutions. school |location |date of opening | | |number of pupils | | | - | | | |expenditure | | | |for support | | | | - --------------------------------------+-------------+----+----+----------- alabama | | | | school for the deaf |talladega | | }| $ , school for the negro deaf and blind |talladega | | }| arizona, university of, department for|tucson | | | , the deaf | | | | arkansas deaf-mute institute |little rock | | | , california institution for the deaf |berkeley | | | , and the blind | | | | colorado school for the deaf and the |colorado | | | , blind | springs | | | connecticut | | | | american school for the deaf |hartford | | | , mystic oral school for the deaf |mystic | | | , district of columbia, | | | | columbia institution for the deaf | | | | kendall school for the deaf |washington | | }| , gallaudet college |washington | | }| florida school for the deaf and the |st. augustine| | | , blind | | | | georgia school for the deaf |cave spring | | | , idaho state school for the deaf and |gooding | | | , the blind | | | | illinois school for the deaf |jacksonville | | | , indiana state school for the deaf |indianapolis | | | , iowa school for the deaf |council | | | , | bluffs | | | kansas school for the deaf |olathe | | | , kentucky school for the deaf |danville | | | , louisiana state school for the deaf |baton rouge | | | , maine school for the deaf |portland | | | , maryland | | | | school for the deaf and dumb |frederick | | | , school for the colored blind and deaf|overlea | | | , massachusetts | | | | boston school for the deaf |randolph | | | , clarke school for the deaf |northampton | | | , new england industrial school for |beverly | | | , deaf-mutes | | | | michigan school for the deaf |flint | | | , minnesota school for the deaf |faribault | | | , mississippi institution for the deaf |jackson | | | , missouri school for the deaf |fulton | | | , montana school for deaf, blind and |boulder | | | , backward children | | | | nebraska school for the deaf |omaha | | | , new jersey school for the deaf |trenton | | | , new mexico asylum for the deaf and the|santa fé | | | , dumb | | | | new york | | | | new york institution for the |new york | | | , instruction of the deaf and dumb | | | | central new york institution for |rome | | | , deaf-mutes | | | | western new york institution for |rochester | | | , deaf-mutes | | | | northern new york institution for |malone | | | , deaf-mutes | | | | institution for the improved |new york | | | , instruction of deaf-mutes | | | | le couteulx st. mary's inst'n for the|buffalo | | | , imp'd instruction of deaf-mutes | | | | st. joseph's institute for the |west chester | | | , improved instruction of deaf-mutes| | | | albany home school for the oral |albany | | | , instruction of the deaf | | | | north carolina | | | | state school for the deaf and dumb |morganton | | | , state school for the blind and the |raleigh | | | , deaf | | | | north dakota school for the deaf and |devils lake | | | , dumb | | | | ohio state school for the deaf |columbus | | | , oklahoma | | | | school for the deaf |sulphur | | | , industrial institute for the deaf, |taft | | | , blind, and orphans of the colored | | | | race | | | | oregon school for deaf-mutes |salem | | | , pennsylvania | | | | pennsylvania institution for the deaf|philadelphia | | | , and dumb | | | | western pennsylvania institution for |edgewood park| | | , the instruction of the deaf and | | | | dumb | | | | pennsylvania oral school for the deaf|scranton | | | , home for the training in speech of |philadelphia | | | , deaf children | | | | rhode island institute for the deaf |providence | | | , south carolina institution for the |cedar spring | | | , education of the deaf and the | | | | blind | | | | south dakota school for the deaf |sioux falls | | | , tennessee deaf and dumb school |knoxville | | | , texas | | | | school for the deaf |austin | | | , deaf, dumb, and blind institute for |austin | | | , colored youth | | | | utah school for the deaf |ogden | | | , vermont, the austine institution for |brattleboro | | | , the deaf and blind | | | | virginia | | | | school for the deaf and the blind |staunton | | | , school for colored deaf and blind |newport news | | | , children | | | | washington state school for the deaf |vancouver | | | , west virginia schools for the deaf and|romney | | | , the blind | | | | wisconsin state school for the deaf |delavan | | | , ii. public day schools school |date of opening | |number of pupils | | - | | |expenditure | | |for support | | | - ----------------------------------------------------+----+----+----------- california | | | los angeles day school for the deaf | | | $ , oakland public school oral classes | | | -- sacramento day-school for the deaf | | | , san francisco oral school for the deaf | | | , georgia | | | atlanta day-school for the deaf | | | -- illinois | | | chicago | | | delano school for the deaf | |} | kozminski public day-school for the deaf | |} | parker practice public day-school for the deaf | |} | , waters school for the deaf | |} | rock island day-school for the deaf | | | louisiana | | | new orleans day-school for the deaf | | | , massachusetts | | | boston, horace mann school | | | , michigan | | | bay city day-school for the deaf | | | , calumet day-school for the deaf | | | , detroit day-school for the deaf | | | -- grand rapids oral school for deaf and | | | , hard-of-hearing | | | houghton day-school for the deaf | | | iron mountain day-school for the deaf | | | ironwood day-school for the deaf | | | jackson day-school for the deaf | | | -- kalamazoo day-school for the deaf | | | -- manistee day-school for the deaf | | | , marquette day-school for the deaf | | | , saginaw oral day-school for the deaf | | | , sault ste. marie day-school for the deaf | | | -- traverse city day-school for the deaf | | | minnesota | | | st. paul day-school for the deaf | | --| -- missouri | | | st. louis, gallaudet school | | | , new jersey | | | jersey city public day-school for the deaf | | | -- newark school for the deaf | | | -- new york | | | public school , manhattan | | | -- public school, brooklyn, (annex to school , | | | , manhattan) | | | public school, queens, (annex to school , | | | -- manhattan) | | | ohio | | | ashtabula day-school for the deaf | | | cincinnati oral school | | | , cleveland public school for the deaf | | | , dayton school for the deaf | | | , toledo day-school for the deaf | | | , oregon | | | portland day-school for the deaf | | | , washington | | | seattle public-day-school for the deaf | | | , tacoma day-school for the deaf | | | , wisconsin | | | antigo day-school for the deaf | | | , appleton day-school for the deaf | | | ashland day-school for the deaf | | | , black river falls school for the deaf | | | -- bloomington day-school for the deaf | | | eau claire day-school for the deaf | | | , fond du lac day-school for the deaf | | | , green bay day-school for the deaf | | | , kenosha day-school for the deaf | | | -- la crosse day-school for the deaf | | | , madison day-school for the deaf | | | , marinette day-school for the deaf | | | , marshfield school for the deaf | | | -- milwaukee school for the deaf | | | , mineral point school for the deaf | | | -- new london day-school for the deaf | | | , oshkosh school for the deaf | | | , platteville day-school for the deaf | | | , racine day-school for the deaf | | | , rice lake day-school for the deaf | | | , sheboygan day-school for the deaf | | | , stevens point day-school for the deaf | | | , superior day-school for the deaf | | | wausau day-school for the deaf | | | iii. denominational and private schools school |location |date of | |opening | | |number | | |of pupils | | | - ---------------------------------------------+-------------+----+--------- california | | | holden home oral school |san francisco| | st. joseph's home for the deaf |oakland | | georgia | | | miss arbaugh's school for deaf children |macon | | illinois | | | ephpheta school for the deaf |chicago | | the mccowen homes for deaf children |chicago | | louisiana | | | chinchuba deaf-mute institute |chinchuba | | maryland | | | home school for little deaf children |kensington | | f. knapp's english and german institute |baltimore | | st. francis xavier's school for the deaf |irvington | | massachusetts | | | the sarah fuller home for little deaf |west medford | | children | | | michigan | | | evangelical lutheran deaf-mute institute |north detroit| | missouri | | | immaculate conception institute for the deaf|st. louis | | new york | | | reno margulies school for the deaf |new york | | the wright oral school |new york | | ohio | | | notre dame school for the deaf |cincinnati | | miss breckinridge's school |cincinnati | | pennsylvania | | | archbishop ryan memorial institute for |philadelphia | | deaf-mutes | | | de paul institute for deaf-mutes |pittsburgh | | forrest hall |philadelphia | | south dakota | | | black hills school for the deaf |lead | | wisconsin | | | st. john's institute for deaf-mutes |st. francis | | index accidents as a cause of deafness, . admission into schools, , - , - . _see_ fees; restrictions. adult deaf in schools, n. _see_ evening schools; homes. adventitious deafness, - ; ages of occurrence of, ; action for the prevention of, - ; as an increasing or decreasing phenomenon, - ; causes of, - ; conclusions respecting, , , . age of occurrence of deafness, - , , , . agricola, rudolph, . aid to the deaf, _see_ homes for the deaf; legislation; private organizations. ---- for schools, _see_ clothing and transportation; private benefactions. aims of first schools, - . alabama, education in, , n, , , , . alms-houses, deaf in, . alms-seekers, deaf as, - , . alphabet for deaf, _see_ manual alphabet. american association to promote the teaching of speech to the deaf, , , . american possessions, education in, . american school, n, - , n, n, , , . _see_ connecticut. amman, john, . ancient treatment of deaf, , . "annals of the deaf, american", . appropriations for schools, state, , , , , . _see_ day schools; semi-public schools. arizona, education in, , , . arkansas, education in, , . associations of the deaf, _see_ societies. "asylums", use of term, , , n, n. attendance in schools, , - . _see_ age limits. auricular instruction, , - . austine institution, . _see_ vermont. baker, henry, . baptist church, work of, _see_ church work. bartlett, david e., n. bede, venerable, . bell, a. g., n, . benefactions, _see_ private benefactions; endowment funds. blind associated with deaf, n. _see_ dual schools. boarding institutions, , , . bolling, william, . bonet, juan, . bonifaccio, giovanni, . braidwood, john, , . braidwood, thomas, . bulwer, john, . california, education in, , , , , , , , , . camerarius, rudolph, . carion, ramirez de, . cardano, girolamo, . castro, pietro de, . catholic church, work of, _see_ church work; denominational schools. causes of deafness, _see_ adventitious deafness; congenital deafness. census of deaf, how taken, n, . charges to pupils, _see_ fees; restrictions. charities, boards of, , . _see_ charity; states, provision in. charity in connection with schools, , , - , ; conclusions respecting, ; in best sense, ; in legal sense, n; opposition to connection, ; popular conceptions of charity, ; regard by states, ; views of boards of charities, ; views of deaf, ; views of instructors, . church work for deaf, , - . _see_ private benefactions. cities, aid of to schools, - , . _see_ day schools; states, provision in. clarke school, , . _see_ massachusetts. classes of pupils, _see_ gradations. classical allusions to the deaf, . clerc, laurent, . clothing and transportation provided for pupils, , , , , . clubs of deaf, _see_ societies. cogswell, alice, . college for the deaf, _see_ gallaudet college. colorado, education in, , , , , . colonies for the deaf, n. combined method of instruction, , - . communication, methods of among deaf, , , - . compulsory education, - , . conference of principals, , . congenital deafness, - ; as an increasing or decreasing phenomenon, ; conclusions respecting, - , ; consanguineous marriages affecting, ; deaf parents affecting, ; deaf relatives affecting, ; possible action for the prevention of, . congregational church, work of, _see_ church work. congress, action of, _see_ national government. connecticut, education in, , , , , , , . _see_ american school. consanguineous marriages, , , . _see_ congenital deafness. constitutional provisions, , , - , . control, boards of, . convention of american instructors of the deaf, , . corporations, _see_ semi-public schools. cost of education, - , ; for maintenance, ; for new buildings, ; in day schools, ; per pupil, ; to states sending outside, . _see_ property, value of; semi-public schools. county aid to schools, , , ; officers, work of, , n. courses of study, . court decisions relating to deaf, , . _see_ law, attitude of. crimes, responsibility of deaf for, , . dactylology, _see_ manual alphabet. dalgarno, george, . day schools, , - , ; arguments against, ; arguments for, ; co-operation with institutions, , ; co-ordination with public schools, , ; design of, ; equipment of, , ; evening schools as part of, , ; institutions as, ; laws for, ; number, , ; pupils in, ; support, , . _see_ methods of instruction; states, provision in. "deaf", meaning of term, . "deaf-and-dumb", _see_ "deaf". deaf-blind, n, - , . "deaf-mute", n, n. _see_ "deaf". "deaf-mutism", n. deafness in different states, . "defective" class, the deaf as a, . delaware, education in, , , , . denominational and private schools, , - , . _see_ methods of instruction; states, provision in. dependent class, the deaf as a, . _see_ economic condition. deschamps, . difficulties of early schools, , , , . diseases, effect of, _see_ adventitious deafness. district of columbia, education in, , n, , n, , , , . _see_ gallaudet college. dual schools, , , , n, n, n. dues, _see_ fees. "dumbness", _see_ "deaf". ear, diseases of, _see_ adventitious deafness. early attempts at instruction, - . ---- workers, character of, , . economic condition of deaf, - , , ; conclusions respecting, ; deafness, effect of, , , ; occupations of deaf, , ; unions, members of, n; views of deaf, ; wage-earners, extent as, - , , . _see_ alms-houses; dependent class; homes; industrial training. education, associations for, , ; boards of, , , , ; _see_ states, provision in. ----, condition of deaf before, , - , . employment of deaf, _see_ economic condition. endowment funds, , , . _see_ private benefactions. england, early education in, - , . Épée, abbé de l', , . ephpheta school, . _see_ illinois. eugenics, _see_ congenital deafness. europe, first schools in, - ; recognition in of work in america, n. evening schools for adults, , . exhibits of deaf pupils, , , , , . farming as an industry, n, n, , . _see_ economic condition. fay, barnabas m., n. feeble-minded deaf, , . fees for pupils, , . _see_ admission into schools; denominational schools; restrictions. ---- in semi-public schools, membership, , , , . fiction, deaf in, n. finger-spelling, _see_ manual alphabet; sign language. first schools, , - . florida, education in, , , , . france, early education in, - . fraternal organizations of deaf, , . gallaudet college, , - , n, . _see_ district of columbia. gallaudet, edward miner, n. gallaudet, thomas hopkins, - , n, n. georgia, education in, , , , , , n, . germany, early education in, , , . gifts, _see_ private benefactions. government of institutions, - . _see_ states, provision in. gradations of pupils, - . graduates of schools, , , . green, francis, . guardians for deaf, , . "hard of hearing", n; schools for, n. harrower, john, . hearing in school children, defective, . hebrew work for deaf, _see_ church work. heinicke, samuel, . heredity, _see_ congenital deafness. holder, william, . holland, early education in, . homes for deaf, - , ; extent of, , ; purpose, ; support, . ---- for children, n, n. _see_ denominational and private schools; boarding institutions. horace mann school, , . _see_ massachusetts. hubbell, horatio n., n. hutton, abraham b., n. idaho, education in, , , , . ideas of early schools, - . illinois, education in, , , , , , , , , , . immigration in respect to deaf, . impostors simulating deafness, - , . increase of deafness, _see_ adventitious deafness; congenital deafness. indiana, education in, , , , , . indigent pupils, _see_ admission into schools; clothing and transportation; fees; restrictions. industrial training, , , , , , - , . institutions, general arrangements of, - ; government, - ; arguments against, ; arguments for, . _see_ boarding institutions; methods of instruction; states, provision in. instructors, associations of, , ; number of, ; training schools for, n. insurance companies and the deaf, ; among the deaf, , . interpreters for deaf, , , n. iowa, education in, , , . italy, early education in, , . jacobs, john a., n. kansas, education in, , . kendall school, _see_ gallaudet college; district of columbia. kentucky, education in, , , , n, , , , . kerger, . kerr, william d., n. kilpatrick, john, . kindergarten departments, _see_ denominational and private schools; gradations of pupils. labor bureaus for deaf, , n. ladies' societies, n, n, n. land given for schools, , , , - . _see_ states, provision in. language, difficulty of for deaf, , , . law, general attitude of toward deaf, - ; trend of, ; need of changed regard, . _see_ legal exceptions; legislation. le couteulx st. mary's institution, . _see_ new york. legal exceptions, views of deaf respecting, n. legislation in aid of deaf, - ; discriminatory, ; in protection, , . legislatures, appeals to, , . _see_ appropriations; law, attitude of; states, provision in. lip-reading, , . _see_ speech. location of schools, , . louisiana, education in, n, , , , , , . lutheran church, work of, _see_ church work; denominational schools. mcintyre, thomas, n. maine, education in, , , . mann, horace, . manual alphabet, , , , . _see_ sign language. manual alphabet method, - . manual method, - . maryland, education in, , , , n, , - , . marriages of deaf, advisability of, , - ; laws to prohibit, n; partners in, ; possibilities of deaf offspring, - . _see_ congenital deafness. massachusetts, education in, , , , , , , n, , . _see_ clarke school; horace mann school; new england industrial school; sarah fuller home. medical bodies and prevention of deafness, , . _see_ adventitious deafness. mendicancy, _see_ alms-seekers. methodist church, work of, _see_ church work. methods of instruction, , , - . michigan, education in, , , , , , . middle ages, education in, . minnesota, education in, , , , , . mississippi, education in, , . missions, _see_ church work for deaf; legislation in aid of deaf. missouri, education in, n, , , , , , . montana, education in, , , , , , . montans, peter, . "mute", _see_ "deaf". national college, _see_ gallaudet college. national educational association, . national government, granting land for schools, , , , , ; creating gallaudet college, - . _see_ district of columbia. nebraska, education in, , . negroes, education of, , n, n, n. nelson philip, . nevada, education in, , , . new england school, . _see_ massachusetts. new england states, interest in american school, , , . new hampshire, education in, , , , . new jersey, education in, , , , , , . new mexico, education in, , n, . new york, education in, , , , n, , , , , - , , - , . _see_ le couteulx st. mary's institution; new york institution; new york institution for improved instruction; st. joseph's institution. new york institution, , n, , , n, n, n, . _see_ new york. new york institution for improved instruction, , . _see_ new york. north carolina, education in, , , n, , , . north dakota, education in, , , , . occupations of deaf, _see_ economic condition. [oe]colampadius, . offspring, deaf, _see_ marriages of deaf. ohio, education in, , n, n, , , , , , . oklahoma education in, , , , , n, . opinions of deaf, _see_ charity; economic condition; legal exceptions. oral method, n, , , - , n. oregon, education in, , n, , . papers of deaf, , ; of schools, , . _see_ publications for deaf. parents, deaf, and offspring, _see_ marriages of deaf. parents' associations, . partially deaf, n. pasch, . pay pupils, _see_ fees. peet, harvey p., n. pereire, . pennsylvania, education in, , , , , , - , , , . _see_ pennsylvania institution; western pennsylvania institution. pennsylvania institution, , , , n, . _see_ pennsylvania. politics in schools, n, . ponce de leon, pedro, . popular conceptions of deaf, - , , . prevention of deafness, _see_ adventitious deafness; congenital deafness. principals, conference of, , . private benefactions, , , , , , , , , - , , , , , , , - , . _see_ denominational and private schools; homes; private organizations; states, provision in. private organizations for deaf, - . _see_ denominational schools; semi-public schools. private schools, _see_ denominational and private schools. property, value of, . protestant episcopal church, work of, _see_ church work. public appropriations, _see_ appropriations. public schools, deaf in, _see_ day schools. publications for deaf, , n. _see_ papers; volta bureau. pupils, at beginning, ; number of, ; proportion in attendance, - . _see_ clothing; fees; gradations; restrictions. quasi-public schools, _see_ semi-public schools. rae, luzerne, n. raphel, georges, . relatives, deaf, _see_ congenital deafness. relief for needy deaf, , , . religious work, _see_ church work; denominational schools. restrictions, , , , , . _see_ fees; age-limits. rhode island, education in, , , . st. francis de sales, . st. joseph's institution, . _see_ new york. sarah fuller home, . _see_ denominational and private schools; massachusetts. schott, gaspard, . seixas, david, . self-supporting, the deaf as, _see_ economic condition. "semi-deaf", n, n. "semi-mute", n, n. semi-public schools, , - , , , n, , . sensational accounts of deaf, n. settlements, social, work of, n. sibscota, george, . sicard, . sign language, , , , n, - . _see_ manual alphabet. societies for deaf, _see_ private organizations. social organization of deaf, - . societies of the deaf, - ; desirability, ; purposes, - . solidarity of deaf, n, , . south carolina, education in, , , , , , . south dakota, education in, , n, , . spain, early education in, , . speech, - , - ; ability of deaf in, , , ; growth of teaching of, - ; relation to sense of hearing, , . _see_ oral method. stanford, john, , . state, action of, _see_ law, attitude of. states, provision in, - ; lands given by, ; without schools, procedure in, , , , . _see_ appropriations; charity; constitutional provisions; government of institutions. stone, collins, n. strange class, deaf as a, . subsidies, _see_ appropriations; semi-public schools. support of schools, _see_ cost. tax, exemptions of deaf from, , . taxation for schools, special, , , . teachers, _see_ instructors. tennessee, education in, , , , , . terms, _see_ admission into schools. terzi, lana, . texas, education in, , n, , . thornton, william, n. totally deaf, _see_ "deaf". trades, _see_ industrial training; economic condition. transportation, _see_ clothing. trustees of schools, , , - , n. _see_ homes; denominational schools; states, provision in. turner, william w., n. unhappy class, deaf as, . united states, number of deaf in, . _see_ american possessions. utah, education in, , , n, , . vagrants, _see_ impostors. value of property, _see_ property. van helmont, jan baptista, . van nostrand, jacob, n. vanin, . vermont, education in, , , , . virginia, education in, - , , , , , , . volta bureau, , , . "volta review", , . wages paid to deaf, _see_ economic condition. walker, newton p., n. wallis, john, . washington, education in, , n, , , . weld, louis, n. west virginia, education in, n, , , n, . western pennsylvania institution, n, n, . _see_ pennsylvania. wills of deaf, , , . wisconsin, education in, , , n, , , , . witness, the deaf as, . writing as means of communication, , , , . wyoming, education in, , , . young men's christian association, work of, n. transcriber's corrections: page . chapter ii. "ceramen" to _cerumen_. impacted cerumen page n. chapter ii. "ceramen" to _cerumen_. ... ear trouble, impacted cerumen is usually found ... page . chapter ii. " " to _ _. number of the adventitiously deaf in , and page . table iv. th column " / " to _ / _. page . chapter iii. "is" to _in_. thus in missouri we find a statute of allowing ... page n. chapter viii. "appendicies" to _appendices_. ... mississippi school, appendices, , , ... page . chapter ix. "nucleii" to _nuclei_. ... schools were thus often the nuclei of the ... page n. chapter xii. "nucleii" to _nuclei_. ... which were the nuclei of the state ... page . chapter xiv. "saulte" to _sault_. ... sault ste. marie, ; ... page . chapter xvi. "superintendant" to _superintendent_ ... by one superintendent it has been stated ... page . chapter xvi. "rosolved" to _resolved_. resolved, that the deaf youth of our land ... page . chapter xxii. "suffcient" to _sufficient_. ... are quite sufficient to enable us to ... page . chapter xxiii. "educaton" to _education_. ... work of the education of the deaf ... page . appendix b. "annez" to _annex_. public school, queens, (annex to school , manhattan) page & . index. no entry for "age limits". relevant information can be found in ch. xvii, pp. - , under the heading "age limits of attendance". page . index. "giralamo" to _girolamo_. cardano, girolamo, . page , & . index. "provisions" to _provision_. _see_ ... states, provision in ... page . index. "schools" to _institutions_. _see_ ... government of institutions. page . index. "of pupils" to _into schools_. terms, _see_ admission into schools. anecdotes & incidents of the deaf and dumb. w. r. roe, m. c. t. d. & d., head master midland deaf and dumb institution, derby, author of "alice gray: a true story;" &c. derby: francis carter, iron gate. . preface. the deaf and dumb cannot help themselves as others can. from the cradle they are cut off from their fellow creatures. they can only cry, like the dumb brute, to make their pains and wishes known. god only can know the bitterness of heart, the desolation of the deaf and dumb child of the poor, as it grows up in a world without speech or sound--a lifelong silence! a mother's smile it may understand, but her soothing voice never comforts or delights it. while others grow in love, and life, and intelligence, its heart is chilled and its mind enfeebled. only under suitable instruction, given at an early age, can the deaf mute become anything but a burden to others and to himself. the anecdotes in the following pages will doubtless be read with considerable curiosity, and it is hoped that the midland institution for the deaf and dumb at derby will receive some pecuniary assistance by the publication of this little book. there are deaf and dumb in the institution's district, which comprises six of the midland counties. the institution is supported by voluntary contributions. w. r. r. _midland deaf and dumb institution, friar gate, derby._ anecdotes of the deaf and dumb. [illustration] ask a blessing. a little boy was admitted as a pupil into the institution for the deaf and dumb at derby. previous to his admission he had given his parents and friends a great deal of trouble, and fears were entertained that he would be none the less troublesome to those in charge of him at the institution. happily however, owing to the firmness and kindness of his teachers, he very soon yielded to the rules and became a good, obedient boy. at length the time came for the vacation, and, amongst others, this little fellow went home for his holiday. the dinner hour arrived, and sitting down with his parents, he looked up at his father and put his hands together. he wanted his father to ask a blessing. the father made the boy understand he did not know what to say, then the poor little fellow began to cry. at last he thought of a plan, he would ask the blessing himself; and so he spelt on his fingers the blessing he had learnt at the institution, and got his friends to spell on their fingers after him letter by letter and word by word, and thus overcame the difficulty in which he was placed. deaf and dumb clergymen. in america there are four deaf and dumb clergymen working in connection with the church missions to the deaf and dumb. there are also in connection with the same mission eight lay readers, all of whom are deaf and dumb.--_deaf mute world._ how to save the rates. in a vast majority of cases where the deaf and dumb are allowed to grow up uneducated and uncared for they become inmates of workhouses or lunatic asylums. many years ago l---- k---- was taken from a workhouse in derbyshire where he had been for a number of years, and educated and apprenticed to a suitable trade; he is now a steady, industrious man, married, and himself a _ratepayer_. this is only one of many similar instances that have come within our experience. in some other cases they are struggling to support widowed mothers and sisters. fatal accident to a deaf and dumb bride on the day of marriage. the following is taken from the _manchester mercury and harrop's general advertiser_, june , :--"on the th ult., in the island of anglesea, mr. henry ceclar, a gentleman well known for his pedestrian feats, to miss lucy pencoch (the rich heiress of the late mr. john hughes, bawgyddanhall), a lady of much beauty, but entirely deaf and dumb. this circumstance drew together an amazing concourse of people to witness the ceremony, which, on the bride's part, was literally performed by proxy. a splendid entertainment was given on the occasion by the bridegroom; but a dreadful catastrophe closed the scene, for the bride, in coming down stairs, made a false step, and fell with so much violence against a chair that she immediately expired." m. berthier. this gentleman, who is now senior professor in the paris institution for the deaf and dumb, is described as a man of rare merit, probably superior in literary abilities and acquirements to any other deaf mute from birth that any country can produce. he is the author of several works that would do credit to a well-educated man whose knowledge of language had been acquired through the ear. on a recent occasion of a public exercise at the institution he was decorated by the president of the republic with the cross of the legion of honour, the first time such a distinction had ever been conferred on a deaf and dumb person. "his right name." in a letter received by the head master at the deaf and dumb institution at derby, a lady writes about a little boy she had assisted in obtaining admission into the institution, and said that "during the little time ( months) that william has been in the institution he has improved wonderfully." she writes--"you know he used to be so wild, dirty, and careless; he was always interfering with everybody, in fact he went in the village by the name of troublesome dummy. all is changed; he is a nice clean, well behaved boy, and people are beginning to call him by his right name, william. we shall never forget what you have done for him." [illustration] an ingenious boy. we were lately shown a curiosity in the shape of a sewing machine entirely of wood. it was whittled out of ordinary pine with an ordinary jack-knife by an ordinary boy--no, not an ordinary boy; it was the handiwork of a deaf and dumb boy who resides at massachusetts. a machine was left at the house of the boy by an agent, and the lad, with considerable ingenuity, made a counterpart of the machine, and did it wholly with a jack-knife. "mighty proud." at a meeting held in a country village in aid of the deaf and dumb institution, derby, a number of the pupils were present on the platform. one of the speakers called attention to a bright looking little fellow, and asked the audience if they knew him? and amidst general laughter spoke of the boy's earlier years, how he had seen him running about barefooted and dirty, playing with the worst boys in the streets; but now completely changed in his habits and character. he went on to relate a little incident he had himself observed a few weeks previous, when the boy was home from the institution for his holiday. the little deaf and dumb boy was coming along the road, looking clean and bright, and carrying a book in his hand, when four of his old gutter companions, all in dirt, and who ought to have been at school, saw him, and one of them shouted out, "hello, here's owd dummy comin;" and all four went to meet him, and tried to make friends with him, but he thought they were scarcely clean enough for his company, and quietly passed on his way towards home. the boys were surprised, and stared at each other for some time; at last one of them said, "oh, ain't he got mighty proud?" [illustration] a deaf and dumb sculptor at brussels. a deaf and dumb sculptor named van louy de canter has recently obtained two prizes, one a silver medal with a ribbon of belgian colours, and a second class award for his best work in marble; the other a bronze medal; he has also an honourable certificate from the belgian exhibition of . it is encouraging to hear of his success, and to know that from his devotion to the art, he will persevere in the right way to be a credit to his country and to his numerous friends among the deaf and dumb. monograph of the colleonbola & thysanura. by sir john lubbock, bart, m.p., &c. this work is one of the many magnificent contributions to the literature of natural history issued by the royal society. it treats of curious animals which the author considers as more nearly allied to the insecta than to the crustacea or arachnidæ. it is magnificently illustrated with plates ( being coloured), and the whole of the illustrations were executed by a painstaking deaf and dumb artist, mr. hollick. it will mark an era in the study of those neglected, but intensely curious animals, and we doubt not will repay both author, and artist, and the society for the labour bestowed upon it.--_daily paper._ the countess of orkney. [illustration] the following curious anecdote is related of mary, countess of orkney. she was deaf and dumb, and was married in , by signs. she lived with her husband, who was also her first cousin, at his seat, rostellan, on the harbour of cork. shortly after the birth of her first child, the nurse, with considerable astonishment, saw the mother cautiously approach the cradle in which the infant was sleeping, evidently full of some deep design. the countess having perfectly assured herself that the child really slept, took a large stone, which she had concealed under her shawl, and to the horror of the nurse--who, like all persons of the lower order in her country, indeed in most countries, was fully impressed with an idea of the peculiar cunning and malignity of "dumbies"--raised it with an intent to fling it down vehemently. before the nurse could interpose the countess had flung the stone--not, however, as the servant had apprehended at the child, but on the floor, where of course it made a great noise. the child immediately awoke, and cried. the countess, who had looked with maternal eagerness to the result of her experiment, fell on her knees in a transport of joy. she had discovered that her child possessed the sense which was wanting in herself. [illustration] epitaph. in st. modwen's churchyard at burton-upon-trent, staffordshire, the following inscription has been copied from the tombstone of a deaf and dumb man:-- this stone was raised by subscription to the memory of thomas stokes, an eccentric and much-respected deaf and dumb man, better known by the name of dumb tom, who departed this life feb. th, , aged years. "what man can pause, and charge the senseless dust with fraud, or subtlety, or aught unjust? how few can conscientiously declare their acts have been as honourably fair? no gilded bait, no heart ensnaring meed, could bribe poor stokes to one dishonest deed: firm in attachment, to his friends most true-- though deaf and dumb he was excell'd by few. go ye, by nature formed, without defect, and copy tom, and gain as much respect." a happy death bed. not long ago there died in the county wexford, in ireland, a deaf and dumb shoemaker named henry plunkett. he had for many years been a true and sincere christian, and therefore when he came to die he was not afraid, but rejoiced at the thought of meeting his saviour. during the last few hours of his life on earth he suffered much pain; but he was quite sensible, and made signs that if the house was piled up with gold he would not take it all and live, for, he said, pointing his hand upwards, "i wish to go up." to the woman who attended him he signed, "do not fret, not never; i am going to jesus." "the contrast between the white face--white as marble--and the long jet black hair and beard is striking," wrote the clergyman who sent this account, shortly after his death. but beautiful as he looked in death, he looks far more beautiful in heaven, where he now is, clothed in the white robe of christ's righteousness, which he has provided for all who truly love and serve him. the coming mayoralty. the state coach for the lord mayor elect will be furnished by mr. j. offord, of wells street and brook street, who has also supplied the chariot for mr. sheriff johnson. the coach for the new lord mayor is quite in harmony with modern ideas and taste. the side windows, instead of being rounded off in the corners as formerly, are cut nearly square, to follow the outlines of the body. this novelty renders the body of the carriage much lighter than usual, and more elegant in appearance. another 'innovation' is the painting. it has hitherto been usual to paint the under part of the carriage white or drab, relieved by the same colour as the body, but in the present case the whole vehicle has been painted a dark green, the family colour of the lord mayor elect, relieved by large lines of gold upon the body, and gold and red upon the under carriage. the natural elegance of this arrangement of colouring is heightened by the beautiful heraldic paintings of the city arms and those of the fishmongers' and spectacle makers' companies, of which mr. alderman lusk is a member. these have been executed by mr. d. t. baker, the celebrated deaf and dumb artist.--_the times_, . the deaf and dumb in texas. deaf and dumb men have a poor chance in texas. one of them went to a farmhouse, and, when asked what he wanted, put his hand in his pocket to get a pencil, and he was at once shot down by the farmer, who thought his visitor was feeling for a pistol. the indians and deaf and dumb. [illustration] we are quite sure the indians were delighted by the reception tendered them by the children of the public schools and the inmates of the institutions for the blind and deaf and dumb last friday, in the academy of music, but their happiness was made complete, on sunday evening, at the la pierre house, by a visit which they received from six of the pupils, all girls, of the deaf and dumb institute, accompanied by the principal, mr. foster, and one of the teachers. on their arrival at the hotel they were received by mr. welsh, the humane commissioner, and shown into a well furnished private parlour, when they were introduced, one by one, to general smith and his indians, whose faces plainly showed the delight which their hearts felt. they at once singled out the two girls who had taken part in the reception at the academy, and bestowed upon them special marks of friendship. tea being announced in a few minutes, the whole party proceeded to the dining room, where they were seated at well spread tables, three indians and one mute at each. here the striking similarity between the signs used by the indians of the west and our deaf mutes was plainly observable in the spirited conversation which ensued. the merry laughter which broke forth from these usually quiet stolid men was sufficient to mark their keen appreciation of what was said. one old chief, slightly confused, sought to excuse his awkwardness with the knife and fork to one of the young ladies, by stating that at home he never used them, but ate with his fingers. they exchanged signs for butter, coffee, milk, meat, bread, salt, sugar, knife, fork, &c., which were remarkably similar. after tea the whole party assembled in the parlour, and then began a scene indescribable. the indians, wild with delight, talked away to the mutes, who, equally happy, seemed to catch and understand everything they said. they described their homes, their hunting expeditions, their wives and children; how they lived and how they buried their dead. one of them gave a very graphic account of the great snowstorms which frequently occur among the mountains. one told about the wars he had engaged in, and the number of scalps he had taken, and then asked the teacher if he had ever killed a man, and on receiving a reply in the negative, seemed quite disgusted. another, a great rider, said that with them the horses had plenty of grass to eat, and were fat, but here, in the city, they had none, and were consequently very poor. another old chief, a very fine looking man, stated that he had a large family of children at home, and then asked the smallest of the girls if she wouldn't go home with him, promising to bring her back as soon as she had taught his little boys and girls how to make signs like the mutes. these wild men seemed thoroughly at home in the presence of the children, their habitual restlessness and reserve disappeared; they had met for once white persons with whom they could converse without the tedious process of interpreting, and the conversation, as mr. welsh expressed it, went directly to their hearts. in parting with their young visitors, the indians freely expressed the pleasure which their visit had afforded them, then sorrow at the separation, and promised to relate all that had occurred to their friends and kindred in the west. when it is remembered that all this and much more took place between a delegation of wild indians and six mute girls attending the institution in our city, it certainly will be considered remarkable, and probably never before in the history of civilization has such a meeting occurred. as a means of communication with the wild tribes roaming over our western plains, the capacity of the sign-language of mutes can hardly be over estimated, and a few well-trained mute missionaries could, without doubt, be made the instruments for accomplishing much good among this down-trodden despised race.--_new york herald._ [illustration] exhibition, . at the great exhibition in there was exhibited a set of oak tables and cabinet of stanton oak, combined with glass and ormolu, etc., made and carved by three deaf and dumb persons; the castings by marsh, of dudley. a mate for laura bridgman. [illustration] hetty hutson lives in the city of wilkes-barre, pennsylvania, a girl seventeen years old, who has been deaf and dumb and blind from birth. she is active in her nature, and has a remarkably intelligent mind. through the one medium of gestures, as perceived by the touch, she understands wonderfully well, and in turn makes herself understood. she will wipe dishes and put them away with scrupulous care and exactness; will go down the cellar alone at her mother's bidding and get apples; then, running up with astonishing rapidity, will give them to anyone she is bid, and put her own into her pocket. at a motion from her father she will go upstairs and get his best hat, deciding by touching his broadcloth suit which hat he wants. she knits and sews in a very creditable style, and manifests a desire to learn to do other kinds of work. she is neat and orderly in her habits, and ever acts in a ladylike manner, while in disposition she is cheerful as a sunbeam, and as playful as a kitten. for about one year, at irregular intervals, a young minister of the name of j. b. howell, devoted one hour each week to her instruction, and she made some advancement, novel as his method was; but in june last he went to brazil as a missionary, since which time she has been without instruction until recently. she is now receiving daily instruction by means of the manual alphabet. it is, however, to be regretted that her present teacher is an entire novice in the work she has undertaken, but as she has large sympathy for her, and individual experience as to the needs of her pupil, it seems safe to hope that she may lay a substantial foundation, upon which some more accomplished person may build an education which will make this greatly afflicted being equal to laura bridgman, of world wide fame. a thought of the south sea islanders. among some of the islands of the south sea the compound word for "hope" is beautifully expressive; it is "manaolona" or "swimming thought"--"faith" floating and keeping its head aloft above water, when all the waves and billows are going over it--a strikingly beautiful definition of "hope," worthy to be set down along with the answer which a deaf and dumb person wrote with his pencil, in reply to the question "what is your idea of forgiveness?" "it is the odour which flowers yield when trampled on." deaf, dumb, blind, and lame. david simons, of boston, is deaf and dumb; he is also blind; likewise he is lame. penniless he is, and houseless. finally, he is black, which may or may not be considered a misfortune. no,--finally he was run over by a team and dreadfully bruised. yet we suppose that john simons still desires to live, for he consented to be carried to a hospital.--_deaf mute advance._ international exhibition. (from _the graphic_, may, .) messrs. doulton and co., who have done so well with stoneware, dignifying the simplest material by giving even to the most ordinary and cheapest articles shapes of real beauty, exhibit in room a most praiseworthy set of examples ( ) of very remarkable art and character, demonstrating principally possibilities of wall decoration. on the floor at the base of the division are some noble pieces of graphite stoneware contributed by mr. frank a. butler, who is deaf and dumb. a young genius. (from the journal of the society of arts, may , .) another artist who has made his mark on the ware by the originality of his forms is frank a. butler. he is quite deaf and almost dumb. he is one of many thus heavily afflicted who have passed through the school. he began his artistic life as a designer of stained glass, but his invention was not needed, nor, i dare say, discovered in the practice of an art which is almost traditional. i introduced him to the new work, and in a few months he brought out many new thoughts from the silent seclusion of his mind. a bold originality of treatment, and the gift of invention, are characteristic of his work. he has struck out many new paths. a certain massing together of floral forms, and ingenious treatment of discs, dots, and interlacing lines indicate his hand. the little demerarian. [illustration] a little coloured deaf and dumb girl in demerara came to mrs. h----'s school, and wished to learn to read. it was thought impossible to teach her; the missionary's wife therefore shook her head, and made signs for her to go home. but she would take no denial; so mrs. h---- sent to england for the "deaf and dumb alphabet." it was astonishing how quickly the child was taught to read the new testament, from which she learned to know jesus as her saviour. one day she signed to her kind teacher, "missie, me too happy. you would think when me walk out that there were two people in the road; but it is jesus and me. he talk and me talk, and we two so happy together." draughts. mr. james wyllie (the herd laddie), the greatest living draught player, has been in aberdeen for a whole week, playing in public against all comers. he played altogether games, of which he won , lost , and drawn. it is worthy of notice that three of the draws were secured by mr. benjamin price, a deaf mute, and a well known local player.--_scotsman._ the unwelcome tap. [illustration] isabella green was a young woman who was completely blind and deaf, and she was brought before a number of eminent surgeons to see if anything could be done for her. her sad condition had been produced by violent pain in the head. the only method of communicating with her was by tapping her hand, which signified no, and squeezing it, which signified yes. the surgeons concluded that her case was incurable, and in reply to her earnest inquiries she received the unwelcome tap. she immediately burst into tears, in all the bitterness of anguish. "what!" said she, "shall i never see the light of day, or hear a human voice? must i remain shut up in darkness and silence as long as i live?" a friend who was present took up a bible and placed it to her breast. she put her hands on it, and asked "is this the bible?" her hand was squeezed in reply. she immediately clasped it in her hands, and held it to her bosom, and exclaimed, "this is the only comfort i have left. i shall never be able to look upon its blessed pages, but i can think of the promises i have learned from it." and she then began to repeat some of the promises--"cast thy burden upon the lord, and he will sustain thee;" "call upon me in the day of trouble, and i will deliver thee;" "my grace is sufficient for thee," &c. she dried her tears, and became peacefully submissive to the will of god. corot and his pupil. corot the artist had a deaf and dumb pupil. the young fellow was employed in copying one of his master's beautiful pencil drawings, when he even tried to imitate a stain of glue which was on the paper. corot, when he saw it, smiled, and said, or at least wrote, "très bien, mon ami; mais quand vous serez devant la nature; vous ne verrez pas de taches." "(very well, my friend; but when you are before nature you will not see any stains.)" m. jean baptist corot, the great french landscape painter, died february rd, , aged . dumb for two years. two years ago, says the _auburn advertizer_, george scott, one of a gang of desperadoes in new york city, committed a robbery, for which he ought to have received ten years in prison. when he was arrested he feigned to be deaf and dumb. upon his trial he made much of his infirmity, and the result was that he succeeded in escaping with a sentence of two years. being transferred from sing sing to auburn prison, he still kept up appearances, by means of which he escaped from doing heavy work, but was assigned to duty in shoe shop no. as waiter, being supposed to be fit for no more valuable service. he was sharp, ready and intelligent, and generally well behaved, though hot tempered. keeper bacon, under whom he was placed, had him always under strict surveillance, but never was led to suspect by anything in his conduct that he was not deaf and dumb. indeed, he says that he once saw scott, who always went in the shop by the name of "dummy," so roused up and maddened by something that had occurred, that he thought he would go crazy, yet he gave no sign that he was otherwise in respect to hearing and speaking than he seemed. about two months ago dummy's time was up, and he was discharged. to give him a start in life again, keeper bacon hired him to do some gardening. principal keeper gallup did the same thing. he worked in this way for two or three weeks. while at his work children would talk to him and play round him, yet he was always apparently oblivious to their presence. but dummy had a tongue and could use it, and his hearing was as keen as anybody's. one day he fell in with a fellow convict who had just been discharged from prison, and they went off up the street together, talking gaily. captain russell, foreman in one of the departments of the prison shoe shop, who was in the street, overheard their conversation; and on another occasion it happened that one of the keepers met dummy at louis schuch's and talked with him for a long time. the bachelor of science. a fact without precedent has just happened at the sorbonne. a young deaf mute, m. dusuzeau, underwent recently with success the examinations for the degree of "bachelor of science." this distinguished pupil has answered by writing all the questions which have been put to him. this success, unexpected a few years ago, greatly honours the imperial institution in paris, and is due to the high standard which its learned director, m. vaisse, maintains in the studies, and to the devotedness of the censor, m. valade reoni, head master of the instruction, and who has been the affectionate master of m. dusuzeau. m. dusuzeau was married on the third of march last, at the church of st. germain, l'auxerrois, paris, to miss matilda freeman, daughter of james b. freeman, esq., of philadelphia, in the presence of a distinguished circle of friends. miss freeman stayed in england some months in , and is therefore well known to many of our deaf and dumb friends. like the copy. florence b----, a little girl in the deaf and dumb institution at derby, was painting in water colours during her leisure hours. she had been told to be very careful with the card she was painting, and do it exactly the same as the copy, and to these instructions she strictly adhered. when the card was finished she took it to the head master, who at once noticed a black spot painted on a bright flower. on being told she had spoilt the card with doing this, she replied "but it's like the copy," and at once produced it, when it was found that by some means an ink spot had got on the copy. "drunken billy." [illustration] a poor deaf and dumb man, who might be said to be entirely friendless in the world until the institution of the deaf and dumb was formed at derby, was continually in trouble, owing to his intemperate habits. "drunken billy," as he was called by some, had however a tender place in his heart, and we frequently visited him at his lodgings and assisted him in various ways. after a time billy was persuaded to sign the temperance pledge, and began to attend the lectures and services for the adult deaf and dumb. for a time all went well, but one hot summer day one of his fellow workmen, who ought to have known better, knowing that billy had signed the temperance pledge, offered him a shilling if he would drink a glass of ale he held in his hand. the temptation was too strong for billy to resist, and having taken one, it was not easy for him to resist a second, and in the end poor billy got taken up by the police. the head master of the institution at derby appeared, by request, to interpret the evidence, and it transpired that billy had been sent to prison in the same month, june, each year, for the seven previous years. the magistrates however expressed their reluctance at sending billy to prison, and asked him, through the interpreter, if he would try and keep sober, and if he would again sign the pledge; this he promised to do, and the magistrates on the bench not only dismissed the case, but each became subscribers of one guinea annually to the deaf and dumb institution. billy, true to his promise kept sober, and again attended the services for the deaf and dumb, and when nearly years of age gave a brief lecture of his "life's experiences" to the deaf and dumb, which caused considerable amusement, especially his remarks about derby fifty years ago. billy was always thankful for the help rendered him by the institution, and frequently said "if he might have his way he would be glad to die and get to heaven where he could hear." poor billy's life was a hard one, for death took a good wife and four little ones during the first ten years of his wedded life, and one by one the whole of his relations passed away. billy has now done with temptation, and recently passed away to the majority, his last remarks bearing testimony to the value of the institution for the deaf and dumb. rapid bicycle travelling. yesterday week a young man named sydney cornwall, of coventry, started at six o'clock in the morning for salisbury (a distance of miles) on a bicycle. on the morning following his friends received a letter from him, posted at taunton, stating that he had reached that place and had yet fourteen miles to go that evening; and a subsequent letter on wednesday morning informed them that he had arrived at his destination at six o'clock on tuesday evening, having stopped the previous night at a hostelry some miles beyond taunton. this young man is deaf and dumb, and his enquiries for the right road must have cost him some considerable time. the driving wheel of his machine is only forty inches in diameter.--_bicycle news._ heroic conduct of a deaf and dumb girl. [illustration] on tuesday last an inquest was held by mr. michael fullam, coroner, at aughaward, near ballinale in this county, on the body of a respectable middle class farmer named james prunty. it appears the deceased, a feeble old man of years of age, went into an out-house occupied by his own bull for the purpose of cleaning it out, and while in the act of doing so, the bull broke its chain and turned on him. by the interposition of providence, his daughter, a deaf mute, happened to come that way, and looked into the bull-house, her attention having been attracted by seeing the door lying open; and there, at the instant her eyes rested on the interior, she saw her aged father tossed high in the air above the bull's head; when he fell on the ground the bull gored him with his horns, pawed him with his feet, and raged with fury. the daring girl--the poor deaf mute--did not hesitate for an instant, but with most surprising presence of mind rushed to the rescue. she caught up the old man's stick which she saw on the floor as she entered, and seizing the bull by a copper ring in his nose, she thrashed him soundly on the head. the struggle was terrific--it was one of life and death, both for herself and the old man who now lay helpless at her feet. the bull did not tamely submit to his chastisement, but directed his assault on the lone girl; he tore her from her ankle to her armpit, struck her on the breast, and dashed her against the wall: but still she clung with a death grasp to his nose, and belaboured him with the stick, until she finally conquered and forced the infuriated animal to yield to her command. she then threw away the stick, and changing the ring into her right hand, raised the disabled old man from the ground and carried him on her left arm outside the door, forced back the bull, and closed the door in his face. such heroic conduct as this has seldom been manifested by the bravest of men, but it is almost beyond credence that the deaf mute who was examined before the jury through an interpreter could have performed such an extraordinary feat. yet so it was, and the jurors one and all were thoroughly satisfied with the clear and intelligible description of the most minute particulars of the occurrence exhibited by this most wonderful girl. it is sad to say that after all her exertions, the poor old man died in an hour after his release from the bull-house. the jury handed to the coroner the following memorandum at the close of the proceedings:-- "we cannot separate without putting on record our entire admiration of the heroic conduct of bridget prunty (an orphan and deaf mute), who, at the risk of her life, relieved her aged father, james prunty, from the furious assault of his own bull, (from the effects of which he died yesterday), by catching him by a ring in his nose, and while holding him back, carried the old man on her left arm out of the house in which he was attacked: and we urgently recommend her to the notice of those benevolent gentlemen who appreciate and reward such an act of noble daring for the preservation of human life." "given at aughaward, nd jan., , bartholomew quinn, foreman." (for self and fellows), "m. fullam, coroner." _longford journal._ we are glad to say that on hearing of the bravery of this little deaf and dumb girl, mr. harman, m.p., at once sent £ , and many other friends also shewed their appreciation of the girl's conduct in a practical way. the following touching lines were composed by a _deaf_ friend after seeing the account in the "longford journal":-- the brave deaf mute. the tale of bravery i tell, will your attention hold, though not performed on battle field, nor by a warrior bold. an irish girl, to whom the lord nor speech nor hearing gave, tho' but a poor deaf mute was she, her heart was stout and brave. deaf, dumb, yes, poor and motherless, friendless and obscure; only her father left to her, and he was old and poor. a farmer he, and owned a bull, that in a shed was chained, for it was savage, but one day its liberty obtained. the poor old man was unaware the bull had broke its chain, until the beast upon him turned ere he the door could gain. the dumb girl neared the open shed, as she the threshold crossed; oh! dreadful sight, her father high by savage bull was tossed. she could not hear if help was nigh, she could not call for aid; so quick to rescue him she ran, too brave to feel afraid. one hand she slipped within a ring, that through its nose was placed; and with her father's stick upraised, the angry bull she faced. oh! then ensued a struggle, fit to fill her heart with dread; while at her feet her father lay, to all appearance dead. long and fierce the battle raged between the bull and maid; nor would she yield, tho' by its horns her side was open laid. blow after blow upon its head, with heavy stick she rained, until the savage beast was cowed, and she the victory gained. and then the stick away she threw, (but held on as before,) her father with one arm she raised, and slowly neared the door. then back into the shed she forced the bull, and slammed the door, while in her aching, bleeding arms, her father's form she bore. but, sad to say, her father dear, whom thus to save she tried, had been so injured by the bull, in one short hour he died. an orphan now, alone and poor, homeless, and deaf and dumb; oh, who will help some christian friends, to make for her a home? if you who read these simple lines, with speech and hearing blest, and have it in your power to aid and comfort the distressed, oh! think of this brave-hearted girl, and help her in her need;-- with voice and pen on her behalf for timely help i plead. a victory. peter sims, a deaf and dumb boy, was walking past a large shop one day in winter, when he saw a beautiful pair of skates in the window. he had often wished for skates that he might skate upon the ice, and when he saw these he desired to have them. he looked; no one was watching; he thought, "i can take these skates easily, and no one will know." before he had been sent to school this boy had been a very bad boy; he had often stolen little articles, but now he was learning about god, and he knew that god had said "thou shalt not steal." as he stood looking at the skates this commandment came into his mind, and there was a struggle in his heart. his old bad nature said, "take the skates;" his conscience answered, "no, for it is wrong to steal." at last he made the signs, "steal, bad, not" (he was seen, though he did not know it), and went on without taking them. he had gained a great victory over the temptation of the devil, and the next time he was so tempted the fight was not so severe, as sin had less power over him. the queen and the deaf and dumb. not far from osborne house, isle of wight, there lives a poor man in a small cottage, who a few years ago had a deaf and dumb daughter, who used to do a great deal of knitting for the queen. her majesty frequently visited this woman, and used to talk to her on her fingers. the deaf and dumb woman is now dead, and during her illness the queen visited her and talked to her for her comfort. her majesty apologised that she could not now talk so fast as when she was young. example. vauncey, a little deaf and dumb boy, was admitted to the institution, at derby, and night and morning he would watch with keen interest the other boys kneeling at the bed-side, and spelling on their fingers their prayers. in a few days the little boy learnt the alphabet, and the head master on going upstairs to look round, was surprised to see him kneeling reverently by his bed-side, eyes closed, and spelling on his fingers the alphabet right through. a strange prayer, the reader will think; but not so to our heavenly father, who doubtless would accept it as the poor boy's best offering. [illustration] the converted mute. during a revival of religion in one of the new england villages, a son of the clergyman returned home for a brief visit. the lad was a deaf mute, and had spent his first term in the deaf and dumb institution, just then commencing its history. his parents having no knowledge of the language of signs, and the boy being an imperfect writer, it was almost impossible to interchange with him any but the most familiar ideas. he, therefore, heard nothing of the revival. but before he had been at home many days, he began to manifest signs of anxiety, and at length wrote with much labour upon his slate, "father, what must i do to be saved?" his father wrote in reply, "my son, you must repent of sin, and believe in the lord jesus christ." "how must i do this?" asked the boy again upon his slate. his father explained to him as well as he could, but the poor untaught boy could not understand. he became more than ever distressed; would leave the house in the morning for some retired place, and would be seen no more until his father went in search of him. one evening, at sunset, he was found upon the top of the hay, under the roof of the barn, on his knees, his hands uplifted and praying to god in the signs of the mutes. the distress of the parents was so intense, that they sent for one of the teachers of the asylum, and then for another; but it seemed that the boy could not be guided to the saviour of sinners. one afternoon the father was on his way to fulfil an engagement in a neighbouring town, and as he drove leisurely over the hills, the poor inquiring and helpless son was continually in his thoughts. in the midst of his supplications his heart became calm, and his long distracted spirit was serene in the one thought that god was able to do his own work. the speechless boy at length began to tell how he loved his saviour, and that he first found peace on the very afternoon when the spirit of his father on the mountains was calmed and supported by the thought that what god had promised he was able to perform. "nothing bad." on entering the school room one morning, one of the little deaf and dumb girls quickly turned over her slate, and colouring in the face. the teacher asked, "what have you been doing?" the girl signed, in reply, "nothing bad, sir." on turning over the slate we found the girl had written "drunkenness clothes a man with rags." a sad case. [illustration] t---- l---- lived near derby. hers was a sad case--deaf, dumb, and so nearly blind that she had to be led about; moreover, she suffered from extreme weakness in the legs, and was delicate on the chest. her father being dead, it was difficult for her to obtain the necessaries of life, and it was thought the workhouse must be her future home. the case was brought under the notice of the committee of the deaf and dumb institution at derby, who decided not to let her go into the workhouse without trying what could be done for her. accordingly she came under their care, and gradually became stronger; but the difficulties in the way of her education, owing to her sight, were not easily overcome, in fact she had to be taught as one perfectly deaf, dumb, and blind. she however made good progress, and is now a good tempered, hard working girl, actually earning her own living. she can wash and scour and knit and sew quite as well as many persons blessed with the senses of sight and hearing. she frequently attends the meetings for the adult deaf and dumb, and always has something interesting to say, especially on religious subjects. a deaf and dumb clergyman. among those who were ordained deacons on trinity sunday last year by the bishop of winchester was mr. r. a. pearce, who is deaf and dumb, and who is to devote himself specially to missionary work among the deaf mutes in the diocese of winchester. the rev. c. m. owen, secretary to the mission, believes that this is the first instance of a deaf and dumb man being ordained in the church of england.--_irish ecclesiastical gazette_. the rev. r. a. pearce has had the honour of being presented to the queen. mr. pearce has visited the institution for the deaf and dumb at derby. a deaf mute's beautiful answer. the rev. r. stewart says: "i knew of a gentleman who went to a deaf and dumb asylum to make known to the inmates the way of salvation through jesus christ. he asked questions by means of writing them on a blackboard. one day he wrote the question, 'what does god do with the sins of the people who believe in him?' one of the lads wrote below the question, 'all our sins were written in god's book, but jesus came and drew his bleeding hand across the pages where the sins of the people were entered who believe in him; thus covering over with his own blood the transgressions of his people.' was this poor deaf and dumb lad right? yes, indeed, for 'the blood of jesus christ, god's son, cleanseth us from _all_ sin.'" "i must help." [illustration] the following little incident will show how interested the deaf and dumb are in trying to help institutions struggling to obtain monetary support in order to admit the numerous cases pressing for admission. a number of the pupils from the institution at derby were present at a meeting, when the head master was advocating its claims for support. at the close of the meeting a deaf and dumb young man came up and said, "i have been very pleased with what i saw the children do, they will soon be very clever. i hope the people will all help you; other people helped me to get a good education, now _i must help_ others who are deaf and dumb to go to school. i will try and collect £ for you." true to his promise he did collect £ , and sent it saying, "next year i must try and collect £ ." a little time since he called at the institution with the handsome sum of £ , which he had collected in pence from persons. several other deaf mutes have shown their interest by collecting £ to £ from time to time. canon farrar with the deaf and dumb. [illustration] the _washington post_ gives an account of canon farrar's visit to that city. he was interviewed by one of their reporters as to what he thought of the place, and he replied that he was greatly pleased, but what interested him most was the deaf mute college. he was of opinion there was nothing of its kind in the world. the canon was conducted through the college by dr. gallaudet, the president, who explained to him the various arrangements, after which mr. olof hanson, a swede, who has mastered english since the loss of his hearing, delivered orally the following address:--two and a half centuries ago the pilgrim fathers laid the foundation of the nation. america may in a sense be called the child of england--and a well-grown child, of which she need not be ashamed. in visiting this country, therefore, you do not, we trust, feel like a stranger, but, as it were, among relatives and friends. archdeacon farrar is no stranger to us; his beautiful "life of christ" is a well-known volume in many a public and private american library, and there are few who have not read his noble eulogy on our departed hero, general grant. as a friend then, we bid him welcome. permit me now to say a few words about the instruction of the deaf in this country. in the first deaf mute school in america was founded at hartford, connecticut; there are now upwards of sixty schools for the deaf and dumb in the united states, and to day more than pupils receiving instruction. the minds of the deaf are just like those of other people, and only need to be developed. although the avenue of the ear is closed, through the other senses information is imparted, and sight, being the most convenient, is chiefly made use of in instructing the deaf; but to teach them persons of experience and intelligence are required, and to obtain such teachers money is necessary. our government has wisely recognised this, and it accordingly makes liberal provision for educating the deaf, as well as the hearing, all our institutions being supported mainly by the government. it was long doubted that the deaf could master the higher branches of study, and it has been reserved for this college to see if they can. in this country we have the deaf as teachers, lawyers, chemists, artists, clergymen, editors, &c. many take a most creditable rank among the hearing persons in their professions. among the graduates of this college will be found some of the most intelligent and best educated deaf mutes in the world. the college is the only one of its kind in existence. two young men from the old world have come all the way here to obtain an education which they could not get at home. they are cordially welcomed, and we hope many more will come until the time arrives when they have a college of their own, where they may acquire the advantages of a high and liberal education. mr. francis maginn, son of the rev. c. a. maginn, county cork, was then introduced to canon farrar, and his address read by dr. gallaudet. "as one of the two students from europe just alluded to by my friend, i have the pleasure of welcoming my distinguished countryman, archdeacon farrar, to washington. having acquired the rudiments of my education in the metropolis of great britain, where you from sunday to sunday expound the unsearchable riches of christ, and being a native of ireland, where my father ministers in the church of ireland, it is but natural i should express my deep gratification that you should have come amongst my american brethren in affliction. i am sure, sir, that you have felt as i have done when coming to the great and prosperous united states, that the american people is one of which we may well be proud--a great and highly civilised people, with whom we are connected by every tie of blood, and every relation of business--they are a people who bear our civilisation, in many things improved, our language, literature, laws, and religion. in an educational point of view the nation is prominent, and her silent children have the advantages of spacious institutions, supported by her revenues. it is greatly to be regretted that our brethren in great britain enjoy none of these elaborate advantages of intellectual culture. whilst mr. foster's act benefits thousands, and while $ , , are annually voted for the masses, one third of the mutes of right school age are being left uneducated. what that means, the english have no conception, or they would not be apathetic or unconcerned; no class when uneducated is more entirely cut off from all human intercourse than the deaf and dumb." the canon, in reply, expressed his thanks for the cordial reception given him, and concluded with a short prayer, which was interpreted by dr. gallaudet, president of the deaf and dumb college. deaf and dumb soldiers. during the franco-german war, an army corps of deaf and dumb frances-tireurs were led to battle against the germans.--_paris journal._ robert s. lyons. robert s. lyons went about ireland last summer visiting the deaf and dumb, and talking to them about jesus. he was then home for vacation from america, where he had gone to study, in order to fit himself to be a missionary to the deaf and dumb. we all hoped that he would have entered on his duties as such this summer, and that many of his deaf country men and women would have been helped by him on the way to heaven. but god has ordered it otherwise. he died at his father's residence, near newtownstewart, after a long and painful illness, on the evening of friday, the th of june last. mr. francis maginn, who is also deaf and dumb, went with robert lyons to america last autumn, and left his studies in the college that he might take care of him on the journey home, has written some reminiscences of his friend, of which the following is a part:-- "it was my privilege to be his companion on his return to washington, and to share the same rooms. he spent much time in bible reading and prayer. he was attacked in february last with a serious illness, which he bore with wonderful patience. at one time his death was expected. we sat up one night watching for his last breath, but life was lengthened. he seemed to improve for a while, and was able to go out for a drive in the president's carriage. every comfort was his, supplied by the kind ladies of dr. gallaudet's family. flowers, books, pictures; every delicacy possible constantly sent to tempt the appetite; but his strength scarcely increased. prayers were daily offered on his behalf. even a little girl prayed daily for him, and said, 'i know god will hear my prayers, and he will recover.' but such was not the will of god. he was sent home, and given up to my care. the voyage was fine four days, when a gale arose which lasted five days, and tried his strength terribly. he seemed sinking, and said, 'i will not live to see my parents again.' i said, 'you will, if you trust in god, and if it is his will.' when we came to see lights of the irish coast we felt joy and comfort. arrived in londonderry he had scarcely any strength to stand. when newtownstewart was reached his relations and i knew each other by our troubled and anxious faces." his sister wrote that on the last two occasions that his mother talked to him of his sufferings his reply each time was, "if we suffer with him (jesus), we shall reign with him." again, he said he left himself in the hands of his lord, to take him or leave him as he pleased. he breathed his last in the arms of his brother john, on friday, the th of june, at . p.m. the end was so peaceful that they could not tell when the last breath was drawn. the funeral took place on monday, the th, when the long procession of vehicles, some forty or fifty in number, bore testimony to the love and respect with which he was regarded in his own neighbourhood. next after the chief mourners walked samuel carrigan and young m'causland, two deaf mutes who loved and honoured him. many others would have been present also, had it been in their power, for robert had the love and regard of all the deaf and dumb who knew him. _copy of a letter given to r. s. lyons on leaving america, by dr. gallaudet, president of the college:--_ national deaf mute college, kendal green, near washington. my dear robert,--i want to give you more than a mere "good-bye" in words, as you take your leave of us. i want to tell you how much i have been pleased with your course here as a student, how gratified i have been to see your pleasantness in your work, and how thoroughly you have won my respect and esteem; and then want to add that your patience and cheerfulness under the heavy cross of extreme illness has made you seem a real hero. it is an added pleasure to think that this heroism is of that sort which those sons of men alone exhibit who are filled with the spirit of our good and glorious leader, christ. i believe, dear robert, that you have that spirit, truly and fully, and i am sure it will sustain you in all future work. as you go far away over the ocean to your home, to your loved ones, and to that work which god will give you to do, my prayers will follow you daily that god will give you health and strength to do his will, and, above all, that the "peace of god" which passeth knowledge may fill your soul. wishing you every blessing that earth and heaven can bestow,--i am, yours in loving friendship, e. m. gallaudet. helen silvie. [illustration] helen silvie was a scotch girl. she was born in the village of dunblane, situated on the beautiful banks of the river allan. she lost her hearing by fever when about five years of age, and two years after she was sent to the edinburgh institution for the education of the deaf and dumb. she was a very shy child, and would not speak any words after she became deaf, so she soon forgot how to do so, and when her education was begun, she was nearly like a child born deaf. for a time she was peevish and discontented; her mind was dark. but so soon as she began to understand, it was as if light shone into her mind, and she became cheerful and happy like her companions. at first she did not seem very clever. but after two years she began to improve fast, and soon was one of the best pupils in the institution. she was very amiable and affectionate, and a great favourite with her companions. when she grew up she became an assistant in the school, she taught one of the junior classes in the early part of the day, and instructed the girls in sewing in the evenings. for some years she was thus usefully employed. but her brother wished her to go and live with him, and keep house for him at bannockburn, and she consented and left the institution. after a time helen wished to return to the institution. so she wrote a letter to a friend and asked her to find out if she would be allowed to become a teacher again. but the superintendent of the institution was ill, and no answer was sent to her letter. then helen thought she would go herself to the institution and see if they would employ her. it was winter. she set out from stirling in a steamer on the last day of the year , and arrived at granton pier at night. it was dark. a gentleman offered to conduct her up the pier, but he did not know the way. he should have turned to go towards the town, but he led her straight on. they came to the edge of the pier, and in an instant both were plunged into the sea. they were soon picked up, and carried to the hotel. helen soon seemed quite well, and she was sent on to the institution. she felt so happy at being again among her old friends that she did not soon go to bed. she thought herself much better than she was. she caught a very bad cold. in a few days inflammation of the lungs came on. her sufferings were very great, but, she bore them patiently; and on sabbath morning, the th of january, , her spirit took its flight to her saviour's bosom. her pastor, who visited her on her death-bed, was much pleased to see how fully she trusted in jesus. he said of her after she died "i think of her as one of the spirits of the just made perfect." [illustration] a cat assisting a deaf and dumb woman. the chill wind was moaning, the rain falling drearily, and day darkening rapidly, when a lady might have been seen walking along quickly through eccles street. she was thinking of home, with its bright warm fire, and how soon she could get in out of the cold and wet. suddenly she stopped, as a feeble cry arrested her footsteps, and looking round, she perceived a cat crouched against some steps. the storm was beating on the poor harmless creature, and night coming on. the lady did not turn away and hurry on, as some selfish people would have done, but pitied and called the poor cat. it looked so forlorn, and gave a frightened glance in her face. gaining courage from what it saw there, it trusted her, and jumped up, curled its tail over its back, and trotted contentedly after her. the lady went on. when she looked back now and then, there was pussy trotting steadily behind. presently the lady knocked at a hall door, and when it was opened they passed into a bright room, and pussy sat down to dry before a warm fire, where two other cats, sleek and well fed, kept her company. well, our puss, whose name was "gipsy," very soon was lapping a saucer of warm milk. after that she looked at the fire, and winked her eyes until she fell asleep. sarah darby, who is deaf and dumb, was at that time living in this house. pussy became very fond of sarah, and liked to sit in her lap because she was kind to it. now sarah did not think a cat could help her, but she knew that god commands us to be kind to helpless creatures, and he always rewards us when we obey him. you will wonder how a cat could help anyone, so i will tell you. sometimes sarah was alone in the house, and when a knock came to the hall door there was no one to tell her but puss, and puss did so. how? she jumped down off sarah's lap, and looked up in her face every time a knock came, and after the door had been opened got on her lap again, and waited for the next one. so this is how the cat helped the deaf and dumb woman. the earl of shaftesbury. at a meeting in aid of the deaf and dumb held in dundee, at which lord panmure presided, a number of deaf and dumb children were present and put through an examination. the question was put on the blackboard, "who is the greatest living statesman of great britain?" one of the boys instantly wrote, "the earl of shaftesbury." the chairman patted the boy on the head, and asked, "why do you think the earl of shaftesbury is the greatest living statesman?" the boy answered, "because he cares a great deal for the like of us deaf mutes." deaf and dumb lady's idea of music. [illustration] a lady who graduated from the institution at new york some years ago, was questioned as to the capacity of the deaf to enjoy music; she wrote: "i think all deaf persons have an idea more or less vague of musical sounds. it comes to all who cannot hear through the sense of touch. the vibrations of the chords of a piano, when strongly played, are sufficient to produce real enjoyment by means of feeling to one who can touch the case merely. the soft, tremulous notes, even convey an impression through the nerves, similar, i fancy, to that which others obtain through the ear. but the real music for us comes through the eye. the rippling of waves, the tremulous vibration of leaf and blossom and twig, all these sights make for us a harmony perhaps as perfect as the most finished orchestra." half a score deaf mutes. on tuesday evening last the stamford corn exchange was crowded with people eager to see half a score little deaf mutes from the institution at derby. the children--six boys and four girls--caused considerable amusement, and also pain to think they should be so afflicted. the youngsters can draw, read, and write in a way that is surprising, and some of the faces were marked by unusual brightness and intelligence.--_stamford mercury_, sep. th, . a dumb dog. [illustration] a deaf and dumb lady living in a german city, had, as a companion, a younger woman, who was also deaf and dumb. they lived in a small set of rooms opening on the public corridor of the house. somebody gave the elder lady a dog as a present. for some time, whenever anybody rang the bell at the door, the dog barked to call the attention of his mistress. the dog soon discovered, however, that neither the bell nor the barking made any impression on the women, and he took to the practice of merely pulling one of them by the dress with his teeth, in order to explain that some one was at the door. gradually the dog ceased to bark altogether, and for more than seven years before his death he remained as mute as his two companions. "cleansing from sin." matthew jones, a poor deaf and dumb boy, once wrote the meaning of jesus christ's blood washing away sin. being asked if he was afraid god would punish him for his sins, he wrote this answer, "no, for when god sees my name down in his book, and all the things i have done wrong, and all that i have left undone, there will be a long account; but he won't be able to read it, because jesus christ's bleeding hand will have blotted all the account out, and he would see nothing on that page but the saviour's blood, for i have asked him to wash all my sins away." the bible and the deaf and dumb. the following is taken from the british and foreign bible society's report for , being an extract from one of their agents in belgium named gazan:--"for the last fourteen years gazan has been in the habit of getting shaved by a barber who also keeps a drinking saloon. though not a member of a temperance society gazan is an abstainer, and is none the less welcome, and he occasionally is able to sell to persons who frequent the place. one day last year when the barber's shop was full, a man was there who had often prevented people buying, and when gazan left began to say all the harm he could of him. this he heard from the barber's wife, who expressed great annoyance at it. some time after a young man, deaf and dumb, called upon gazan and gave him to understand he wanted a bible. with the aid of a pencil they carried on a conversation, in the course of which gazan showed him several passages marked in the bible. this was on a sunday morning, and in the afternoon the deaf and dumb young man came back to attend the service, for which gazan lends his room; and he continued to come sunday after sunday, when by signs and giving him passages to read he was interested in the service. he was introduced to the deaf and dumb evangelist in brussels, and having found work as a printer, is living there now, lodging at the house of m. crispells, who holds the service at louvain. on christmas day he went to louvain to see gazan, and showed him a number of texts which had been pointed out to him during his former visits, and showed remarkable familiarity with the scriptures. this deaf and dumb young man is no other than the son of the man above referred to, who had spoken against him in the barber's shop. the conversion of his son has had a remarkable effect upon him; he is now quite a changed man, and does all he can to assist gazan and to induce people to buy his books." cork temperance exhibition. the following were won by deaf mutes:--both certificate and prize, e. morgan, for painted album; a. corkey, doll's dress; b. henderson, same; j. giveen, stitching; j. o'sullivan, knitting; g. seabury, laundry work. also, prizes were won by j. armstrong, handwriting; l. corkey, texts in bible album; e. phibbs, doll's suit; e. gray, knitting. a bible album made by deaf mutes at cork was much admired. each page has a picture with a great many texts written round it. good influence. [illustration] a few years since an aged man, who had long been a sincere and devoted christian, was placed in the same ward in the infirmary of n----with a deaf and dumb youth. the former received and enjoyed the visits of the chaplain, whilst the latter was considered inaccessible to instruction. an arrangement was at length made for the good old man to partake of the sacrament of the lord's supper, when he made, as it appeared to the chaplain and matron, the singular request that the young mute might partake of it with him. a secret was then divulged which had been known only to the two patients themselves. having spent a long period of time together, the old man had improved the opportunity thus afforded to effect intercourse with the youth by signs, and had been enabled, by the divine blessing, to convey to him a knowledge of salvation through a crucified redeemer. there appeared every reason to believe that the poor fellow possessed an enlightened understanding and a renewed mind, and he was allowed to participate in the desired privilege. shortly after this the old man died, and when the youth was made sensible of the event, his countenance brightened with joy; he waved his hand and pointed up to the sky to intimate that he was gone into heaven. after a time the mute followed his kind friend and instructor. when he felt himself dying, he first put his fingers in his ears and took them out again, to show that his ears would be unstopped; he then put out his tongue and pointed to heaven, to show that that would be unloosed. these facts were communicated to a friend by the matron of the infirmary--herself an eminent christian, who has since died, and who did not doubt that the youth had obtained a correct and experimental knowledge of the gospel of salvation. a deaf and dumb man in the revision court. on thursday afternoon a singular scene was witnessed during the proceedings of the revision court, at ashton-under-lyne. a man named james booth, of , dog dungeon, hurst polling district, was objected to by the conservatives, and mr. booth, their solicitor, announced that the man was deaf and dumb, but just able to utter a monosyllable now and then. mr. chorlton, the liberal solicitor: what can i do (laughter)? mr. booth first by writing asked what the man's name was, and then began to talk to him with his fingers, but being an indifferent chirologist he made very poor progress. he had merely elicited that the man was the owner when mr. chorlton began to grow impatient, and inquired, why don't they both go to the isle of man for a week (laughter)? nothing more could be got out of the man except a "yes" or "no" after questions had been patiently propounded by mr. booth in the dactyologic alphabet. at length the barrister spied a rent book, and this was pounced upon and the vote allowed very joyfully, to save further trouble. the dumb man then spake, stuttering, and with great effort, i claim my expenses. mr. chorlton: he's got those words all right, at any rate (laughter.) mr. booth: he can talk a little but hear nothing. recourse was again had by mr. booth to his digits, and he interpreted to the court that the man was a hat body maker, and wanted s. d. the barrister: i will allow s. the money was handed to the man, and he went away smiling.--_newcastle journal._ julia brace. julia brace, a deaf, dumb, and blind woman, who died in august, , in her seventy-eighth year, was well known all over america, at least wherever attention has been paid to the education of deaf mutes. in the year , when about four years old, she lost her sight and hearing from malignant sickness. at that time there was no school for deaf mutes. it was not until after she was turned nineteen years that she entered school, and she remained there between twenty and twenty-five years. during her long stay at the school her case always attracted particularly interesting attention on the part of visitors. in many ways she could render much service in the daily work of the institution. she could even distinguish clothes belonging to different pupils, and was therefore employed in sorting and putting them away. she had a good many curious and amusing ways. for instance, when girl-pupils, dressing, took their turns before the looking glass to comb up their hair, she always insisted on having her turn, and would stand there to comb hers like any one else. but one thing was noticeable. she had a very clear notion of her own rights, and would not allow any interference with them. sometimes her idea of a personal right was rather out of a common course, but she had no question about it, and probably could not see how any one should have. her case is not to be compared with that of laura bridgman, who possessed mental powers of a higher order. she had not got the benefit of early, assiduous, and special care that was given to the latter, and probably she had a much less acute mental constitution at the outset of her education. her education began late, and at a time when very little was known of the proper way of education for a case like hers; and she consequently did not make much progress in language. however, it has been found quite easy to communicate with her as to all the common events of her daily life. "an amusing story." here is an amusing story hailing from munich. during the past year the professor of aesthetics in the university, whose lectures are proverbially wearisome, delivered his lectures (as usual) to a scanty audience. there were five students in all, who, week by week, melted and grew "beautifully less," until at last but one was left. this solitary individual, however, seemed to concentrate in his own person all the diligence, application, and punctuality of his frivolous fellows. at the conclusion of the last lecture of the course the professor approached him and praised him for these admirable qualities, and proceeded to inquire of him, "what is your name, my young friend?" no answer. "what country are you from?" absolute silence. the matter was soon elucidated, for it was discovered that the patient and persevering disciple was a poor deaf mute, who had taken refuge from the severe cold of winter in the warm lecture rooms of the university. [illustration] the following is extracted from "the christian leader":--at a christmas competition of blind readers which took place on friday and saturday, st and nd december, , in the mission hall in bath street, glasgow, was found a blind deaf mute among the blind hearing competitors. educated when young in the institution for the deaf and dumb, he was able to do for himself until he lost his sight two or three years ago. he had then to make use of his fingers in reading as well as speaking; and in spite of the formidable difficulties in the way of his learning the embossed type, he made a most creditable appearance on saturday and gained a special prize. the remark made by one of the examiners when this man was reading will, we are sure, express the thought of all who peruse these lines--"how thankful to god we ought to be for the use of our faculties, and especially for this precious blessing of sight!" this blind deaf mute is mr. daniel hunter ardrossan, one of the members of the ayrshire deaf and dumb mission. a deaf mute's heroism. [illustration] about five o'clock on sunday afternoon several gentlemen standing on vine street wharf witnessed an act which was highly commendable. thomas hall, a lad of nine years, having strayed from his parents, was at play upon the wharf mentioned, when his foot slipped and he was precipitated into the strong tide of the delaware. a deaf mute named argus cornish, an eccentric genius, who does odd jobs along the wharves, and who, an outcast himself, seems to take pleasurable pride in protecting others, and has already saved several lives, although standing with his back to the scene of accident, seemed, as his name implied, to have a hundred eyes. without any hesitation he stripped off his coat and shoes, and plunging into the water, in a short time brought the boy safe to land. argus' heroism should not be overlooked.--_american paper._ the right hon. w. e. gladstone and the deaf and dumb. mr. gladstone, on being presented with the freedom of the worshipful company of turners, gave an address from which the following is an abstract:-- i went a few days ago to examine the collection of works prepared at messrs. doulton's pottery to be sent to the exhibition at philadelphia. those works were delightful for the eye to behold. they were also highly satisfactory on the distinct ground that the price of production appeared to be so moderate; but, most of all were they delightful to me, because they were true products of the soil. there was a high faculty of art as it seemed to me developed in the production of those works, and that faculty of art had grown up in lambeth. it was the lambeth school of art from which messrs. doulton derived an abundant supply of workers to whom they could intrust the preparation of those admirable objects. among the works i would mention one. it was a beautiful piece of work produced by a youth who from his birth was both deaf and dumb. now, consider what it is to be deaf and dumb; what a cutting off of resources; what a stinting of the means of training and improvement; and then consider, notwithstanding this, how it was through an inborn resolution in the centre of his being it was in the power of this lad to make himself a producer of works that could command admiration on the score of beauty, again showing how the energies, if rightly directed, can be forthcoming when required. a deaf and dumb girl's dream. (written by herself.) i had a dream on the th of january. i was going for rolls, and going back i met gracie, a friend of mine, and she and i spoke quite well--we were not deaf and dumb. a poor boy, very ragged, carried a basket with some coloured glasses and stones, very bright, and some curious musical instruments that i had never seen before. he walked behind us, and he called to gracie, and she turned to him, and he said to her that he wanted her to buy many of them; that they were a penny each. we took them up and looked at them, and they were very curious. she chose a bright red one for a brooch, and bought it for a penny. then he said to me "will you buy some?" but i did not want to be tempted to buy, and he told me a great deal about its very beautiful sounds; that it was more beautiful than all the others, and nothing could be more beautiful to hear in this world, and he showed me how to play on it, and we heard beautiful sounds. so i changed my mind, and wanted it very much, because i could hear it. then i saw a policeman come up to us because he heard the beautiful music; and he laughed very much, and looked so very happy. i said to the poor boy, "thank you very much for your showing me how to play on it." and he was very glad as he went away. gracie went home, and i went home, carrying my glass organ with me. the above appears to us specially interesting; it is a curious circumstance that a deaf and dumb girl should seem to hear sound in her sleep. a deaf and dumb councillor. kapotrine moller, a russian councillor of state, son of general moller, and nephew of the tutor to the grand dukes nicholas and michael, has just died at the age of eighty-three. he himself, his brother, and sister were all born deaf and dumb. he was educated in the deaf and dumb institution in st. petersburg, rapidly learnt to read, and showed such ability that he was first admitted into the imperial chancery and afterwards into the council of state. deaf and dumb boy and his mother. zachariah was a deaf and dumb boy, thirteen years of age, who was being educated in an institution for the deaf and dumb, after an absence of four years he went home to see his mother. when he entered her house, in company with his benefactor, she was sitting in a state of intoxication, which greatly affected him. he took his pencil, and thus attempted to show her the evil and danger of such conduct, and gave her much good advice. after retiring with his friend, at whose house he went to lodge, his countenance became very sorrowful, and the tears trickled down his cheeks. his friend asked him the occasion of all this, when he wrote "that he was thinking if he got to heaven how sorry he should be not to find his mother there." speed of manual spelling. [illustration: the manual alphabet] in reply to a question "what is the number of words a good hand speaker can make or say in one minute?" a deaf mute says, "take the average number of letters per word of the english language as five; this is the number decided upon by the postal telegraph department. the average of the bible is about - / ." a good hand speaker can go through the alphabet ten times in one minute. i have proved this by personally testing several deaf mutes. the pauses between words occupy the space of one letter each, so we must deduct one sixth of the whole thus:-- letters in alphabet number of times spelt ___ total letters per minute deduct about one sixth for pauses ___ average letters per minute ÷ --- result words per minute. portobello swimming club. on the mornings of wednesday and thursday the deep-diving medal of this club was competed for by five members. the depth of water varied from to feet. mr. robert smith was very successful in recovering the plates from the bottom, bringing up six on the first and two on the second morning, with which number he secures first honours. the second place was taken by mr. j. wallace james. mr. smith, the medallist, is deaf and dumb.--_scotsman_, aug. th. [illustration] "dear tammas." a poor old deaf man resided in fife; he was visited by his minister shortly after coming to his pulpit. the minister said he would often call and see him; but time went on, and he did not visit him again until two years after, when, happening to go through the street where the deaf man was living, he saw his wife at the door, and could therefore do no other than inquire for her husband. "weel, margaret, how is tammas?" "none the better o'you," was the curt reply. "how, how, margaret," inquired the minister. "oh, ye promised twa years syne tae ca' and pray once a fortnight wi' him, and hae ne'er darkened the door sin' syne." "weel, weel, margaret, don't be so short! i thought it was not so very necessary to call and pray with tammas, for he is so deaf ye ken he canna hear me." "but, sir," said the woman, with a rising dignity of manner, "the lord's no deaf!" and it is to be supposed the minister felt the power of her reproach. royal scottish academy exhibition for . john s. rennie reid, a young aberdeen lad, now resident in edinburgh, who, though labouring under the great disability of being deaf and dumb, has for some years back been an enthusiastic art student, has succeeded in procuring admission for three oil paintings, each of which gives good indication of his deftness and skill in the delineation of nature, and the ardour with which he has followed up his studies. "hide and seek" represents some children playing at that game in a hay field. "largo, the beach at low water" gives us a pretty coast scene, with figures on the beach. "baiting the line" is a very effective study of a common incident in fisher life. in derby police court. [illustration: pupil as taken from the police court.] a few years since the head master of the deaf and dumb institution at derby was sent for, with a request that he would hasten to the police court to see what could be done with a little deaf and dumb boy. the sketch is a faithful picture of the little fellow as he stood in the dock charged with stealing. the police, in giving their evidence, said that many complaints had been made of the boy's conduct. one lady complained of his illusing her dog, another a cat, and another killing her bird; others that he was always throwing stones or stealing, and that he had actually tried to upset a railway train. it appeared that twice previously the boy had been taken up by the police, but owing to his tender age nothing could be done with him. the mayor, addressing the head master of the institution, said something must be done with the boy; unfortunately he was getting worse and worse; the case was a very sad one, the boy being deaf and dumb, but the public must be protected. the other magistrates present concurred with the mayor's remarks, and after consulting with mr. bailey, j.p., chairman of the committee of the institution, who was on the bench at the time, the boy was sent direct to the institution, where food was given to him, after which his photograph was taken. the sketch given on the previous page is copied from it. the boy settled down, but not without giving considerable trouble; it was not to be expected that a boy, though so tender in years yet hardened in bad habits, should at once conform to the rules of the institution. the teachers were not, therefore, greatly surprised to find him early one morning prowling in a quarter of the institution to which he had no proper means of access. from time to time his teachers had difficulties to contend with not easy to describe. there has, however, been a gradual improvement in the boy's life and character. the sketch given above is from a photograph taken when the boy had been in the institution one year. [illustration: the same pupil after one year's training.] an interview with laura bridgman. [illustration] we presume most of our readers will have read of laura bridgman, who is without any perfect sense except that of touch. a correspondent of the "christian union" gives an interesting account of an afternoon spent with her, from which we make the following abstract:-- if any one supposes that by reason of her deprivation she is queer or awkward in person or manners, he is altogether in error. there is nothing at all singular in her appearance. when i entered the parlour, a member of the family with whom she lives was playing on the piano, and close behind her, on a low seat, there was a very slight, very erect, quiet, self-possessed looking person, who seemed to be listening to the music, while her hands were busy over some crocheting or some similar work. she would have been taken for a guest who was fashioning some pretty article whilst being entertained with music. the expression of her face was bright and interested; and one watching her satisfied look would have been slow to believe that she did not hear. the green shade over her eyes indicated that she was one of the blind. she had on a brown dress, a blue ribbon at the neck, a gold ring and chain, and a watch or locket in her belt--a neatly attired, genteel, lady-like person, looking about thirty-five (though her age is not far from forty-four), with soft, brown hair, smooth and fine, a well shaped head, fair complexion, and handsome features. that was laura. as soon as she learned that she had a visitor who knew people in the town where her nearest kindred live, she came swiftly across the room, leaving her work on the centre table as she passed it, and grasped my hand, laughing with the eagerness of a child. then she sat down face to face with the lady who has charge of her, and commenced an animated conversation, by the manual alphabet, easily understood by one who has practised it; but the slight-of-hand by which the fingers of the friendly hostess, manipulating on laura's slender wrists, communicated with that living consciousness shut in there without one perfect sense except of taste and touch, was something mysterious, inscrutable to my duller sense. yet that the communication was definite, quick, missive, so to speak, manifest enough, for laura's face beamed, and she was all alert. partly by the letters and partly by signs she said a great deal to me. she "ought to be at home to be company for mother," she said; and, once or twice, she fashioned the word "mamma" very distinctly with her lips. she asked if i knew a member of her family now dead, and said "that was a long year after carl died." she seemed brimming over once with things to tell me, and wanted me to know about her teaching some of the blind girls to sew, which she takes great pride in, threading the needle, and making her pupils pick out their work if it is not done nicely. she is a good seamstress herself, does fancy work, and can run a sewing machine. next, she caught hold of my hand and led me up two flights of stairs to her room to shew me her things; but the first movement was to take me to the window, where she patted on the glass and signified that i should see what a pleasant prospect there was from it. and there she, who had never seen or heard, waited by my side in great content while i looked and listened. yet her face was radiant, and she stood there as if she both saw and heard. i wish i could bring before all those who are discontented with their lot, repining because god has withheld something from them or taken something away, the cheerful face of this lady, who has so little, but who accepts it as though she had all, who has never seen a human countenance or heard a human voice, who in the infinite glory and beauty of this outward world has no part, shut in by herself in that silent, dark, unchanging, awful loneliness. next she showed me how springy her bed was. then she took off my shawl, and showed me all the pretty things and conveniences she had in her room, opening every box and drawer, and displaying the contents. her jet chain she laid against her neck, her bows and collars and embroidered hand-kerchiefs were taken up one by one, and deftly replaced in their proper receptacles. her writing materials, sewing implements, little statuettes, trinkets, large bible--i had to see them all. lastly she took out a sheet of paper, pressed it down on a french writing-board, examined the point of the pencil, and wrote her autograph, "god is love and truth. s. n. bridgman." and then from her needle-case and spool-box produced a cambric needle and fine cotton, and showed me how to thread a needle, which was done by holding the eye against the tip of her tongue, the exquisite nicety of touch in it guiding her to pass the thread through. it was done in an instant, though it seemed impossible to do it at all, and then she presented me the threaded needle triumphantly, having secured it by slipping a knot. going down to the parlour again, she told me how kind it was in dr. howe to fit her up such a pretty room; and then i must go into the school room, whither she led me by the hand, and introduced me to several of her friends among the pupils, and when i took my departure she would have the teacher go with me to the door to tell me which car to take. a deaf and dumb boy's devotion. [illustration] under the trees standing by the left bank of the thames, and sheltered from its waters by a mound of earth, is an old but comfortable boathouse. a few roughly-hewn steps lead from the mound to the water's edge, where some six or seven boats rock idly on the surface. over the door of this tottering mansion hangs a wooden board, with the words "timothy gainsad" inscribed in large letters upon a black ground. a gush of light and warmth issuing from the door guides the weary traveller to a haven worthy of his choicest desires. well can i remember the dark outline of st. paul's cathedral, lifting its rounded dome in massive grandeur to the skies, and the faint outline of the opposite bank shining dimly in the distance. i remember, when a lad of seven, a rich and influential lady coming down from yorkshire to spend the winter months in london. she brought with her a dumb boy attendant, whom she had adopted and treated with the greatest kindness. one dark night she hired a boat, and rowed out upon the river. scarcely was she lost in the river mist ere the flood gates of heaven were opened, the rain came down in torrents, the waves dashed against our rude pier and threatened to dislodge it, while now and then an occasional streak of lightning, accompanied by a clap of thunder, lit up the dark surface of the river. my friends had gone off in a boat in search of the lady, and i was alone in the room. seated on a stool by the side of a blazing fire, i was reading an interesting novel, when the door was violently pushed, and the dumb attendant of the young lady rushed in, seized a life belt from the wall, and made for the door. i ran to intercept him; but guessing my purpose, he raised the stool and brought it down with a crash upon my head. i staggered back to the wall and fell, and he disappeared through the door. with a reeling head i tottered to the door, and looked out upon the river. "great heavens!" i exclaimed, "he will be dashed to pieces!" for there, revealed by a flash of lightning, was the dumb boy, standing on the rail of the bridge, preparing to plunge into the surging waters below. a short distance from the bridge was the boat occupied by the terrified lady. it was fast sinking, and as he plunged from the bridge it sank. i saw him come to the surface, stunned and bleeding; i saw him raise the life-belt in his hand, and throw it to his mistress. she caught it, and his face lit up with joy; then--he sank! his mistress was saved, and some time after the dumb boy's lifeless body was washed to the shore, and laid in an honourable grave. over it stands a beautiful angel of white marble, holding a scroll inscribed with these words:--"here lies gustavus arisild, who died in the surging waters of the thames to save his mistress." the deaf mute's faith. one day a minister's servant brought a subscription book and laid it on his study table, saying, "a dumb man brought it, sir." on looking at the book, a thought struck the minister that he should not let that dumb man out of his house without seeking his soul's good. he invited the man in, and after kneeling in prayer before the man, and putting a subscription into his hand, the following conversation took place in writing. the minister wrote: "my dear friend, have you found the lord jesus christ to be precious to your soul? are you born again?" the dumb man answered, "yes, i understand what is meant by 'born of the spirit,' it means a 'new creature' in jesus." the minister was not quite satisfied with the answer, and therefore he asked, "when were you made a 'new creature,' and how?" he answered, "i was under the impression of sin six years ago, but i prayed to god for christ's sake to give me a new heart, and i felt joy and peace in my mind. i prayed o lord, have mercy on me a poor sinner. i also read the psalms of david." in order to bring out distinctly whether he really arrived at scriptural peace, for he feared that, after all, the dumb man's faith might turn out to be only a vague and wavering confidence, the minister asked him again "if god were to call you away this night, would your sins be brought against you, and would you have to answer for them all?" he answered, "i trust in god for christ's sake, because jesus died for me. all those who trust in jesus' precious blood are cleansed from all sin. he is mighty to save." the minister then asked, "was it through the instruction you got at the deaf and dumb institution that these good impressions were made upon your mind?" he answered, "my teacher used to teach the bible to all deaf and dumb pupils, but i did not feel any grace from god till i was afraid to meet god for sins; then i looked to christ by faith and got peace." the minister then asked, "will you write a sentence for me to read to poor sinners, from a dumb man that cannot speak?" he then wrote as follows--words which he meant to be used by the reader:-- "o lord, have mercy upon me a poor sinner!" "o jesus, save me from death and hell!" "o jesus, take me away to heaven and eternal bliss!" "o jesus, take care of me every day!" "will you sign your name to all this?" then asked the minister. he immediately complied with the request. we only give the initials j---- g----. deaf, dumb, and blind. an examination of students who were deaf, dumb, and blind took place on washington heights. the principal, dr. isaac l. peet, gave various interesting exhibitions of their skill and accomplishments. a blind, deaf, and dumb boy, about fourteen years old, who had had less than a year's instruction, was given an order to count out twenty crayons and put them under a mat. the order was given by means of the sign language, transmitted by feeling the motion of the hands of the person who communicated with him. the order was correctly performed amid the applause of the audience. a blind deaf mute also wrote several sentences on a type-writer, and on another type-writer a deaf mute without hands wrote by means of a stick inserted in his coat sleeve. ordination of deaf mutes in philadelphia, u.s.a. nearly all the deaf mutes connected with the protestant episcopal church in this city assembled yesterday morning in the church of the covenant, to witness the ordination into the priesthood of two deaf and dumb men. the ceremony had been long talked of among the deaf mutes, and as none of this class of persons had ever before been ordained to this order in the church in this country, there was a widespread desire among the episcopal community to be present at the ceremony. the church was well filled when the exercises began. owing to the length of the services, the regular morning prayer was omitted, and after hymn had been sung, rev. thomas gallaudet, d.d., principal of the deaf and dumb institution in new york, who was to preach the sermon, was introduced. dr. gallaudet prefaced his sermon by saying that when a deaf mute was addressed, the words were not spelled out, but that the ideas were represented by signs. ideas about the intellect were conveyed by a sign about the head, those relating to the sensibility by a motion near the heart; in short, the sign language was as distinct and individual as the english language. rev. mr. chamberlain, of iowa, stood up in the chancel as dr. gallaudet began his sermon, and interpreted the sermon to the deaf mutes who sat in a body near the front of the chancel. dr. gallaudet sketched the progress of deaf mute education from the establishment of the first school in hartford by his father in . as illustrating the individuality of the sign language, he mentioned that while he was in brussels in august last he preached to a congregation of about twenty deaf mutes, english, french, belgian, and his sign language was comprehended perfectly by all. "sounds," he said, "are only outward symbols of ideas, just as signs are." at the conclusion of the sermon, rev. henry w. syle and rev. arthur m. mann were presented for ordination, the former by rev. dr. miller, and the latter by the rev. dr. atwell, of toledo. sitting within the chancel, one at each end of the communion table, were bishop stevens and bishop bedwell, of ohio, while nine other clergymen surrounded them. among them the placid countenance and venerable form of rev. w. h. syle, father of one of the candidates, was especially noticeable. bishop stevens then read the exhortation, and it was interpreted by dr. gallaudet to the two candidates, who stood in their robes at the chancel rail. eagerly did they watch the motions of the reverend gentleman as he conveyed to them the words the bishop was speaking. the bishop then asked mr. syle the questions laid down in the prayer book. as dr. gallaudet finished interpreting each question, mr. syle handed a slip of paper on which was written his answers, to rev. mr. clere, of phillipsburg, who read it aloud. rev. mr. mann then arose, and bishop bedwell stated that the questions and answers would be interpreted. he asked the same questions asked by bishop stevens, and mr. mann slowly communicated his answers, using only his right hand in replying. the ceremony of laying on of hands was then performed, bishop stevens and several others laying their hands on mr. syle's head, and bishop bedwell performing that office for mr. mann. the sacrament of the lord's supper was then administered to the newly ordained priests, and they were welcomed within the chancel rail. a special invitation was given to the deaf mutes to commune immediately after the clergy, and there were enough present to occupy the long chancel rail twice. the sacrament was then administered to the congregation, and the audience was dismissed with the benediction by bishop bedwell. on saturday, the second biennial session of workers among the deaf mutes in the episcopal church was begun in st. stephen's church. rev. dr. f. j. clere, of phillipsburg, was elected president, and rev. mr. syle secretary and treasurer of the conference. an address of bishop howe, and papers by messrs. clere and syle were interpreted to the conference by dr. gallaudet.--_philadelphia inquirer_, th oct., . pictures by deaf and dumb artists in the royal academy, . no. . "despatches." t. davidson. " . "elter water, langdale." c. e. emerson. " . "the late w. a. langdale, esq. " . "portrait of a lady." mrs. north, deaf from girlhood. whaite's water colour exhibition, manchester. "the staff of life," by f. t. tavarè, is a drawing worthy of hunt for its literal truth.--_manchester courier._ march th, . fairly done. a good story is told of ex-governor magottin, of kentucky, who is a good talker and likes to do most of the talking himself. recently, in making the journey from cincinnati to lexington, he shared his seat in the car with a bright-eyed, pleasant-faced gentleman. the governor, after a few common-place remarks, to which his companion smiled and nodded assent, branched into a description of the scenes that he had witnessed in different parts of the country, grew eloquent over the war, described with glowing speech the numerous horse races he had witnessed, talked learnedly of breeding, and told thrilling stories of his battles with the indians in the north-west. the hours slipped rapidly away, and when the train was nearing lexington the two exchanged cards and parted with a cordial shake of hands. the governor drove to an inn, and to a number of friends he remarked that the ride had never seemed so short before. "then you must have had pleasant company aboard." "you are right. i met a gentleman of unusual intelligence. we conversed all the way over. i never was brought in contact with a more agreeable man." "indeed! who was he?" asked his friends. "wait a minute; i have his card," and the governor felt in his pockets and produced the bit of pasteboard. "his name is king." "not bob king?" shouted a dozen in one breath. "yes, gentlemen; robert king--that is the way the card reads," was the proud reply. a roar of laughter followed. "why, governor, bob king is as deaf as a post; he was born deaf and dumb!" a novel situation. [illustration] during the past year a gentleman had occasion to visit a certain city in new england. he arrived at night, went directly to his accustomed hotel, and to bed, slept soundly throughout the night, and in the morning discovered his watch had stopped. when he opened the door of his room another gentleman was taking in his boots on the other side of the corridor, and of him our friend asked if he could tell him what time it was. to his surprise, the gentleman took no notice whatever of the question. he asked again, "sir, will you be good enough to tell me what time it is? my watch has stopped." no answer. the gentleman, without looking up, shut his door and disappeared. at that moment two other gentlemen came walking down the corridor, and mr. x. asked of them the same question. the two gentlemen, without looking to the right or left, continued their walk without an answer or sign. "well," thought mr. x, "this is very curious." however, he went back to his room. presently the bell rang for breakfast, and immediately a waiter entered the room, seized him by the arm, and began a series of gesticulations. mr. x. lost his temper, and burst forth with "what in the name of goodness is the matter?" when the waiter cried "oh," and vanished, laughing. mr. x. began to think something was very wrong, but went down to breakfast. when he entered the _salle a manger_, which commonly had a dozen or twenty people at the tables, he found the hall filled with gentlemen in black coats, all feeding gravely, and in silence. a waiter silently beckoned him to a place, and when he was seated he said to his neighbour--"sir, will you be kind enough to tell what all this is about?" no answer. the person, like charlotte in werter, went on eating bread and butter. our friend began to feel decidedly queer, and getting out of his seat, went to the nearest waiter and piteously besought him, for heaven's sake, to tell him what was the matter with the house. "oh," said the waiter, "don't you know? why this is the deaf and dumb convention, which meets to-day at hartford." the deaf and dumb both heard and spoke. vincent ogden was recently charged with begging, under the pretence of being deaf and dumb, at launceston. p. c. barrett said that he saw the prisoner in the butcher's market. he was making signs, and pretending to be deaf and dumb. he took him into custody, and after they arrived at the police station asked him his name; he made no reply at first, but subsequently said he was called william ogden, that he was a native of manchester, and had just come out of bodmin gaol. committed for two months, with hard labour. entertainment by deaf and dumb. the inhabitants of mansfield had some most enjoyable meetings on monday last, when a number of the pupils from the deaf and dumb institution at derby gave some very interesting illustrations of blackboard sketching, including animals, birds, fishes, &c. in reply to the question asked by one of the audience, "what have you come to mansfield for?" a little girl, amidst considerable laughter, wrote "to get money." the gentleman then asked her what work she would like to do on leaving school? the reply was "i would like to be a lady's servant."--_mansfield paper_, . lord seaforth. lord seaforth, who was born deaf and dumb, was to dine one day with lord melville. just before the time of the company's arrival, lady melville sent into the drawing-room a lady of her acquaintance who could talk with her fingers, that she might receive lord seaforth. presently lord guildford entered the room, and the lady, believing him to be lord seaforth, began to spell on her fingers quickly. lord guildford did the same, and they had been carrying on a conversation in this manner for about ten minutes, when lady melville joined them. her female friend said, "well, i have been talking away to this dumb man." "dumb!" exclaimed lord guildford, "bless me, i thought you were dumb." a "supposed" lunatic in derby. [illustration] at the borough police court this morning, a man, who said his name was "jim," but from whom no further information could be obtained, was charged with being a wandering lunatic. sergeant parker said that, at a quarter-past one o'clock on monday afternoon, his attention was called to the prisoner, who was on the midland railway platform. he noticed that the prisoner was wandering about in a strange manner. after making enquiries, he had telegrams sent to bath, the replies to which were to the effect that the prisoner had been found wandering about the line there greatly excited, that they did not consider he was right in his mind, and that they had given him written directions to enable him to obtain a ticket for derby, which he succeeded in doing. he spoke to the man, and thought he wanted to go to london; but when the london train came in he could not prevail upon him to take a ticket. he had £ s. in his possession, and also some tea, a razor, basket, and other articles; but no letters or anything from which they could find out his address. he took him to the police station, where the police surgeon examined him on monday night, and pronounced him to be of unsound mind. the doctor promised to call again this morning, but had not yet done so. the bench remanded the man until the following morning, so that the police surgeon might attend and give evidence.--_derby daily telegraph._ the alleged lunatic,--the deaf and dumb man, whose only name was jim, and who had been charged with being a wandering lunatic, was again brought up. mr. w. r. roe, head master of the deaf and dumb institution, said that he had been sent for, and that he had been communicating with the prisoner by means of signs, and found that he was deaf and dumb, and totally uneducated, but certainly of _sound_ mind. the police surgeon again appeared, and said he had examined the man, and had come to the conclusion that there was no indication of insanity about him. the prisoner was discharged and handed over to mr. roe, who promised to take care of him till something was heard from his friends.--_derby daily telegraph._ the man was kept at the deaf and dumb institution for a few days, when it was found that his friends were residing on the other side of bath. it transpired that the man had been on a visit to some friends at bath and could not make the authorities understand where he wanted to go, hence the error in sending him to derby.--w. r. r. a clever gymnast. walter stevens, a member of the british mission to the deaf and dumb, last year won the first prize for "all round performances" at the gymnasium of the young men's christian association. the prize consisted of a very handsome gold and silver medals with silver buckle and strap. he was successful in and in winning second prizes, but this year he carried off in grand style the much-coveted first prize. his performance on the horizontal bar was truly marvellous. [illustration] william de courcy. this boy was educated at a deaf and dumb school. he was fond of learning, and soon had many companions. one of the delights of his life was visiting the farmyard which was attached to the institution. william had been taught to be kind to dumb animals. he watched the little birds with much interest, and liked to feed them. there was one bird which came daily to be fed which he used to call his own. he was eager for religious instruction, and soon knew god made him, and that jesus was his best friend, and that sin was displeasing to god. he loved jesus much, and often signed about him to his school fellows. after william had been at school for some years he was taken seriously ill, and he was asked if he were afraid to die? his reply was, "no, i know that god sent his son to save me." shortly before he died his school mates signed to him that jesus was kind. william smiled, and then signed in answer, "yes, jesus is kind," and shortly after fell asleep, his happy spirit took its flight to that world where there are no deaf and dumb. a deaf and dumb sculptor. there has just been placed outside st. saviour's church, for the deaf and dumb, oxford street, london, a statue of "the good shepherd," which has been entirely modelled and carved by mr. joseph gawen, a deaf mute, who was a pupil of the late mr. behnes, and an assistant of the late mr. foley, r.a. the statue is pronounced by competent judges to be an admirable work of art. he also executed a marble bust of the wife of sir g. e. hodgkinson. some years ago he produced a splendid model in competition for the wellington memorial. buxton. the entertainments given on tuesday in the pavilion by deaf and dumb children from the institution at derby drew large audiences. the children looked bright and happy, and their personal appearance was a sufficient indication that they were taken good care of at the institution. mr. roe gave some interesting illustrations of teaching the dumb to speak on the oral system by placing the youngest girl on a chair and explaining how sounds were produced. mr. roe asked various questions as to names and objects orally, to which answers were instantly given in the same way. the institution at derby is an excellent one, and the committee of management deserve the warmest thanks for what has already been achieved, and we hope will be materially assisted in north derbyshire by all christian people who have at heart the welfare of an afflicted class of society.--_buxton advertiser_, sept., . [illustration] one of her majesty's inspectors of schools recently visited the institution for the deaf and dumb at derby, and says the children wrote some texts which pertinently answered some questions on religion which were given to them. in answer to the question "who made the world?" a little girl at once wrote on the blackboard "in the beginning god created the heaven and earth." the second question was "who are sinners?" one of the boys wrote "all are sinners and have come short of the glory of god." a little irish girl was then asked "how do you hope to be saved?" the child wrote "this is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that christ came into the world to save sinners." in answer to the question "what does the bible say about the righteous?" a little girl wrote "the righteous are as bold as a lion." the last question proposed was "how can you show your love to jesus?" when one of the pupils at once wrote "he says if ye love me keep my commandments." her latest and best. a little girl was admitted to a deaf and dumb institution, and in due course, before she had obtained a thorough knowledge of language, learned "little jack horner." two nights afterwards, when the deaf and dumb pupils were kneeling at prayer, they were surprised to see this little girl kneel down and earnestly repeat "little jack horner." it might be said she was offering the latest and best thing she had. [illustration] the little deaf and dumb preacher. [illustration] in a small town in germany lived a locksmith and his wife, to whom god had given one child, a girl, who rejoiced the hearts of her parents as she grew up strong and happy. but the father longed for a son, and god heard his prayer, and a boy was born to him. now indeed there was joy in the home; but their happiness was soon saddened, for the child was found to be deaf and dumb. he was otherwise a beautiful boy, with large blue eyes. what could they do for him but pray? "ah, if only the lord jesus was here now," spoke the father once, "how would i seek him, and bring our child to him; how would i pray him to lay his hand on our dear child, too, and give him hearing." "and i know he certainly would," the mother answered. "but the lord jesus is with us, though we see him not; let us entreat him for our child." at length the boy was three years old. his eyes were full of intelligence, and he seemed to understand everything around him. the god-fearing habits of his parents had a great influence over him. at family prayer the mother held the little one on her lap, his hands clasped together, and when the father asked a blessing on their frugal meal, the little child would also stand behind his stool, and would never taste a morsel before it was asked. it was advised that the boy be placed under the care of a famous physician in a neighbouring town. the father would leave untried nothing possible for the welfare of his boy, and so very soon set out on his journey. the sun was already set when they reached their destination. then the father took the boy's hand, and they went together to a relative's who lived in the town. but what a different home from that which the boy had left: the relative did not believe in the word of god, but only thought of pleasure and doing according to his own wisdom. so long as the father was with him the child was content. he would not move from his side, and at night slept locked in his arms. but the father could not stay long; pressing business compelled his return home. his departure was very sorrowful for the child, and the father felt it no less. at length the dinner time came. all was prepared, and the family gathered round the table, and with a good appetite began the meal. but the dumb child sat not; he stood behind his chair and waited. the others told him to sit and eat, but he understood not. his lips were speechless, but he made signs that they should pray. the people understood him, but would not show they did. then the child ran to each, and, with a supplicating look, tried to clasp their hands together. a feeling of shame came over them. they wished to quiet him, but dared not try. should they pray? they had never done it, but the child waited. at length the wife stood up, then the husband, and then all the others, for they did not know what else to do, and the wife prayed, with trembling voice, "lord jesus, come to our meal and bless it, and grant us thy mercy." thus did the dumb child become a holy messenger, and, though he was speechless, witness for god where he was entirely forgotten. but how was it with the child? was his coming so far any use? was he cured? no; the doctor could do nothing for him, and he remains speechless still. but later he attended a deaf and dumb institution, where he learnt reading, writing, and arithmetic, and many other useful things. above all, he has learnt to know for himself the lord jesus, and to be resigned to the affliction god has laid upon him. he still lives, and is a god-fearing young man, and the joy of his old parents. he has learnt the trade of bookbinding, and can well support himself. speaking with his sister of the old times, he said in the deaf and dumb language, smiling, "ah, god has made me deaf and dumb that i should preach of the holy jesus." a naval chef d'euvre. [illustration] gervase murray, a deaf and dumb young man, the son of a poor widow living at balbriggan, has just completed a miniature merchant ship, which in mechanical structure, symmetrical build, and neatness of finish, is not probably surpassed by anything of the kind to be seen in ireland. it has been minutely inspected by competent judges, who assert that its _tout ensemble_ a more perfect piece of ingenious workmanship they have never seen; nor could the most experienced ship carpenter do more justice to the various compartments, appendages, and riggings than has its mute architect, with but very indifferent apparatus--a penknife, a file, and a bradawl being the principal instruments employed in the work. it measures exactly six feet from the figure head to the helm, and is precisely the same extent in height from the top of the mainmast to the keel, the width being of proportional dimensions. the materials are all of the best description, are tastefully polished or painted where necessary, and are so exactly fitted in every part as to baffle the detection of any conspicuous fault whatever. it is fully manned with a crew of little wooden men, and officers in uniform, and completely equipped with boats, capstan, blocks, hawsers, cables, davits, cat-heads, bars, bolts, buckets, chocks, compasses, and even three brass cannons; in short with everything that may be seen in a large ship. she bears the significant name of "the star of the sea." had he been able to exhibit it, as he intended, at the late dublin exhibition, there is no doubt that it would have attracted considerable attention, which perhaps might have led to a substantial recognition of merit having been awarded to a poor dumb youth, the chief support of his widowed mother, as a well-deserved recompense for the patience and native talent displayed in the construction of this tiny chef d'euvre of naval art, which must have given him an immense amount of trouble and anxiety during the two years he has been engaged in building it.--_irish journal._ alexander ferguson, the famous deaf and dumb swimmer. [illustration] alexander ferguson, a dock mason of dundee, (though now in employment at irvine), has rescued forty-seven persons from drowning--one paper says fifty-one--in the tay, forth, clyde, dee, tyne, mersey, wear, ayr, irwell, calder, humber, and other rivers in england, scotland, and ireland. he is thirty-nine years of age, and made his first rescue when about ten years old. we have before us accounts cut from the newspapers and other publications, from which we give the following particulars of some of the rescues and swimming feats:-- at troon dock. one sunday a boy, who was playing with his companions at the quay, missed his footing, and fell into the harbour. alexander ferguson, observing the occurrence, pulled him out in a very exhausted condition. a purse of £ was presented to him. at ayr harbour. a boy named william m'lean, aged years, fell into the water and was just disappearing when a. f. leaped into the water and rescued him. at androsan harbour. a boy named robert bodman, aged years. he was rewarded with the sum of £ by merchants and gentlemen. at llanelly harbour. a boy named francis cornwall, years old. at towey dock. richard pearce, years of age. in the camperdown dock, dundee. alexander yule, years of age. at king william dock, dundee. james anderson, a bricklayer. at devonport dock. a girl named victoria napier, years of age. at dundee pier. a boy named alexander robertson, years old, for which he received the rescue medal of the forth swimming club and humane society ( .) at falmouth dock. sarah armstrong, years of age. at lime dock. oliver markham, years old. at maldon dock. a girl named jessie brown, years of age. at camperdown dock. mr. alexander doig, merchant of forfar. at swanage dock. a girl named catherine bruce, aged years. at portcawl dock. a boy named albert jones. at exmouth dock. a girl named alexandrina nelson, years old. at victoria dock. a boy named charles blair, years of age. at alexandra dock. richard harrison, years old. at earl grey's dock, dundee. peter band, years of age. at teignmouth dock. edgar thorpe, years of age. at alnwick dock. cæsar franklin, years old. a brave man. the last official act of the late mayor of great yarmouth was to present the silver medal of the humane society to alexander ferguson, mason, of dundee, for having saved the life of charles cullen, a private in the th regiment, who fell overboard the steamer "juno" on returning to inverness. ferguson dived and saved him, but ran great risk of being drowned, cullen having fallen under the paddle wheel, which was in motion. gallant rescue from drowning in the river mersey, off garston, near liverpool. on thursday afternoon four young lads had an exceedingly narrow escape from drowning in the ferry harbour; they were amusing themselves with a boat, when they overbalanced and fell into the water; this was noticed by alexander ferguson, mason, who was standing on the jetty, and he, without divesting himself of any of his clothes, swam to their rescue. having succeeded in getting hold of three lads, he landed them ashore, and then struck out for the other, who by this time had almost disappeared, his hands only being visible above the water. ferguson landed him ashore also. after some time all the four were able to walk home to liverpool. a large crowd was on the jetty at the time, and great excitement prevailed. ferguson deserves great credit for the courage and presence of mind he displayed, and it is believed that but for his efforts the lads would have been drowned.--_liverpool mercury_, . great swimming feats. . fourteen miles down the river with the rapid ebb tide, from the middle buoys opposite the tay ferries to far buoy at the mouth of the river tay, in - / hours ( .) . across the frith of clyde from carrought, ayrshire, to ailsa rock; miles in hours, through strong currents. . across the frith of forth, from buckhaven, in fifeshire, to north berwick; miles in hours ( .) . across the bay of leece, from the mull of galloway lighthouse to barrowhead; miles in hours. . across the mouth of loch ryan, from ronmach, in ayrshire, to kirkcolm point in gallowayshire; miles in hours. . from john o'groat's house to stoma; miles in - / hours, through dangerous currents ( .) . across the strong-currented river to cardell point, on the east of cantyre, from penrioch, on the coast of arran; miles in - / hours ( .) . across the frith of clyde from west kilbride, in ayrshire, to grombe, on the east coast of arran, a distance of - / miles in - / hours ( .) . across the frith of the clyde from port glasgow to cardross; miles in - / hours ( .) in all these instances he was followed by persons in boats. we are informed that he has received presents for rescuing lives of the value of £ , besides twenty suits of clothes, and has also won many cups and other prizes in swimming and diving matches, and has also received several gold and silver medals. alexander ferguson has on several occasions been present at the services for the adult deaf and dumb held at the institution at derby. [illustration] a deaf mute's gratitude. [illustration] m. felix martin, an artist, deaf and dumb from his birth, has just executed a group representing the abbé de l'epèe teaching a deaf and dumb youth. he desires it to be placed in the court of the sourds et muets institution at paris, to which he gives it in recognition of the debt of gratitude which he and his deaf mute brethren in misfortune owe to the abbé for their moral and intellectual emancipation. sir walter scott on the deaf & dumb. sir walter scott in his novel "peveril of the peak," uses the following language as to the deaf and dumb of his day:--"all knowledge is gained by communication, either with the dead through books, or more pleasingly through the conversation of the living. the deaf and dumb above are excluded from improvement, and surely their institution is not enviable that we should imitate them." aristotle considered the deaf and dumb as incapable of acquiring knowledge; while st. augustine insisted that they could not be instructed in the holy faith of the catholic church. could the worthies come back to this world they would be slightly amazed at the practical refutation of their prophecies. uneducated. what would any of us be without education? by education, i mean not book-learning only, but the training in good habits which is given in well-ordered homes and schools. can any one read the following true story of a deaf and dumb man without feelings of the deepest pity for the poor fellow left untaught and untrained, to wander at will over the wild though beautiful country of his birth. was he happy? read the story, and judge for yourselves. a few years since an artist visited ireland to sketch the wild and rocky scenery for which parts of the coast are celebrated. one of the places he went to was so poor and uncivilized that there was no house better than a cabin to be found in the whole district. in a cabin, therefore, he took up his abode. one day he was busily engaged sketching some high cliffs, at the bottom of which the wild waves dashed in fury. his seat was in a position as perilous as it was grand. presently he observed a creature approach, whose appearance at first puzzled him exceedingly. a nearer view showed him that it was a man clothed in a goatskin, but with the gait and manners of one wholly unused to civilized society. the artist thought that he was about to encounter an escaped lunatic, and, although no coward, he confessed to a feeling somewhat akin to fear passing through him as he looked down at the depths below, and calculated how small a push might launch him into eternity. then he remembered something about the advantage of being civil to madmen, and determined to try and ward off his impending fate by a show of civility. beckoning the poor creature to him, he commenced to talk to him, to show him his drawings, and to offer him a share of his lunch. the man made no reply, but apparently assured by the artist's manner came up close, sat down beside him, and was soon deeply absorbed in devouring his portion of the lunch and in admiring the pictures. still he never spoke, only uttered some unintelligible sounds. the artist congratulated himself on the success of his experiments; but, nevertheless, he thought that on the whole "discretion was the better part of valour," and after a little he got up and returned to his lodging, the man following him at a distance. on arriving at the cabin he related his adventure, when the people exclaimed, "ah! it's only poor dummy!" and assured him the poor fellow was perfectly harmless, but he was wholly untaught, had received no training in a deaf and dumb institution, and lived in this wild neglected manner. he was never asked to work, but roamed about at will, being fed by the neighbours, who would give bits to him as they would to a dog. the artist was greatly touched by what he heard, and continued to be kind to the poor deaf and dumb man, who, on his part, attached himself to his patron in the most docile manner. every morning he went to carry the artist's drawing materials, waited on him during the day, and only seemed too delighted if he could perform any little service for him. in return the artist could only reward him by kind looks and a share of his sandwiches. once he offered him money, but it was received in such a manner that showed plainly he did not understand its value. and the neighbours said it was no use to give him money: _food_ was the only thing he seemed to care for. at last the time came for the artist to return home. when it dawned upon the poor deaf mute he was about to lose his friend, he set up the most piteous wailing, and refused to be comforted, not even by the choicest morsels of food. the artist, when relating it afterwards, said "that he was never more moved in his life than to see this unfeigned sorrow, and to feel himself unable (owing to the man not having been trained in a deaf and dumb institution) to convey one single idea of suggestive consolation." trades of the deaf & dumb in england and wales. the following particulars showing the trades of the deaf and dumb are taken from the last government census of :-- females:-- domestic servants, teachers of the deaf and dumb, charwomen, washing and bathing service, bookbinders, cloth manufacturers, manufacturers of silk and cotton goods, making lace, carpets or trimmings, milliners and dressmakers, tailoresses, straw hat and bonnet makers, seamstresses, glove makers, baby shoe makers, brush makers, paper bag makers, workers of porcelain, &c., &c. males:-- artists (painters), artists (engravers), sculptors, indoor domestic servants, gardeners, commercial clerks, messengers, engaged in harbour and dock service, farming on own account, farm bailiffs, agricultural labourers, nurserymen, grooms, veterinary surgeons, gamekeepers, bookbinders, printers, lithographic printers, engine fitters and machinists, watch and clock makers, bricklayers, carpenters and joiners, masons, painters and paperhangers, cabinet makers, french polishers, wood carvers, carvers and gilders, coach-makers, wheelwrights, saddlers, shipwrights and carpenters ashore, innkeepers, maltster, brewers, butchers, bakers, confectioners, worsted stuff and cloth makers, tailors, shoemakers, pattern makers, hair dressers, brush makers, basket makers, wood turners, coopers, coal miners, brickmakers, workers of porcelain, glass makers, jewellers, blacksmiths, iron and steel manufacturers, tin plate workers, general labourers, engine drivers, stokers, &c., &c. there are in great britain and ireland about , deaf mutes. a will made by pantomime. the supreme court of maine recently, after a six days trial, sustained the will of horatio n. foster, who was deaf and dumb, seventy-six years old, who could neither read, write, nor use the manual alphabet. the will, which was made by pantomime, devised dols. only one similar case it is said was ever tried in the united states, and that was in north carolina. a brave defender. after reaching our encampment (at jenin in palestine) our dragoman told us that the people of the village were so quarrelsome and thievish that it was never safe to stop a night there without an extra guard, and he had engaged the brother of the sheik of the village to occupy this responsible post. this man was a great, tall, athletic-looking fellow, but a deaf mute. while we were taking our dinner he came into our tent, brandishing a revolver. he expressed to us by signs how safely we might lie down and rest, because he (brave fellow as he was) by the aid of that revolver would protect us from all harm. directly after our waiter--dominicho--came in and informed us that the guard had borrowed this revolver from our dragoman, ali solomon, but that he stood in mortal dread of the weapon he had flourished before us so heroically; that he refused to touch it till all the charges were withdrawn from it. with such a champion for our defender what cause could there be for fear?--_in bible lands._ a deaf and dumb lawyer. mr. lowe, a gentleman who has been deaf and dumb from his infancy, will, we understand, be called to the bar by the society of the middle temple on saturday next. he has had a good legal education, and is considered very clever as a conveyancer.--_brighton gazette_, nov., . a deaf and dumb man on the bible. the following remarks on the bible were written by a deaf and dumb young man years of age:--"the bible is more valuable than all other books in the world. it is divided into two parts, the one called the old testament and the other the new testament. the former was written by inspired men, directed by the spirit of god; the latter contains the news of the gospel, written by the witnessing disciples while christ was on the earth. the bible informs us of the guilt of sin, of the punishment of the wicked, of the saviour who died to save men from dangerous destruction, of the way of forgiveness by christ, of the condescension of him, of the mercy and love of him, and of the happiness which christ has promised to his disciples. the bible teaches us how to do good to others, how to help them in distress, how to avoid temptation, how to love and obey god, how to pray to god to keep us out of dangerous things, and pray to god for our parents, for their children, and for our other friends. the bible is a very precious gift from heaven, and contains many precious truths, therefore we should reverence it. uneducated deaf mute's ignorance of god. [illustration] vauncey thompson wrote after having been under instruction in the deaf and dumb school for six years:--"when i was at home, i knew one word, 'god,' but i did not know what it meant, nor how the world was made, and my mind was very hard and uncultivated, resembling the ground that is not ploughed, and i was perfectly ignorant. i thought then that my mind would open when i was a man: but i was mistaken, it would not have opened if i had not come to school to be taught; i would have been ignorant and have known nothing that is proper, and no religion would have come toward me. i must study my bible till my life is departed, and i hope god will please never forsake me." do the deaf & dumb think themselves unhappy? two deaf and dumb scholars of the late abbé siccard were asked--do the deaf and dumb think themselves unhappy? the following is the answer of massien:--"no; because we seldom lament that which we never possessed, or know we can never be in possession of; but should the deaf and dumb become blind, they would think themselves very unhappy, because sight is the finest, the most useful, and the most agreeable of all the senses. besides, we are amply indemnified for our misfortune by the signal favour of expressing by gestures and by writing our ideas, our thoughts, and our feelings, and likewise by being able to read books and manuscripts." the following is the answer of clerc, the other pupil, to the same question:--"he who never had anything has never lost anything, and he who never lost anything has nothing to regret; consequently, the deaf and dumb who never heard or spoke, have never lost either hearing or speech, therefore cannot lament either the one or the other. and he who has nothing to lament cannot be unhappy; consequently the deaf and dumb are not unhappy. besides, it is a great consolation for them to be able to replace hearing by writing, and speech by signs." a deaf mute's ideas before instruction. the following extract from the correspondence of a deaf and dumb pupil with his teacher is a fair specimen of the natural condition of the deaf and dumb before receiving instruction:-- "before i came to school i thought that the stars were placed in the firmament like grates of fire, and that the moon at night was like a great furnace of fire; i did not know how the stars and moon and heavens were made; but i supposed that the people, like us above the firmament, kindled the moon and stars; and i did not know whether the heavens was made by art or not. i thought the world little and round like a table, and was always intending to go to the end of it." observations of deaf & dumb children. a gentleman called to see some little deaf and dumb girls who had been present at a large meeting in aid of the institution on the previous day, when the gentleman asked, "what did you think of the great meeting yesterday?" "i thought," replied a little girl of ten summers, "people would give great money for deaf and dumb school." to another little girl the question put was, "did you observe any difference in the behaviour of the people present at the meeting?" "i saw some smile, and i believe some were fretting." "what do you think was the reason that some fretted?" "i thought they fretted about the deaf and dumb and about god." a deaf & dumb boy's remarkable dream. [illustration] william brennen, aged about fourteen and a-half years, having been awakened from sleep, his first words were that he had been dreaming; and when he got into the school-room he commenced writing upon his slate as follows, assuring his teachers that he described exactly as he thought he saw and heard in his dream, and from his character for truth there was no doubt he did so: i was dreaming about god; that he sent jesus christ, who came into the world from heaven. he was present with twelve men; they saw him, and were frightened. he said, "will you love god, and why?" they said, "he is the creator of all things; he saved us from our sin; he was walking on the water; he made them to live on the water and on the land. he spoke unto them, whose names are disciples. i saw them by dreaming. he said unto me, "will you love god, and why?" i said unto him, "because he made me in a happy state and holy; he brought me to heaven from this world." his face was luminous and beautiful; he had a long beard, his hair was short and shining--i could not look at him. he wrote judgments of mankind--some were very good. when they died he took some to heaven, and some were sent to hell. his robe was very bright, like a cloud round the sun. i could hear more than all the people in the world. i was more obedient to god. there was not the sun, nor the moon, nor the stars. i saw addington--(one of his friends who had died lately)--who was in heaven. he shook hands with me. he was more tall than you. i saw adam and eve: god made him by his word. he made him of the dust of the earth. he breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. god said, "thy name is adam." he took a rib of the man whilst he slept; he made woman by taking the rib from a man. her name was eve. he made them in a happy state and holy. he made a garden of eden. he sent them to live in the garden. god said, "thou shalt not eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge." i saw god making the world and all things. first the world, firmament, sun, moon, stars, land and water. god made the water with his breath, he gave it into the world. he made the sun, moon, stars very quickly with his word. he made the sun of part of the earth, from the world, and the moon of a little part from the sun, and the stars of a very little part from the moon. he did not make anything with his hands, but by his word. i saw the world before the sun was made--it was all earth. he made europe, africa--all! and with his breath he made the sea. (here his action was remarkable. he drew on his slate the continent and islands, blew with his breath with scarce any motion of his lips, and showed that the waters instantaneously flowed through their channels, and the seas were formed.) god made the firmament by his word; it is like silk paper, it is all round the world: there is water over it and clouds under it, and the sun shines through it, and the moon, and the stars. (here he described by gestures the motions of the earth, the sun, and moon, and that there were countless stars, larger much than the sun; that there was no axle on which the world moved, nor anything to keep it up like a cord, but that it was moved and upheld by the breath of the almighty.) there were many angels with him. he had not a loud voice, and his eyes see the sun before him and behind him. he spoke very kindly to me; i saw many spirits in heaven; they were worshipping god and obedient to god; they did not speak; they listened to god and were obedient to him; and god was often speaking to them; and they loved him. he was commanding them to look at evil and right things in the world, and they were very bright like clouds; thou couldst not see them, because they were invisible. angels are often in the world; they are always present with us, and in every place, separating the people's hearts, good from bad. god tells them to separate the good from the bad; and they are always soaring with their wings. their wings have not feathers; they are like the clouds. the angels are soaring always, and standing on the air and the clouds; they never are flapping with their wings; they are never tired, nor sleepy, nor hungry, nor thirsty, nor eating, nor laughing, nor smiling; i saw some more crying a little, because the people have sin _from them_. they are very beautiful like the sun. god is more bright than an angel. they can walk on everything in heaven and in the world, and in hell they are not burned. god was sitting on the clouds, and on the air, and on the water. he is still, quiet; he never laughs. (his gestures here were striking in an astonishing degree, and his whole mind seemed overcome, with a sense of the divine greatness and glory.) god was very kind to the angels, more than all the world. the scriptures and the state of the deaf and dumb. "open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. "open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy."--prov. xxxi. , . "now therefore go, and i will be with thy mouth, and teach thee what thou shalt say. "and the lord said unto him, who hath made man's mouth? or who maketh the dumb, or deaf, or seeing, or the blind? have not i the lord?"--exodus iv. , . "but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away."--i cor. xiii. . "but i, as a deaf man, heard not; and i was as a dumb man that openeth not his mouth."--psalm xxxviii. . "all things are full of labour; man cannot utter it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing nor the ear filled with hearing."--ecclesiastes i. . "and he said unto them, go ye into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature."--mark xvi. . "and how shall they preach except they be sent? as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things."--romans x. . "and in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness."--isaiah xxix. . "then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped. "then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb sing; for in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the desert."--isaiah xxxv. , . "but as it is written, to whom he was not spoken of, they shall see; and they that have not heard shall understand."--romans xv. . "this is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that christ jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom i am the chief."--i timothy i. . "as they went out, behold, they brought to him a dumb man possessed with a devil. "and when the devil was cast out, the dumb spake; and the multitudes marvelled, saying, it was never so seen in israel."--matt. ix. , . "now when john had heard in the prison the works of christ, he sent two of his disciples, "and said unto him, art thou he that should come or look we for another? "jesus answered and said unto them, go and shew john again those things which ye do hear and see: "the blind receive their sight, and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the poor have the gospel preached to them. "and blessed is he whosoever shall not be offended in me."--matt. xi. - . "then was brought unto him one possessed with a devil, blind and dumb; and he healed him, insomuch that the blind and dumb both spake and saw."--matt. xii. , . "and great multitudes came unto him, having with them those that were lame, blind, dumb, maimed, and many others, and cast them down at jesus feet; and he healed them; insomuch that the multitude wondered, when they saw the dumb to speak, the maimed to be whole, the lame to walk, and the blind to see; and they glorified the god of israel."--matt. xv. , . "and one of the multitude answered and said, master, i have brought unto thee my son, which hath a dumb spirit: "and wheresoever he taketh him, he teareth him; and he foameth, and gnasheth with his teeth, and pineth away; and i spake to thy disciples that they should cast him out, and they could not. "he answereth him, and saith, o faithless generation, how long shall i be with you? how long shall i suffer you? bring him unto me. "and they brought him unto him; and when he saw him, straightway the spirit tare him; and he fell on the ground, and wallowed foaming. "and he asked his father, how long is it ago since this came unto him? and he said, of a child. "and often it hath cast him into the fire, and into the waters to destroy him; but if thou canst do anything, have compassion on us, and help us. "jesus said unto him, if thou canst believe, all things are possible to him that believeth. "and straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, lord, i believe; help thou mine unbelief. "when jesus saw that the people came running together, he rebuked the foul spirit, saying unto him, thou deaf and dumb spirit, i charge thee, come out of him, and enter no more into him. "and the spirit cried, and rent him sore, and came out of him; and he was as one dead; insomuch that many said, he is dead. "but jesus took him by the hand, and lifted him up; and he arose."--mark ix. - . "and they bring unto him one that was deaf, and had an impediment in his speech; and they beseech him to put his hand upon him. "and he took him aside from the multitude, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spit, and touched his tongue; "and looking up to heaven, he sighed, and saith unto him, ephphatha, that is, be opened. "and straightway his ears were opened, and the string of his tongue was loosed, and he spake plain. "and he charged them that they should tell no man; but the more he charged them, so much the more a great deal they published it; "and were beyond measure astonished, saying, he hath done all things well; he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak."--mark vii. - . united states of america. the tenth census report of the u. s. of america for contains some interesting statistics of the deaf and dumb, and apparently show a considerable increase as compared with the whole population. . . . . total population , , , , , , , , deaf mutes , , , , no. of deaf mutes in each million of population out of , there were , males and , females. the number of native deaf mutes was , , and foreign , . white, , ; coloured, , , including chinese and indians. causes of deaf-mutism. the intermarriage of blood-relations is doubtless one cause. in one school for the deaf and dumb per cent., in another per cent., and in others per cent. of the pupils are said to be the off-spring of marriages between blood-relations. davy mentions the following case observed by menière:--a married couple, being cousins, who enjoyed excellent health, had eight children, of whom four were born deaf mutes, another was idiotic, another died when five years of age, and two others suffered from absolute deafness, which only made its appearance later on. in the institution at derby there are three sisters, and also a younger sister at home, all born deaf and dumb, the parents being own cousins. on the other hand, there are at the same institution several children having deaf and dumb brothers or sisters, where no relationship exists between the parents, notably one family, in which both parents are healthy, and in which there are four deaf and dumb children. in the same county there are other cases of three, four, and even six in a family, yet there has been no relationship between the parents. in addition to the born deaf, measles, bronchitis, typhus, scarletina, and other diseases are the causes of deafness, and consequently dumbness. cases are known to have resulted from lightning, fright, boxing on the ears, and where young children have been allowed to fall on the head, etc. damp houses are said to be a cause of deafness. in paris among eight children born in a family, five were born deaf, and these had all been born in a damp house. the family who had previously lived in the same house had three children, among whom were two born deaf and dumb. it is sometimes said that certain unhealthy trades in which the parent or parents are engaged are responsible for some of these cases, but the only complete statistics are those of nassau, the results of which are as follows:-- among pipe-makers deaf mute children, therefore deaf mute to . " stonemasons " " " . " brass-founders " " " . " potters " " " . " carpenters " " " . " earthenware-makers " " " . " sailors " " " . " , bricklayers " " " . " , smiths " " " . " vat-coopers " " " . " , tailors " " " . " , shoemakers " " " . " , joiners " " " . " , vinters " " " . " coopers " " " . " , bakers " " " . " , farmers " " " . " , labourers " " " . meckel says that in the families of tradespeople, who are constantly exposed to a damp unhealthy atmosphere or other injurious influences, deaf-mutism occurs most frequently. moreover, meckel has found that deaf-mutism is more frequently met with in flour-mills than elsewhere. among millers in nassau, there were found eight deaf mutes, or one deaf mute to . . [illustration] a deaf and dumb boy not afraid to die. bernard grimshaw, a little deaf and dumb boy, lay seriously ill in the sick ward of an institution, and was asked, "would you be afraid to die?" "no! because christ has taken away the sting of death, if we believe in him that he died for us; and we should not be afraid of death, if we believe in him that he died for us; and we should not be afraid of death because he has promised to give eternal life to all believers." "what do you consider the best thing you have been taught, since coming to the deaf and dumb institution?" "i have learned about god and his beloved son jesus christ, and the bible. that is best." a deaf and dumb sexton robbed. george e. fischer, the deaf and dumb sexton of the st. mary's avenue congregational church, put out the lights and started for his boarding house at o'clock at night. he had gone but a short distance from the church when he was pounced upon by unknown persons, who approached from behind and knocked him down. after striking him another blow the fellow went through his pockets, taking every cent he had. fischer is a hard-working man, but is in poor health, and will feel the loss heavily.--_omaha world, may th, ._ acuteness of educated deaf mutes. one evening the senior class of girls and boys in a school for the deaf and dumb were invited to put any questions they wished to the teacher; amongst others, the following (which show considerable acuteness and reflection) were proposed to him:--who made god? were there any angels before the world was made? before the world was made, how was god eternal? do you know, are there houses in the moon which people inhabit? do you think the dwellers in the moon have got the sin as well as ourselves? will there be a new world when this is burnt up? how do you know the scriptures to be the word of god? do the angels know when the last day will come? a russian deaf and dumb youth's reply. a young russian, of great talents, though deaf and dumb, who had been to a deaf and dumb institution to be taught, with a view to become the master of a similar institution in russia, was asked the difference between intelligence and discernment? he said "intelligence is a faculty, by which we distinguish good and evil, what is useful and what hurtful. i think discernment is the faculty of distinguishing the greater and less degrees of good and evil." [illustration] the age of deaf mutes. the question is frequently asked, "is there a greater mortality among the deaf mutes than there is among the total population?" the statistics so far published, on the whole, show a somewhat greater mortality among the deaf and dumb than that among the total population. it may, however, be stated that the deaf and dumb having to labour under greater difficulties, generally succumb more easily in the struggle for existence than their more favoured fellow-creatures. in bavaria, in , there were , deaf mutes; of these were between and years of age; between and ; and were years and upwards. in prussia there were , ; of these , were between and years of age; , between and ; and , were years and upwards. in , the north midland counties of england had deaf and dumb: of these were under years of age; were years; were years; were years; were years; and were years and upwards. deaf mutes in the town and country. wilhelmi tried to ascertain by means of his statistics in what proportion deaf mutism occurred in towns and in the country, and found that it preponderated in the country. --------------------------------+------------+-------------------- | deaf mutes.| deaf mutes among | | , inhabitants. --------------------------------+------------+-------------------- in magdeburgh { in the towns | | . { in the country | | . in erfurt { in the towns | | . { in the country | | . in pomerania { in the towns | | . { in the country | | . --------------------------------+------------+-------------------- comparative numbers of the sexes of deaf mutes. in all countries where statistics have been compiled, the number of male deaf mutes exceeds that of the female. in there were in prussia , male and , female deaf mutes. in england and wales in there were , male and , female deaf mutes. in staffordshire males and females. in leicestershire males and females. in lincolnshire males and females. in nottinghamshire males and females; and in derbyshire males and females. probable numbers of the deaf & dumb. there is an increasing desire on the part of the various governments of the world to give information likely to be useful to the instructors of the deaf and dumb, but it has been proved beyond doubt that the census returns in many cases are not altogether reliable, the numbers being considerably understated. the following table by hartman, compiled from the various census returns, shows the per centage to the population:-- european countries. -----------------------+---------+------------+---------+------------- | date of | total | no. of | deaf mutes | statis- | population.| deaf | among , | tics. | | mutes. | inhabitants. -----------------------+---------+------------+---------+------------- germany | | , , | , | . france | | , , | , | . great britain | | | | and ireland | | , , | , | . italy | | , , | , | . austria | | , , | , | . hungary | | , , | , | . spain | | , , | , | . belgium | | , , | , | . netherlands | | , , | , | . sweden | | , , | , | . norway | | , , | , | . switzerland | | , , | , | . denmark | | , , | , | . -----------------------+---------+------------+---------+------------- non european countries. -----------------------+---------+------------+---------+------------- united states of | | | | america | | , , | , | . argentine republic | | , , | , | . british colonies | | | | in n. america | | , | | . in the west indies | | , | | . in africa | | , | | . in australia | | , | | . -----------------------+---------+------------+---------+------------- in prussia ( ) the census showed a population of , , , the number of the deaf and dumb being , , or . to , of the population. in india there are, it is said, over , deaf mutes. the total number in the world is supposed to be over , . king george iv. & the deaf & dumb boy. when king george iv. visited ireland a deaf and dumb boy determined to send a letter to his majesty. the following extracts taken from this characteristic letter will be interesting: "wednesday, th july, . "my dear george,--i hope i will see you when you come here to see the deaf and dumb boys and girls; i am very sorry that you never did come here to see them. "i will be very glad to see you, if you will come here often to see me. did you ever see the deaf and dumb in london? you must write a letter to me soon. would you like to see me at claremont? i could not go to london, because there is too much money to pay to the captain of a ship for me. "do you know grammar, geography, bible, arithmetic, astronomy, and dictionary? i know them very little. i am very delighted that i am improving much. perhaps i will be an assistant of the deaf and dumb school. where were you born? would you like to correspond with me? i would be very fond of you. you ought to write a long letter to me soon. what profession are you of? i never saw you; i am very, very anxious to see you indeed, and would like to see the king of england very much. "will you send us some deaf and dumb children, and give us money to pay for educating them. "i am, your affectionate friend, "thomas collins." the answer was as follows:-- "to thomas collins, deaf and dumb institution, claremont, glasnevin, near dublin. "sir benjamin bloomfield is commanded by the king to present to thomas collins ten pounds for being a good boy." "phoenix park, rd sep., ." with these ten pounds the boy was afterwards apprenticed to a printer. poor sam tranter. the lot of the _uneducated_ deaf and dumb in this world is a pitiable one, and their isolation is keenly felt. often have we seen some of this portion of suffering humanity unable to plead for themselves, or tell their tale of woe or hardship. such was the condition of poor sam tranter. though sam was never in a deaf and dumb institution, his skill and plans for worldly prospects were extraordinary. in his boyhood he was left friendless and uncared for, but persuaded a shoemaker to give him work, at which poor sam was fairly successful; owing, however, to the man's ill treatment he had to leave, and, to save himself from starving, went in the workhouse. after a brief stay he again went forth to try his hand as a shoeblack, and after various attempts to shift for himself, he began to master difficulties by wonderful energy and perseverance, and there is no doubt had the poor fellow been properly taught in a deaf and dumb institution, he would have risen in life. after a time sam commenced selling cockles, mussels, and oysters. from a small beginning he increased, and in course of time he took a shop, and employed five women, at which he said he had made as much as £ some weeks. owing, however, to his lack of education, the poor fellow was continually robbed, and eventually got into trouble through debt, and was worried with summonses; hence his failure as a cockle and oyster merchant. he then took a stall, and afterwards a shop for the sale of gingerbread, &c.; this was also doomed to failure. he then tried street-hawking with a barrow, to keep himself from the workhouse; but this also failed, and his barrow was seized for debt. poor sam was again penniless, friendless, and homeless, which compelled him once more to seek refuge in the union, where he afterwards died after great suffering, at the age of years. his remains were followed to the grave by a few deaf and dumb friends. poor sam might have said with david "whilst i would do good evil is present with me." [illustration] faith cometh by hearing. a deaf and dumb lady said that the first time she went to church after she was impressed with the truths of christianity, she saw over the pulpit the words "faith cometh by hearing," which caused her great unhappiness; for, she thought, that as she had no hearing she could never have faith. shortly after, however, she saw this text in the bible, and observed that it was followed by "and hearing by the word of god," which gave her so much delight, as shewing her a way in which it was possible for faith to come even to her, that she clasped the bible to her heart. massieu. one of the best educated and most distinguished deaf mutes was massieu, who gave the following remarkable replies to questions put to him by various friends:-- "what is hearing?" "hearing," said he, "is auricular sight." another party asked him whether he made any distinction between a conqueror and a hero? "arms and soldiers made a conqueror; courage of heart a hero. julius caesar was the hero of the romans; napoleon the hero of europe," was the answer he wrote on the blackboard, without hesitation. in reply to the following questions, he instantly wrote answers. "what is hope?" "hope is the blossom of happiness." "what is happiness?" "happiness is pleasure that ceaseth not; and misfortune is grief that endeth not." "what is the difference between hope and desire?" "desire is a tree in leaf; hope is a tree in flower; and enjoyment is a tree in fruit." another pupil standing by wrote, in reply to the same question, "desire is the inclination of the heart; hope is a confidence of the mind." a stranger asked massieu, "what difference do you think there is between god and nature?" his reply was "god is the first maker, the creator of all things. the first beings all came out of his divine breast; he has said to the first beings, ye shall make the second; to the second ye shall make the third beings; his wills are laws; his laws are nature." "what is time?" "a line that has two ends, a path that begins in the cradle and ends in the tomb." "what is eternity?" "a day without yesterday or to-morrow, a line that has no end." "what is god?" "the necessary being, the sun of eternity, the mechanist of nature, the eye of justice, the watch-maker of the universe, the soul of the world." the deceptive and acute question, "does god reason?" was put to him, it is said, by sir james macintosh, massieu at once wrote, "man reasons because he doubts; he deliberates, he decides; god is omniscient; he knows all things; he never doubts; he therefore never reasons." lucien buonaparte once asked massieu, "what is laziness or idleness?" "it is a disgust from useful occupation; a disinclination to do anything; from which result indigence, want of cleanliness and misery, disease of body and the contempt of others." in writing this answer the gestures and looks of massieu were in perfect accordance with the ideas that might be supposed to exist with him and the words he was writing. when he had finished the last word he turned round, and then his whole person, with his countenance and his eyes, exhibited one of the justest pantomimic representations of laziness which it is possible to conceive. after he had a moment dwelt upon this personification, which his fancy suggested to him, he made an expressive transition to the looks and manners of a person filled with that dread and abhorrence which the idea of laziness should ever inspire. [illustration] grace annable. grace annable was deaf, dumb, and blind, and although her form and features were well proportioned, she was a great sufferer from constitutional weakness; yet her temper was mild and affectionate. strange to say, grace was a capital nurse, and was much attached to several very young children, some being mere babies; in order to ascertain whether they were crying, she would pass her hand most carefully over the mouth and eyes, and soothe their little distresses with all the care and success of a talkative nurse. grace was fond of fruit, and would beat the pears and apples from the trees, and could select the best with as much judgment as if she had been possessed with the sense of sight. [illustration] she frequently went in a field to gather wild flowers, to which she was directed by the pleasantness of their odour. her sense of smelling was remarkably exquisite, and appeared to be an additional guide to her fingers. grace would feel and admire ornaments, etc., and would never break or injure the most brittle things even in a strange room. a gentleman once made several experiments with her in order to test for himself her reported abilities, and expressed great surprise that one thus afflicted should be able to accomplish so much. grace has, after a patient life, passed away into that land where deafness and dumbness is for ever unknown. a deaf and dumb boy and his brother. brownlow harrison, a bright little boy who had spent a few years in the school for the deaf and dumb, was watching with great earnestness for his father, who was to fetch him home for the summer vacation. [illustration] brownlow had made unusual progress during the last half-year; this he himself knew, and made him intensely anxious that his younger brother, who was also deaf and dumb, should be admitted as a pupil in the institution. brownlow himself at once wrote to the committee as follows:--"when i was at home i was ignorant, and i don't know about god; but i am now taught about religion, and it is wonderful; i will be taught before i leave school. my dear brother cannot read, and he cannot understand; i wish he will come to school, for he don't know about god and angels, and all things good or bad. i am afraid he will grow wicked if he is not taught. i will feel thankful to the gentlemen to send my deaf brother to school." francis carter, printer, iron gate works, derby. transcriber's note: in the anecdote entitled "deaf, dumb, blind, and lame," the character is named once as david and once as john in the original text. this discrepancy has not been changed. punctuation and alternative spellings have been retained as they appear in the original text. post-processor; the pg online distributed proofreaders team the talking deaf man: or, a method proposed, whereby he who is born deaf, may learn to speak. by the studious invention and industry of _john conrade amman_, an _helvetian_ of _shashuis_, dr. of physick. imprinted at _amsterdam_, by _henry westein_, . and now done out of latin into english, by _d.f.m.d._ . _london_, printed for tho. hawkins, in _george-yard, lumbard street_, . price bound one shilling. _to his most approved good friend mr. peter kolard, the author, with all submission, dedicateth this his treatise of the talking deaf man._ _my much honoured friend_, this little endeavour, how small soever it be, is upon many accounts due to you; for besides that, the truth of the matter here exposed, is to no one, (except my self) more apparent, you did heap on me so many favours, whilst i abode in your house, upon account of teaching your daughter, and rendred me to be so much yours, as no less could be sufficient, than to erect a publick, and as much as in me lay, an eternal monument of gratitude to you. how great the incredulity of this age is, no man almost knows better than your self; there have been, and still are, such as boldly deny, that it is possible to bring the _deaf_ to speak; others, though they should be admitted to be eye-witnesses, yet would not stick to doubt still of the matter: wherefore, what-ever it was that i performed to your daughter, and to some others, and by what artifice i did it, i now ingenuously expose to the eyes of all the world. i heartily wish that they may so make use of this my labour, as that for the future, no more _dumb_ persons may be found. in the number of these doubting persons, you have confessed to me, that you your self had formerly been, until you had heard a certain maiden, who before had been _dumb_, talking with me at _amsterdam_; perhaps i should have been so my self, if, when i was ignorant in the thing, i had received narratively only, that some such thing was performed by another; wherefore i resolved rather to convince the incredulity of men (which now is accounted prudence amongst most men) of an error, than to reprove them for their rashness. it is now three years since i first thought to make this my method publick; but had i then done it, i should now have repented it, because in this interval i have much more polished it; and rendered it more easie by far; and as to what belongs to the practise thereof, more certain, yea, and all to that degree, as i dare confidently assert, that henceforth there shall be no _deaf_ person, (provided he be of a sound mind, and be not tongue-tied, nor of an immature age) who by my instruction shall not in the space of two months speak readily enough. perhaps also i shall hereafter repent, that i have published this small treatise, as yet too immature; yet i had rather confess an error, if i shall any where commit one, or in any future edition augment it, than wholly to pass it over in silence; for if i should be snatcht away by a hasty death, (even as a tender state of health doth threaten me) i should not know how to render to god an account of the talent committed to me, as he may require it of me. nothing therefore remained, most worthy sir, than that i should beg your pardon, that i have made bold thus to interrupt you in the midst of affairs, which almost swallow you wholly up; but i believe you will the more readily give it me, because this little script may make my absence less troublesome to you, because, according to the precepts here given, you yourself will be able to take care that your daughter shall not only not forget all what she already knows, but more and more accomplish them. however, i humbly beseech you, that him whom you have begun to love, yea, though he be removed far from you, that you will persist still therein, and to take upon your self as need shall require it, the patronage of the truth it self. farewel, and be well. _j. conrade amman._ _dated from my study_, aug. th, . * * * * * _to his learned friends_ richard waller, _and_ alexander pittfield, _esquires, of the_ royal society. _gentlemen_, the holding of a candle to the sun is not more absurd, than thus to present you with an _english_ version of a _latin_ treatise. all who know you, know you to be masters of not only most of the _european_, but also of the learned languages. but my excuse is, that what i have done for the sake of english readers, i expose under your learned names; the subject-matter of which may be useful, and therefore acceptable to your selves and others. however, i am willing to discover my ambitious aim herein, which is to let the world know who are my friends, and what names may give honour to mine. i know, that several very considerable members of that great society, to which you so nearly relate, have already, both in theory and practise, acquainted the world with very remarkable things of this nature; and whether what is here published, will in the least, either elucidate or add to those already taught, and done by those very knowing persons, i neither dare nor will determine; but if neither one nor the other be here found, yet it is sometimes grateful to us, to see how good and great wits do jump, and in such circumstances as these no man can account store to be a soare. _i_ have only this to further mention, that the _author_ chose the _high-german_ tongue to become his exemplar, rather than any other modern or antique; it therefore is necessary, that he who would put his rules in practice in any other language, must observe a due analogy in _mutatis mutandis_. thus (my friends) i have exposed both you and my self, if any blame happen, let that be all mine, who (without your knowledge and concession) did this indignity to you, and to aggravate it, thus publickly to stile my self, gentlemen, your cordial friend and servant, _dan. foot._ * * * * * to the reader. candid reader, _in these few pages, i expose to thee openly and ingenuously, by what means i can learn the deaf, (and because they were born so) the dumb to speak articulately_, and easily to understand others also when they are speaking, so as they may be able both to read, and to understand a book, or letter, and to discover their own minds, either by speach or writing. how important a benefit is this? how advantageous is the not hearing supplied by this art? if envy, or the detestable greedy desire of gain_ _could have prevailed with me, i had retained this art, as lockt up in my own breast. but alass! how miserable is the condition of the deaf? how lame and defective is that speach, which is performed by signs and gestures? how little are they capable to receive of those things which concern their eternal salvation? who doth not commiserate_ _this sort of persons? who can refuse to help them by all means which are possible? for my part, i, by the help of god's grace, will not only help them, but will make publick and vulgar what is best to be done therein, yea, and have done so already, that they can understand others speaking, even with the softest_ voice, _or rather whispering_. _this doctrin will seem new and incredible to most men, yet is not plainly altogether unheard of; for, as i heard, there have been some, who engaged themselves in this cure; but what they effected therein, i must acknowledge is unknown to me; yea, i religiously attest, that before i did excogitate this matter, i met not with the least_ _foot-step thereof in any author. notwithstanding, some there be, who reject at first sight this doctrin as fabulous; others, and those perhaps the same also; who when i shall have discovered to them the manner thereof, will cry, that they could do the same thing: i, for my part; am not concerned at either of them, well knowing, that those who are just in their_ _estimation of things, will judge otherwise. when thou, by reading shalt arrive thus far (good_ reader) _stop a little (i pray thee) and use the liberty granted to every one, and attentively revolve in thy mind, what thou thy self would'st do, if such a case as this was committed to thy care. if so be thou shaltst find out the right way, give god_ _thanks, and let it suffice, that i have admonished thee; if not, go on to read what follows, where thou wilt find it, with very little trouble. this very way is that, by which i taught_ ehster kolard, (_a young virgin of great hopes, the only daughter of mr_ peter kolard, _who was born deaf) not only to read, but also to speak readily, yea, and to_ _hold discourse with others and in a short time she profited so much, as to remember a many questions and answers in the catechism, yea, and as far as her young years were capable, she understood the sense of them also: she rejoyced greatly when i told her, that i was willing to make this method, by which she learned to speak, common_ to all. friendly_ reader, _use and accept well these things; and if thou knowest any things better, candidly impart them, and make not thy self ungrateful. farewell._ * * * * * an advertisement to the _english reader_. about years since, the honourable, learned, and pious f.m. baron of _helmont_ caused to be published in latin a small treatise; wholly and fully to the same purpose, with what is here published: which said treatise, entituled, _the alphabet of nature_, is now in hand to be translated, and publish'd in _english_; of which it was thought fit here to give thee this notice. thou art also (kind _reader_) to be advertised, that there is very lately translated into the _english_ a very learned tract, entituled, _the divine being, and its attributes_; demonstrated from the holy scriptures, and original nature of things, according to the principles of the aforesaid f.m. baron of _helmont_. written in _low-dutch_, by _paulus buchius_, dr. of physick, &c. and licensed according to order, and are to be sold by _t. howkins_, bookseller, in _george-yard, lumbard-street_. the talking deaf man. chap. i. _an inquiry into the nature of a_ voice, _and in what respect it differs from the breath_. let no man presume, that he shall ever attain to this noble art, if he remain ignorant in what it is that the nature of the letters, as well in general, as special, doth consist; for it was this very thing which gave occasion to the composing of this small treatise: wherefore, before i treat of the manner of instructing _deaf_ persons, i shall bring into examination, first, the material part of the _letters_, viz. _voice_ and _breath_; secondly, the _letters themselves_, and their differences: thirdly, and lastly, i will teach the _practise_ of the art. i have oftentimes heard from some persons, that it was little beneath a miracle, that god should give men, to express the thoughts of the mind, rather by motions, which are effected by the lips, the tongue, the teeth, &c. than otherwise, and that so universally, that there is no nation so barbarous, no not excepting the _hottentots_, which cannot speak in a language. but let (i pray) these men consider, what it is that men rightly instituted would have, whilst they mutually talk one with another; for they desire to open the most inward recesses of the heart, yea, and to transfuse their own proper life into others, which thing cannot be more commodiously done, than by speaking; for there is nothing which floweth forth from us, which carrieth with it a more vivid character of the life, than our _voice_ doth; yea, in the _voice_ is the _breath_ of life, part of which passeth into the _voice_; for indeed the _voice_ is the child of the heart, which is the seat of the affections, and of desire. hence it is, that sometimes we are not able to keep back the impetuous motions of the affections; but _out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh._ thus, when we desire something in our selves, and yet are afraid to express it, the heart labours like a woman with child, and becomes anxious; but if we can pour it forth into the bosom of a friend, there presently ariseth great tranquility, and we say, that we have emptied our hearts: yea, so full is the _voice_ of the life, which immediately flows from the heart, that to talk long, extreamly wearieth us; but especially the sick, who oftentimes can scarce utter three or four words, but they faint away. therefore, to comprehend much in a few words, the _voice_ is an emanation from that very spirit, which god breathed inth man's nostrils, when he created him a living soul. hence also, _the word of god, the son of god, the omnipotence of god_, &c. are in holy scripture oftentimes homonymous, or of the like, and same import. it is no wonder therefore, if _voice_ be natural to a man, though he be _deaf_, because _deaf men_ laugh, cry out, hollow, weep, sigh, and waile, and express the chief motions of the mind, by the _voice_ which is to an observant hearer, various, yea, they hardly ever signifie any thing by signs, but they mix with it some _sound_ or _voice_. thus the exclamations of almost all nations are alike; [_a_] is the _sound_ of him chiefly, who rejoyceth; [_i_] of him who is in indignation, and angry; [_o_] of one in commiseration, or exclamation; not to mention many such other-like. now i shall briefly declare, wherein the nature of the _voice_ consisteth, where it is formed, and how it is formed: i shall also discover, together therewith, wherein is the difference betwixt _voice_ and _breath simply_, as what is in truth, of so much weight, that if it be unknown, some deaf persons cannot learn to speak, as shall be taught in the third chapter. men ordinarily speak after two manner of ways, viz. either when they may be heard by any one, who is not too far distant from them, and that is properly call'd _voice_; or else, when they speak privately in another's ear, and then they pronounce a _breath which is simple, but not sonorous_. deaf men also do know a _voice_ to be different from a _simple breath_; for they can speak both ways, and i also have learned this distinction partly from them. the humane _voice_ is air, impregnated, and made sonorous by the impressed character of the life, or is such, as whilst it is in breathing forth, doth smite upon the organs of the _voice_, so, as _they tremble thereupon_; for indeed, without this tremulous motion, no _voice_ is made: yea, not only the _larynx_, or wind-pipe, doth thereupon tremble, but the whole skull also; yea, and sometimes _all the bones_ _of the whole body_, which any one may easily find in himself, by his applying his hand to his throat, and laying it on the top of his head. this trembling is very perceptible in most sounding bodies, and is (if i mistake not) owing for the most part to the _springiness_ of the air; which, did i not study to be brief, i could more fully explicate. now the _simple breath_ is air, breathed forth by the opening of the mouth or nostrils, simply, and without any smiting on the parts, which rather exciteth a whispering than a sound. hence is it, that animals, whose wind-pipe is cut beneath the throat, do indeed render a _breathing_, but no _voice_; for the tube of the wind-pipe is too large, and too smooth, than that the air can strike upon it any where; and being thus reflected on its self, it can also imprint a tremulous motion on its neighbouring bodies: this the physicians pupils do know; who being about to dissect live dogs, they cut their throats, that they may not be troubled with their barking: for _voice_ differs as much from a _simple breath_, as doth that hoarse sound, which we excite, by rubbing the tops of our fingers hard upon some glass or table, which is quite differing from that same _soft whistling sound_, which is heard when we lightly rub with the hand the same glass or table. the _voice_ therefore, as it is the _voice_, is generated in the _cartilages of the wind-pipe_, then afterwards is formed into such or such _letters_; but that it may become a lovely _voice_, it's requisite, that those cartilages be _smooth_, and _lined with no mucous matter_, else the _voice_ will become hoarse, and sometimes be utterly lost, viz. when they have lost their springy power. for _pipes_; and other _wind-instruments_ do most notably explain to us the nature of the _voice_; for in them we see a certain _voice_ or _sound_ to be generated out of simple air, whilst it is as it were, rent in pieces, and forced into a tremulous motion: now, that in these instruments there is a little tongue; or which is instead of a tongue, the same in a man is the _epiglott_, or cover of the _wind-pipe_, and the _uvula_, or pallate of the mouth; but the rest of the _cartilages_ of the _throat_, besides that, they contribute much to the making of the _voice_, yet are they chiefly serviceable to it, in rendering it to be more flat, and more sharp, and that especially by the _bone of the tongue_, and the adjoyning muscles: but i am unwilling to put from this office the muscles which are proper to the _wind-pipe_; for they all unanimously conspire to make the _cleft of the throat_ either wider, or narrower. but above all, here is that wonderful faculty of modifying the _voice_, according to will and pleasure; which, even as _speech_ also, is not natural to us, but a habite, contracted by long use or custom. hence it is, that the unskilful are not only ignorant how to sing, but also cannot so much as imitate others who are singing; so also such as are ignorant of any language, do not only not understand others who are speaking that language, but also do not know how presently to repeat that _voice_ which they received by their ears. things principally requisite to the _voice_, are, that the _wind-pipe_, the former thereof be solid, dry, and of the nature of _resounding_ bodies. by this _hypothesis_, two of the most eminent _phænomena's of the voice_ are discovered; why the _voice_ should then at length become firm and ripe, when the bones have attained unto their full strength, and due hardness, which cometh to pass much about the years of ripe age, when the vital heat, doth in a greater degree exert itself: the other phænomenon is _hoarsness_ or an utter loss of the _voice_, which is, when the _cartilages_, or _gristles of the throat_, especially the _epiglott_, or coverlid of the _wind-pipe_, is lined or besmeared all over with a slimy viscosity, whereby they lose their _elasticity_, or springiness. now these symptoms of the _voice_ are also common to other _wind-instruments_, when they become too much moistned by any vapourous wetting air. the same reason also is to be assigned why the _voice_ doth at last quite cease in those who have made too long harrangues, in speaking, and whose jaws are quite dried with an immoderate heat; for in both these cases the top of the _wind-pipe_ is covered over with a clammy _tenacious phlegm_. there remains yet two other symptoms of the _voice_, which i have undertaken to explicate, viz. why the _voice_ sometimes leaps from one _eighth_ to another; and, as it is rightly said by the vulgar expression, that it is broken: and why, when we strive to make our _voice_ either too sharp, or too flat, it at last plainly faileth us. as to the first, let us consider when and how it cometh to pass; and first, it's what principally happeneth to _orators_, when they endeavour to lift up their _voice_ too high, or strongly; but how this cometh to be, _organ-pipes_, and the _monochorde_, do teach us, _viz._ when some impediment interposing, doth divide the _ordinary sound_ into two; if therefore those parts are equal, either of them is by one _eighth_ more sharp than the former sound, neither are they distinguished from one another; but if they prove to be unequally divided, then two _distinct sounds_ are made at the same time, whereof one is flatter than the ether, and this is commonly called a _broken voice_: but why our _voice_ should fail us, when we endeavour to make it more sharp, or more flat than it ought to be, the reason is, because we strive either so to contract the _cleft_ of the _wind-pipe_, and to press the _spout-like cartilage_, by help of the _bone of tongue_, towards the _epiglott_, that the going forth of the _voice_, and of the _breath_, may be precluded, or else, on the contrary, because that the said _cleft_, through the drawing down of the _cartilages_, is so much widened, that the departing out of the _breath_, finds no hinderance. but here i had almost forgot to compare the _more dry_, the _more moist_, the _more solid_, and the _more thin_ constitution of the _larynx_, or _wind-pipe_, which also make very much to the rendering the _voice_, to be either sharp, or flat. that same humming noise, which _many flying insects_ make, not so much by the wings, (for when they are cut off, the humming still remains) as by a most swift and brisk motion of certain muscles, hid in the cavity of their breasts, seems to have somewhat of an affinity to the _voice_; wherefore i desire the learned to examine, whether those small _muscles, which are proper to the cartilages of the wind-pipe_, cannot perform somewhat like to that. many more particulars concerning the _voice_ might yet further be inquired into, such as, how it is, that every one may be known by his _voice_? how that _sound_, which in singing is called _quavering_, or _trilling_, by a peculiarity, is excited, &c, but seeing that these things do not properly respect the nature of the _voice_, i, for brevities sake, do omit them. chap. ii. _expounding the nature of the_ letters, _and the manner how they are formed_. hitherto we have treated concerning the _voice_ and _breath_, and of the manner of the formation of both of them, in general; now let us see how the said _voice_ and _breath_ are, as a fit matter for them, framed into such or such _letters_; for the _voice_ and _breath_ are alone the material part of _letters_, but the form of them is to be sought out from the various configurations of those hollow channels, thorough which they pass; _letters_ therefore, not as they be certain characters, but as they are pronounced or spoken, are the _voice_ and _breath_, diversly figured by the instruments ordained for the speech. but here we must be pre-admonished concerning the _letters_; that there is a great latitude almost amongst them all, and that one and the same character is not pronounced by one and the same configuration of the mouth, yea, in one and the same language; thus [_a_] and [_e_] sometimes are sounded open, and sometimes close; also [_o_] hath its own latitude, so as many other letters also may have; yea, as many as are the divers modes, by which the _voice_ and _breath_ can be figured, by the organs of speech; but the most easie, only, and the most conspicuous are received by all nations, whose number never almost exceedeth twenty four, and have certain characters annexed to them: but seeing that these characters are not every where pronounced alike, yea, one and the same letter sometimes is variously sounded by one and the same people, therefore i have made choice of the _german letters_, which are of my mother-tongue, and the most _simple_ of all letters, to be examined in this place: in as much as they are for the most part sounded every where alike, their _vowels_ are very _simple_, and agreeable to the nature of the thing, the _diphthongs_ compounded of them, do retain the nature of their compounding _vowels_, because they are always heard pronounced in them, otherwise, than as it is in most other languages, which they stile living ones; for sometimes they make their _diphthongs_ out of the most _simple vowels_, as are [_au_] [_ou_] [_ai_] amongst the _french_, and [_oe_] and [_eu_] amongst the _dutch_, or else they have such improper _diphthongs_, that scarce either of their compounding _vowels_ can be heard, such are [_oi_] of the _french_, and [_uy_] of the _dutch_, not to mention more examples, or else they are variously sounded according to their various placings, so as if i were to teach some deaf _french-man_, i would from the beginning teach him, not the _french_, but the _german letters_, or else he would be plainly confounded. nor is the state of the _consonants_ in better case for the pronunciation of some of them, is so very different, that there are scarce two nations, which pronounce the character [_g_] after the same manner. but in the _german_ alphabet, that which most disliketh me, is, their order; which, in good truth, is none; because scarce two letters of the same rank do follow mutually after one another, which would render the information of deaf persons to be so much the more difficult; wherefore i have reduced them into this following order, which seemed to me to be the most natural. _a. e. i. j. y. o. u. ä. ö. ü. m. n. ng. l. r. h. g. ch. s. f. v. k. c. q. d. t. b. p. x. z._ to those who observe well, it will from this order alone, appear, that i have divided this whole alphabet into _vowels_, _semi-vowels_, and _consonants_. the _vowels_ are a _voice_ or _sound_ modified by a various opening of the mouth only, and are either _simple_, or uniform, as _a. e. i. j. y. o. u. w._ or else they are mixt, which out of two, do so melt down into one, as that they are pronounced together, and are different from _diphthongs_, in as much as their _vowels_ are successively pronounced: now these mixt _vowels_, are ä. ö. ü. which some nations either have not at all, or else do write them evilly; but of the manner of formation, more shall be said hereafter. the _semi-vowels_ are a middle sort between the _genuine voice_, and a _simple breath_, and may at pleasure be brought forth in the manner as _vowels_ are; and they are either of the _nose_, or _nasall_ such are _m. n. ng._ or else they be of the _mouth_, or _orall_, as _l. r._ _consonants_ are a _simple breath_, not sonorous, yet variously modified, and are of three kinds: for they are either pronounced successively, and may be produced at pleasure, as _g. ch. s. f. v._ or are suddainly _shot forth_; which upon that score i call them _explosive_, as _k. c. q. t. d. b. p._ or else being _compounded_ out of two foregoing ones, their number is diverse in divers nations; the _germans_ have two; _viz._ _x._ and _z._ to this division, in which i have had respect chiefly to the nature, and manner of pronouncing the _letters_, may not impertinently be added, that those _letters_ are formed mostly in three _regions of the mouth_, _viz._ in the bottom, or _throat_; in the middle, or in the _palate_ and _teeth_; and lastly, in the utmost part thereof, or in the _lips_: hence it is, from every one of their classes almost, are three sorts; one _guttural_, another _dental_, and a third _labial_; but of these, more hereafter. i will here prevent the _readers_ who may object to me in the following chapter, that this my doctrin will be always lame, because all deaf persons, whom we would teach by the tongue, lips, _&c._ will never by their sight attain unto these motions: but, besides that the sight doth not give place to the hearing, as to a quick sensibility, i affirm, that there is no need thereof, if once they have made but any progress; for even we our selves do very often not hear in pronunciation those letters which i call _consonants_, but we collect them from the _vowels_ and _semi-vowels_, commixed together with them: no man, for example, shall so pronounce _b. g._ or _d._ as that he may be heard at a hundred paces distant. and this seems to me to be the principal reason why we can most rarely pronounce or repeat at the first blush, any word spoken in a foreign language. but before i shall unfold the nature, and manner of forming the _letters_ in special, i judged that it was not here to be omitted, how that as all the _letters_, yea also, and the _vowels_ them-selves, cannot by any means be pronounced, as they are a _simple breath_, and not sonorous; for when we, for example, do whisper somewhat to one in his ear, so the _consonants_ also, excepting those which i call _explosive_, may be pronounced vocally, or with the _voice_ conjoyned; and there are nations which pronounce thus, as the _french_ do their _z._ and their _v._ i shall now treat of the _letters_ especially, and will examine them so, as both the absolute simplicity of the _german letters_ may be manifested; and other nations, from their mode of formation, may learn, how they ought to pronounce them; upon this account also, i shall add how improperly some nations do render the same letters in their own language. now in this explication i shall observe the same order as i did in the division of them, where readily it will appear, that _voice_ and _breath_ are according to a triple region of the mouth, triply figured or formed spontaneously. therefore the simple and uniform _vowels_ are, _a._ _e._ _i._ _j._ _y._ _o._ _u._ _w._ and are formed after the following manner. _a._ is a _gutteral vowel_, and the most simple of all; the key of the _alphabet_, and therefore is by all nations set first of all, excepting only (as far as i know) the _abyssines_, by whom, as ludolf testifieth, it is placed as the thirteenth _letter_. true indeed it may be pronounced by various placings of the _tongue_, yet the common, and most convenient is, that the _tongue_ should be in its posture of rest; and then being gently stretched forth in the _mouth_, it may only lightly, or not at all touch upon the utmost border of the lower _teeth_; if therefore the lower _jaw_ be drawn downwards, and thereby the _mouth_ be opened, that the _voice_ formed in the _throat_, strikes not neither against the _teeth_, nor against the _lips_, than a plain open [_a_] is heard, _e. i. j. y._ are _dental vowels_, or the _voice_, which in coming forth, smites more or less against the _teeth_; hence it is that infants, although they can say _pappa, bo, &c._ yet can they not pronounce these letters until they have teeth, especially _the cutters_, or _fore-teeth_; and indeed [_e_] is formed, when the _voice_, (the _lips_ being gently opened), strikes against the _teeth_ also moderately opened; now the posture of the _tongue_ is such, that it somewhat presses on each side upon the _dog-teeth_ of the inferior _jaw_, for so the passage of the _voice_ is made narrower, and the [_e_] much more clear. _i. j._ and _y._ are the same _vowel_, pronounced one while more short, and another more long, nor doth it stand upon any foundation, [_i_] sometimes doth become a _consonant_, but then is pronounced only more swiftly, so as together with the following _vowel_, it can make a _diphthong_; but [_i_] is formed after the same manner almost, as [_e_] except that the _teeth_ are for the most part, more stricken, and the _tongue_ put close to the _teeth_, the passage of the _voice_ is rendred more strait, whence a more smart sound also breaks forth, which notwithstanding, can sometimes be hardly distinguished from [_e_] [_y_,] also is [_i_] pronounced longer then usually, or [_i_] doubled. _o. u. w._ are _labial vowels_, that is, such as are formed by a different positure of the _lips_; also [_o._] and [_u._] are different from one another, just as much as [_e._] and [_i_]: but [_w._] is to [_u._] just as _j._ is to [_i._] for indeed _a. u. w._ are formed, when the _teeth_ and _tongue_ keep the same posture; but the _lips_ are more or less contracted, even as the _teeth_ are in [_e._] and [_i._] and so when they are less stricken, [_o._] is produced, but when a little more [_u._] or [_w._]; but we ought carefully to beware, whilst [_o._] or [_u._] are pronounced, least the _teeth_ should be seen; for else a certain kind of a soft _e._ will be mingled; and instead of _ö._ or _ü._ there will be produced _o._ or _u._ these letters belong to the _french_, _au_ and _ou_, when nevertheless they are nothing else but _diphthongs_, also _oe._ of the _dutch_ is our _u._ but very improperly. mixt _vowels_ are _ä. ö. ü._ these characters are peculiar to our language, and were invented very ingeniously by our ancients, though our moderns mostly know not the reason thereof. each hath its simple character, because the sound which they signifie, is only one, tho' mixt; for _a._ _o._ and _u._ are so pronounced, that the passage of the _voice_, the _tongue_ and _teeth_ being conjoyned for to pronounce, _e._ becomes straiter, and so _e._ together with the said letters, _a._ _o._ _u._ doth constitute but one only, yet a _mixt vowel_. the _french_ utter them by _ai._ _eu._ and _u._ and in good truth, badly enough, as any one may see. the _dutch_ want _[ä]._ _[ö]._ and express them by _eu._ but _[ü]._ by _u._ in no better a way than the _french_. concerning the _diphthongs_ composed out of these _vowels_, and which may be thence compounded, i judge it needless to say much; for they are nothing else in our language than a more then usual swift pronunciation of the component _vowels_, yet successive; and thus they differ from the _mixt vowels_, but how improper and absurd _diphthongs_ some nations have, any one may easily gather from what hath been already said. the other sort of letters are _semi-vowels_, which are therefore so called, because that they be formed indeed out of a _sounding breath_ or _voice_, but such as in its progress is much broken. they are, as i said, either _nasalls_, or such as are pronounced through that open passage, by which the _nose_ opens into the hollow of the _mouth_: now the _voice_ is forced to go that way, either when it flows to the _lips_ shut close, and rebounding from thence, is formed into [_m_;] or when the _tip of the tongue_ is so applied to the roof of the mouth, and to the upper _teeth_, the _voice_ is made to rebound through the _nostrils_, and so [_n_] becomes formed; or lastly, when together with the hinder part of the _tongue_, the _voice_ being applied to the _roof_, is so straitned that there is no egress left open for it, but through the _nose_, and so [_n_] is formed; which is a sound, which hath no peculiar character in any language, as i know of, yet it differs no less from the rest of the _nasals_, (_k_) is divers from (_t_) or (_p_,) if any one desires to try this by himself, let him endeavour to pronounce; having his _nose_ held close with his fingers, one of these three letters, and he will not be able to do it. or else these _semivowels_ are _orall_, which are indeed such as are pronounced thro' the _mouth_, but not so freely as are the _genuin vowels_, and they be two, (_l_) and (_r;_) (_l_) is formed when the _tongue_ is so applied to the _roof_, and the upper _teeth_, that the _voice_ cannot, but by a small thred, as it were, get forth by the sides of the _tongue_; for if you compress the _cheeks_ to the _grinders_, you stop up the passage of the _voice_, and it will be very difficult for you to pronounce this _letter_, (_r_,) is a _voice_ fluctuating with great swiftness, and is formed, when the more movable part of the _tongue_ does in the twinkling of an eye, oftentimes strike upon the _roof of the mouth_, and as often is drawn back again from it; for thus the _voice_ formed in the _throat_, in its pronouncing, flows and ebbs back again, and is uttered, as it were by _leaps_. hence it is, that they, whose _tongues_ be too heavy and moist, and less voluble, will never pronounce this letter, whether they can hear, or are deaf. now there still remains the _consonants_, or the letters, which are formed out of an unsounding or mute _breath_; yet, out of which, some of the _semi-vowels_ may be made, as _g. ch. s. f. v._ as the _voice_ is the common matter of the _consonants_, the sharper part of which is (_h_) which is the most simple of them all, and out of which diversly figurated, the rest of them are framed: and they are either the _sibilants_, which are formed out of _breath_, which is somewhat compressed or straitned, that the passing _breath_ breaks forth with a certain kind of _hissing_, and with violence. here _i_ judge that we are not to pass over in silence, how that there are some parts in _germany_, where there is so much of affinity of (_g_) with (_k_,) as (_b_) has with (_p_) and (_d_) with (_t_,) or where (_g_) is pronounced like (_k_) but softer, so also the _french_ do pronounce their (_g_) before _a. o. u._ and _ou._ (_s_) is formed, when the _teeth_ and _tongue_ are so clapt together, that the _breath_ cannot come forth, but by the _spaces of the teeth_: but (_f_) or (_v_) (which differs not from (_f_) in our language) is formed, when the _neather lip_ is so moved to the _teeth_ above, that the _breath_ must break out thro' the said _spaces of the teeth_; _ph._ is (_f_) being a stranger in the _german_ tongue, and differs from it only in the _character_. the other kind of _consonants_ are explosive; which, _viz._ are discharged at one push, and as it were, in the twinkling of an eye and are nothing else but _breath_, which being got close together, either in the fore, middle, or hinder region of the mouth, is discharged on a suddain; and (_k_) is indeed formed in the hinder region, when the hinder part of the _tongue_ is moved to the _roof_, that the _breath_ cannot break forth, neither by the _mouth_, nor by the _nose_, but is suddenly let loose again: for thus the imprisoned _breath_ breaks out, and by breaking out, maketh _k. c._ or _q._ which in _germany_ are all the same letter; in the middle region are _d._ and t. formed, when, _viz._ the _breath_, by help of the tongues being moved to the _teeth_, or _roof_, and suddainly drawn back again, being more or less compressed, rusheth out by its own springiness, and so _d._ or _t._ is made, which only differs, as _b._ and _p._ according to the more or less; in the outermost region of the _mouth_ are formed, (_b_) and (_p_) when, _viz._ the _breath_ being compressed in the whole _cavity of the mouth_, they get out through the _lips_ opened. lastly; here follows those _consonants_, which are compounded of _hissing and explosion_, such are (_x_) or _ks._ and (_z_) or _ts._ which only are the alone anomalous or irregular ones of the _german_ language; for if i may speak what i think; we might well enough want these _characters_; yet i disapprove not of the use of them, but only shew what might be more convenient, _viz._ that _voice_ or _breath_ which is simple, might be expressed also by a simple _character_, and on the contrary, that a _character_, which is simple and only one, would signifie but one only _voice_ or _breath:_ but if the commodious use of _short-hand_ may be objected, i would perswade to express all possible combinations, of _vowels_, with _semi-vowels_, and _consonants_, by simple _characters_. this is what i determined to say concerning the letters, and their formation; and seeing i am not willing to write a _grammar_, what might yet further be said of them, i pass by; but what i have performed, i leave it to others to judge thereof, not so much to teach them, as by what is here presented to excite them, being desirous, as it becomes a young man, to learn of them: i hope they will pardon my errors, because of my youth. yet certain i am, had the ancient _hebrews_, _greeks_ and _romans_, thus describ'd their letters, there would have been no contention about the manner of pronounciation. chap. iii. _teacheth the method its self, by which such as are deaf, and consequently dumb, may learn to speak._ what hath been hitherto said may enough suffice to observant _readers_, inasmuch as the fundamentals of the whole artifice, are therein contained; but least the curious should complain, that i have only made their mouth water, i shall ingeniously discover to them what in four years time, wherein i have endeavoured to instruct some deaf persons, i have observed what is worthy, and most necessary to be known. now what i have effected by this my method, especially to the daughter of mr. _kolard_, a merchant of _harlem_, i can appeal to a great part of _holland_, and universally almost to the whole city of _harlem_, and to innumerable other witnesses, of all ranks and conditions. the first thing which i require in the person i am to teach, is, that he be of a docible wit, and not too young of age; than that the _organs of speech_ be rightly constituted in him; for stupid persons are capable of no teaching, whose age is yet too tender; nor do they mind enough, nor know how teaching will be for their use and benefit; but those whose _organs of speech_ are altogether unfit, they may learn indeed to understand others when they speak, and discover their own mind by writing; but they will never learn to speak. having therefore a fit subject, my first care is to make him to sound forth a _voice_, without which, almost all labour is lost, but that one point, whereby deaf persons do discern a _voice_ from a _mute breath_, is a great mystery of art; and if i may have leave to say so, it is the _hearing of deaf persons_, or at least equivolent thereunto, _viz._ that trembling motion and titillation, which they perceive in their own _throat_, whilst they of their own accord do give forth a _voice_; that therefore the deaf may know, that i open my mouth _to emitt a voice_; not simply to yawn, or to draw forth a _mute breath_, i put their hand to my _throat_ that they may be made sensible of that tremulous motion, when i utter my _voice;_ then i put the same hand of theirs to their own _throat_, and command them to imitate me; nor am i discouraged, if at the beginning their _voice_ is harsh and difficult; for in time it becomes more and more polite. if i gain their _voice_, which for the most part i do at the first time, i soon learn them to pronounce _vowels_, _viz._ i bid them so to moderate the _opening of their mouth_, whilst they do form a _voice_ in their _throat_, as i have said above, concerning the formation of the _vowels_; but that they may do that the more easily, i hold a _looking-glass_ to them, because they cannot from sight alone imitate those diverse motions of the _jaws_, of the _tongue_, and of the _lips_, unless they had oftentimes tried it before a looking-glass. thence i learned, that that common belief, (that so soon as hearing is restored to deaf persons, they will speak) to be false, for it seems not to me, that there is so great a consent betwixt the organs of _voice_, and of hearing, that at the first blush they can imitate a _voice_ that is heard; but by often imitating a _voice_ or _breath_ received from another, and also by hearing their own at the same time, we find at length a likeness between both, and after this manner we all learn to speak; for he who learns to speak, it is all one, as if he did learn some other art; for by a long accustoming, the organs are rendered apt and pliable: hence it is, that sometimes we come not to pronounce aright foreign letters but after a long time. now, it would be well observed or considered, that i presently prescribe all the letters to deaf persons, or else they could not fix in their minds their _idea's_ of them, and i seldom teach more than two or three letters in one day, least the _idea's_ be confounded; but i bid them very often to repeat them, and to write them down as they are pronounced by me. but if by chance, as it sometimes happeneth, that they should pronounce one letter for another; i blame them not, but rather commend them, and grant with a nodd that they have satisfied me, and forthwith i write down the character of that letter upon paper, that they may knit together the _idea_ thereof with its figure. in the interim, whilst they learn the _vowels_, i very often put their hand to my _throat_, that they may be accustomed to give forth a sound. when the _vowels_ are become familiar to them, i go next to the _semi-vowels_, which sometimes are more difficult, especially the _nasals_; for deaf persons, unless they be taught, never give forth the _voice_ by the _nose_, thereupon i begin with [_m._] as that which is most plain, and easier learnt than the rest, so that they thereby may be accustomed to give a sound at least thro' the _nose_; therefore i bid them shut together their _lips_, and putting their hand to their _throat_, to give forth a _voice_, and by that means they necessarily pronounce [_m._] and not [_em._] as it's vulgarly pronounced. the daughter of mr. _kolard_, before she was committed to my care, could indeed say _pappa_; for indeed it is a little word, which is almost born with us; but her father did confess, that he had more than times tried in vain to make her say _mamma_, which yet i i brought her to in a small time. and now, _reader_, i commit to thee another secret, _viz._ that if a deaf person be committed to thee to teach, beware that you do not teach him to pronounce together _semi-vowels_ and _consonants_, together with their annexed _vowels_; as for example, _em. en. ka. ef. te, &c._ for thus they would learn neither to read, nor rightly to pronounce any word. the power and force of _semi-vowels_ and _consonants_ consists not in the adjoyned _vowels_, but in a peculiar _voice_ or _breath_; and when you would have a deaf person to say _tafel_ or _swartz_, you shall hear from him nothing else but _te. a. ef. e. el._ or _es. we. a. er. te. zet._ which is very uncouth, nor can you easily mend it: but by this method, so soon as ever they know their letters, they begin to read; for _to read is only to pronounce the letters successively_. here note well, that in the schools this very thing would be of great use, chiefly when they are taught languages, whose letters are expressed by whole words, as _alpha, omega, gimel, double u, zet, &c._ for more time is lost, and the desire of learning taken away from children, before they are able to abstract the letters of these sounds, and to connect them together in _reading_; so that it is very much to be wonder'd at, that this most eminent short way of reading hath hitherto lain hid in the dark. the other _nasalls_ [_u_] and [_ng_] have nothing peculiar, unless it be that i shew the deaf the posture of the _tongue_ in a looking-glass, and put their hand to my _nose_, whereby they may be sensible, that there comes forth thorough the _nostrils_ a _sounding breath_. when i teach them [_l._] i bid them to apply the _tongue_ to the _upper teeth_; but to the _cutters_, and to the _dog-teeth_ only, that then they may emit a _voice_ thro' the mouth i make a sign with my hand; but least, instead of [_l._] they should pronounce [_n._] which comes to pass when the _tongue_ doth so hinder the coming forth of the _voice_, that it returns to get out by the _nostrils_; therefore, till they are better accustomed, i gently compress the _nostrils_ with my fingers. the letter [_r_] is the most difficult of all the rest, yet amongst six deaf persons, which i have hitherto instructed, four of them pronounce it with the greatest easiness; the other two cannot form it, but in their jaws; but i teach them, by moving the hand one while to the _throat_, and another while to the _mouth_, whereby they may, as it were, feel the subsulting and interrupted expulsion of the _voice_; also i bid them to look often in the glass, to observe the tremulous and fluctuating motion of the _tongue_; but no one can expect at the first trial, the genuin pronounciation of this letter. when the _vowels_ and _semi-vowels_ are well inculcated into them, _the consonants_ are learnt without any trouble almost, for they are a _simple and mute breath_, coming forth, either successively, or suddenly, according to the various _openings of the mouth_, and only with putting the hand to the mouth almost, they may all easily be learned. [_h_] is the most simple of all, nor is it any thing else but air, which is breathed out thicker, and more swiftly. [_g_] or _ch._ is sharper than [_h_] which i teach thus, when i shew to my deaf patients the posture of the _tongue_ in a looking-glass, and give them to feel the expiring _breath_; it is so in like manner with [_s_] and [_f_] insomuch, as nothing is more easie than they, and which may most easily be learned by the fore-going description. i can teach a deaf man, (though he were blind) the _explosive consonants_; for if i cause him to feel the _breath_ discharged upon him, he would necessarily pronounce one of the three; for i bid him to look simply on my _mouth_ and _tongue_, and then having put his hand to my _mouth_, i pronounce either [_k._] or [_b._] [_p._] or [_d._] [_t._] and command him to do the like. (_x._) and (_z._) are pronounced no otherwise than is (_ks._) or (_gs._) (when (_g_) is an _explosive consonant_) and (_ts._) wherefore i shall add nothing concerning them. deaf persons are to be diligently accustomed to pronounce these _semi-vowels_, _n. ng. l. r._ also the following _consonants_; _h. g. k. t._ with some kind of opening the _mouth_, else they may joyn them sometimes with certain _vowels_, not without a notable yawning, & a discordant noise. now in general, winter-time is fitter almost for to instruct the deaf, because then they see the _breath_ coming forth from the _mouth_, whilst pronounciation is in doing. when therefore i taught any deaf person to pronounce the letters hitherto enumerated, and that one by one, i taught him so to utter two or three of the easiest, that there should be interstice between them; as for example, _ab. am. da. fa. ef. &c._ so that they might be accustomed to pronounce the letters successively; then by degrees i use them to the more difficult combinations, mutually mixing _vowels_, _semi-vowels_ and _consonants_, and thus with little trouble they learn to read; but if when they have read any thing, i bid them look upon my _mouth_, and to repeat the same after it hath been pronounced by me; for thus they become by degrees to be accustomed to imitate the humane _voice_, only by looking on; but i am unwilling to tire them out with this labour, troublesome enough, until they have profited much, because they may be frighted with it. in the mean time we must endeavour diligently; that when one _consonant_ follows another _consonant_, as _ps. kt. ks. sch. &c._ or a _semi-vowel_, as _ls. lk. md. &c._ that they do immediately joyn them in pronounciation, least some (_i_) or (_e_) be heard between them, which unless it be cautiously avoided, often happens. when they can read, and in a manner understand others when they speak, i treat them like new-born babes; first, i teach them _nouns_, which are obvious, as well _substantives_ as _adjectives_, so also the most necessary _verbs_ and _adverbs_, than _declinations_ and _conjugations_; but here that five-fold turning orb was of most excellent use to me, it being a rich treasury of the whole _german_ tongue, which i found in the mathematical delights of _swenter_, i augmented it, and applied it also to the _dutch_ idiome; out of it may they quickly, and with pleasure learn all possible _combinations_ of _vowels_, _semi-vowels_, and _consonants_, also all terminations of _german_ words, and that as well derivatives as compounds. the first orb contains _prepositions_ and small _mono-syllables_, with which _nouns_ and _verbs_ are compounded; the second, the _initial letters_; the third, _vowels_ and _diphthongs_; the fourth, the _final letters_; lastly, all the _german terminations_. but there seems to be a great difficulty, that some letters, as _e._ and _i. a._ and _u._ are uttered by the same opening of the mouth, and consequently they must needs be confounded; but in good truth, it's of small moment, because for the most part the difference is not heeded, and the letters, which according to their nature, are by far, more different, are written almost after the same manner, chiefly when they are pronounced hastily, as _m._ and _n. r._ and _n. a._ and _o. &c._ which yet puts no stop to an exercised _reader_. others object, that the _deaf_ thus taught, will, it may be, understand no body but my self: indeed, this difficulty teems to have something of weight in it; but we must know, that menst men pronounce most letters badly alike, and write their characters negligently; but with such a one who learns to speak, it is all one as it is with him, who is taught to read other men's writings: for first, he can scarce read any thing but what is written by his master, and then the writings of his school-fellows; and lastly, there is nothing which he cannot read, tho' very badly written, it is therefore not to be wondred at, if those i teach to speak, do at the beginning more easily understand me, than others; (for i pronounce the letters in their full _extension_) and not _lamely_ (as many are wont to do) and after that they come to understand their domesticks and familiars, and at last, any body. here in the end i add, that most of the letters may be formed, as well by inspiring as by expiring, which thing i have very much wondred at in some persons, who _speak out of the belly_: and once at _amsterdam_ i heard an old woman speaking both ways, and made answers to her self, as to questions, so as i would have sworn that she talked with her husband two or three paces distant from her; for the _voice_ being swallowed up in her in breathing, would seem to come from far. behold, _reader_, a small tract of three days; if thou wilt offer any thing more, right and true, i will receive it with thank: there are yet some other things, _viz._ how a deaf person may be made, so as to be able to discern from one the other, some letters pronounced by another, as _m._ from _b. n._ from _d. ng._ from _k. &c._ or how the quantity of syllables is to be govern'd. but these, and the like, can scarce be learnt, but by teaching. _a word is enough to the wise._ the conclusion. the _author_ is thinking to turn this small treatise into the _dutch_, and very speedily, god willing, to publish it for the good of the nation, and will so adapt it to the idiom thereof, as to make it to be accounted proper. nothing being more in the _authors_ care than that by this his slender endeavour, he shall stir up some one to perform the like, or at least to attempt it: now if there occurs to any body, any thing, either too hard, or not sufficiently explained, he may expect a more full edition, or else let him repair to the _author_, who according to the light granted unto him, will refuse nothing to any man. _the end_. books printed for _tho. howkins_, in _george yard, lumbard-street_. humane prudence; or the compleat states-man. address'd to the right honourable the _earl of nottingham. ct._ price bd. _s._ _Ã�sops_ fables, in english; adorned with many curious sculptures cut on _copper plates_, in _oct_. price bound, _ s. d._ the narrow path of divine truth, describ'd from living practice, _&c._ by _f.m. vanbelmont_, s. price bd. _s._ _d._ _holwell's_ trigonometry, in _oct_. price bound _s._ a rational way of teaching, whereby children and others may be instructed in true reading, pronouncing and writing of the _english_ tongue, in an easier and speedier method, than any hitherto published, by _j. osborn_, sch. mast. _oct._ price bound _s._ _mandys_ marrow of measuring, in _oct._ price bound _s._ dr. _everard_'s works, in _oct._ price bound _s._ the artless midnight thoughts of a gentleman at court, _&c._ the second edition, by sir _william kiligrew_, in _oct._ price bound, _s._ _salmon's_ practical physick, in _oct_. price bound _s._ the pens most easie and exact improvement, teaching to spell, read and write, _&c._ in _quarto_ price _s._ the experienced instructer, or a legacy left to posterity, _&c. oct._ price _d._ the art of short and swift writing, without any characters, or charge to the memory. in _oct_. price _d._ with paper, and paper-books, blank-bonds, and releases of all sorts, the history of the life and adventures of mr. duncan campbell, a gentleman, who, tho' deaf and dumb, writes down any stranger's name at first sight; with their future contingencies of fortune. now living in _exeter_ court over-against the _savoy_ in the _strand_. _gentem quidem nullam video neque tam humanam atque doctam; nequtam immanem tamque barbaram, quæ non significari futura et a quie busdam intelligi prædicique posse censeat._ cicero de divinatione, lib. x. _london_: printed for e. curll: and sold by w. mears and t. jauncy, without _temple bar_, w. meadows in _cornhill_, a. bettesworth in _pater-noster-row_. w. lewis in _covent garden and_ w. graves in st. _james's_ street. m.dcc.xx. (price _s._) to the ladies and gentlemen of great britain. i am not unacquainted, that, ever since this book was first promised by way of advertisement to the world, it was greedily coveted by a great many persons of airy tempers, for the same reason that it has been condemned by those of a more formal class, who thought it was calculated partly to introduce a great many new and diverting curiosities in the way of superstition, and partly to divulge the secret intrigues and amours of one part of the sex, to give the other part room to make favourite scandal the subject of their discourse; and so to make one half of the fair species very merry, over the blushes and the mortifications of the other half. but when they come to read the following sheets, they will find their expectations disappointed, but i hope i may say too, very agreeably disappointed. they will find a much more elegant entertainment than they expected. instead of making them a bill of fare out of patchwork romances of polluting scandal, the good old gentleman who wrote the adventures of my life, has made it his business to treat them with a great variety of entertaining passages, which always terminate in morals that tend to the edification of all readers, of whatsoever sex, age, or profession. instead of seducing young, innocent, unwary minds into the vicious delight which is too often taken in reading the gay and bewitching chimeras of the cabalists, and in perusing the enticing fables of new-invented tricks of superstition, my ancient friend, the writer, strikes at the very root of these superstitions, and shows them how they may be satisfied in their several curiosities, by having recourse to me, who by the talent of the second-sight, which he so beautifully represents, how nature is so kind frequently to implant in the minds of men born in the same climate with myself, can tell you those things naturally, which when you try to learn yourselves, you either run the hazard of being imposed upon in your pockets by cheats, gipsies, and common fortune-tellers, or else of being imposed upon in a still worse way, in your most lasting welfare, by having recourse to conjurors or enchanters that deal in black arts, and involve all their consulters in one general partnership of their execrable guilt; or, lastly, of imposing worst of all upon your own selves, by getting into an itch of practising and trying the little tricks of female superstition, which are often more officiously handed down by the tradition of credulous nurses and old women, from one generation to another, than the first principles of christian doctrine, which it is their duty to instil early into little children. but i hope when this book comes to be pretty generally read among you ladies, as by your generous and numerous subscriptions i have good reason to expect, that it will afford a perfect remedy and a thorough cure to that distemper, which first took its rise from too great a growth of curiosity, and too large a stock of credulity nursed prejudicially up with you in your more tender and infant years. whatever young maid hereafter has an innocent but longing desire to know who shall be her husband, and what time she shall be married, will, i hope, when she has read the following sheets of a man that can set her right in the knowledge of those points, purely by possessing the gift of the second sight, sooner have recourse innocently to such a man than use unlawful means to acquire it, such as running to conjurors to have his figure shown in their enchanted glasses, or using any of those traditional superstitions, by which they may dream of their husbands, or cause visionary shapes of them to appear on such and such festival nights of the year; all which practices are not ordinarily wicked and impious, but downright diabolical. i hope that the next th of june, which is st. john baptist's day, i shall not see the several pasture fields adjacent to this metropolis, especially that behind montague house, thronged, as they were the last year, with well dressed young ladies crawling busily up and down upon their knees, as if they were a parcel of weeders, when all the business is to hunt superstitiously after a coal under the root of a plantain, to put under their heads that night, that they may dream who should be their husbands. in order to shame them out of this silly but guilty practice, i do intend to have some spies out on that day, that shall discover who they are, and what they have been about; and i here give notice to the public, that this ill-acted comedy, if it be acted at all this year, must begin according to the rule of their superstition, on that day precisely at the hour of twelve. and so much for the pretty weeders. but as you, ladies, have had several magical traditions delivered to you, which, if you put in exercise and practice, will be greatly prejudicial to your honour and your virtue, let me interpose my counsels, which will conduct you innocuously to the same end, which some ladies have laboured to arrive at by these impieties. give me leave first to tell you, that though what you aim at may be arrived to by these means, yet these means make that a miserable fortune which would have been a good one; because, in order to know human things beforehand, you use preternatural mediums, which destroy the goodness of the courses, which nature herself was taking for you, and annexes to them diabolical influences, which commonly carry along with them fatalities in this world as well as the next. you will, therefore, give me your pardon likewise, ladies, if i relate some other of these practices, which bare relation of itself, after what i have said before, seems to me sufficient to explode them. another of the nurse's prescriptions is this: upon a st. agnes's night, the st day of january, take a row of pins and pull out every one, one after another, saying a _pater noster_, or our father, sticking a pin in your sleeve, and you will dream of her you shall marry. ben johnson, in one of his masks, makes some mention of this: and on sweet agnes' night please you with the promis'd sight, some of husbands, some of lovers, which an empty dream discovers. now what can be more infinitely profane than to use the prayer our lord instituted in such a way? there is another prescription, which is as follows: you must lie in another county, and knit the left garter about the right-legged stocking, let the other garter and stocking alone, and as you rehearse these following verses, at every comma, knit a knot:-- this knot i knit, to know the thing i know not yet, that i may see the man that shall my husband be; how he goes, and what he wears, and what he does all days and years. accordingly in your dream you will see him: if a musician, with a lute or other instrument; if a scholar, with a book, &c. now i appeal to you, ladies, what a ridiculous prescription is this? but yet as slight a thing as it is, it may be of great importance if it be brought about, because then it must be construed to be done by preternatural means, and then those words are nothing less than an application to the devil. mr. aubrey, of the royal society, says, a gentlewoman, that he knew, confessed in his hearing that she used this method, and dreamt of her husband whom she had never seen. about two or three years after, as she was one sunday at church, up pops a young oxonian in the pulpit; she cries out presently to her sister, this is the very face of the man i saw in my dream. sir william somes's lady did the like. another way is to charm the moon thus, as the old nurses give out, at the first appearance of the moon, after new-year's-day, some say any other new moon is as good, go out in the evening, and stand over the spars of a gate or stile, looking on the moon (here remark that in yorkshire they kneel on a ground-fast stone) and say, all hail to the moon, all hail to thee, i prithee, good moon, reveal to me this night who my husband shall be. you must presently after go to bed. the aforesaid mr. aubrey knew two gentlewomen that did thus when they were young maids, and they had dreams of those that married them. but a great many of the wittiest part of your sex laugh at these common superstitions; but then they are apt to run into worse: they give themselves up to the reading of the cabalistical systems of sylphs, and gnomes, and mandrakes, which are very wicked and delusive imaginations. i would not have you imagine, ladies, that i impute these things as infirmities and frailties peculiar to your sex. no; men, and great men too, and scholars, and even statesmen, and princes themselves, have been tainted with superstitions, and where they infect the minds of such great personages, they make the deeper impression, according to the stronger and more manly ideas they have of them. their greater degree of strength in the intellect only subjects them to greater weaknesses; such was even the great paracelsus, the wonder and miracle of learning in the age wherein he lived, and such were all his followers, scholars, statesmen, divines, and princes, that are talismanists. these talismans that paracelsus pretends to owe to the excogitation and invention of honest art, seem to me to be of a very diabolical nature, and to owe their rise to being dedicated by the author to the heathen gods. thus the cabalists pretending to a vast penetration into arts and sciences, though all their thoughts are chimeras and extravagancies, unless they be helped by preternatural means, say they have found out the several methods appropriated to the several planets. they have appropriated gold to the sun on the sunday, silver to the moon on the monday, iron to mars on the tuesday, quicksilver to mercury on the wednesday, tin to jupiter on the thursday, copper or brass to venus on the friday, and lead to saturn on the saturday. the methods they take in forming these talismans are too long to dwell upon here. but the properties which they pretend belong to them are, that the first talisman or seal of the sun will make a man beloved by all princes and potentates, and cause him to abound with all the riches his heart can wish. the second preserves travellers from danger, and is favourable to merchants, tradesmen, and workmen. the third carries destruction to any place where it is put: and it is said that a certain great minister of state ordered one of these to be carried into england in the times of the revolution of government caused by oliver cromwell. the fourth they pretend cures fevers and other diseases; and if it be put under the bolster, it makes the proprietor have true dreams, in which he sees all he desires to know. the fifth, according to them, renders a man lucky and fortunate in all his businesses and undertakings. it dissipates melancholy, drives away all importunate cares, and banishes panic fears from the mind. the sixth, by being put into the liquor which any one drinks, reconciles mortal enemies, makes them intimate friends: it gains the love of all women, and renders the proprietor very dexterous in the art of music. the seventh makes women be easily brought to bed without pain; and if a horseman carries it in his left boot, himself and his horse become invulnerable. this, paracelsus and his learned followers say, is owing to the influence of the stars; but i cannot help arguing these acts of diabolical impiety. but as these arts are rarely known among the middling part of mankind, i shall neither open their mysteries, nor inveigh against them any farther. the persons who are most to be avoided are your ordinary fortune-telling women and men about this town, whose houses ought to be avoided as a plague or a pestilence, either because they are cheats and impostors, or because they deal with black arts, none of them that i know having any pretensions to the gift of a second-sight. among many, a few of the most notorious that i can call to mind now, are as follow. the first and chiefest of these mischievous fortune-tellers is a woman that does not live far from the old bailey. and truly the justice hall in that place is the properest place for her to appear at, where, if she was tried for pretending to give charms written upon paper with odd scrawls, which she calls figures, she would be probably convicted, and very justly condemned, and doomed to have her last journey from the old bailey to newgate, and from newgate to tyburn. the other is a fellow that lives in moorfields, in which place those who go to consult him ought to live all their lifetimes, at the famous palaces of the senseless men: he is the successor of the famous dr. trotter, whose widow he married; and from being a tailor and patching men's garments, he now cuts flourishes with his shears upon parchment, considers the heavens as a garment, and from the spangles thereupon he calculates nativities, and sets up for a very profound astrologer. the third is an ignorant fellow that caws out strange predictions in crow-alley, of whose croaking noise i shall here take no notice, he having been sufficiently mauled in the most ingenious spectators. these and such counterfeits as these, i would desire all gentlemen and ladies to avoid. the only two really learned men that i ever knew in the art of astrology, were my good friends dr. williams and mr. gadbury; and i thought it necessary to pay this esteem to their names, let the world judge of them what it will. i will here say no more, nor hinder you any longer, gentlemen and ladies, from the diversion which my good old friend, who is now departed this life, has prepared for you in his book, which a young gentleman of my acquaintance revised, and only subscribe myself, yours, &c., duncan campbell. the history of the life and surprising adventures of mr. duncan campbell. the introduction. of all the writings delivered in an historical manner to the world, none certainly were ever held in greater esteem than those which give us the lives of distinguished private men at full length; and, as i may say, to the life. such curious fragments of biography are the rarities which great men seek after with eager industry, and when found, prize them as the chief jewels and ornaments that enrich their libraries, and deservedly; for they are the beauties of the greatest men's lives handed down by way of example or instruction to posterity, and commonly handed down likewise by the greatest men. since, therefore, persons distinguished for merit in one kind or other are the constant subjects of such discourses, and the most elegant writers of each age have been usually the only authors who choose upon such subjects to employ their pens, and since persons of the highest rank and dignity, and genii of the most refined and delicate relish, are frequently curious enough to be the readers of them, and to esteem them the most valuable pieces in a whole collection of learned works; it is a wonder to me that when any man's life has something in it peculiarly great and remarkable in its kind, it should not move some more skilful writer than myself to give the public a taste of it, because it must be at least vastly entertaining, if it be not, which is next to impossible, immensely instructive and profitable withal. if ever the life of any man under the sun was remarkable, this mr. duncan campbell's, which i am going to treat upon, is so to a very eminent degree. it affords such variety of incidents, and is accompanied with such diversity of circumstances, that it includes within it what must yield entire satisfaction to the most learned, and admiration to persons of a moderate understanding. the prince and the peasant will have their several ends of worthy delight in reading it; and mr. campbell's life is of that extent, that it concerns and collects, as i may say, within itself, every station of life in the universe. besides, there is a demand in almost every page that relates any new act of his, for the finest and closest disquisitions that learning can make upon human nature, to account how those acts could be done by him. for he daily practised, and still practises, those things naturally, which puts art to the rack to find out how nature can so operate in him; and his fleshly body, by these operations, is a living practical system, or body of new philosophy, which exceeds even all those that have hitherto been compounded by the labour and art of many ages. if one that had speculated deep into abstruse matters, and made it his study not only to know how to assign natural reasons for some strange new acts that looked like miracles by being peculiar to the individual genius of some particular admired man, but carrying his inquiry to a much greater height, had speculated likewise what might possibly be achieved by human genius in the full perfection of nature, and had laid it down as a thesis by strong arguments, that such things might be compassed by a human genius, if in its true degree of perfection, as are the hourly operations of the person's life i am writing, he would have been counted a wild romantic enthusiast, instead of a natural philosopher. some of the wisest would be infidels to so new and so refined a scheme of thinking, and demand experiment, or cry it was all against reason, and would not allow the least tittle to be true without it. yet the man that had found out so great a mystery as to tell us what might be done by human genius, as it is here actually done, would have been a great man within himself; but wanting further experimental proof, could lay no claim to the belief of others, or consequently to their esteem. but how great, then, is the man who makes it constantly his practice actually to do what would not otherwise have been thought to be of such a nature as might ever be acquired by mortal capacity, though in its full complement of all possible perfection? he is not only great within himself, he is great to the world: his experiments force our belief, and the amazing singularity of those experiments provokes both our wonder and esteem. if any learned man should have advanced this proposition, that mere human art could give to the deaf man what should be equal to his hearing, and to the dumb man an equivalent for his want of speech, so that he could converse as freely almost as other hearing or talking persons; that he might, though born deaf, be by art taught how to read, write, and understand any language, as well as students that have their hearing, would not the world, and many even of the learned part of it, say that nothing could be more extravagantly wild, more mad and frantic? the learned dr. wallis, geometry professor of oxford, did first of all lay down this proposition, and was counted by many to have overshot the point of learning, and to have been the author of a whimsical thesis. and i should not have wondered if, after a man's having asserted this might be done, before it was actually done, some blind devout people in those days, had accused him of heresy, and of attributing to men a power of working miracles. the notion of the antipodes was by the most learned men of the age in which st. augustin lived, and by the great st. austin himself, treated in no milder a manner: yet if the ability of teaching the deaf and the dumb a language proved a truth in experience afterwards, ought not those to turn their contempt into admiration, ought not those very people to vote him into the royal society for laying down the proposition, who, before it proved true, in fact, would have been very forward to have sent him to bedlam? the first instance of this accomplishment in a dumb person was proved before king charles ii. by this same dr. wallis, who was a fellow of the royal society, and one of the most ingenious of that society. but, notwithstanding this, should i come afterwards and say, that there is now living a deaf and dumb man, and born so, who could by dint of his own genius teach all others deaf and dumb to read, write, and converse with the talking and hearing part of mankind, some would, i warrant, very religiously conclude, that i was about to introduce some strange new miracle-monger and impostor into the world, with a design of setting up some new sect of anti-christianism, as formidable as that of brachmans. should i proceed still further, and say, that this same person, so deaf and dumb, might be able also to show a presaging power, or kind of prophetical genius, (if i may be allowed to use the expression,) by telling any strange persons he never saw before in his life, their names in writing, and by telling them the past actions of their lives, and predicting to them determined truths of future contingencies, notwithstanding what divines say, that "in futuris contingeatibus non datur determinata veritas," would not they conclude that i was going to usher in a new mahomet? since, therefore, there does exist such a man in london, who actually is deaf and dumb, and was born so, who does write and read, and converse as well as anybody, who teaches others deaf and dumb to write, and read and converse with anybody, who likewise can, by a presaging gift, set down in writing the name of any stranger at first sight, tell him his past actions, and predict his future occurrences in fortune, and since he has practised this talent as a profession with great success for a long series of years upon innumerable persons in every state and vocation in life, from the peeress to the waiting-woman, and from the lady mayoress to the milliner and sempstress, will it not be wonderfully entertaining to give the world a perfect history of this so singular a man's life? and while we are relating the pleasant adventures with such prodigious variety, can anything be more agreeably instructive in a new way than to intersperse the reasons, and account for the manner how nature, having a mind to be remarkable, performs by him acts so mysterious. i have premised this introduction, compounded of the merry and the serious, with the hopes of engaging many curious people of all sorts to be my readers, even from the airy nice peruser of novels and romances, neatly bound and finely gilt, to the grave philosopher, that is daily thumbing over the musty and tattered pieces of more solid antiquity. i have all the wonders to tell that such a merry kind of a prophet has told, to entertain the fancies of the first gay tribe, by which means i may entice them into some solid knowledge and judgment of human nature; and i have several solid disquisitions of learning to make, accounting for the manner of these mysterious operations, never touched upon before in due form and order by the hands of the ancient or modern sages, that i may bribe the judgment of this last grave class, so far as to endure the intermixing entertainment with their severer studies. chapter i. mr. campbell's descent, family, birth, etc. of the goodness and antiquity of the name and family of this gentleman, nobody can ever make any question. he is a campbell, lineally descended from the house of argyll, and bears a distant relation to the present duke of that name in scotland, and who is now constituted a duke of england, by the style and title of duke of greenwich. it happens frequently that the birth of extraordinary persons is so long disputed by different people, each claiming him for their own, that the real place where he first took breath grows at last dubious. and thus it fares with the person who is the subject of the following sheets; as, therefore, it is my proposal to have a strict regard to historical faith, so i am obliged to tell the reader that i can with no certainty give an account of him till after he was three years old; from which age i knew him, even to this day; i will answer for the truths which i impart to the public during that time, and as for his birth and the circumstances of it, and how the first three years of his life passed, i can only deliver them the same account i have received from others, and leave them to their own judgments whether it ought to be deemed real or fabulous. the father of our mr. duncan campbell, as these relate the story, was from his infancy of a very curious, inquisitive nature, and of an enterprising genius, and if he heard of anything surprising to be seen, the difficulty in practice was enough to recommend to him the attempting to get a sight of it at any rate or any hazard. it is certain, that during some civil broils and troubles in scotland, the grandfather of our mr. campbell was driven with his wife and family, by the fate of war, into the isle of shetland, where he lived many years; and during his residence there, mr. archibald campbell, the father of our duncan campbell, was born. shetland lies north-east from orkney, between sixty and sixty-one degrees of latitude. the largest isle of shetland, by the natives called the mainland, is sixty miles in length from south-west to the north-east, and from sixteen, to one mile, in breadth. the people who live in the smaller isles have abundance of eggs and fowl, which contributes to maintain their families during the summer. the ordinary folks are mostly very nimble and active in climbing the rocks in quest of those eggs and fowl. this exercise is far more diverting than hunting and hawking among us, and would certainly for the pleasure of it, be followed by people of greater distinction, was it not attended with very great dangers, sufficient to turn sport into sorrow, and which have often proved fatal to those who too eagerly pursue their game. mr. archibald campbell, however, delighted extremely in this way of fowling, and used to condescend to mix with the common people for company, because none of the youths of his rank and condition were venturesome enough to go along with him. the most remarkable experiment of this sort, is at the isle called the noss of brassah: the noss standing at sixteen fathoms distance from the side of the opposite main: the higher and lower rocks have two stakes fastened in each of them, and to these there are ropes tied; upon the ropes there is an engine hung which they call a cradle, and in this a man makes his way over from the greater to the smaller rocks, where he makes a considerable purchase of eggs and fowl; but his return being by an ascent, makes it the more dangerous, though those on the great rock have a rope tied to the cradle, by which they draw it and the man safe over for the most part. over this rock mr. archibald campbell and five others were in that manner let down by cradles and ropes; but before they could be all drawn back again, it grew dark, and their associates not daring to be benighted, were forced to withdraw, and mr. campbell was the unfortunate person left behind, having wandered too far, and not minded how the day declined, being intent on his game. he passed that night, you may easily guess, without much sleep, and with great anxiety of heart. the night, too, as he lay in the open air, was, to add to his misfortunes, as boisterous and tempestuous as his own mind; but in the end the tempest proved very happy for him. the reader is to understand that the hamburghers, bremeners, and hollanders, carry on a great fish trade there. accordingly, a holland vessel, that was just coming in the sound of brassah, was by this tempest driven into a creek of the rock, which nature had made into a harbour, and they were providentially saved from the bottom of the sea by a rock, from which, humanly speaking, they could expect nothing but destruction, and being sent to the bottom of that sea. as never could a man be taken hold of with so sudden and surprising a disaster, so nobody could meet with a more sudden and surprising relief than mr. campbell found when he saw a ship so near. he made to the vessel, and begged the hollanders to take him in; they asked him what he would give them, or, said the barbarous sailors, we will even leave you where you are; he told them his disaster, but they asked money, and nothing else would move them: as he knew them a self-interested people, he bethought himself, that if he should tell them of the plenty of fowls and eggs they would get there, he might not only be taken in a passenger, but made a partner in the money arising from the stock; it succeeded accordingly: when he proposed it, the whole crew were all at work, and, in four hours, pretty well stored the vessel, and then, returning on board, set sail for holland. they offered mr. campbell to put him in at his own island; but having a mind to see holland, and being a partner, to learn their way of merchandize, which he thought he might turn to his countrymen's advantage, he told them he would go the voyage out with them, and see the country of those who were his deliverers; a necessary way of speech, when one has a design to sooth barbarians, who, but for interest, would have left him unredeemed, and, for aught they knew, a perpetual sole inhabitant of a dreadful rock, encompassed round with precipices, some three hundred fathoms high. not so the islanders, who are wrongly called a savage set of mortals; no, they came in quest of him after so bitter a night, not doubting to find him, but fearing to find him in a lamentable condition; they hunted and ransacked every little hole and corner in the rock, but all in vain. in one place they saw a great slaughter of fowls, enough to serve forty families for a week; and then they guessed, though they had not the ill fortune to meet the eagles frequently noted to hover about those isles, that they might have devoured part of him on some precipice of the rock, and dropped the remnant into the sea. night came upon them, and they were afraid of falling into the same disaster they went to relieve mr. campbell from. they returned each to their proper basket, and were drawn up safe by their respective friends, who were amazed that one basket was drawn up empty which was let down for mr. campbell, and that there was not the least intelligence to be had concerning him, but the suppositious story of his having been devoured by eagles. the story was told at home; and with the lamentation of the whole family, and all his friends, he was looked upon to be murdered or dead. return we now to mr. archibald campbell, still alive, and on board the holland vessel; secure, as he thought within himself that, from the delivery he lately had by the gift of providence, he was not intended to be liable to any more misfortunes and dangers of life, in the compass of so small a voyage. but his lot was placed otherwise in the book of fate, than he too fondly imagined: his time of happiness was dated some pages lower down, and more rubs and difficulties were to be encountered with, before his stars intended to lead him to the port of felicity. just as he arrived within sight of amsterdam, a terrible storm arose, and, in danger of their lives, for many hours, they weathered out the tempest; and a calm promising fair afresh, they made to the coast of zealand; but a new hurricane prevented the ship from coming there also; and after having lost their masts and rigging, they were driven into lapland. there they went ashore in order to careen and repair their ship, and take in provisions; while the ship was repairing by the dutch, our islander made merry with the inhabitants, being the most inclined to their superstitious customs; he there became acquainted with a very beautiful woman, who fell in love with him, and after a very short space of time he married her. about the time when the ship departed, his wife, who was very rich, was big with child of a son, namely, mr. duncan campbell. he wrote a letter by the master of the vessel to his parents in shetland, concerning the various adventures he had met with, which was delivered the june following, about the time of fishing, to his parents, and several persons had copies thereof, and, for aught i know, some retain them to this very day; sure i am that many remember the particulars of this, surprising affair, who are now living in that island. the letter being very remarkable and singular in all its circumstances, i shall present it to the reader word for word, as it was given into my hands, together with some others which he wrote afterwards, in all which i am assured by very credible persons, and undoubted authorities, there are not the least alterations, but what the version of it from the then scotch manner of expression into a more modern english dress, made absolutely necessary. my dearest father, the same odd variety of accident, which put it out of my power to be personally present with you for so long a time, put it likewise out of my power to write to you. at last fortune has so ordered it, that i can send a letter to you before i can come myself, and it is written expressly to tell you the adventures i have met with, which have detained me this tedious space of time from my dear father, and because the same captain of a ship that brings you this, might as easily have brought your son to speak for himself. i shall in the next place lay before you the necessity there is for my stay a little longer among the strange natives of the country where i now inhabit, and where i am, in a manner, become naturalized. you have, no doubt of it, been informed by my companions, some of whom i hope got safe back again, if not all, that i was lost, where many a brave man has perished before me, by going over the high precipices of the mountain brassah, in a basket, sliding down by a rope. i must suppose i have given you the anguish of a father for a son, who you thought had lost his life by such a foolhardy attempt, and i implore your pardon with all the power of filial contrition, penitence, and duty. you have always showed me such singular marks of paternal affection, that i know your receipt of this letter will fill your heart with joy, and cause you to sign me an absolution and free pardon for all the errors i have committed, and think the sufferings i have undergone for my rashness and indiscretion, a sufficient atonement for my crime of making you by my undutifulness, a partner of my sorrows. to free you the more from this uneasiness, i know i need only tell you, that every grief of mine is gone excepting one, which is, that i must still lose the pleasure of seeing you a little longer. there was never surely a more bitter night than that which must by me be for ever remembered, when i was lost in the mountain of brassah, where i must, for aught i know, have lived for ever a wild single inhabitant, but that the storm which made the night so uneasy to me, rendered the first approach of daylight, beyond measure delightful. the first providential glimpse of the morning gave me a view of a ship driven by the tempest into a creek of the rock, that was by nature formed like a harbour; a miraculous security of deliverance, as i thought, both for the ship's crew and myself. i made all the haste i could, you may be sure, to them, and i found them to be dutchmen that were come for fish; but in lieu of fish i instructed them to load it with eggs and fowl, which we compassed very happily in a short space of time, and i was to be a sharer with the captain in the lading, and bargained to go for holland, to see the sale, and nature of the traffic; but when we were at sea, after much bad weather, we made towards zealand, but we were driven upon the coast of finland by a new storm, and thence into lapland, where i now am, and from whence i send you this letter. i could not come into a place so properly named for my reception; as i had been undutiful to you, and fortune seemed to make me an exile, or a banished man, by way of punishment for the vices of my youth; so lapland (which is a word originally derived from the finland word _lappi_, that is, exiles, and from the sweden word _lap_, signifying banished, from which two kingdoms most of our inhabitants were banished hither, for not embracing the christian religion), was certainly the properest country in the world to receive me. when first i entered this country, i thought i was got into quite another world; the men are all of them pigmies to our tall, brawny highlanders; they are, generally speaking, not above three cubits high, insomuch that though the whole country of lapland is immensely large, and i have heard it reckoned by the inhabitants to be above a hundred german leagues in length, and fourscore and ten in breadth, yet i was the tallest man there, and looked upon as a giant. the district in which i live now, is called uma lapmark. you must understand, sir, that when i landed at north cape, in kimi lapmark, another district of lapland, there was at that time a most beautiful lady come to see a sick relation of her father's, who was prefect, or governor of uma lapmark, which is a post of great distinction. this lady, by being frequently in the company of french merchants, who traffic now and then in that province of uma lapmark, understood french, and having heard of a man six foot and a half high, desired to see me, and when i came, she happened mightily to like my person; and she talked french, which when i answered, she made great signs of joy, that she could communicate her sentiments to me, and she told me who she was, how rich, and that not one in the company besides could understand a syllable we said, and so i might speak my mind freely to her; she told me the customs of the country, that it was divided into cantons, like our shires, and those cantons into rekars, or certain grounds allotted to families, that are just like our clans. as she was beyond measure beautiful, she was extremely good humoured, a thing rarely to be met among lapland women, of a better stature than her country women, and very rich, and of good birth: i thought it would be a prodigious turn of fortune, for a man in my circumstances, if i could make any progress in her heart, which she seemed a little to open to me, in such a manner, for the beginning, as if such a successful event, if managed with prudence, might not be despaired off. souls that are generous are apt to love, and compassion is the best introducer of love into a generous bosom, and that was the best stock i had to go upon in my courtship! i told her of all my calamities, my dangers, and my escapes; the goodness of my birth, as being allied to one of the greatest nobles in our island; and still she would ask me to tell it her over again, though every time i told it, just at such and such passages, she was forced to drop the tears from her eyes. in fine, i grew more in love with her, more out of a sense of gratitude now, than by the power of her charms before; the matter in a few days went so far, that she owned to me i had her heart. as to marriage, i did not then know the custom of the nation; i thought that if it proved only dangerous to me, i loved her so well that i intended to marry her, though the law was to pronounce me dead for it; but i did not know whether it might not be perilous for her too, to engage in such a state with me, and i resolved in that case, rather to be singly unhappy, than to involve her in distress, and make her the fair companion of my woes. i would not tell her so, for fear she should out of love hide from me those dangers, and therefore using a kind sort of dissimulation, i conjured her to tell me the laws and customs of marriages in that country to a tittle, and that nothing should hinder us from happiness. she told me exactly, as i find since. our marriage, said she, will be very hard to compass; provided we follow the strict rule of the country. for our women here, are bound not to see the man who makes their addresses to them, in some time. his way of courtship is to come to the parents, and his nearest friends and relations must make her father presents, and supplicate him like a king, to grant him his daughter. the courtship often lasts two or three years, and sometimes has not its effect at last; but if it has, the woman is dragged by her father and brother to church, as unwilling to go to be married, which is looked upon as a greater part of modesty in her, according to the greater disinclination she shows. my father and brother, said she, will both be against it; you have no relations in this country to move your suit, i cannot be so hypocritical as to be dragged unwillingly to him i own i desire for my lawful husband, and therefore, as i have an inclination to you, and i dare own i have, i will not follow those methods which i disapprove. i have talked with several swedes, and several polite frenchmen, about their manner of espousals, and i am told, that when souls are naturally united by affection, the couple so mutually and reciprocally loving, though they had rather have their parents' leave if likely to be got, yet, unwilling to be disappointed, only go to the next minister's and marry for better for worse. this way i approve of, for where two persons naturally love each other, the rest is nothing but a modest restraint to their wishes, and since it is only custom, my own reason teaches me there is no error committed, nor any harm done in breaking through it upon so commendable an occasion. i have, added she, a thousand rein-deer belonging to me, beyond my father's power of taking away, and a third share in a rekar or clan, that is ten leagues in compass, in the byar or canton of uma lapmark. this is at my own disposal, and it is all your own, if you please to accept of it with me. our women are very coy, when they are courted, though they have never so much an inclination to their suitor; but good reason and the commerce i have had with persons of politer nations than ours is, teach me that this proceeds entirely from vanity and affectation, and the greatest proof of a woman's modesty, chastity, and sincerity, certainly consists, contrary to the general corrupted opinion, in yielding up herself into the arms of the man she loves. for she that can dally with a heart she prizes, can give away her heart, when she is once balked, to any man, even though she dislikes him. you must judge, my dear father, i must be touched with a woman that was exceeding beautiful, beyond any of her nation, and who had thoughts as beautiful as her person. i therefore was all in rapture, and longed for the matrimony, but still loved her enough to propose the question, i resolved, to her, viz., if it would not be in her nation accounted a clandestine marriage, and prove of great damage to her. to this she answered with all the wisdom which could be expected from a woman who had given such eminent tokens of her judgment on other points, amidst a nation so barbarous in its manners, and so corrupt in its principles, as lapland is. i am, said she, answerable to my father, for nothing by our laws, having no portion of him, but only what was presented me by my relations at my birth, according to custom, in lands and rein-deer. my father is but deputy governor; it is a swede who is the governor of uma; and if i pay to him at every mart and fair the due tribute, which must either consist of fifty rein-deer or one hundred and fifty rixdollars, he will have the priest that marries us present at the court of justice, according to our custom, and keep us in possession of our rights, that we may be enabled to pay tribute to the crown of sweden. indeed, before the abolition of the birkarti, which were our native judges, we could not have married thus without danger to us both; but now there is none at all. my dear father, you must easily imagine that i could not help embracing with all tenderness so dear and so lovely a woman. in fine, i am married to her, i have lived very happy hitherto, and am now grown more happy, for she is big with child; and likely, before my letter comes to your hands, to make you a grandfather of a pretty boy. you will perhaps wonder that i name the sex of the child before it comes into the world, but we have a way in lapland of finding that out, which though some judicious people call superstitious, i am really persuaded of by experience, and therefore i indulged my dear wife's curiosity, when she signified to me she had a mind to make the usual trial, whether the child she was going to be delivered of would be a boy or a girl. you must understand, my dear father, the people here judge of the sex of the child by the moon, unto which they compare a big-bellied woman. if they see a star appear just above the moon, it is a sign it will be a boy, but, if the star be just below the moon, they conjecture her to be big with a girl. this observation and remark of laplanders has, i know, been accounted by some, and those wise and judicious men too, to be ridiculously superstitious; but i have been led into an easy belief of this mystery, by a mistress that is superior to wisdom itself, constant, and therefore probably infallible, experience. i therefore indulged my wife in this her request, and went with her to the ceremony; the star appeared above the moon, which prognosticates a boy, which i wish may, and i scarce doubt will, prove true, and when she is brought to bed i will send you word of it. it is remarkable, likewise, that a star was seen just before the moon, which we also count a very good omen. for it is a custom likewise here in lapland, to consult the moon, as an oracle about the health and vigour of the child. if a star be seen just before the moon, we count it a sign of a lusty and well grown child, without blemish; if a star comes just after, we reckon it a token that the child will have some defect or deformity, or die soon after it is born. having thus told you the manners of the country i live in at present, as much at large as the nature of a letter will permit, and related to you my own happy circumstances, and the kindly promises of the heavens that are ushering in the birth of my child, i would not have you think that i addict myself to the superstitions of the country, which are very many and groundless, and arising partly from the remainder of pagan worship, which is still cultivated among some of the more obstinate inhabitants. i have, on the contrary, since i married her, endeavoured to repay my wife's temporal blessings to me with those that are endless, instructed her in all the points of religion, and made her perfectly a christian; and she, by her devotion and prayers for me, makes me such amends for it that i hope in us two st. paul's saying will be verified, viz., "that the woman shall be sanctified in her husband, and the husband shall be sanctified in his wife." however, i must take notice in this place, with all due deference to christianity, that though i am obliged to applaud the prudence and piety of charles the ninth of sweden, who, constituting swedish governors over this country, abrogated their practice of superstitions and art magic upon pain of death, yet that king carried the point too far, and intermingled with these arts the pretensions to the gift of a second-sight, which you know how frequent it is with us in scotland, and which, i assure you, my wife (though she durst not publicly own it for fear of incurring the penalty of those swedish laws) does, as it were, inherit (for all her ancestors before her have had it from time immemorial) to a greater degree than ever i knew any of our countrywomen or countrymen. one day last week she distracted me between the extremes of joy and sorrow. she told me i should see you shortly, and that my coming son would grow to be one of the most remarkable men in england and scotland, for his power of foresight; but that i should speedily lose her, and meet with difficulties in my own country, in the same manner as my father, meaning you, sir, had done before me, and on the same account, viz., of civil broils, and intestine wars in scotland. these unfortunate parts of her relation i would not conceal from you, because the veracity of her notions should appear, if they are true, though you may be sure i much wish they all may prove false to the very last; excepting that wherein she tells me, my son will be greatly remarkable, and that i shall shortly see my dear father, which i daily long for, and will endeavour to do as soon as possible. pray remember me to all friends; being, honoured sir, your most dutiful and loving son, archibald campbell. * * * * * the second letter. i am now the happiest man alive; the prosperous part of my wife's predictions, which i mentioned to you in my last, is come in some measure to pass. the child she has brought me proves a boy, and as fine a one as i ever beheld, (if fondness for my own makes me not blind); and sure it cannot be fondness, because other plain circumstances joined at his birth to prove it a more than ordinary remarkable one. he was born with a caul upon his head, which we count one of the luckiest signs that can be in nature; he had likewise three teeth ready cut through the gums, and we reckon that an undeniable testimony and promise given to the world by nature, that she intends such a person for her extraordinary favourite, and that he is born for great things, which i daily beg of heaven may come to pass. since i have known for some months what it is to be a father, it adds a considerable weight to those affections which i had for my wife. i thought that my tenderness for her was at the height of perfection before; which shows how little we know of those parts of nature that we have yet never tried, and of which we have not yet been allotted our share to act upon the stage of life. i find that i did love her then as well as a husband could love a wife, that is, a wife without a child; but the love to a wife that has a child, is a feeling wonderful and inexpressibly different. a child is the seal and the pledge of love. meditating upon this, has likewise doubled my affection to you. i loved you before, as a son, and because as such, i felt your tenderness; but my love is much increased now, because i know the tenderness which you felt for me as a father. with these pleasing images of thought, i often keep you nearer company at this vast distance, than when i lived irregularly under your eye. these reflections render a solitary life dear to me. and though i have no manner of acquaintance with her relations, who hate me, as i am told, nor indeed with almost any of the inhabitants, but my own domestics, and those i am forced to deal with, yet i have as much, methinks, as i wish for, unless i could come over to shetland and live with you, which i the more ardently desire, because i think i and my wife could be true comforts to you, in your advanced years; now i know what living truly is. i am daily persuading my wife to go with me; but she denies me with kind expressions, and says, she owes too much to the place, however less pleasant in itself than other climates, where she had the happiness of first joining hands with me in wedlock, ever to part from it. but i must explain how i ask, and how she refuses. i resolved never directly and downrightly to ask her, because i know she can refuse me nothing; and that would be bearing hard upon the goodness of her will. but my way of persuading her consists in endeavouring to make her in love with the place, by agreeable descriptions of it, and likewise of the humane temper of the people; so that i shortly shall induce her to signify to me that it is her own will to come with me, and then i shall seem rather to consent to her will, than to have moved it over to my own. these hopes i have of seeing my dear father very shortly, and i know such news would make this letter, which i therefore send, more acceptable to him, to whom i will be, a most dutiful and affectionate son, till death, archibald campbell. p.s. if i cannot bring my wife to change this country for another, i have brought her to that pitch of devotion, that whenever providence, which, notwithstanding her predictions, i hope will be long yet, shall call her to change this world for another, it will be happy with her there; she joins with me in begging your blessing to me, herself, and our little duncan, whom we christened so, out of respect to the name you bear. * * * * * the third letter. my dear father, i am lost in grief; i had just brought my wife (her that was my wife, for i have none now, i have lost all joy), in the mind of coming over to be a comfort to you. but now grief will let me say no more than that i am coming to beg comfort from you, and by this i prepare you to receive, when he comes, a son in tears and mourning. archibald campbell. p.s. i have a babe, not much above two years old, must bear the hardships of travelling over the ice, and all through muscovy, for no ships can stir here for many months; and i cannot bear to live in this inhospitable place, where she died, that only could make it easy to me, one moment beyond the first opportunity i have of leaving it. she is in heaven; that should make me easy, but i cannot; i am not so good a christian as she was--i am lost and ruined. chapter ii. after the death of mr. duncan campbell's mother in lapland, his father, archibald, returned with his son to scotland. his second marriage, and how his son was taught to write and read. mr. archibald campbell, having buried his lapland lady, returned to scotland, and brought over with him his son, mr. duncan campbell. by that time he had been a year in his own country, he married a second wife; a lady whom i had known very well for some years, and then i first saw the boy; but, as they went into the western islands, i saw them not again in three years. she being, quite contrary to the cruel way much in use among stepmothers, very fond of the boy, was accustomed to say, she did, and would always think him her own son. the child came to be about four years of age, as she has related to me the story since, and not able to speak one word, nor to hear any noise; the father of him used to be mightily oppressed with grief, and complain heavily to his new wife, who was no less perplexed, that a boy so pretty, the son of so particular a woman, which he had made his wife, by strange accidents and adventures, and a child coming into the world with so many amazing circumstances attending his birth, should lose those precious senses by which alone the social commerce of mankind is upheld and maintained, and that he should be deprived of all advantages of education, which could raise him to the character of being the great man that so many concurring incidents at his nativity promised and betokened he would be. one day, a learned divine, who was of the university of glasgow, but had visited oxford, and been acquainted with the chief men of science there, happening to be in conversation with the mother-in-law of this child, she related to him her son's misfortunes, with so many marks of sorrow, that she moved the good old gentleman's compassion, and excited in him a desire to give her what relief and consolation he could in this unhappy case. his particular inclination to do her good offices, made him recollect, that, at the time he was at oxford, he had been in company with one doctor wallis, a man famous for learning, who had told him that he had taught a born deaf and dumb man to write, and to read, and even to utter some sounds articulately with his mouth; and that he told him he was then going to commit to print the method he made use of in so instructing that person, that others, in the like unfortunate condition might receive the same benefits and advantages from other masters, which his deaf and dumb pupil had received from him. a dumb man recovering his speech, or a blind man gaining his sight, or a deaf one getting his hearing, could not be more overjoyed than mrs. campbell was at these unexpected tidings, and she wept for gladness when he told it. the good gentleman animated and encouraged her with the kindest promises, and to keep alive her hopes, assured her he would send to one of the chief booksellers in london to inquire after the book, who would certainly procure it him if it was to be got, and that afterwards he would peruse it diligently, make himself master of doctor wallis's method, and though he had many great works upon his hands at that time, he would steal from his other studies leisure enough to complete so charitable an office, as teaching the dumb and deaf to read and to write, and give her son, who was by nature deprived of them, the advantages of speech, as far as art would permit that natural defect to be supplied by her powerful interposition. when the mother came home, the child, who could hear no knocking, and therefore it must be by a strange and inexplicable instinct in nature, was the first that ran to the door, and falling in a great fit of laughter, a thing it was not much used to before, having on the contrary rather a melancholy cast of complexion, it clung round its mother's knees, incessantly embracing and kissing them, as if just at that time it had an insight into what the mother had been doing for it, and into its own approaching relief from its misery. when the mother came with the child in her hand to the father, to tell him the welcome news, the child burst afresh into a great fit of laughter, which continued for an unusual space of time; and the scene of such reciprocal affection and joy between a wife and her own husband, on so signal an occasion, is a thing easier to be felt by parents of a good disposition, imagining themselves under the same circumstances, with regard to a child they loved with fondness, than to be expressed or described by the pen of any writer. but it is certain, whenever they spoke of this affair, as anybody, who knows the impatience of parents for the welfare of an only child, may guess, they must be often discoursing it over, and wishing the time was come; the boy, who used seldom so much as to smile at other times, and who could never hear the greatest noise that could be made, would constantly look wishfully in their faces and laugh immoderately, which is a plain indication that there was then a wonderful instinct in nature, as i said before, which made him foretaste his good fortune, and, if i may be allowed the expression, the dawnings as it were of the second-sight, were then pregnant within him. to confirm this, the happy hour of his deliverance being come, and the doctor having procured mr. wallis's book, came with great joy, and desired to see his pupil; scarce were the words out of his mouth when the child happened to come into the room, and running towards the doctor, fell on his knees, kissed his hand eagerly, and laughed as before, which to me is a demonstration that he had an insight into the good which the doctor intended him. it is certain, that several learned men, who have written concerning the second-sight, have demonstrated by incontestable proofs, and undeniable arguments, that children, nay, even horses and cows, see the second-sight, as well as men and women advanced in years. but of this i shall discourse at large in its proper place, having allotted a whole future chapter for that same subject of second-sightedness. in about half a year, the doctor taught his little dumb pupil first to know his letters, then to name anything whatsoever, to leave off some savage motions which he had taken of his own accord before, to signify his mind by, and to impart his thoughts by his fingers and his pen, in a manner as intelligible, and almost as swift through the eyes, as that is of conveying our ideas to one another, by our voices, through the conduits and portholes of the ears. but in little more than two years he could write and read as well as anybody. because a great many people cannot conceive this, and others pretend it is not to be done in nature, i will a little discourse upon doctor wallis's foundation, and show in a manner obvious to the most ignorant, how this hitherto mysterious help may be easily administered to the deaf and the dumb, which shall be the subject of the ensuing chapter. but i cannot conclude this without telling the handsome saying with which this child, when not quite six years old, as soon as he thought he could express himself well, paid his first acknowledgment to his master, and which promised how great his future genius was to be, when so witty a child ripened into man. the words he wrote to him were these, only altered into english from the scotch. sir, it is no little work you have accomplished. my thanks are too poor amends; the world, sir, shall give you thanks; for as i could not have expressed myself without your teaching me, so those that can talk, though they have eyes, cannot see the things which i can see, and shall tell them; so that in doing me this, you have done a general service to mankind. chapter iii. the method of teaching deaf and dumb persons to write, read, and understand a language. it is, i must confess, in some measure, amazing to me that men, of any moderate share of learning, should not naturally conceive of themselves a plain reason for this art, and know how to account for the practicability of it, the moment they hear the proposition advanced; the reasons for it are so obvious to the very first consideration we can make about it. it will be likewise as amazing to me that the most ignorant should not conceive it, after so plain a reason is given them for it, as i am now going to set down. to begin: how are children at first taught a language that can hear? are they not taught by sounds? and what are those sounds, but tokens and signs to the ear, importing and signifying such and such a thing? if, then, there can be signs made to the eye, agreed by the party teaching the child, that they signify such and such a thing, will not the eye of the child convey them to the mind, as well as the ear? they are indeed different marks to different senses, but both the one and the other do equally signify the same things or notions, according to the will of the teacher, and consequently must have an equal effect with the person who is to be instructed, for though the manners signifying are different, the things signified are the same. for example; if, after having invented an alphabet upon the fingers, a master always keeps company with a deaf child, and teaches it to call for whatsoever it wants by such motions of the fingers which, if put down by letters, according to each invented motion of each finger, would form in writing a word of a thing which it wanted; might not he by these regular motions teach its eye the same notions of things, as sounds do to the ears of children that hear? the manner of teaching the alphabet by fingers, is plainly set down in the following table. when the deaf child has learned by these motions a good stock of words, as children that hear first learn by sounds, we may, methinks, call not improperly, the fingers of such a dumb infant, its mouth, and the eye of such a deaf child, its ear. when he has learnt thus far, he must be taught to write the alphabet, according as it was adapted to the motions of his fingers; as for instance, the five vowels, _a_, _e_, _i_, _o_, _u_, by pointing to the top of the five fingers, and the other letters, _b_, _c_, _d_, &c., by such other place or posture of a finger, as in the above-mentioned table is set forth, or otherwise, it shall be agreed upon. when this is done, the marks b, r, e, a, d, and so of all other words, corresponding with such fingers, conveys through his eyes, unto his head, the same notion, viz., the thing signified, as the sound we give to those same letters, making the word 'bread,' do into our head, through the ears. this once done, he may be easily taught to understand the parts of speech, as the verb, the noun, pronoun, &c., and so, by rules of grammar and syntax, to compound ideas, and connect his words into a language. the method of which, since it is plainly set forth in doctor wallis's letter to mr. beverly, i shall set it down by way of extract; that people in the same circumstances with the person we treat of, and of the like genius, may not have their talents lost for want of the like assistance. when once a deaf person has learned so far as to understand the common discourse of others, and to express his mind tolerably well in writing, i see no room to doubt but that, provided nature has endowed him with a proper strength of genius, as other men that hear, he may become capable, upon farther improvement, of such farther knowledge as is attainable by reading. for i must here join with the learned doctor wallis in asserting, as to the present case before us, that no reason can be assigned why such a deaf person may not attain the understanding of a language as perfectly as those that hear; and with the same learned author i take upon me to lay down this proposition as certain, that allowing the deaf person the like time and exercise, as to other men is requisite in order to attain the perfection of a language, and the elegance of it, he may understand as well, and write as good language, as other men; and abating only what doth depend upon sound, as tones, cadences, and such punctilios, no whit inferior to what he might attain to, if he had his hearing as others have? * * * * * _an extract from dr. wallis, concerning the method of teaching the deaf and dumb to read._ it is most natural, (as children learn the names of things), to furnish him by degrees with a nomenclator, containing a competent number of names of things common and obvious to the eye, that you may show the thing answering to such a name, and these digested under convenient titles, and placed under them in such convenient order, in several columns, or other orderly situation in the paper, as by their position best to express to the eye their relation or respect to one another. as contraries or correlatives one against the other, subordinates or appurtenances under their principle, which may serve as a kind of local memory. thus, in one paper, under the title mankind, may be placed, not confusedly, but in decent order, man, woman, child (boy, girl). in another paper, under the title body, may be written, in like convenient order, head (hair, skin, ear), face, forehead, eye (eyelid, eyebrow), cheek, nose (nostril), mouth (lip, chin), neck, throat, back, breast, side (right side, left side), belly, shoulders, arm (elbow, wrist, hand,--back, palm), finger (thumb, buckle, nail), thigh, knee, leg (shin, calf, ancle), foot (heel, sole), toe. and when he hath learned the import of words in each paper, let him write them in like manner, in distinct leaves or pages of a book, prepared for that purpose, to confirm his memory, and to have recourse to it upon occasion. in a third paper, you may give him the inward parts; as skull (brain), throat (windpipe, gullet), stomach, guts, heart, lungs, liver, spleen, kidney, bladder (urine), vein (blood), bone (marrow), flesh, fat, &c. in another paper, under the title beast, may be placed horse (stonehorse, gelding), mare (colt), bull (ox), cow, calf. sheep, ram (wether), ewe (lamb), hog, boar, sow, pig, dog, (mastiff, hound, greyhound, spaniel), bitch (whelp, puppy), hare, rabbit, cat, mouse, rat, &c. under the title bird, or fowl, put cock, capon, hen, chick, goose (gander), gosling, duck (drake), swan, crow, kite, lark, &c. under the title fish, put pike, eel, place, salmon, lobster, crawfish, &c. you may then put plants or vegetables under several heads or subdivisions of the same head; as tree (root, body, bark, bough, leaf, fruit), oak, ash, apple-tree, pear-tree, vine, &c. fruit: apple, pear, plum, cherry, grape, nut, orange, lemon. flower; rose, tulip, gilliflower herb, (weed), grass, corn, wheat, barley, rye, pea, bean. and the like of inanimates; as heaven, sun, moon, star, element, earth, water, air, fire; and under the title earth,--clay, sand, gravel, stone. metal; gold, silver, brass, copper, iron (steel), lead, tin (pewter), glass. under the title water, put sea, pond, river, stream; under that of air, put light, dark, mist, fog, cloud, wind, rain, hail, snow, thunder, lightning, rainbow. under that of fire; coal, flame, smoke, soot, ashes. under the title clothes, put woollen (cloth, stuff), linen (holland, lawn, lockarum), silk, (satin, velvet), hat, cap, band, doublet, breeches, coat, cloak, stocking, shoe, boot, shirt, petticoat, gown, &c. under the title house, put wall, roof, door, window, casement, room. under room, put shop, hall, parlour, dining-room, chamber, study, closet, kitchen, cellar, stable, &c. and under each of these, as distinct heads, the furniture or utensils belonging thereunto; with divisions and subdivisions, as there is occasion, which i forbear to mention, that i be not too prolix. and in like manner, from time to time, may be added more collections, or classes of names or words, conveniently digested, under distinct heads, and suitable distributions, to be written in distinct leaves or pages of his book in such order as may seem convenient. when he is furnished with a competent number of names, though not so many as i have mentioned, it will be seasonable to teach him under the titles singular and plural, the formation of plurals from singulars, by adding _s_, or _es_; as hand, hands; face, faces; fish, fishes, &c., with some few irregulars, as man, men; woman, women; foot, feet; tooth, teeth; mouse, mice; louse, lice; ox, oxen, &c. which, except the irregulars, will serve for possessives, to be after taught him, which are formed by their primitives by like addition of _s_ or _es_, except some few irregulars, as my, mine; thy, thine; our, ours; your, yours; his, her, hers; their, theirs, &c. and in all those and other like cases, it will be proper first to show him the particulars, and then the general title. then teach him in another page or paper, the particles, a, an, the, this, that, these, those. and the pronouns, i, me, my, mine, thou, thee, thy, thine, we, us, our, ours, ye, you, your, yours, he, him, his, she, her, hers, it, its, they, them, their, shoes, heirs, who, whom, whose. then under the titles substantive, adjective, teach him to connect these, as my hand, your head, his foot, his feet, her arm, her arms, our hats, their john's coat, william's band, &c. and in order to furnish him with more adjectives, under the title colours, you may place black, white, gray, green, blue, yellow, red, &c., and having showed the particulars, let him know that these are called colours. the like for taste and smell; as sweet, bitter, sour, stink. and for hearing, sound, noise, word. then for touch or feeling, hot, warm, cold, cool, wet, moist, dry, hard, soft, tough, brittle, heavy, light, &c. from whence you may furnish him with more examples of adjectives with substantives; as white bread, brown bread, green grass, soft cheese, hard cheese, black hat, my black hat, &c. and then inverting the order, substantive, adjective, with the verb copulative between; as silver is white, gold is yellow, lead is heavy, wood is light, snow is white, ink is black, flesh is soft, bone is hard, i am sick, i am not well, &c., which will begin to give him some notion of syntax. in like manner when substantive and substantive are so connected; as gold is a metal, a rose is a flower, they are men, they are women, horses are beasts, geese are fowls, larks are birds, &c. then as those before relate to quality, you may give him some other words relating to quantity. as long, short, broad, narrow; thick, thin; high, tall, low; deep, shallow, great, big, small (little), much, little; many, few, full, empty; whole, part, piece; all, some, none, strong, weak, quick, slow, equal, unequal, bigger, less. then words of figure; as straight, crooked, plain, bowed, concave, hollow, convex; round, square, three-square, sphere, globe, bowl, cube, die, upright, sloping, leaning forward, leaning backward, like, unlike. of gesture; as stand, lie, sit, kneel, sleep. of motion; as move, stir, rest, walk, go, come, run, leap, ride, fall, rise, swim, sink, drawn, slide, creep, crawl, fly, pull, draw, thrust, throw, bring, fetch, carry. then words relating to time; place, number, weight, measure, money, &c., are, in convenient time, to be showed him distinctly; for which the teacher, according to his discretion, may take a convenient season. as likewise the time of the day; the days of the week, the days of the month, the months of the year, and other things relating to the almanack, which he will quickly be capable to understand, if once methodically shown him. as likewise the names and situation of places and countries, which are convenient for him to know; which may be orderly written in his book, and showed him in the map of london, england, europe, the world, &c. but these may be done at leisure, as likewise the practice of arithmetic, and other like pieces of learning. in the mean time, after the concord of substantive and adjective, he is to be showed by convenient examples, that of the nominative and verb; as, for instance, i go, you see, he sits, they stand, the fire burns, the sun shines, the wind blows, the rain falls, the water runs, and the like, with the titles in the top nominative verb. after this, under the titles nominative verb, accusative, give him examples of verbs transitive; as i see you, you see me, the fire burns the wood, the boy makes the fire, the cook roasts the meat, the butler lays the cloth, we eat our dinner. or even with a double accusative; as, you teach me writing or to write, john teacheth me to dance, thomas, tell me a tale, &c. after this you may teach him the flexion or conjugation of the verb, or what is equivalent thereunto; for in our english tongue each verb hath but two tenses, the present and the preter; two participles, the active and the passive; all the rest is performed by auxiliaries, which auxiliaries have no more tenses than the other verbs. those auxiliaries are, do, did, will, would, shall, should, may, might, can, could, must, ought, to, have, had, am, be, was. and if by examples you can insinuate the signification of these few words, you have taught him the whole flexion of the verb. and here it will be convenient, once for all, to write him out a full paradigm of some one verb, suppose 'to see,' through all those auxiliaries. the verb itself hath but these four words to be learned, see, saw, seeing, seen, save that after thou, in the second person singular, in both tenses, we add est, and in the third person singular, in the present tense, eth or es, or instead thereof, st, th, s, and so in all verbs. then to the auxiliaries, do, did, will, would, shall, should, may, might, can, could, must, ought, to, we join the indefinite see. and after have, had, am, be, was, the passive particle seen, and so for all other verbs. but the auxiliary, 'am,' or 'be,' is somewhat irregular in a double form. am, art, is; plural are; was, wast, was; plural were. be, beest, be; plural be; were, wert, were; plural were. be, am, was, being, been. which, attended with the other auxiliaries, make us the whole passive voice. all verbs, without exceptions, in the active participle, are formed by adding ing, as see, seeing; teach, teaching, &c. the preter tense and the participle are formed regularly, by adding ed, but are often subject to contractions and other irregularities, sometimes the same in both, sometimes different, and therefore it is convenient here to give a table of verbs, especially the most usual, for those three cases, which may at once teach their signification and formation; as boil, boiled; roast, roasted, roasted; bake, baked, baked, &c.; teach, taught, taught; bring, brought, brought; buy, bought, bought, &c.; see, saw, seen; give, gave, given; take, took, taken; forsake, forsook, forsaken; write, wrote, written, &c.; with many more fit to be learned. the verbs being thus dispatched, he is then to learn the prepositions, wherein lies the whole regimen of the noun. for diversity of cases we have none, the force of which is to be insinuated by convenient examples, suited to their different significations; as for instance, _of_ a piece _of_ bread, a pint _of_ wine, the colour _of_ a pot, the colour _of_ gold, a ring _of_ gold, a cup _of_ silver, the mayor _of_ london, the longest _of_ all, &c. and in like manner, for, off, on, upon, to, unto, till, until, from, at, in, within, out, without, into, out of; about, over, under; above, below; between, among; before, behind, after; for, by, with, through, against, concerning; and by this time he will be pretty well enabled to understand a single sentence. in the last place, he is in like manner to be taught conjunctions, which serve to connect not words only, but sentences; as and, also; likewise, either or whether; neither, nor, if, then, why, wherefore, because, therefore, but, though, yet, &c.; and these illustrated by convenient examples in each case, as, _because_ i am cold, _therefore_ i go to the fire, _that_ i may be warm, _for_ it is cold weather. _if_ it were fair, _then_ it would be good walking, but however, _though_ it rain, _yet_ i must go, _because_ i promised; with other like instances. and by this time his book, if well furnished with plenty of words, and those well digested under several heads, and in good order, and well recruited from time to time as new words occur, will serve him in the nature of a dictionary and grammar. and in case the deaf person be otherwise of a good natural capacity, and the teacher of a good sagacity, by this method, proceeding gradually step by step, you may, with diligence and due application of teacher and learner, in a year's time, or thereabouts, perceive a greater progress than you would expect, and a good foundation laid for farther instruction in matters of religion and other knowledge which may be taught by books. it will be convenient all along to have pen, ink, and paper, ready at hand, to write down in a word what you signify to him by signs, and cause him to write, or show how to write what he signifies by signs, which way of signifying their mind by signs deaf persons are often very good at; and we must endeavour to learn their language, if i may so call it, in order to teach them ours, by showing what words answer to their signs. it will be convenient, also, as you go along, after some convenient progress made, to express, in as plain language as may be, the import of some of the tables; as for instance:-- the head is the highest part of the body, the feet the lowest part; the face is the fore part of the head, the forehead is over the eyes, the cheeks are under the eyes, the nose is between the cheeks, the mouth is under the nose and above the chin, &c. and such plain discourse put into writing, and particularly explained, will teach him by degrees to understand plain sentences; and like advantages a sagacious teacher may take, as occasion offers itself from time to time. this extract is mostly taken out of the ingenious dr. wallis, and lying hid in that little book, which is but rarely inquired after and too scarcely known, died in a manner with that great man. and as he designed it for the general use of mankind that laboured under the misfortune of losing those two valuable talents of hearing and speaking, i thought it might not be amiss (in the life of so particular a dumb person as i am writing) to give them this small but particular fragment of grammar and syntax. it is exactly adjusted to the english tongue; because such are the persons with whom the doctor had to deal, and such the persons whose benefit alone i consult in this treatise. one of the chief persons who was taught by dr. wallis was mr. alexander popham, brother-in-law (if i am not mistaken) to the present earl of oxford; and he was a very great proficient in this way; and though he was born deaf and dumb, understood the language so well as to give under his hand, many rare indications of a masterly genius. the uncle of his present sardinian majesty, as i have been credibly informed, had the want of the same organs, and yet was a perfect statesman, and wrote in five or six different languages elegantly well. bishop burnet, in his book of travels, tells us a wonderful story, almost incredible; but tells it as a passage that deserves our belief. it is concerning a young lady at genoa, who was not only deaf and dumb, but blind, too, it seems, into the bargain; and this lady, he assures us as a truth, could, by putting her hand on her sister's mouth, know everything she said. but to return back to england. we have many rare instances of our own countrymen, the principal of whom i shall mention, as their names occur to my memory. sir john gawdy, sir thomas knotcliff, sir ---- gostwick, sir henry lydall, and mr. richard lyns of oxford, were all of this number, and yet men eminent in their several capacities, for understanding many authors, and expressing themselves in writing with wonderful facility. in hatton garden, there now lives a miracle of wit and good nature, i mean the daughter of mr. loggin, who, though born deaf and dumb, (and she has a brother who has the same impediments), yet writes her mind down upon any subject with such acuteness as would amaze learned men themselves and put many students that have passed for wits, to the blush, to see themselves so far surpassed by a woman amidst that deficiency of the common organs. if anybody speaks a word distinctly, this lady will, by observing narrowly the motion of the speaker's lips pronounce the word afterwards very intelligibly. as there are a great many families in england and ireland that have several, and some even have five or six dumb persons belonging to them; and as a great many more believe it impossible for persons born deaf and dumb to write and read, and have thence taken occasion to say and assert that mr. campbell could certainly speak, i could never think it a digression in the history of this man's life to set down the grammar by which he himself was taught, and which he has taught others (two of which scholars of his are boys in this town), partly to confute the slander made against him, and partly for the help of others dumb and deaf, whose parents may by these examples be encouraged to get them taught. chapter iv. young duncan campbell returns with his mother to edinburgh. the earl of argyle's overthrow. the ruin of mr. archibald campbell and his death. young duncan's practice in prediction at edinburgh while yet a boy. our young boy, now between six and seven years of age, half a highlander and half a laplander, delighted in wearing a little bonnet and plaid, thinking it looked very manly in his countrymen, and his father, as soon as he was out of his hanging sleeves, and left off his boy's vest, indulged him with that kind of dress, which is truly antique and heroic. in this early part of his nonage he was brought to edinburgh by his mother-in-law, where i myself grew afresh acquainted with her, his father being then but lately dead, just after the civil commotion, and off and on, i have known him ever since, and conversed with him very frequently during that space of time, which is now about three or four and thirty years, so that whatever i say concerning him in the future pages i shall relate to the reader from my own certain knowledge, which, as i resolved to continue anonymous, may, perhaps, not have so much weight and authority as if i had prefixed my name to the account. be that as it will, there are hundreds of living witnesses that will justify each action i relate, and his own future actions while he lives will procure belief and credit to the precedent ones, which i am going to record; so that if many do remain infidels to my relations, and will not allow them exact (the fate of many as credible and more important historians than myself), i can however venture to flatter myself that greater will be the number of those who will have a faith in my writings than of those who will reject my accounts as incredible. having just spoke of the decease of mr. archibald campbell, the father of our young duncan campbell, it will not be amiss here to observe how true the predictions of his lapland mother were, which arose from second-sight, according to the notices given by the child's father, to his grandfather, in his letter from lapland, even before it was born, which shows that the infant held this second-sighted power, or occult faculty of divination, even by inheritance. in the year , the duke of monmouth and the earl of argyle sailed out of the ports of holland without any obstruction, the earl of argyle in may; with three ships for scotland, and monmouth in june, with the same number for england. the earl setting out first, was also the first at landing. argyle having attempted to land in the north of scotland, and being disappointed by the vigilance of the bishop of the orcades, landed in the west, and encamped at dunstaffnage castle, in the province of lorn, which had belonged to him. he omitted nothing that might draw over to him all the malcontents in the kingdom, whom he thought more numerous than they afterwards appeared to be. he dispersed about his declarations, wherein, after protesting that he had taken up arms only in defence of religion and the laws, against an unjust usurper (so he styled james the second), he invited all good protestants, and such scotch as would assert their liberty, to join him against a prince, he said, who was got into the throne to ruin the reformation, and to bring in popery and arbitrary power. next he sent letters to those he thought his friends, among whom was mr. archibald campbell, who, according to the vast deference payed by the scots to their chief, joined him, though in his heart of quite a different principle, to call them to his assistance. he detached two of his sons to make inroads in the neighbourhood, and compel some by threats, others by mighty promises, to join him. all his contrivances could not raise him above three thousand men, with whom he encamped in the isle of bute, where he was soon, in a manner besieged by the earl of dumbarton, with the king's forces, and several other bodies, commanded by the duke of gordon, the marquis of athol, the earl of arran, and other great men, who came from all parts to quench the fire before it grew to a head. the earl of argyle being obliged to quit a post he could not make good, went over into a part of the country of his own name, where, having hastily fortified a castle called ellingrey, he put into it the arms and ammunition taken out of his ships, which lay at anchor under the cannon of a fort he erected near that place. there his rout began; for going out from the castle with his forces to make an incursion, one of his parties was defeated by the marquis of athol, who slew four hundred of his men; and captain hamilton, who attacked his ships with some of the king's, and took them without any resistance. the earl of dumbarton advancing towards him, at the same time, by long marches, while he endeavoured to secure himself by rivers, surprised him passing the clyde in the village of killern, as he was marching towards lenox. dumbarton coming upon them at night, would have stayed till the next day to attack the rebels, but they gave him not so much time, for they passed the river in the night, in such confusion, that being overcome by fear, they dispersed as soon as over. argyle could scarce rally so many as would make him a small guard, which was soon scattered again; dumbarton having passed the river, and divided his forces to pursue those that fled. argyle had taken guides to conduct him to galloway; but they mistaking the way, and leading him into a bog, most of those that still followed him quitted their horses, every man shifting for himself. argyle himself was making back alone towards the clyde, when two resolute servants, belonging to an officer in the king's army meeting him, though they knew him not, bid him surrender. he fired at and missed them; but they took better aim, and wounded him with a pistol ball. then the earl drawing his two pistols out of the holsters, quitted his horse, that was quite tired, and took the river. a country fellow, who came with those two, that had first assaulted him, pursued him with a pistol in his hand; the earl would have fired one of his, but the flint failing he was dangerously wounded in the head by the peasant. he discovered himself as he fell senseless, crying out. unfortunate argyle. this nobleman, how far soever he may be thought misled in principle, was certainly in his person a very brave and a very gallant hero. they made haste to draw him out and bring him to himself; after which, being delivered up to the officers, the erring, unfortunate great man, was conducted to edinburgh and there beheaded. many gentlemen that followed the fortunes of this great man, though not in his death, they shared in all the other calamities attending his overthrow. they most of them fled into the remotest isles and the obscurest corners of all scotland; contented with the saving of their lives; they grew exiles and banished men of their own making, and abdicated their estates before they were known to be forfeited, because, for fear of being informed against by the common fellows they commanded, they durst not appear to lay their claims. of this number was mr. archibald campbell, and this new disaster wounded him deep into the very heart, after so many late misadventures, and sent him untimely to the grave. he perfectly pined away and wasted; he was six months dying inch by inch, and the difference between his last breath and his way of breathing during all that time, was only, that he expired with a greater sigh than he ordinarily fetched every time when he drew his breath. everything the lapland lady had predicted so long before, being thus come to pass, we may the less admire at the wonders performed by her son, when we consider this faculty of divination to be so derived to him from her, and grown as it were hereditary. our young prophet, who had taught most of his little companions to converse with him by finger, was the head at every little pastime and game they played at. marbles, which he used to call children's playing at bowls, yielded him mighty diversion; and he was so dexterous an artist at shooting that little alabaster globe from between the end of his forefinger and the knuckle of his thumb, that he seldom missed hitting plum, as the boys call it, the marble he aimed at, though at the distance of two or three yards. the boys always when they played coveted to have him on their side, and by hearing that he foretold other things, used to consult him, when they made their little matches, which were things of great importance in their thoughts, who should get the victory. he used commonly to leave these trifles undecided, but if ever he gave his opinion in these trivial affairs, the persons fared well by their consultation, for his judgment about them was like a petty oracle, and the end always answered his prediction. but i would have my reader imagine, that though our duncan campbell was himself but a boy, he was not consulted only by boys; his penetration and insight into things of a high nature, got air, and being attested by credible witnesses won him the esteem of persons of mature years and discretion. if a beautiful young virgin languished for a husband, or a widow's mind was in labour to have a second venture of infants by another spouse; if a housekeeper had lost anything belonging to her master, still little duncan campbell was at hand; he was the oracle to be applied to, and the little chalked circle, where he was diverting himself with his play-fellows near the cross at edinburgh, was frequented with as much solicitation, and as much credit, as the tripos of apollo was at delphos in ancient times. it was highly entertaining to see a young blooming beauty come and slily pick up the boy from his company, carry him home with as much eagerness as she would her gallant, because she knew she should get the name of her gallant out of him before he went, and bribe him with a sugarplum to write down the name of a young scotch peer in a green ribbon that her mouth watered after. how often after he has been wallowing in the dust, have i myself seen nice squeamish widows help him up in their gilded chariots, and give him a pleasant ride with them, that he might tell them they should not long lie alone; little duncan campbell had as much business upon his hands as the parsons of all the parishes in edinburgh. he commonly was consulted, and named the couples before the minister joined them; thus he grew a rare customer to the toyshop, from whence he most usually received fees and rewards for his advice. if lady betty such a one was foretold that she should certainly have beau such a one in marriage, then little duncan was sure to have a hobby-horse from the toyshop, as a reward for the promised fop. if such a widow, that was ugly, but very rich, was to be pushed hard for as she pretended, though in reality easily won, little duncan, upon insuring her such a captain, or such a lieutenant-colonel, was sure to be presented from the same child's warehouse, with a very handsome drum, and a silvered trumpet. if a sempstress had an itching desire for a parson, she would, upon the first assurance of him, give the little apollo a pasteboard temple, or church, finely painted, and a ring of bells into the bargain, from the same toy-office. if a housekeeper lost any plate, the thief was certain to be catched, provided she took little master into the store room, and asked him the question, after she had given him his bellyful of sweetmeats. neither were the women only his consulters; the grave merchants, who were anxious for many ventures at sea, applied to the boy for his opinion of their security, and they looked upon his opinion to be as safe as the insurance office for ships. if he but told them, though the ship was just set sail, and a tempest rose just after on the ocean, that it would have a successful voyage, gain the port designed, and return home safe laden with the exchange of traffic and merchandize, they dismissed all their fears, banished all their cares, set their hearts at ease, and, safe in his opinion, enjoyed a calm of mind amidst a storm of weather. i myself knew one count cog, an eminent gamester, who was a person so far from being of a credulous disposition, that he was an unbeliever in several points of religion, and the next door to an infidel; yet, as much as he was a stranger to faith, he was mastered and overpowered so far in his incredulity by the strange events which he had seen come frequently to pass from the predictions of this child, that he had commonly daily access to this boy to learn his more adverse and more prosperous hours of gaming. at first indeed he would try, when the child foretold him his ill fortune, whether it would prove true, and relying upon the mere hazard and turn of the die, he had always, as he observed, a run of ill luck on those forbidden days, as he never failed of good if he chose the fortunate hours directed by the boy. one time above all the rest, just before he was departing from edinburgh, and when the season of gaming was almost over--most persons of wealth and distinction withdrawing for pleasure to their seats in the country--he came to young duncan campbell to consult, and was extremely solicitous to know how happily or unluckily he should end that term, as we may call it, of the gamester's weighty business, viz., play, there being a long vacation likely to ensue, when the gaming table would be empty, and the box and dice lie idle and cease to rattle. the boy encouraged him so well with his predictions on this occasion, that count cog went to the toyshop, brought him from thence a very fine ivory t totum, as children call it, a pretty set of painted and gilded little ninepins and a bowl, and a large bag of marbles and alloys; and what do you think the gamester got by this little present and the prediction of the boy? why, without telling the least tittle of falsehood, within the space of the last week's play, the gains of count cog really amounted to no less than , _l_. sterling neat money. having mentioned these persons of so many different professions by borrowed names, and perhaps in a manner seemingly ludicrous, i would not have my reader from hence take occasion of looking on my account as fabulous. if i was not to make use of borrowed names, but to tell the real characters and names of the persons, i should do injury to those old friends of his who first gave credit to our young seer, while i am endeavouring to gain him the credit and esteem of new ones, in whose way it has not yet happened to consult him. for many persons are very willing to ask such questions as the foregoing ones; but few or none willing to have the public told they asked them; though they succeeded in their wish, and were amply satisfied in their curiosity. i have represented them perhaps in a ludicrous manner, because though they are mysterious actions they are still the actions of a boy, and as the rewards he received for his advices did really and truly consist of such toys as i mentioned, so could they not be treated of in a more serious manner, without the author's incurring a magisterial air of pedantry, and showing a mind, as it were, of being mighty grave and sententious about trifles. there are, however, some things of greater weight and importance done by him in a more advanced stage of life, which will be delivered to the public with that exactitude and gravity which becomes them; and in some of those relations the names of some persons that are concerned shall be printed, because it will not at all be injurious to them, or because i have their leave, and they are still living to testify what i shall relate. in the mean time, as the greatest part of his nonage was spent in predicting almost innumerable things, which are all, however, reducible to the general heads above mentioned, i will not tire the reader with any particulars; but instead of doing that, before i come to show his power of divination, in the more active parts of his life, and when after removing from edinburgh to london, he at last made it his public profession; i shall account how such divinations may be made, and divert the reader with many rare examples, taken from several faithful and undoubted historians, of persons who have done the like before him, some in one way, and some in another; though in this he seems to be peculiar, and to be, if i may be allowed the expression, a species by himself, alone in the talent of prediction; that he has collected within his own individual capacity all the methods which others severally used, and with which they were differently and singly gifted in their several ways of foreseeing and foretelling. this art of prediction is not attainable any otherwise, than by these three ways; first, it is done by the company of familiar spirits and genii, which are of two sorts; some good and some bad; who tell the gifted person the things of which he informs other people. secondly, it is performed by the second-sight, which is very various, and differs in most of the possessors, it being but a very little in some, very extensive and constant in others; beginning with some in their infancy, and leaving them before they come to years; happening to others in a middle age, to others again in an old age, that never had it before, and lasting only for a term of years, and now and then for a very short period of time; and in some, intermitting, like fits as it were, of vision, that leave them for a time, and then return to be as strong in them as ever, and it being in a manner hereditary to some families, whose children have it from their infancy, without intermission, to a great old age, and even to the time of their death, which they often foretell before it comes to pass, to a day, nay, even to an hour. thirdly, it is attained by the diligent study of the lawful part of the art of magic. before i give the reader an account, as i shall do in three distinct discourses, first, concerning the intercourse which familiar spirits, viz., the good and bad genii, have had and continue to have to a great degree with some select parts of mankind; secondly, concerning the wonderful and almost miraculous power of a second-sight, with which many, beyond all controversy, have been extraordinarily but visibly gifted; and, thirdly, concerning the pitch of perfection to which the magic science has been carried and promoted by some adepts in that mysterious art; i will premise a few particulars about the genii which attended our little duncan campbell, and about the second-sight which he had when yet a child, and when we may much more easily believe that the wonders he performed and wrote of, must have been rather brought about by the intervention of such genii and the mediation of such a sight, than that he could have invented such fables concerning them, and compassed such predictions as seem to want their assistance, by the mere dint of a child's capacity. one day, i remember, when he was about nine years of age, going early to the house where he and his mother lived, and it being before his mother was stirring, i went into little duncan campbell's room to divert myself with him, i found him sitting up in his bed with his eyes broad open, but as motionless as if he had been asleep, or even, if it had not been for a lively beautiful colour which the little pretty fair silver-haired boy always had in his cheeks, as if he had been quite dead; he did not seem so much as to breathe; the eyelids of him were so fixed and immoveable, that the eyelashes did not so much as once shake, which the least motion imaginable must agitate; not to say that he was like a person in an ecstacy, he was at least in what we commonly call a brown study, to the highest degree, and for the largest space of time i ever knew. i, who had been frequently informed by people who have been present at the operations of second-sighted persons, that at the sight of a vision the eyelids of the person are erected, and the eyes continue staring till the object vanishes; i, i say, sat myself softly down on his bed-side, and with a quiet amazement observed him, avoiding diligently any motion that might give him the least disturbance, or cause in him any avocation or distraction of mind from the business he was so intent upon. i remarked that he held his head sideways, with his mouth wide open, and in a listening posture, and that after so lively a manner, as, at first general thought, made me forget his deafness, and plainly imagine he heard something, till the second thought of reflection brought into my mind the misfortune that shut up all passage for any sound through his ears. after a steadfast gaze, which lasted about seven minutes, he smiled, and stretched his arms as one recovering from a fit of indolence, and rubbed his eyes; then turning towards me, he made the sign of a salute, and hinted to me, upon his fingers, his desire for pen, ink, and paper, which i reached him from a little desk that stood at his bed's feet. placing the paper upon his knees, he wrote me the following lines, which together with my answers i preserve by me, for their rarity, to this very day, and which i have transcribed word for word, as they form a little series of dialogue. _duncan campbell._ i am sorry i cannot stay with you; but i shall see my pretty youth and my lamb by and by, in the fields, near a little coppice or grove, where i go often to play with them, and i would not lose their company for the whole world; for they and i are mighty familiar together, and the boy tells me everything that gets me my reputation among the ladies and nobility, and you must keep it secret. _my question._ i will be sure to keep it secret; but how do you know you are to meet them there to-day? did the little boy appoint you? _duncan campbell._ yes, he did, and signified that he had several things to predict to me concerning people, that he foreknew would come to me the week following to ask me questions. _my question._ but what was you staring at when i came in? _duncan campbell._ why, at that little boy that goes along with the lamb i speak of, and it was then he made me the appointment. _my question._ how does he do it? does he write? _duncan campbell._ no, he writes sometimes, but oftener he speaks with his fingers, and mighty swift; no man can do it so quick, or write half so soon; he has a little bell in his hand, like that which my mother makes me a sign to shake when she wants the servants: with that he tickles my brain strangely, and gives me an incredible delight of feeling in the inside of my head; he usually wakes me with it in the morning when he comes to make me an appointment. i fancy it is what you call hearing, which makes me mighty desirous i could hear in your way; it is sweeter to the feeling, methinks, than anything is to the taste; it is just as if my head was tickled to death, as my nurse used to tickle my sides; but it is a different feeling, for it makes things like little strings tremble in my temples and behind my ears. now i remember, i will tell you what it is like, that makes me believe it is like your hearing, and that strange thing which you that can speak, call sound or noise: because, when i was at church with my mother, who told me the bells could be heard ringing a mile off, as i was kneeling on the bench, and leaning over the top of the pew and gnawing the board, every time the man pulled the rope, i thought all my head beat as if it would come to pieces, but yet it pleased me methought, rather than pained me, and i would be always gnawing the board when the man pulled the rope, and i told my mother the reason: the feeling of that was something like the little bell, but only that made my head throb, as if it would break, and this tickles me, and makes, as it were, little strings on the back of my ears dance and tremble like anything; is not that like your way of hearing? if it be, it is a sweet thing to hear; it is more pleasant than to see the finest colours in the world; it is something like being tickled in the nose with a feather till one sneezes, or like the feeling after one strikes the leg when it has been numb, or asleep, only with this difference, that those two ways give a pain, and the other a pleasure. i remember, too, when i had a great cold, for about two months, i had a feeling something like it, but that was blunt, dull, confused, and troublesome. is not this like what you call hearing? _my question._--it is the finest kind of hearing, my dear: it is what we call music. but what sort of a boy is that that meets you? and what sort of a lamb? _duncan campbell._ oh! though they are like other boys and other lambs which you see, they are a thousand times prettier and finer? you never saw such a boy nor such a lamb in your lifetime. _my question._ how big is he? as big as you are? and what sort of a boy is he? _duncan campbell._ he is a little little pretty boy, about as tall as my knee, his face is as white as snow, and so are his little hands; his cheeks are as red as a cherry, and so are his lips; and when he breathes, it makes the air more perfumed than my mother's sweet bags that she puts among the linen; he has got a crown of roses, cowslips, and other flowers upon his head, such as the maids gather in may; his hair is like fine silver threads, and shine like the beams of the sun; he wears a loose veil down to his feet, that is as blue as the sky in a clear day, and embroidered with spangles, that look like the brightest stars in the night; he carries a silver bell in one hand, and a book and pencil in the other, and he and the little lamb will dance and leap about me in a ring as high as my head; the lamb has got a little silver collar with nine little bells upon it; and every little piece of wool upon its back, that is as white as milk, is tied up all round it in puffs, like a little miss's hair, with ribbons of all colours; and round its head, too, are little roses and violets stuck very thick into the wool that grows upon its forehead, and behind and between its ears, in the shape of a diadem. they first meet me dancing thus; and after they have danced some time, the little boy writes down wonderful things in his book, which i write down in mine; then they dance again, till he rings his bell, and then they are gone all of a sudden, i know not where; but i feel the tinkling in the inside of my head caused by the bell less and less, till i don't feel it at all, and then i go home, read over my lesson in my book, and when i have it by heart, i burn the written leaves, according as the little boy bids me, or he would let me have no more. but i hear the little bell again, the little boy is angry with me, he pulled me twice by the ear, and i would not displease him for anything, so i must get up and go immediately to the joy and delight of my life. i told him he might, if he would promise me to tell me farther another time; he said he would, if i would keep it secret. i told him i would, and so we parted; though just before he went, he said he smelt some venison, and he was sure they would shortly have some for dinner; and nothing was so sure as that, my man had my orders to bring a side of venison to me the next day to mrs. campbell's, for i had been hunting, and came thither from the death of a deer that morning; and intended, as usual, to make a stay there for two or three days. there are, i know, many men of severe principles, and who are more strict, grave, and formal in their manner of thinking, than they are wise, who will be apt to judge of these relations as things merely fabulous and chimerical, and not contented with being disbelievers by themselves, will labour to insinuate into others this pernicious notion, that it is a sign of infirmity and weakness in the head to yield them credit. but though i could easily argue these sir gravities down, though a sentence or two would do their business, put them beyond the power of replying, and strike them dumb, yet do i think it not worth my while; their greatest and most wonted objection against these eudemons and kakodemons, being, that it arises all from the work of fancy, in persons of a melancholic blood. if we consider the nature of this child's dialogue with me, will it not be more whimsically strange and miraculous, to say that a child of nine years' old had only a fancy of such things as these, of which it had never heard anybody give an account, and that it could, by the mere strength of imagination, predict such things as really after came to pass, than it is, when it does so strangely predict things, to believe the child does it in the manner itself owns it does, which is by the intervention of a good demon, or a happy genius. departing, therefore, from these singular and wise men's opinions, who will believe nothing excellent can happen to others, which it has not been their lot to enjoy a share of, i shall take my farewell hastily of them, without losing my own time or theirs, in the words of the ingenious monsieur le clerc: _acerbos homines non moror, indignos quippe, qui hæc studia tractent, aut quorum, judicii ulla ratio habeatur._ i shall rather see how far these things have lain open to the eyes of, and been explained by the ancient sages; i will relate who among them were happy in their genii, and who among the moderns, whose examples may be authorities for our belief; i will set down as clearly as i can what perception men have had of genii or spirits by the sense of seeing; what by the sense of hearing; what by the sense of feeling, touching, or tasting; and in fine, what perception others have had of these genii by all the senses, what by dreams, and what by magic, a thing rarely to be met with at once in any single man, and which seems particular to the child, who was the subject of our last little historical account. when i have brought examples and the opinions of wise philosophers, and the evidence of undeniable witnesses, which one would think sufficient to evince persons of the commerce men have with spirits, if they were not past all sense of conviction; i shall, not so much to corroborate what i say, as to shame some wiseacres, who would by their frail reason scan all things, and pretend to solve the mysteries ascribed to spirits, as facts merely natural, and who would banish from the thoughts of men all belief of spirits whatsoever, i shall, i say, in order to put to shame these wiseacres, if they have any shame left, produce the opinions of the fathers as divines, show the doctrines of spirits in general to be consistent with christianity, that they are delivered in the scripture and by christian tradition, in which, if they will not acquiesce, i shall leave them to the labyrinth of their own wild opinions, which in the end will so perplex their judgments of things, that they will be never able to extricate themselves; and these different heads will be the subject of the chapter ensuing; and will, or i am greatly mistaken, form both an instructive, edifying, and entertaining discourse, for a reader really and truly intelligent, and that has a good taste and relish for sublime things. chapter v. an argument proving the perception which men have, and have had, by all the senses, as seeing, hearing, etc., of demons, genii, or familiar spirits. it is said in the ninth book of the morals of aristotle, it is better to come at the probable knowledge of some things above us in the heavens, than to be capable of giving many demonstrations relating to things here below. this is no doubt an admirable proposition, and speaks the lofty aims of that sublime mind from whence it proceeded. among all the disquisitions in this kind, none seem to me more excellent than those which treat concerning the genii that attend upon men, and guide them in the actions of life. a genius, or demon, of the good kind, is a sort of mediate being, between human and divine, which gives the mind of man a pleasant conjunction with angelic and celestial faculties, and brings down to earth a faint participation of the joys of heaven. that there have been such fortunate attendants upon wise men, we have many rare instances. they have been ascribed to socrates, aristotle, plotinus, porphyrius, iamblicus, chicus, scaliger, and cardan. the most celebrated of all these ancients, was socrates; and as for his having a genius, or demon, we have the testimonies of plato, xenophon, and antisthenes, his contemporaries, confirmed by laertius, plutarch, maximus tyrius, dion chrysostomus, cicero, apuleius, ficinus, and others; many of the moderns, besides tertullian, origen, clemens alexandrinus, austin, and others; and socrates himself, in plato's theage, says, by some divine lot i have a certain demon which has followed me from my childhood as an oracle; and in the same place intimates that the way he gained his instruction, was by hearing the demon's voice. nothing is certainly so easy as for men to be able to contradict things, though never so well attested, with such an air of truth as to make the truth of the history doubted by others as well as themselves, where no demonstrative proof can be brought to convince them. this has been the easy task of those who object against the demon of socrates; but when no demonstrative proof is to be had on either side, does not wisdom incline us to lean to the most probable? let us then consider whether the evidences are not more credible, and witnesses of such a thing are not persons of more authority than these men are, who vouchsafe to give no reason but their own incredulity, for maintaining the contrary, and whether those, therefore, by the right rule of judging, ought not much sooner than these, to gain over our assent to their assertions? we will, however, laying aside the histories of those ancient times, the sense whereof, by various readings and interpretations being put upon the words, is rendered obscure and almost unintelligible, descend to more modern relations, the facts whereof shall be placed beyond doubt, by reason of the evidences we will bring to attest them, and shall consequently prove the perception men have of spirits, or genii, by every sense. section i. we will first begin as to the perception of spirits by the sight. mr. glanvil, in his collections of relations, for proving apparitions, spirits, &c., tells us of an irishman that had like to have been carried away by spirits, and of the ghost of a man, who had been seven years dead, that brought a medicine to his bed-side. the relation is thus:-- a gentleman in ireland, near to the earl of orrery's, sending his butler one afternoon to buy cards, as he passed a field, to his wonder, he espied a company of people sitting round a table, with a deal of good cheer before them, in the midst of the field; and he, going up towards them, they all arose and saluted him, and desired him to sit down with them; but one of them whispered these words in his ear: do nothing this company invites you to. hereupon he refused to sit down at the table, and immediately table and all that belonged to it were gone, and the company are now dancing and playing upon musical instruments. and the butler being desired to join himself with them, but he refusing this also, they all fall to work, and he not being to be prevailed with to accompany them in working, any more than in feasting or dancing, they all disappeared, and the butler is now alone; but instead of going forwards, home he returns, as fast as he could drive, in a great consternation; and was no sooner entered his master's door, but he fell down and lay some time senseless, but coming again to himself, he related to his master what had passed. the night following, there comes one of his company to his bed-side, and tells him, that if he offered to stir out of the doors the next day, he would be carried away. hereupon he kept within; but towards the evening, having need to make water, he adventured to put one foot over the threshold (several standing by), which he had no sooner done but they espied a rope cast about his middle; and the poor man was hurried away with great swiftness, they following him as fast as they could, but could not overtake him; at length they espied an horseman coming towards him, and made signs to him to stop the man whom he saw coming near him, and both ends of the rope, but nobody drawing; when they met he laid hold of one end of the rope, and immediately had a smart blow given him over his arm with the other end; but by this means the man was stopped, and the horseman brought him back with him. the earl of orrery hearing of these strange passages, sent to the master to desire him to send this man to his house, which he accordingly did; and the morning following, or quickly after, he told the earl that his spectre had been with him again, and assured him that that day he should most certainly be carried away, and that no endeavours should avail to the saving of him; upon this he was kept in a large room with a considerable number of persons to guard him, among whom was the famous stroaker, mr. greatrix, who was a neighbour. there were, besides other persons of quality, two bishops in the house at the same time, who were consulted concerning the making use of a medicine, the spectre or ghost prescribed, of which mention will be made anon, but they determined on the negative. till part of the afternoon was spent, all was quiet; but at length he was perceived to rise from the ground, whereupon mr. greatrix and another lusty man clapped their arms over his shoulders, one of them before him, and the other behind, and weighed him down with all their strength; but he was forcibly taken up from them, and they were too weak to keep their hold, and for a considerable time he was carried into the air, to and fro over their heads, several of the company still running under him to prevent his receiving hurt if he should fall; at length he fell, and was caught before he came to the ground, and had by that means no hurt. all being quiet till bed-time, my lord ordered two of his servants to lie with him, and the next morning he told his lordship, that his spectre was again with him, and brought a wooden dish with grey liquor in it, and bid him drink it off; at the first sight of the spectre he said he endeavoured to awake his bed-fellows; but it told him, that that endeavour should be in vain; and that he had no cause to fear him, he being his friend, and he that at first gave him the good advice in the field, which had he not followed, he had been before now perfectly in the power of the company he saw there; he added, that he concluded it was impossible but that he should have been carried away the day before, there being so strong a combination against him; but now he could assure him there would be no more attempts of that nature, but he being troubled with two sorts of sad fits, he had brought that liquor to cure him of them, and bid him drink it; he peremptorily refusing, the spectre was angry, and upbraided him with great disingenuity, but told him, however, he had a kindness for him, and that if he would take plantain juice he should be well of one sort of fits, but he should carry the other to his grave; the poor man having by this somewhat recovered himself, asked the spectre whether by the juice of plantain he meant that of the leaves or roots? it replied, the roots. then it asked him whether he did not know him? he answered, no; it replied, i am such a one; the man answered he had been long dead; i have been dead, said the spectre or ghost, seven years, and you know that i lived a loose life, and ever since, i have been hurried up and down in a restless condition with the company you saw, and shall be to the day of judgment; then he proceeded to tell him, that had he acknowledged god in his ways, he had not suffered such severe things by their means; and farther said, you never prayed to god before that day you met with this company in the fields. this relation was sent to dr. henry more by mr. e. fowler, who said, mr. greatrix told it several persons; the lord orrery also owned the truth of it; and mr. greatrix told it to dr. henry more himself, who particularly inquired of mr. greatrix about the man's being carried up into the air, above men's heads, in the room, and he did expressly affirm that he was an eye-witness thereof. a vision which happened to the ingenious and learned dr. donne, may not improperly be here inserted. mr. isaac walton, writing the life of the said doctor, tells us, that the doctor and his wife, living with sir robert drury, who gave them a free entertainment at his house in drury-lane, it happened that the lord haye was by king james sent in an embassy to the french king, henry iv., whom sir robert resolved to accompany, and engaged dr. donne to go with them, whose wife was then with child, at sir robert's house. two days after their arrival at paris, dr. donne was left alone in that room in which sir robert and he and some other friends had dined together. to this place sir robert returned within half an hour; and as he left so he found dr. donne alone, but in such an ecstacy, and so altered in his looks, as amazed sir robert to behold him, insomuch that he earnestly desired dr. donne to declare what had befallen him in the short time of his absence. to which dr. donne was not able to make a present answer; but after a long and perplexed pause, did at last say, i have seen a dreadful vision, since i saw you; i have seen my dear wife pass twice by me, through this room, with her hair hanging about her shoulders, and a dead child in her arms; this i have seen since i saw you. to which sir robert replied, sure, sir, you have slept since i saw you, and this is the result of some melancholy dream, which i desire you to forget, for you are now awake. to which dr. donne's reply was, i cannot be surer that i now live than that i have not slept since i saw you, and am as sure at her second appearing she stopped and looked me in the face and vanished. rest and sleep had not altered dr. donne's opinion the next day; for he then affirmed this vision with a more deliberate and so confirmed a confidence, that he inclined sir robert to a faint belief that the vision was true, who immediately sent a servant to drury house, with a charge to hasten back and bring him word whether mrs. donne were alive; and if alive, what condition she was in as to her health. the twelfth day the messenger returned with this account; that he found and left mrs. donne very sad and sick in bed, and that after a long and dangerous labour she had been delivered of a dead child, and upon examination the abortion proved to be the same day, and about the very hour that dr. donne affirmed he saw her pass by in his chamber. mr. walton adds this, as a relation which will beget some wonder, and well it may, for most of our world are at present possessed with an opinion that visions and miracles are ceased, and though it is most certain that two lutes both being strung and tuned to an equal pitch, and then one played upon, the other, that is not touched, being laid upon the table at a fit distance, will, like an echo to a trumpet, warble a faint, audible harmony in answer to the same tune, yet many will not believe that there is any such thing as a sympathy with souls, &c. section ii. i shall next relate some little histories to show what perception men have had of spirits by the sense of hearing. for, as wierus says, spirits appear sometimes invisibly, so that only a sound, voice, or noise, is perceived by men, viz., a stroke, knocking, whistling, sneezing, groaning, lamenting, or clapping of the hands, to make men attent to inquire or answer. in luther's colloquia mensalia, &c., set forth in latin, at frankfort, anno , it being a different collection from that of aurifaber, which is translated from high dutch into english. we have the following relation:-- it happened in prussia, that as a certain boy was born, there presently came to him a genius, or what you please to call it, for i leave it to men's judgments, who had so faithful a care of the infant, that there was no need either of mother or servant; and, as he grew up, he had a like care of him; he went to school with him, but so, that he could never be seen either by himself, or any others in all his life. afterwards he travelled into italy, he accompanied him, and whensoever any evil was like to happen to him, either on the road or in the inn, he was perceived to foretell it by some touch or stroke; he drew off his boots as a servant; if he turned his journey another way, he continued with him, having the same care of him in foretelling evil; at length he was made a canon; and as, on a time, he was sitting and feasting with his friends in much jollity, a vehement stroke was struck on a sudden on the table, so that they were all terrified; presently the canon said to his friends, be not afraid, some great evil hangs over my head. the next day he fell into a great fever, and the fit continued on him for three whole days, till he died, miserably. captain henry bell, in his narrative prefixed to luther's table, printed in english, anno , having acquainted us how the german copy printed of it had been discovered under ground, where it had lain hid fifty-two years, that edition having been suppressed by an edict of the emperor rudolphus the second, so that it was death for any person to keep a copy thereof; and having told us that casparus van spar, a german gentleman, with whom he was familiarly acquainted, while he negotiated affairs in germany for king james the first, was the person that discovered it, anno , and transmitted it into england to him, and earnestly desired him to translate the said book into english, says, he accordingly set upon the translation of it many times, but was always hindered from proceeding in it by some intervening business. about six weeks after he had received the copy, being in bed with his wife, one night, between twelve and one of the clock, she being asleep, but himself awake, there appeared to him an ancient man standing at his bed-side, arrayed all in white, having a long and broad white beard hanging down to his girdle, who taking him by his right ear, said thus to him: sirrah! will you not take time to translate that book which is sent unto you out of germany? i will shortly provide for you both place and time to do it; and then he vanished. hereupon, being much affrighted, he fell into an extreme sweat, so that his wife awaking and finding him all over wet, she asked him what he ailed? he told her what he had seen and heard; but he never regarded visions nor dreams, and so the same fell out of his mind. but a fortnight after, being on a sunday; at his lodging in king-street, westminster, at dinner with his wife, two messengers were sent from the whole council-board, with a warrant to carry him to the gate-house, westminster, there to be kept till farther order from the lords of the council; upon which warrant he was kept there ten whole years close prisoner, where he spent five years of it in translating the said book, having good cause to be mindful of the old man's saying: i will shortly provide for you both place and time to translate it. though the perception of spirits chiefly affects the hearing and seeing faculties, yet are not the other senses without some participation of these genial objects, whether good or evil; for, as st. austin says, the evil work of the devil creeps through all the passages of the senses; he presents himself in figures, applies himself to colours, adheres to sounds, introduces odours, infuses himself in savours, and fills all the passages of intelligence; sometimes cruelly tormenting with grief and fear, sometimes sportingly diverting man or taunting with mocks; and on the other hand, as the learned walter hilton, a great master of contemplative life, in his scale of perfection sets forth, that appearances or representations to the corporeal senses may be both good and evil. but before i conclude upon this head, to give still more weight and authority to the perception men have had of these genii, both by the senses of hearing and seeing, i will relate two very remarkable fragments of history of this kind, told us by persons who demand our credit, and done within the memory of our grandfathers and fathers. the first is concerning that duke of buckingham who was stabbed by felton, august the twenty-third, . mr. lilly, the astrologer, in his book entituled monarchy or no monarchy, in england, printed in quarto, ; having mentioned the duke of buckingham, writes as follows: since i am upon the death of buckingham, i shall relate a true story, of his being admonished often of the death he should die, in this manner:-- an aged gentlemen, one parker, as i now remember, having formerly belonged unto the duke, or of great acquaintance with the duke's father, and now retired, had a demon appeared several times to him in the shape of sir george villiers, the duke's father: this demon walked many times in parker's bedchamber, without any action of terror, noise, hurt, or speech; but at last, one night, broke out in these words: mr. parker, i know you loved me formerly, and my son george at this time very well, i would have you go from me, you know me very well to be his father, old sir george villiers of leicestershire, and acquaint him with these and these particulars, &c.; and that he above all refrain the council and company of such and such, whom he then nominated, or else he will come to destruction, and that suddenly. parker, though a very discreet man, partly imagined himself in a dream all this time; and being unwilling to proceed upon no better grounds, forbode addressing himself to the duke; for he conceived, if he should acquaint the duke with the words of his father, and the manner of his appearance to him, such apparitions being not usual, he should be laughed at and thought to dote, in regard he was aged. some few nights past without farther trouble to the old man, but not very many nights after, old sir george villiers appeared again, walked quick and furiously in the room, seemed angry with parker, and at last said, mr. parker, i thought you had been my friend so much, and loved my son george so well, that you would have acquainted him with what i desired, but i know you have not done it; by all the friendship that ever was betwixt you and me, and the great respect you bear my son, i desire you to deliver what i formerly commanded you to my son. the old man seeing himself thus solicited, promised the demon he would, but first argued it thus, that the duke was not easy to be spoken withal, and that he would account him a vain man to come with such a message from the dead: nor did he conceive the duke would give any credit to him; to which the demon thus answered: if he will not believe you have this discourse from me, tell him of such a secret and named it, which he knows none in the world ever knew but myself and him. mr. parker being now well satisfied that he was not asleep, and that the apparition was not a vain delusion, took a fit opportunity, and seriously acquainted the duke with his father's words and the manner of his apparition. the duke laughed heartily at the relation, which put old parker to a stand, but at last he assumed courage, and told the duke that he acquainted his father's ghost with what he found now to be true, viz., scorn and derision. but, my lord, says he, your father bid me acquaint you by this token, and he said it was such as none in the world but your two selves did yet know. hereat the duke was amazed and much astonished, but took no warning or notice thereof, keeping the same company still, advising with such counsellors and performing such actions as his father by parker countermanded. shortly after, old sir george villiers, in a very quiet but sorrowful posture, appears again to parker, and said, mr. parker, i know you delivered my words to george, my son, i thank you for so doing, but he slighted them, and now i only request this more at your hands, that once again you repair to my son, and tell him that if he will not amend, and follow the counsel i have given him, this knife or dagger, and with that he pulled a knife or dagger from under his gown, shall end him; and do you, mr. parker, set your house in order, for you shall die at such a time. mr. parker once more engaged, though very unwillingly, to acquaint the duke with the last message, and so did; but the duke told him to trouble him no farther with such messages and dreams, and told him he perceived he was now an old man and doted; and within a month after, meeting mr. parker on lambeth bridge, said, now, mr. parker, what say you of your dream? who only returned; sir, i wish it may never have success, &c. but within six weeks after, he was stabbed with a knife, according to his father's admonition beforehand, and mr. parker died soon after he had seen the dream or vision performed. this relation is inserted also in the great lord clarendon's history, and in sir r. baker's chronicle. the lord clarendon, in his history, vol. i. lib. i., having given some relations, says, that amongst others, there was one, meaning this of parker, which was upon a better foundation of credit than usually such discourses are founded upon. and he tells us that parker was an officer in the king's wardrobe in windsor castle, of a good reputation for honesty and discretion, and then about the age of fifty years or more. this man had, in his youth, been bred in a school in the parish where sir george villiers, the father of the duke lived, and had been much cherished and obliged in that season of his age by the said sir george, whom afterwards he never saw. about six months before the miserable end of the duke of buckingham the apparition was seen. after the third appearance, he made a journey to london, where the court then was; he was very well known to sir ralph freeman, one of the masters of the requests, who had married a lady that was nearly allied to the duke, and was himself well received by him. he informed the duke with the reputation and honesty of the man, and sir ralph freeman carried the man the next morning, by five of the clock, to lambeth, according to the duke's appointment, and there presented him to the duke, who received him courteously at his landing, and walked in conference near an hour with him, and sir ralph's and the duke's servants at such a distance that they heard not a word; but sir ralph always fixed his eyes on the duke, who sometimes spoke with great commotion and disorder; and the man told sir ralph in their return over the water, that when he mentioned those particulars that were to gain him credit, the duke's colour changed, and he swore he could come to that knowledge only by the devil; for that those particulars were known only to himself and to one person more, who, he was sure, would never speak of them. so far the lord clarendon. i will now subjoin an authentic relation, which mr. beaumont tells us at the end of his book of genii, or familiar spirits, printed in the year , he had just before received from the mouth of the then bishop of gloucester himself. it is as follows, word for word:-- sir charles lee, by his first lady, had only one daughter, of which she died in childbirth; and when she died, her sister, the lady everard, desired to have the education of the child; and she was by her very well educated till she was marriageable; and a match was concluded for her with sir william perkins, but was then prevented in an extraordinary manner. upon a thursday night, she thinking she saw a light in her chamber after she was in bed, knocked for her maid, who presently came to her; and she asked why she left a candle burning in her chamber? the maid said she left none, and there was none, but what she brought with her at that time. then she said it was the fire; but that the maid told her was quite out, and said she believed it was only a dream: whereupon she said it might be so, and composed herself again to sleep; but about two of the clock she was awakened again, and saw the apparition of a little woman between her curtain and her pillow, who told her she was her mother, and that she was happy, and that by twelve of the clock that day she should be with her; whereupon she knocked again for her maid, called for her clothes, and when she was dressed, went into her closet, and came not out again till nine; and then brought out with her a letter, sealed, to her father, brought it to her aunt, the lady everard, told her what had happened, and desired that, as soon as she was dead, it might be sent to him; but the lady thought she was suddenly fallen mad; and thereupon sent presently away to chelmsford for a physician and surgeon, who both came immediately, but the physician could discern no indication of what the lady imagined, or of any indisposition of her body; notwithstanding, the lady would needs have her let blood, which was done accordingly; and when the young woman had patiently let them do what they would with her, she desired that the chaplain might be called to read prayers, and when prayers were ended, she took her guitar and psalm book, and sat down upon a chair without arms, and played and sung so melodiously and admirably, that her music master, who was then there, admired at it; and near the stroke of twelve, she rose and sat herself down in a great chair with arms, and presently fetching a strong breathing or two, immediately expired, and was so suddenly cold as was much wondered at by the physician and surgeon. she died at waltham, in essex, three miles from chelmsford; and the letter was sent to sir charles, at his house in warwickshire; but he was so afflicted with the death of his daughter, that he came not till she was buried: but when he came he caused her to be taken up, and to be buried by her mother at edmonton, as she desired in her letter. this was about the year one thousand six hundred and sixty-two or sixty-three; and this relation the right reverend the lord bishop of gloucester had from sir charles lee himself; and mr. beaumont printed it in his book above mentioned, from the bishop's own mouth. the relations which i have given above, are not like the trifling accounts too often given of these things, and therefore causing grave ones to be ridiculed in common with them. they are of that nature, that, whoever attempts to ridicule them, will, instead of turning them into jest, become the object of ridicule himself. the first story, which has in it such amazing circumstances, and such uncommon and dreadful incidents concerning the butler in ireland, is, as the reader sees, attested by no less a personage than an earl of orrery, two bishops, and many other noblemen and gentlemen being present and eye-witnesses of what the earl said. what greater testimony would the most incredulous have? they say such things are told for interest. what interest could an earl and many noblemen have in promoting such an imposture? the incredulous say, likewise, great and learned men delight sometimes in putting frauds upon the world, and after laugh at their credulity. would a number of noble laymen choose two prelates to carry on such a fraud; and would two pious bishops probably combine with several, and some servants there present, in spreading such a deceit? it is past believing, and it demands the strictest of moral faith that can be given to the most unquestioned history that the pen of man ever wrote. the second story is founded, first, upon the experience of one of the most ingenious men of that age, dr. donne, and then upon the proof made by his friend sir robert drury, who could at first scarce believe it; and shall we doubt the credit of men, whose company, for their credit be it spoken, a british ambassador was proud of gaining. the third story is told by luther himself, who began the great work of the reformation. the fourth is told by one that was a king's public minister and told from his own trial of the matter, where he could have no interest in the telling it. the fifth is related by those great historians, the lord clarendon and sir richard baker, as a truth relied upon by themselves, and fit to be credited by their readers. the sixth and last was related to mr. beaumont, by the lord bishop of gloucester, who received the account from sir charles lee himself, to whose granddaughter the matter happened. men who will not believe such things as these, so well attested to us, and given us by such authorities, because they did not see them themselves, nor anything of the like nature, ought not only to deny the demon of socrates, but that there was such a man as socrates himself; they should not dispute the genii of cæsar, cicero, brutus, marc antony, but avow that there were never any such men existing upon earth, and overthrow all credible history whatsoever. meanwhile, all men, but those who run such lengths in their fantastical incredulity, will, from the facts above mentioned, rest satisfied, that there are such things as evil and good genii, and that men have sometimes a commerce with them by all their senses, particularly those of seeing and hearing, and will not therefore be startled at the strange fragments of histories which i am going to relate of our young duncan campbell, and look upon some wonderful adventures which he performed by the intervention of his familiar demon or genius, as falsehoods, only because they are uncommon and surprising, more especially since they were not done in a corner, but by an open way of profession of a predictor of things, in the face of the metropolis of london, where he settled young, as will appear in the progress of his life. however, some people, notwithstanding all this, may allege, that though a man may have a genius appear to him, so as to convey into his mind, through his senses, the knowledge of things that are to come to pass, yet this happens but on very eminent and extraordinary occasions. the murder, for example, of a prime minister, and the favourite of a monarch, in such a manner as it was performed on the great duke of buckingham, by felton, was a thing so uncommon, that it might perhaps deserve, by the permission of heaven, an uncommon prediction; the others likewise are instances eminent in their way, particularly that of the lady everard's niece; for that young lady being then marriageable, and a treaty for that end being on foot with sir william perkins, the divine providence foreseeing that such a state might call away her thoughts, hitherto bent on him and spiritual affairs, and fix them on the trifles of this world, might perhaps permit her to be called by a holy mother to the state of happiness she before her enjoyed, lest her daughter's mind should change, and she go into the ways of a sinner. but if these supereminent, these scarce and rare examples, may be admitted of man's holding a conversation with the spiritualized beings of another world; it will, however, be far below the dignity of human reason, methinks, to make such large concessions to people who pretend to converse that wonderful way, as to allow them the credit of being able to do it upon every slight occasion, and every indifferent occurrence of human life. i cannot help acknowledging, that a man of wisdom may at first thought, make such an objection; but reflection will presently retract it, and the same good sense that taught him to make an objection so well upon the first thought, will teach him, upon second thoughts, to acquiesce in the answer. infants may have, no doubt, the benefit of such an attending genius, as well as people more advanced in years; as may be seen in one of the instances, which is a very famous one, relating to the boy born in prussia, who was attended by one constantly, from the time of his birth to his death. besides, it is a mistake in the understanding to imagine, that death, which is the determination and end of life, is of more consequence to be known than the manner of regulating that life; for in reality, according to the right way of considering death, or the determination of a man's life, derives its importance from the steps which he took in the due regulation of it; and therefore, every, the least step proper to be taken for the due regulation of life, is of more consequence to be known than the death of a person, though this at first sight carries the face of significance, and the other nothing better than the look of a trifle. marriage, for example, is a step in life of the utmost importance, whether we consider that estate with regard to this, or the next world. death is but the finishing of one person, but marriage may be the introducing of many into the world with happiness; it is therefore a thing of more importance to be known beforehand, and consequently more worthy of the communication of a genius, to the man with whom he conversed. posidonius tells us, that a certain rhodian dying, nominated six of his equals, and said who should die first, who next, and so on, and the event answered the prediction; why, then, though some people are apt to make a jest of it, may not a man, by the intervention of his good genius, tell a woman that is to have six husbands, who she shall have first, who next, and so on, and the event answer the prediction? if men of learning may acquire such knowledge as to attain to extraordinary things by their ordinary faculties, why may not ordinary things be taught others in this extraordinary way? for will anybody say that it is easier for a man to accommodate himself to the knowledge of a demon or genius than for a demon or genius to accommodate himself to the knowledge of a man? certain it is, indeed, that if this good genius, that induces a man with a prophetic kind of science, be anything resembling a good angel, the primary end of his being permitted to direct mankind must consist in things relating more to their welfare hereafter: yet i know not why they may not sometimes inspire, or openly direct them in human knowledge, and in things relating to human life, so they are of a good tendency; more especially since such a good inspiration may be a counterbalance to the bad knowledge which some have been inspired with by evil spirits. i would not be thought to go too far in a point of this nature, and have, therefore, though perhaps i could say much more if i followed entirely my own private opinion, and would venture to introduce it here, in order to communicate it to others, and make it a public one, said no more on this head than what divines generally teach. but the most unexceptionable mistress, that teaches these things to be in nature, is experience. if we had very many people gifted this way, the extraordinary thing would have been become ordinary, and therefore i cannot help wondering that it should be so ordinary a thing for wise men themselves to wonder too much at things because they are extraordinary, and suspect them as frauds because they are uncommon. there has scarce been any period of time in which some person of this prophetic class has not existed, and has not been consulted by the greatest of men, and their predictions found at the long run to come true; ignorant men always rise to their belief of them by experience, and the most learned men submit their great opinions to experience, but your men of middling talents, who make up their want of reason with bustling obstinacy and noisy contradiction, have been and still continue to be their own opposers, and without discovering the reason for what they say, they content themselves with having the laugh on their sides, and barely affirming without proving, that it is a kind of ideal juggle and intellectual legerdemain, by which these modern predictors impose things upon the eye of reason, as the corporeal eye is imposed upon by sleight of hand; but it is a strange thing that men of such quick reason cannot give us a sample of the frauds. thus, i remember to have read, i cannot tell where, the story of some courtiers, who, when a great artist of legerdemain was to act before the king, pretended to be so quick-sighted, that nothing he did should escape their discovery, were left by his nimble fingers in the dark, and forced at last with blushes to own they had no better eyes than other people. in a word, if people will be led by suspicions and remote possibilities of fraud and contrivance of such men, all historical truth shall be ended, when it consists not with a man's private humour or prejudice to admit it. now, therefore, to prove by experience and undeniable testimonies, that these kind of genii will submit to little offices, in order to bring men to greater good, i will give three or four curious passages that will set the reasonable reader at ease, and prepare him for reading the passages of mr. campbell's life with pleasure, and as a fine history of wonderful facts, that, though they seem to surpass belief, yet ought to have his credit. what in nature can be more trivial than for a spirit to employ himself in knocking on a morning at a wainscot by the bed's-head of a man who got drunk over-night, according to the way that such things are ordinarily explained? and yet i shall give you such a relation of this, that not even the most devout and precise presbyterian will offer to call in question. for mr. baxter, in his historical discourse of apparitions, writes thus:-- there is now in london an understanding, sober, pious man, oft one of my hearers, who has an elder brother, a gentleman of considerable rank, who, having formerly seemed pious, of late years does often fall into the sin of drunkenness, he often lodges long together here in his brother's house; and whensoever he is drunk and has slept himself sober, something knocks at his bed's-head, as if one knocked on a wainscot; when they remove his bed it follows him; besides other loud noises, on other parts where he is, that all the house hears; they have often watched him, and kept his hands lest he should do it himself. his brother has often told it me, and brought his wife, a discreet woman, to attest it; who avers, moreover, that as she watched him, she has seen his shoes under the bed taken up, and nothing visible to touch them. they brought the man himself to me, and when we asked him how he dare sin again after such a warning, he had no excuse: but being persons of quality, for some special reason of worldly interest, i must not name him. two things are remarkable in this instance, says mr. baxter. first, what a powerful thing temptation and fleshly concupiscence is, and what a hardened heart sin brings men to; if one rose from the dead to warn such sinners, it would not of itself persuade them. secondly, says mr. baxter, it poses me to think what kind of spirit this is that has such a care of this man's soul, which makes me hope he will recover. do good spirits dwell so near us, or are they sent on such messages? or is it his guardian angel? or is it the soul of some dead friend that suffers? and yet, retaining love to him, as dives to his brethren, would have him saved? god yet keeps such things from us in the dark. so far we have the authority of the renowned and famous mr. baxter, who makes this knocking of the spirit at the bed's-head, though what we commonly call frivolous, an important errand. another relation of this kind was sent to mr. john beaumont, whom i myself personally know, and which he has inserted in his account of genii, or familiar spirits, in a letter by an ingenious and learned clergyman of wiltshire, who had given him the relation likewise before, by word of mouth. it is as follows:-- near eighty years since, in the parish of wilcot, which is by devizes, in the vicar's house, there was heard for a considerable time the sound of a bell constantly tolling every night. the occasion was this: a debauched person who lived in the parish came one night very late and demanded the keys of the church of the vicar, that he might ring a peal, which the vicar refused to let him have, alleging the unseasonableness of the time, and that he should, by granting his desires, give a disturbance to sir george wroughton and his family, whose house adjoined the churchyard. upon this refusal, the fellow went away in a rage, threatening to be revenged of the vicar, and going some time after to devizes, met with one cantle or cantlow, a person noted in those days for a wizard, and he tells him how the vicar had served him, and begs his help to be even with him. the reply cantle made him was this; does he not love ringing? he shall have enough of it: and from that time a bell began to toll in his house, and continued so to do till cantle's death, who confessed at fisherton gaol, in sarum, where he was confined by king james during his life, that he caused that sound, and that it should be heard in that place during life. the thing was so notorious that persons came from all parts to hear it; and king james sent a gentleman from london on purpose to give him satisfaction concerning the truth of the report. mr. beaumont had likewise this story, as he tells, from the mouth of sir george wroughton's own son; with this remarkable circumstance, that if any in the house put their heads out of the window they could not hear the sound, but heard it immediately again as soon as they stood in the room. the reader here sees that good and bad genii exercise themselves upon very little functions, knocking at bed's-heads, and ringing of bells. for proof of this we have the testimonies of two divines, of a man of quality and probity, and the same satisfaction that a learned king had, who sent to inquire into the matter; and after this there can be, i think, no room for doubt. but to carry the point still nearer home; inasmuch as i know some will leave no stone unturned to make the extraordinary actions which the person whose life i write has performed, appear impostures, and inasmuch as for this end they may say, that though many people may have been gifted in this extraordinary manner, yet not so as to make a profession of it, and therefore, from thence they take their suspicions, i shall in this place, to remove every nicest scruple they can have touching this affair, give the reader one instance of this kind likewise, before i proceed with my history. there lived not many years since a very aged gentlewoman in london, in water-lane, by fleet-street, whose name was pight, who was endowed with a prophetic spirit; and the ingenious mr. beaumont, whom i personally knew, and who had a familiar genius himself, gives the world this account of her. she was very well known, says he, to many persons of my acquaintance now living in london. among others, a gentleman, whose candour i can no way suspect, has told me, that he often resorted to her as to an oracle; and that as soon as he came into her presence, she would usually tell him, that she knew what he was coming for, for that she had seen his spirit for some time before; and without his saying anything to her, she would commonly tell him what the business was which he came to consult her about, and what the event of it would be; which he always found to fall out as she said, and many other persons now living can testify the like experience of her as to themselves. before i conclude this chapter, i am willing to give the public one farther little history of the like kind with the foregoing ones, with this only difference, that if it be valued according to the worth the world has always attributed to the very ingenious person whom it concerns, it will be far the most famous of them all, and therefore fittest to finish this chapter, and to crown this part of the work, in which we are showing that persons have had a perception of genii or spirits, not visible at the same time to others. the famous torquatus tasso, prince of the italian poets, and scarce inferior to the immortal virgil himself, and who seems to enjoy the intermingled gifts of the most accurate judgment of this latin poet, and the more fertile and copious invention and fancy of the greek one, homer, strongly asserted his own experience in this kind. his life was written and published in french, anno , by d.c.d.d.v. who, in his preface, tells us, that in what he writ he has followed chiefly the history given us in italian by john baptista manso, a neapolitan gentleman, who had been a very intimate friend to tasso. in his life, among other things, he acquaints us that tasso was naturally of that melancholic temperament, which has always made the greatest men, and that this temperament being aggravated by many hardships he had undergone, it made him sometimes beside himself, and that those melancholic vapours being despatched, he came again to himself, like those that return from fits of the falling sickness, his spirit being as free as before. that, near his latter end, he retired from the city of naples, to his friend manso, at bisaccia, a small town in the kingdom of naples, where manso had a considerable estate, and passed an autumn there in the diversions of the season. and here the french author gives us an account of tasso's sensible perception of a genius, as follows:--as after these amusements, he usually retired to his chamber, to entertain himself there with his friend manso, the latter had the opportunity to inquire into one of the most singular effects of tasso's melancholy, of this heroic melancholy, as i may call it, which raised and brightened his spirit, so far it was from depressing or rendering it obscure; and which, among the ancients, would have reasonably caused them to have ascribed a familiar demon to him, as to socrates. they were often in a warm debate concerning this spirit, with which tasso pretended to have so free a communication. i am too much your friend, said manso to him one day, not to let you know what the world thinks of you concerning this thing, and what i think of it myself. is it possible, that being enlightened as you are, you should be fallen into so great a weakness as to think you have a familiar spirit; and will you give your enemies that advantage, to be able to prove by your own acknowledgment, what they have already published to the world? you know, they say, you did not publish your dialogue of the messenger, as a fiction; but you would have men believe that the spirit which you make to speak there, was a real and true spirit; hence men have drawn this injurious consequence, that your studies have embroiled your imagination, so that there is made in it a confused mixture of the fictions of the poets, the inventions of the philosophers, and the doctrine of religion. i am not ignorant, answered tasso, of all that is spread abroad in the world on account of my dialogue; i have taken care divers times to disabuse my friends, both by letter and word of mouth: i prevented even the malignity of my enemies, as you know at the time i published my dialogue. men could not be ignorant that i composed it for the young prince of mantua, to whom i would explain after an agreeable manner, the principal mysteries of the platonic philosophy. it was at mantua itself, after my second flight from ferrara, that i formed the idea of it, and i committed it to paper a little after my unfortunate return. i addressed it to this prince, and all men might have read in the epistle dedicatory, the protestation i there make, that this dialogue, being written according to the doctrine of the platonics, which is not always conformable to revealed truths, men must not confound what i expose there as a philosopher, with what i believe as a christian. this distinction is by so much the more reasonable, that at that time nothing extraordinary had happened to me, and i spake not of any apparition. this can be attested by all those with whom i lodged, or whom frequented in this voyage; and therefore there is no reason for confounding the fiction of my dialogue with what has happened to me since. i am persuaded of all you say to me, replied manso; but truly i cannot be of what you believe, at present, concerning yourself. will you imagine that you are in commerce with a spirit? and i ask you, of what order is that spirit? shall we place him in the number of the rebels, whom their pride precipitated into the abyss? or of the intelligences, who continued firm in faith and submission to their creator? for there is no mean to take in the true religion, and we must not fall into the extravagances of the gnomes and sylphs of the cabalists. now the spirit in question cannot be a demon: you own that instead of inspiring you anything contrary to piety and religion, he often fortifies in you the maxims of christianity: he strengthens your faith by profound reasonings, and has the same respect with you for sacred names and things. neither can you say that it is an angel; for though you have always led a regular life, and far from all dissoluteness; though for some years past you have applied yourself, after a particular manner, to the duties of a true christian, you will agree with me, that these sorts of favours are not common; that a man must have attained to a high degree of sanctity, and not be far from the pureness of celestial spirits, to merit a familiar converse, and bear a harmony with them. believe me, there is nothing in all these discourses which you imagine you have with this spirit. you know, better than any man, those symptoms which the black humours wherewith you are tormented causes in you. your vapours are the source of your visions, and yourself would not judge otherwise of another person to whom a like thing should happen; and you will come to this in your own respect also, if you will make a mature reflection, and apply yourself to blot out, by an effort of reason, these imaginations which the violence of your evil effect causes in you. you may have reason, replied tasso, to think so of the things that pass in me; but as to myself, who have a sensible perception of them, i am forced to reason after another manner. if it were true that the spirit did not show himself to me, but in the violent assault of my vapours; if he offered to my imagination but wandering and confused species, without connection or due sequel; if he used to me frivolous reasonings, which ended in nothing; or if having begun some solid reasoning he broke it off on a sudden, and left me in darkness, i should believe with you, that all things that pass are but mere dreams and phantoms; but it is quite otherwise. this spirit is a spirit of truth and reason, and of a truth so distinct, of a reason so sublime, that he raises me often to knowledges that are above all my reasonings, though they appear to me no less clear; that he teaches me things which, in my most profound meditations, never came into my spirit, and which i never heard of any man, nor read in any book. this spirit, therefore, is somewhat of real; of whatsoever order he be, i hear him and see him, nevertheless for its being impossible for me to comprehend and define him. manso did not yield to these facts, which tasso would have passed for proofs; he pressed him with new questions, which were not without answers. since you will not believe me on my word, said tasso to him another day, after having well disputed, i must convince you by your own eyes, that these things are not pure imaginations: and the next day, conversing together in the same chamber, manso perceived that, on a sudden, he fixed his eyes towards the window, and that he stood, as it were, immoveable; he called to him and jogged him many times, but instead of answering him; see there the spirit, says tasso, at last, that has been pleased to come and visit me, and to entertain himself with me; look on him, and you will acknowledge the truth of what i say. manso, somewhat surprised, cast his eyes towards the place he showed him, and perceived nothing but the rays of the sun passing through the glass, nor did he see anything in all the chamber; though he cast his eyes round it with curiosity, and he desired him to show him the spirit, which he looked for in vain, while he heard tasso speak with much vehemency. he declares in a letter which he writ concerning this to the admiral of naples, that he really heard no other voice but tasso's own; but they were sometimes questions made by him to the pretended spirit, sometimes answers that he made to the pretended questions of the spirit, and which were couched in such admirable terms, so efficacious, concerning subjects so elevated, and so extraordinary, that he was ravished with admiration, and dared not to interrupt him. he hearkened, therefore, attentively, and being quite beside himself at this mysterious conversation, which ended at last by a recess of the spirit, as he found by the last words of tasso; after which, tasso, turning himself to him, well, said he, are your doubts at last dissipated? on the contrary, answered manso, i am more embroiled than ever; i have truly heard wonderful things; but you have not showed me what you promised me. you have seen and heard, resumed tasso, perhaps more than----he stopped here; and manso, who could not recover himself of his surprise, and had his head filled with the ideas of this extraordinary entertainment, found himself not in a condition to press him farther. meanwhile he engaged himself not to speak a word to any man of these things he had heard, with a design to make them public, though he should have liberty granted him. they had many other conversations concerning this matter, after which manso owned he was brought to that pass, that he knew not what to think or say, only, that if it were a weakness in his friend to believe these visions, he much feared it would prove contagious to him, and that he should become at last as credulous as himself. dr. beaumont, who is still living, and with whom i have had formerly some acquaintance myself, has set down, among the others, this relation at large concerning tasso, and gives this reason for it: because, says the doctor, i think it contains a sufficient answer to what many learned friends have said to myself on the like occasion. perhaps it may not be ungrateful to the reader, if i subjoin here the short eulogium writ on tasso, by the famous thuanas, which is as follows:-- torquatus tasso died about the forty-fifth year of his age, a man of a wonderful and prodigious wit, who was seized with an incurable fury in his youth, when he lived at the court of ferrara, and nevertheless, in lucid intervals, he writ many things both in verse and prose, with so much judgment, elegancy, and extreme correctness of style, that he turned at length that pity which many men had conceived for him, into an amazement; while by that fury, which, in others, makes their minds outrageous or dulls them, after it was over, his understanding became as it were more purified, more ready in inventing things, more acute in aptly disposing them after they were invented, and more copious in adorning them with choice words and weight of sentences; and that which a man of the soundest sense would scarce excogitate at his leisure, with the greatest labour and care imaginable, he, after a violent agitation of the mind set beside itself, naturally performed with a wonderful felicity, so that he did not seem struck with an alienation of mind, but with a divine fury. he that knows not these things, which all men know that have been in italy, and concerning which himself sometimes complains, though modestly, in his writings; let him read his divine works, and he must necessarily conclude, either that i speak of another man than tasso, or that these things were written by another man than tasso. after having given my readers so many memorable accounts concerning the perception men have had in all ages, and still continue to have of genii or familiar spirits, by all the senses, as seeing, hearing, &c., which accounts have been attested by men of the greatest learning and quality, if any of them still remain dissatisfied, i am contented, and desire them, for their punishment, to lay down the book before they arrive at the more pleasant parts of it, which are yet to come, and not to read one tittle farther. these unbelieving gentlemen shall then be at liberty, according as their different spirits dictate, to ridicule me in the same manner as many more learned and greater men than i have been satirized, before my time, by persons of a like infidel temper, who would fain pass incredulity upon the world as wisdom; and they may, with all the freedom in nature, bestow upon me those merry appellations which, i very well know such extraordinary freethinkers imagine to belong of right, to any author, that either believes himself, or would possess the world with an opinion and belief, that there is such a thing as the holding commerce and conversation in this habitable world with genii, and familiar spirits. i shall only first tell them all i have to say to terminate the dispute between them and me. those who, to give themselves the air and appearance of men of solid wisdom and gravity, load other men, who believe in spirits, with the titles of being men of folly, levity, or melancholy, are desired to learn, that the same folly, as they are pleased to term it, of opinion, is to be found in the greatest men of learning that ever existed in the universe. let them, in order to be convinced of this, read apuleius's book, _de deo socrat._; censorinus's book _de die nat._ c. ; porphyrius, in his book _de abstinentia_; agrippa, in his _treatise de occult. phil._ . , c. , and also c. ; _natalis_ comes in his _myth._ . , c. ; maraviglia, in his _pseudomantia. dissertation._ and , and _animadversion_. ; plato in his _timoeus et cratylus_; ammianus marcellinus's history, book ; hieronimus cardanus in his book _de vita propria_, c. ; the great kircher, in his _oedipus Ægyptiacus_, vol. iii. p. ; pausanius, in _cliac. poster._; that immortal orator, cicero, lib. i. _de divinatione_; lib. ii. _de natura deorum_; the _histoire prodigieuse_, written by pere arnault; and a book entituled _lux e tenebris_, which is a collection of modern visions and prophecies in germany by several persons, translated into latin, by jo. amos. comenius, printed at amsterdam, . and if they will be at the pains of having due recourse to these quotations, they will find that all these men, whose learning is unquestionable, and most of whom have been in a firm and undisputed possession of fame for many centuries, have all unanimously agreed in this opinion, how foolish soever they may think it, that there ever was and ever would be a communication held between some select men and genii, or familiar spirits. i must therefore desire their pardon, if i rejoice to see them remain wise by themselves, and that i continue to be esteemed by them a fool among so much good company. others out of a mere contempt of religion, or cowardly, for fear of being thought pusillanimous by men, turn bravos to heaven, and laugh at every notion of spirits as imbibed from the nurse or imposed upon us by priests, and may top these lines upon us with an elegant and a convincing magisterial sneer, though the divine socrates was of our opinion, and even experienced it to be true, having a genius himself:-- the priests but finish what the nurse began, and thus the child imposes on the man. these bring into my mind a saying of sir roger l'estrange on seneca, which i must apply to socrates; i join in opinion with a christian heathen, while they remain heathen christians. the third sort, out of a pretended veneration to religion and divinity, may call me superstitious and chimerical. to them i answer, i will continue chimerical and superstitious with st. austin; who gives the same opinion in his _civitate dei_ with ludovicus vives; let them be solider and more religious divines than st. austin in disowning it. thus i bid these austere critics heartily farewell; but let my better-natured readers go on and find a new example of this conversation being held with the genii by our duncan campbell. chapter vi. a narrative of mr. campbell's coming to london and taking upon him the profession of a predictor; together with an account of many strange things that came to pass just as he foretold. to proceed on regularly with the life of young duncan campbell, i must let the reader know that he continued thus conversing with his little genius, as is set forth above in the dialogue he had with me, and predicting many things of the like nature, as i have described, till the year , when he was just fourteen years of age, and then he left scotland. but before i come to speak of the manner of his departure from thence, his half native country, inasmuch as his father was of that country, and he had his education there, what education he could have, being deaf and dumb. i must let the reader know that in the year , my very good friend, mrs. campbell, his mother-in-law, died, and left him there at edinburgh, an orphan of twelve years of age. he was, i may venture to say, the most beautiful boy of that age i ever knew; and the sensible reader, who considers a child of good birth, with the misfortunes of being deaf and dumb, left fatherless and motherless in the wide world, at twelve years old, without any competency for his maintenance and support, without any relations, in a manner, that knew him or assisted him; all the little fortune his father had having been lost in the civil commotions in scotland, as i have related above, need not hear me describe the compassion i and many more had for him; because such a reader must certainly feel in his own bosom the same lively acts of pity and commiseration at the hearing of such a mishap as i had at the seeing it, or at least as i have now revived afresh within me at the relating it. however, it came so to pass, that a person of the name of campbell, and who was a distant relation of the boy, though he himself was but in indifferent circumstances, was resolved to see him provided for one way or another, in a manner somewhat suitable to his condition, and till that time to take the best care of him himself that he was able. several ladies of quality who had known his perfections, coveted to make the boy one of their domestics, as a page, or a playfellow to their children; for though he could not speak, he had such a vivacity in all his actions, such a sprightliness of behaviour, and such a merriment accompanying all his gestures, that he afforded more entertainment than the prettiest and wittiest little prattlers at those years are wont to do. mr. campbell had certainly accepted of some of these fortunate offers for his little cousin, which were many of them likely to prove very advantageous, if it had not been put in his head by some friends, particularly myself, that if he had a mind to dispose of the boy in that manner, the best way he could take would be to present him to the late earl of argyle, who for his namesake and for his father's sake, as well as the qualifications and endowments of the boy, would more naturally, according to all probability, take a greater pleasure and delight in him, and consequently provide better for him, and with a more lasting care, than any other person of quality that had a sudden liking to him, which might change, and took him as a stranger out of a bare curiosity. mr. campbell was by these reasons overruled in the disposal of his little dumb prophetical cousin, as he called him, and resolved that an offer should be made of him to the present illustrious duke of argyle's most noble father. but it so unfortunately happened, that the earl making very much a longer stay at london than was expected, mr. campbell, the uncle, sent our young duncan campbell, his nephew, handsomely accoutred, and with a handsome sum of money in his pocket, by sea, with captain meek of kircaldie, to london, with letters of recommendation to the earl's favour, and just a few days before young duncan arrived in london, the earl was set out on his journey to his seat in scotland. i had now left him for near three years, not having seen him since about a year after his mother's death; and then coming to london, i had by mere accident an appointment to meet some scotch gentlemen at the buffalo at charing-cross. there happened at that time to be a great concourse of scotch nobility there at an entertainment; and one of the ladies and gentlemen passing by and seeing one of my friends, desired him to come in, and told him both he and his companion should be very welcome to partake of the diversion. the lady told him they had got a lovely youth, a scotch miracle, among them, that would give us exquisite delight, and write down to us all the occurrences of our future lives, and tell us our names upon our first appearance. the moment i heard of it, duncan campbell came into my head; but as it is a thing not rare to be met with in scotland for second sighted persons to tell such things, and as the earl of argyle was in the north, i thought little duncan had been under his protection and with him, and did not dream of meeting with him there; and accordingly told my friend, before i went in, that i believed i knew a lad in scotland would exceed this in foresight, let him be as dexterous in his art as he would. as soon as i entered the room, i was surprised to find myself encompassed and surrounded by a circle of the most beautiful females that ever my eyes beheld. in the centre of this angelic tribe was seated a heavenly youth, with the most winning comeliness of aspect that ever pleased the sight of any beholder of either sex; his face was divinely fair, and tinged only with such a sprightly blush as a painter would use to colour the picture of health with, and the complexion was varnished over by a blooming like that of flourishing fruit, which had not yet felt the first nippings of an unkind and an uncivil air; with this beauty was joined such a smiling draught of all the features as is the result of pleasantry and good humour. his eyes were large, full of lustre, majestic, well set, and the soul shone so in them, as told the spectators plainly how great was the inward vivacity of his genius; the hair of his head was thick, and reclined far below his shoulders; it was of a fine silver colour, and hung down in ringlets like the curling tendrils of a copious vine. he was by the women entertained, according to the claim which so many perfections joining in a youth just ripening into manhood might lay to the benevolent dispositions of the tender sex. one was holding the basin of water, another washing a hand, a third with a towel drying his face, which another fair had greedily snatched the pleasure of washing before, while a fourth was disposing into order his silver hairs with an ivory comb, in a hand as white, and which a monarch might have been proud to have had so employed in adjusting the crown upon his head; a fifth was setting into order his cravat; a sixth stole a kiss, and blushed at the innocent pleasure, and mistook her own thoughts as if she kissed the angel and not the man; and they all rather seemed to adore than to love him, as if they had taken him not for a person that enjoyed the frequent gift of the second-sight, but as if he had been some little prophet peculiarly inspired; and while they all thus admired and wondered, they all consulted him as an oracle. the surprise of seeing a young man so happy amidst the general concurring favours of the fair, made me be for awhile lost in a kind of delightful amazement, and the consideration of what bliss he was possessed made me scarce believe my own eyes, when they told me it was duncan campbell, who i had left an unhappy orphan at edinburgh. but so it was, though he was much altered in stature, being now shot up pretty fast in his growth since i had seen him, and having gained a kind of a fixed comportment, such as we may daily observe in those who are taking leave of their minority, and stepping into a stage of maturer life. the first remarkable thing i knew him do in london, being in this splendid company, where there were so many undoubted witnesses of quality too, that had ocular proof of his predictions at that public tavern: i choose to record it here in the first place according to its due order. it was in the year . among this angelical class of beauties were dr. w--lw--d's lady and daughter. upon earth there was not sure a more beautiful creature than the daughter was; she was the leading light of all the sparkling tribe; and otway's character suits her exactly; for she was among ten thousand eminently fair. one would imagine prosperous and lucky fortune was written upon her face, and that nothing unhappy could be read in so fair a book; and it was therefore the unanimous consent of all, that by way of good omen to the rest, his predictions should begin to be opened luckily that day, and that therefore he should first of all be consulted about her. accordingly, the mother, to be satisfied of his talent before she proceeded to any other questions, asked him in writing if he knew the young lady, her name, and who she was. after a little ruminating and pondering upon the matter, and taking an exact view of the beauty, he wrote down her name, told mrs. w--lw--d she was her daughter, and that her father was a doctor. convinced by his so readily telling the name and quality of persons he had never seen in his lifetime, that fame had not given a false character of his capacity, she proceeded in her questions as to her future fortune. he gazed afresh at her very eagerly for some time, and his countenance during that time of viewing her seemed to be ruffled with abundance of disturbance and perplexity. we all imagined that the youth was a little touched at the heart himself with what he saw, and that instead of telling hers, he had met in her bright eyes with his own destiny, the destiny of being for ever made a slave and a captive to so many powerful and almost irresistible charms. at length, after having a long debate within himself, which we thought proceeded from the strugglings of love and passion, he fetching a great sigh, which still convinced us more, took the pen and wrote to mrs. w--lw--d, that he begged to be excused, and that his pen might remain as dumb and silent as his tongue on that affair. by this answer we concluded, one and all, that our former conjectures were true, and we joined in pressing him the more earnestly to deliver his real and sincere opinion concerning the accidents upon which the future fortunes of her life were to turn and depend. he showed many mighty reluctances in the doing it; and i have often since considered him in the same anguish as the late great dr. ratcliff, who was endeavouring by study to save a certain fair one, whom he loved with a vehemence of temper, and who was, as his reason told him, got far away beyond the reach of the art of physic to recover. at last he wrote in plain terms that his backwardness and unwillingness to tell it, arose from his wishes that her fortune would be better than his certain foreknowledge of it told him it would be, and begged that we would rest satisfied with that general answer, since it was in so particular a case, where he himself was a well-wisher in vain, to the lady about whom he was consulted. the young lady herself thinking that if she knew any disasters that were to befall her she might, by knowing the nature of them beforehand, and the time when they were likely to happen, be able, by timely prudence and forecast, to avert those evils, with many beseechings urged him to reveal the fatal secret. after many struggles to avoid it, and as many instances made to him both by mother and daughter for the discovery of his prescience in that point, he complied with very great difficulty; and blotting the paper with tears that trickled fast from his eyes, he gave her the lamentable scroll, containing the words that follow; viz., i wish it had not fallen to my lot to tell this lady, whom everybody that but once looks at her must admire, though they must not have leave to love, that she is not much longer to be possessor of that lovely face, which gains her such a number of adorers. the smallpox will too soon turn a ravisher, and rifle all those sweets and charms that might be able to vanquish a king and to subdue a conqueror of mighty battles. her reign is doomed, alas! to be as short as it is now great and universal; i believe she has internal beauties of the mind, not the least inferior to those external excellences of the body; and she might, perhaps, by the power of her mind alone, be absolute queen of the affections of men, if the smallpox threatened not too surely to be her farther enemy, and, not contented to destroy the face, was not perversely bent to destroy the whole woman. but i want words to express my sorrow. i would not tell it if you did not extort the baneful secret from my bosom. this fair creature, whose beauty would make one wish her immortal, will, by the cruel means of the smallpox, give us too sudden a proof of her mortality. but neither the mother nor herself ought too much to repine at this, seeing it appears to be the decree of providence, which is always to be interpreted as meant for our good, and seeing it may be the means of translating her the sooner only to her kindred angels, whose beauty she so much resembles here on earth, and to be among the lowest class of whom, is better than being the greatest beauty of the world here below, and wearing an imperial crown. while i comfort you, i cannot help the force of nature, which makes me grieve myself; and i only give you, because you compel me to it, so particular and so exact an answer to so particular and so exacting a question. the mother, who took the paper, was prudent enough to conceal from the daughter what he said; but nature would force its way, and bubbled from her eyes; and the daughter perceiving that, pressed hard to see it, and wept at the consideration that hard fate, though she knew not particularly what way, was to befall her. never surely was anything so beautiful in tears, and i obtained of the mother to see the writing. at last, in general terms, to free her from a suspense of mind, it was told her that some trouble should happen to her that should diminish her beauty. she had courage enough to hear that misfortune with disdain, and crying, if that be all, i am armed, i don't place much pride in that which i know age must shortly after destroy, if trouble did not do it before; and she dried up her tears; and, if what mr. bruyere says, be true, viz., that the last thing a celebrated woman thinks of when she dies, is the loss of her beauty, she showed an admirable pattern of female philosophy, in bearing such a cruel prediction with such unspeakable magnanimity, as exceeded even the patience of stern stoicism, considering she was a woman, to whom beauty is more dear than life. if any evil, that is impending over people's heads, could be evaded by foreknowledge, or eluded by art, she had the fairest opportunity of having this prediction annulled, which would have been more to the satisfaction of the predictor than knowing it verified, than ever any woman had. her mother was specifically told that the fatal distemper should be the smallpox; her father was, and is still, a very eminent physician; and distempers of that kind, especially, are much more easily prevented by care, than cured by art, and by art more easily set aside, when there is a timely warning given to a physician to prepare the body against the danger of the poison, than when the distemper has once catched hold of a body at unawares, when it is unpurged of any gross humours that may accompany it. but neither the foreknowledge and caution of the mother, nor the skill and wisdom of the great physician her father, were sufficient to ward off the approaching harm, that was written in the books of fate. not many suns had finished their yearly courses, before she was forced to submit to the inevitable stroke of death, after the infectious and malicious malady had first ravished her beauty, rioted in all her sweets, and made an odious deformed spectacle of the charmer of mankind. the death of the daughter worked hard upon the mother's bowels, and dragged her speedily after her, with a broken heart to the grave. this lady, whose fortune so great and so distinguished an assembly had chosen to hear as a happy forerunner and lucky omen of all their own, which were to be asked afterwards in their turns, proving so contrary to their expectations, already unfortunate in the prediction, and having been in tears about the matter, disheartened all the rest of the beauties from consulting him farther that day. the person who kept the tavern, by name, mrs. irwin, alleged that as some people were very fortunate, and others unfortunate upon the same day, so one lady might be before told a mishap one minute, and another lady all the prosperity in nature the very next minute following, and therefore that what the unfortunate lady had heard was not to be taken as ominous, or as what could malignantly influence the day, neither ought it to be the least hinderance to any who had the curiosity of being let into the secrets of time beforehand. however, whether the ladies were convinced or no; if she prevailed over their belief in that point, she could not prevail over their humour, which, though they might not believe the former prediction ominous to themselves, were naturally awed for fear of the like, peradventure, for a time, and so it was agreed, _nemine contradicente_, as a witty lady wrote it down, that no more petitions should for that day be presented by any of that company to his dumb, yet oracular, majesty. mrs. irwin, however, would have her way; said she did not presume to such honour as to call herself of that company, and that therefore she might consult him without breaking through the votes of the assembly. many endeavoured to dissuade her, but as she was passionately fond of knowing future events; and had a mighty itch to be very inquisitive with the oracle about what might happen, not only to herself, but her posterity; it was agreed that he should have the liberty of satisfying her curiosity, since she presumed her fortune was sure to be so good, and was so forward and eager for the knowledge of it. but, alas! such is too often the fantastical impulse of nature unluckily depraved, that it carries us often into wishes of knowing, what when known we would be glad to unknow again, and then our memory will not let us be untaught. mrs. irwin was at that time in a pretty commodious way of business, everything in plenty round about her, and lived more like a person of distinction, that kept such a cellar of wine, open house, and a free table, than like one who kept a tavern. she brought in her pretty children, that were then almost babies, the youngest having not long been out of the nurse's arms, or trusted to the use of its own legs. these children she loved as a mother should love children; they were the delight of her eyes all day, and the dream of her imagination all night. all the passions of her soul were confined to them; she was never pleased but when they were so, and always angry if they were crossed; her whole pride was centered in them, and they were clothed and went attended more like the infants of a princess, than of a vintner's relict. the fortune of these was what she had near at heart, and of which she was so eager of being immediately apprised. her impatience was proportionable to the love she had for them, and which made her wish to foreknow all the happiness that was like to attend them. she sat cheerfully down, presented one to him, and smiling, wrote the question in general terms, viz., is this boy to be happy or unhappy. a melancholy look once more spread itself all over the face of the predictor, when he read the too inquisitive words, and he seemed mightily to regret being asked a question, to which he was by his talent of foreseeing compelled to give so unwelcome an answer. the colour of the poor woman flushed and vanished alternately, and very quick, and she looked not quite like the picture of despair, but a disconsolate woman, with little hopes on one hand, and great doubts and dismal fears on the other. she professed she read great evil in the troubles of his face, thanked him for his good nature, told him that they all knew that though he could foretell he could not alter the acts and decretals of fate, and therefore desired him to tell her the worst; for that the misfortunes, were they never so great, would be less dreadful to her than remaining in the state of fear and suspension. he at last wrote down to her that great and unexpected and even unavoidable accidents would involve the whole family in new calamities, that the son she asked him about would have the bitterest task of hardship to go through withal, while he lived, and that to finish all more unhappily, he would be basely and maliciously brought to an untimely end, by some mortal enemy or other, but that she should not trouble herself so much on that head, she would never see it, for it would happen some years after she was departed from the world. this melancholy account closed up the book of predictions for that day, and put a sad stop to all the projected mirth and curiosity. now i must tell the reader how and when the event answered the prediction. and in a few words, it was thus; poor mrs. irwin, by strange accidents, decayed in the world, and dying poor, her sons were forced to be put out apprentices to small trades, and the son, whom the above-mentioned prediction concerned, was, for stealing one cheese from a man in the haymarket, severely prosecuted at the old bailey, and on wednesday, the rd of december, , hanged at tyburn, with several other criminals. the two foregoing passages are of so tragical a nature, that it is time i should relieve the minds of my readers with some histories of ladies who consulted him with more success and advantage, to whom his predictions were very entertaining, when they so came to pass in their favour, the relation whereof will consequently be agreeable to all readers who have within them a mixture of happy curiosity and good nature. two ladies, who were the most remarkable beauties in london, and most courted, turned at the same time their thoughts to matrimony; and being satiated, i may say wearied, with the pleasure of having continually after them a great number and variety of adorers, resolved each, about the same time, to make a choice of their several men, to whom they thought they could give most happiness, and from whom they might receive most. their names, for they are both persons of distinction, shall be christallina and urbana. christallina was a virgin, and urbana a young widow. christallina engrossed the eyes, the hearts, and the sighs of the whole court; and wherever she appeared, put any court lady out of her place, that had one before in the heart of any youth; and was the most celebrated toast among the _beau monde_. urbana's beauty made as terrible havock in the city; all the citizens' daughters that had many admirers, and were in fair hopes of having husbands when they pleased themselves, as soon as urbana had lost her old husband, found that they every day lost their lovers; and it was a general fear among the prettiest maids, that they should remain maids still, as long as urbana remained a widow. she was the monopolizer of city affection, and made many girls, that had large stocks of suitors, bankrupts in the trade of courtship, and broke some of their hearts, when her charms broke off their amours. well, but the day was near at hand when both the belles of the court and the city damsels were to be freed from the ravages which these two tyrants, triumphant in beauty and insolent in charms, made among the harvest of love. each had seen her proper man, to whom the enjoyment of their person was to be dedicated for life. but it being an affair of so lasting importance, each had a mind to be let into the knowledge of the consequences of such a choice, as far as possible, before they stepped into the irrevocable state of matrimony. both of them happened to take it into their heads, that the best way to be entirely satisfied in their curiosity, was to have recourse to the great predictor of future occurrences, mr. duncan campbell, whose fame was at that time spread pretty largely about the town. christallina and urbana were not acquainted with each other, only by the report which fame had made of beauty. they came to mr. campbell's on the same day, and both with the same resolution of keeping themselves concealed and under masks, that none of the company of consulters, who happened to be there, might know who they were. it happened that on that very day, just when they came, mr. campbell's rooms were more than ordinarily crowded with curious clients of the fair sex, so that he was obliged to desire these two ladies, who expressed so much precaution against, and fear of having their persons discovered, to be contented with only one room between them, and with much ado they complied with the request, and condescended to sit together _incog._ distant compliments of gesture passed between them, the dress and comportment of each making them appear to be persons of figure and breeding, and after three or four modish courtesies, down they sat, without so much as once opening their lips, or intending so to do. the silence between them was very formal and profound for near half an hour, and nothing was to be heard but the snapping of fans, which they both did very tunably, and with great harmony, and played as it were in concert. at last, one of the civil, well-bred mutes, happening to sneeze, the other very gracefully bowed, and before she was well aware, out popped the words, bless you, madam. the fair sneezer returned the bow, with an--i thank you, madam. they found they did not know one another's voices, and they began to talk very merrily together, with pretty great confidence, and they taking a mutual liking from conversation, so much familiarity grew thereupon instantly between them, that they began not only to unmask, but to unbosom themselves to one another, and confess alternately all their secrets. christallina owned who she was, and told urbana the beau and courtier that had her heart. urbana as frankly declared that she was a widow, that she would not become the lady's rival, that she had pitched upon a second husband, an alderman of the city. just by that time they had had their chat out, and wished one another the pleasure of a successful prediction, it came to christallina's turn to visit the dumb gentleman, and receive from his pen oracular answers to all the questions she had to propose. well, he accordingly satisfied her in every point she asked him about; but while she was about this, one of mr. campbell's family going with urbana to divert her a little, the widow rallied at the virgin as a fool, to imagine that she should ever make a conquest of the brightest spark about the court, and then let fly some random bolts of malice to wound her reputation for chastity. now it became the widow's turn to go and consult; and the same person of mr. campbell's family in the mean time entertained christallina. the maid was not behindhand with the widow; she rallied against the widow, represented her as sometimes a coquette, sometimes a lady of pleasure, sometimes a jilt, and lifted up her hands in wonder and amazement that urbana should imagine so rich a man as an alderman such a one, should fall to her lot. thus urbana swore and protested that christallina could never arrive at the honour of being the wife to the courtly secretarius, let mr. campbell flatter her as he would; and christallina vowed that campbell must be a downright wizard if he foretold that such a one as urbana would get alderman stiffrump as a husband, provided a thing so improbable should come to pass. however, it seems, duncan had told them their own names and the names of their suitors, and told them farther, how soon they were both to be married, and that too directly to their heart's content, as they said rejoicingly to themselves, and made their mutual gratulations. they went away each satisfied that she should have her own lover, but christallina laughed at mr. campbell for assigning the alderman to urbana; and urbana laughed at him for promising the courtier to the arms of christallina. this a pretty good figure of the tempers of two reigning toasts with regard to one another. first, their curiosity made them, from resolving to be concealed, discover one another wilfully; from utter strangers grow as familiar as old friends in a moment, swear one another to secrecy, and exchange the sentiments of their hearts together; and, from being friends, become envious of each other's enjoying a similitude of happiness; the compliments made on either side face to face, were, upon the turning of the back, turned into reflections, detraction, and ridicule; each was a self-lover and admirer of her own beauty and merit, and a despiser of the other's. however, duncan campbell, proved at last to be in the right; urbana was wrong in her opinion of christallina's want of power over secretarius, and christallina was as much out in her opinion that urbana would miss in her aim of obtaining stiffrump; for they both proved in the right of what they thought with regard to their own dear single persons, and were made happy according to their expectations, just at the time foretold by mr. campbell. christallina's ill wishes did not hinder urbana from being mistress of alderman stiffrump's person and stock, nor did urbana's hinder christallina from showing herself a shining bride at the ring, in secretarius's gilded chariot, drawn by six prancers of the proud belgian kind, with her half dozen of liveries with favours in their hats, waiting her return at the gate of hyde park. both loved and both envied, but both allowed of mr. campbell's foreknowledge. having told you two very sorrowful passages, and one tolerably successful and entertaining; i shall now relate to you another of my own knowledge, that is mixed up with the grievous and the pleasant, and chequered, as it were, with the shade and the sunshine of fortune. though there are vicissitudes in every stage of life under the sun, and not one ever ran continually on with the same series of prosperity; yet those conditions which are the most liable to the signal alterations of fortune, are the conditions of merchants; for professed gamesters i reckon in a manner as men of no condition of life at all; but what comes under the statute of vagabonds. it was, indeed, as the reader would guess, a worthy and a wealthy merchant, who was to run through these different circumstances of being. he came and visited our mr. campbell in the year , he found him amidst a crowd of consulters; and being very eager and solicitous to know his own fortune just at that critical juncture of time, he begged of him, if possible, to adjourn his other clients to the day following, and sacrifice that one wholly to his use; which as it was probably more important than all the others together, so he wrote down that he would render the time spent about it more advantageous to mr. campbell; and, by way of previous encouragement, threw him down ten guineas as a retaining fee. mr. campbell, who held money in very little esteem, and valued it so much too little, that he has often had my reprehensions on that head, paused a little, and after looking earnestly in the gentleman's face, and reading there, as i suppose, in that little space of time in general, according to the power of the second-sight, that what concerned him was highly momentous, wrote him this answer; that he would comply with his requests, adjourn his other clients to the day following, and set apart all the remnant of that, till night, for inspecting the future occurrences of which he had a mind to be made a master. there is certainly a very keen appetite in curiosity; it cannot stay for satisfaction, it is pressing for its necessary repast, and is without all patience: hunger and thirst are not appetites more vehement and more hard and difficult to be repressed than that of curiosity; nothing but the present now is able to allay it. a more expressive picture of this i never beheld than in the faces of some, and the murmurs and complaints of others, in that little inquisitive company, when the unwelcome note was given about signifying an adjournment for only twenty-four hours. the colour of a young woman there came and went a hundred times, if possible, in the space of two minutes; she blushed like a red rose this moment, and in the switch of an eyelash she was all over as pale as a white one: the suitor, whose name her heart had gone pit-a-pat for the space of an hour to be informed of from the pen of a seer, was now deferred a whole day longer; she was once or twice within an ace of swooning away, but he comforted her in particular, by telling her, though he said it only by way of jest, that the day following would be a more lucky day to consult about husbands than the present that she came on. the answer was a kind of cordial to her hopes, and brought her a little better to herself. two others, i remember, sisters and old maids, that it seems were misers, women ordinarily dressed and in blue aprons, and yet, by relation, worth no less than two thousand pounds each, were in a peck of troubles about his going and leaving them unsatisfied. they came upon an inquiry after goods that were stolen, and they complained that by next morning at that time, the thief might be got far enough off, and creep into so remote a corner, that he would put it beyond the power of the devil and the art of conjuration to find him out and bring him back again. the disturbance and anxiety that was to be seen in their countenances was like that which is to be beheld in the face of a great losing gamester, when his all, his last great stake, lies upon the table, and is just sweeping off by another winning hand into his own hat. the next was a widow who bounced, because, as she pretended, he would not tell her what was best to do with her sons, and what profession it would be most happy for them to be put to; but in reality all the cause of the widow's fuming and fretting, was not that she wanted to provide for her sons, but for herself; she wanted a second husband, and was not half so solicitous about being put in a way of educating those children she had already, as of knowing when she should be in a likelihood of getting more. this was certainly in her thoughts, or else she would never have flounced about in her weed, from one end of the room to the other, and all the while of her passion, smile by fits upon the merchant, and leer upon a young pretty irish fellow that was there. the young irishman made use of a little eye-language; she grew appeased, went away in quite a good humour, scuttled too airily down stairs for a woman in her clothes, and the reason was certainly that she knew the matter before, which we took notice of presently after: the irishman went precipitately after her down stairs without taking his leave. but neither were the two misers for their gold, the virgin for a first husband, nor the widow for a second, half so eager as another married woman there was for the death of her spouse. she had put the question in so expecting a manner for a lucky answer, and with so much keen desire appearing plainly in her looks, that no big-bellied woman was ever more eager for devouring fruit; no young, hasty bridegroom, just married to a beauty, more impatient for night and enjoyment, than she was to know what she thought a more happy moment, the moment of her husband's last agonising gasp. as her expectation was the greatest, so was her disappointment, too, and consequently her disorder upon his going and leaving her unresolved. she was frantic, raging, and implacable; she was in such a fury at the delay of putting off her answer to the day following, that in her fury she acted as if she would have given herself an answer which of the two should die first, by choking herself upon the spot, with the indignation that swelled in her stomach and rose into her throat on that occasion. it may look like a romance to say it, but indeed they were forced to cut her lace, and then she threw out of the room with great passion; but yet had so much of the enraged wife left, beyond the enraged woman, as to return instantly up stairs, and signify very calmly, she would be certain to be there next day, and beseeched earnestly that she might not meet with a second disappointment. all this hurry and bustle created a stay a little too tedious for the merchant, who began to be impatient himself, especially when word was brought up that a fresh company was come in; but mr. campbell was denied to them; and to put a stop to any more interruptions, the merchant and the dumb gentleman agreed to slip into a coach, drive to a tavern in the city, and settle matters of futurity over a bottle of french claret. the first thing done at the tavern, was mr. campbell's saluting him upon a piece of paper by his name, and drinking his health. the next paper held a discourse of condolence for a disaster that was past long since; namely, a great and considerable loss that happened to his family, in the dreadful conflagration of the city of london. in the third little dialogue which they had together, he told the merchant that losses and advantages were general topics, which a person unskilled in that art might venture to assign to any man of his profession; it being next to impossible that persons who traffic should not sometimes gain, and sometimes lose. but, said mr. duncan campbell, i will sketch out particularly, and specify to you some future misfortunes with which you will unavoidably meet; it is in your stars, it is in destiny, that you should have some trials, and therefore when you are forewarned, take a prudent care to be forearmed with patience, and by longanimity, and meekly and resignedly enduring your lot, render it more easy, since impatience can't avert it, and will only render it more burdensome and heavy. he gave these words to the merchant; who pressed for his opinion that moment. by your leave, resuming the pen, said the dumb gentleman, in writing, we will have this bottle out first and tap a fresh one, that you may be warmed with courage enough to receive the first speculative onset of ill fortune, that i shall predict to you, with a good grace, and that may perhaps enable you to meet it when it comes to reduce itself into action, with a manful purpose and all becoming resolution. the merchant agreed to the proposal, and put on an air of the careless and indifferent as well as he could, to signify that he had no need to raise up an artificial courage from the auxiliary forces of the grape. but nature, when hard pressed, will break through all disguises, and not only notwithstanding the air of pleasantry he gave himself, which appeared forced and constrained, but in spite of two or three sparkling and enlivening bumpers, a cloud of care would ever and anon gather and shoot heavily across his brow, though he laboured all he could to dispel it as quickly, and to keep fair weather in his countenance. well, they had cracked the first bottle, and the second succeeded upon the table, and they called to blow a pipe together. this pipe mr. campbell found had a very ill effect; it is certainly a pensive kind of instrument, and fills a mind, anything so disposed, with disturbing thoughts, black fumes, and melancholy vapours, as certainly as it doth the mouth with smoke. it plainly took away even the little sparks of vivacity which the wine had given before; so he wrote for a truce of firing those sort of noxious guns any longer, and they laid down their arms by consent, and drank off the second bottle. a third immediately supplied its place, and at the first glass, the opening of the bottle, mr. campbell began to open to him his future case, in the following words: sir, you have now some ventures at sea from such and such a place, to such a value. don't be discomforted at the news which you certainly will have within three months, but it will be false at last, that they are by three different tempests made the prey of the great ocean, and enrich the bottom of the sea, the palace of neptune. a worse storm than all these attends you at home, a wife who is, and will be more, the tempest of the house wherein she lives. the high and lofty winds of her vanity will blow down the pillars of your house and family; the high tide of her extravagance will roll on like a resistless torrent, and leave you at low water, and the ebb of all your fortunes. this is the highest and the most cutting disaster that is to befall you; your real shipwreck is not foreign but domestic; your bosom friend is to be your greatest foe, and even your powerful undoer for a time; mark what i say, and take courage, it shall be but for a time, provided you take courage; it will upon that condition be only a short and wholesome taste of adversity given to you, that you may relish returning prosperity with virtue, and with a greater return of thanks to him that dispenses it at pleasure to mankind. remember, courage and resignation is what i advise you to; use it, as becomes you, in your adversity, and believe that as i foretold that adversity, so i can foretell a prosperity will again be the consequence of those virtues; and the more you feel the one ought not to cast you down, but raise your hopes the more, that he who foretold you that so exactly, could likewise foretell you the other. the merchant was by this put into a great suspense of mind, but somewhat easier by the second prediction being annexed so kindly to the first fatal one. they crowned the night with a flask of burgundy, and then parting, each went to their respective homes. the reader may perchance wonder how i, who make no mention of my being there, as in truth i was not at the tavern, should be able to relate this as of my own knowledge; but if he pleases to have patience to the end of the story, he will have entire satisfaction in that point. about half a year after, the merchant came again, told him that his prediction was too far verified, to his very dear cost, and that he was now utterly undone, and beyond any visible means of a future recovery, and doubting lest the other fortunate part of the prediction was only told him by way of encouragement, for groundless doubts and fears always attend a mind implunged in melancholy, besought him very earnestly to tell him candidly and sincerely if there was no real prospect of good, and rid him at once of the uneasiness of such a suspension of thought; but pray too, said he, with all the vehemence of repeated expostulation, satisfy me if there are any farther hopes on this side the grave? to this duncan campbell made a short, but a very significant reply in writing. may the heavens preserve you from a threatening danger of life. take care only of yourself, great and mighty care; and if you outlive friday next, you will yet be great and more fortunate than ever you was in all the height of your former most flourishing space of life. he coloured inordinately when duncan campbell said friday, and conjured him to tell him as particularly as he could what he meant by friday. he told him he could not particularise any farther, but that great danger threatened him that day; and that without extraordinary precaution it would prove fatal to him, even to death. he shook his head, and went away in a very sorrowful plight. friday past, saturday came, and on that very saturday morning came likewise the joyful tidings, that what ventures of his were given over for lost at sea, were all come safe into the harbour. he came the moment he received those dispatches from his agent, to mr. duncan campbell's apartment, embraced him tenderly, and saluted him with much gladness of heart, before a great roomful of ladies, where i happened to be present at that time; crying out in a loud voice, before he knew what he said, that mr. campbell had saved his life, that friday was his birthday, and he had intended with a pistol to shoot himself that very day. the ladies thought him mad; and he, recovered from his ecstacy, said no more, but sat down, till mr. campbell dismissed all his clients; and then we three went to the tavern together, where he told me the whole little history or narrative, just as is above related. the fame which mr. duncan campbell got by the foregoing, and several other predictions of the like kind, was become very large and extensive, and had spread itself into the remotest corners of this metropolis. the squares rung with it, it was whispered from one house to another through the more magnificent streets, where persons of quality and distinction reside; it catched every house in the city, like the news of stock from exchange-alley; it run noisily through the lanes and little thoroughfares where the poor inhabit; it was the chat of the tea-table, and the babble of the streets; and the whole town, from the top to the bottom, was full of it. whenever any reputation rises to a degree like this, let it be for what art or accomplishment, or on what account soever it will, malice, envy, and detraction, are sure to be the immediate pursuers of it with full mouth, and to hunt it down if possible, with full cry. even the great nostradamus, though favoured by kings and queens, which always without any other reason creates enemies, was not more pursued by envy and detraction for his predictions in paris, and throughout france, than our duncan campbell was in london, and even throughout england. various, different, and many were the objections raised to blot his character and extenuate his fame, that when one was confuted another might not be wanting to supply its place, and so to maintain a course and series of backbiting, according to the known maxim, throw dirt, and if it does not stick, throw dirt continually, and some will stick. neither is there any wonder; for a man, that has got applauders of all sorts and conditions, must expect condemners and detractors of all sorts and conditions likewise. if a lady of high degree, for example, should say smiling, though really thinking absolutely what she says, for fear of being thought over-credulous: well, i vow, some things mr. campbell does are surprising after all; they would be apt to incline one to a belief that he is a wonder of a man; for one would imagine the things he does impossible: why, then, a prude, with an assumed, supercilious air and a scornful _tihee_, would, in order to seem more wise than she was, reply; laud, madam, it is more a wonder to me that you can be imposed upon so. i vow to gad, madam, i would as soon consult an almanack maker, and pin my faith upon what he pricks down; or believe, like my creed, in the cross which i make upon the hand of a gipsy. lard, madam, i assure your la'ship he knows no more than i do of you. i assure you so, and therefore believe me. he has it all by hearsay. if the lady that believed it, should reply, that if he had notice of every stranger by hearsay he must be a greater man than she suspected, and must keep more spies in pay than a prime minister; the prude's answer would be with a loud laugh, and giggling out these words; lard, madam, i assure you nothing can be more easy; and so take it for granted. because she was inclined to say so, and had the act of wisdom on her side, forsooth, that she appeared hard of belief, which some call hard to be put upon, and the other lady credulous, which some though believing upon good grounds are called, and so thought, foolish; the prude's answer would be thought sufficient and convincing. thus malice and folly, by dint of noise and impudence, and strong though empty assertions, often run down modesty and good sense. among the common people it is the same, but only done in a different manner. for example, an ordinary person that had consulted, might say, as he walked along, there goes the dumb gentleman who writes down any name of a stranger at first sight. steps up a blunt fellow, that takes stubbornness for sense, and says, that is a confounded lie; he is a cheat and an impostor, and you are one of his accomplices; he will tell me my name, i suppose, if you tell it him first: he is no more dumb than i am; he can speak and hear as well as us; i have been with those that say they have heard him; i wish i and two or three more had him in our stable, and i warrant you with our cartwhips we would lick some words out of his chaps, as dumb as you call him. i tell you it is all a lie, and all a bite. if the other desires to be convinced for himself by his own experience, the rougher rogue, who perhaps has stronger sinews than the other, answers, if you lie any farther i will knock you down; and so he is the vulgar wit, and the mouth of the rabble-rout, and thus the detraction spreads below with very good success, as it does above in another kind. as there are two comical adventures in his life, which directly suit and correspond with the foregoing reflections, this seems the most proper place to insert them in. the first consists of a kind of mob-way of usage he met with from a fellow who got to be an officer in the army, but by the following behaviour will be found unworthy of the name and the commission. in the year , a lady of good quality came and addressed herself to him much after the following manner. she told him she had choice of lovers, but preferred one above the rest; but desired to know his name, and if she made him her choice what would be the subsequent fate of such a matrimony. mr. duncan campbell very readily gave her down in writing this plain and honest reply; that of all her suitors she was most inclined to a captain, a distinguished officer, and a great beau, naming his name, and one that had a great many outward, engaging charms, sufficient to blind the eyes of any lady that was not thoroughly acquainted with his manner of living. he therefore assured her, and thought himself bound, being conjured so to do, having received his fee, though there was danger in such plain and open predictions, that he was a villain and a rogue in his heart, a profligate gamester, and that if she took him to her bed, she would only embrace her own ruin. the lady's woman, who was present, being in fee with the captain, resolving to give intelligence, for fear the officer, her so good friend, should be disappointed in the siege, slily shuffled the papers into her pocket, and made a present of them to the military spark. fired with indignation at the contents, he vowed revenge; and in order to compass it, conspires with his female spy about the means. in fine, for fear of losing the lady, though he quarrelled with duncan campbell, a method was to be found out how to secure her by the very act of revenge. at last it was resolved to discover to her, that he had found out what she had been told by mr. campbell, but the way how he had been informed was to remain a secret. he did do so, and ended his discovery with these words:--i desire, madam, that if i prove him an impostor, you would not believe a word he says. the lady agreed to so fair a proposal. then the captain swore that he himself would never eat a piece of bread more till he had made mr. campbell eat his words; nay, he insisted upon it that he would bring him to his tongue, and make him own by word of mouth, that what he had written before was false and calumnious. to which the lady answered again, that if he performed what he said, she would be convinced. this brave, military man, however, not relying upon his own single valour and prowess, to bring about so miraculous a thing as the making a person that was dumb to speak, he took with him for this end three lusty assistants to combine with him in the assassination. the ambuscade was settled to be at the five bells tavern, in wych-street, in the strand. after the ambush was settled with so much false courage, the business of decoying mr. campbell into it was not practicable any other way than by sending out false colours. the lady's woman, who was by her own interest tied fast to the interests of the beau, was to play the trick of delilah, and betray this deaf and dumb samson, as he will appear to be a kind of one in the sequel of the story, into the hands of these philistines. she smooths her face over with a complimenting lie from her mistress to mr. campbell, and acted her part of deceit so well, that he promised to follow her to the five bells with all haste; and so she scuttled back to prepare the captain, and to tell him how lucky she was in mischief; and how she drew him out by smiles into perdition. the short of the story is, when they got him in among them, they endeavoured to assassinate him; but they missed of their aim; yet it is certain they left him in a very terrible and bloody condition; and the captain went away in as bad a plight as the person was left in, whom he assaulted so cowardly with numbers, and to such disadvantage. i was sent for to him upon this disaster, and the story was delivered to me thus, by one of the drawers of the tavern, when i inquired into it. they began to banter him, and speaking to him as if he heard, asked him if he knew his own fortune; they told him it was to be beaten to death. this was an odd way of addressing a deaf and dumb man. they added, they would make him speak before they had done. the boy seeing he made no reply, but only smiled, thought what passed between them was a jest with an old acquaintance, and withdrew about his business. the door being fastened, however, before they began the honourable attack, they vouchsafed to write down their intent in the words above mentioned, which they had uttered before to make sure that he should understand their meaning, and what this odd way of correction was for. all the while the maid who had brought him into it was peeping through a hole and watching the event, as appears afterwards. mr. campbell wrote them the following answer, viz., that he hoped for fair play, that he understood beargarden as well as they; but if a gentleman was amongst them he would expect gentlemanly usage. the rejoinder they made to this, consisted, it seems, not of words but of action. the officer in conjunction with another ruffian, one of the strongest of the three he had brought, commenced the assault. as good luck would have it, he warded off their first blows, it seems, with tolerable success, and a wine quart pot standing upon the table, duncan took to his arms, and at two or three quick blows, well managed, and close laid in upon the assailants, felled them both to the ground. here it was that the maid discovered her knowledge of it, and privity to the plot to the whole house; for she no sooner sees the famous leader, the valiant captain, lie sprawling on the floor with bleeding temples, but she shrieked out with all the voice she could exert, murder, murder, murder! alarmed at this outcry, the master and all the attendants of the tavern scampered up stairs, burst into the room, and found duncan campbell struggling with the other two, and the quart pot still fast clenched in his hand, which they were endeavouring to wrench from him. the drawers rescued him out of their hands, and inquired into the matter. the maid in a fright confessed the whole thing. the officer and his associate rubbed their eyes as recovering from a stunning sleep, reeled as they went to rise, paid the reckoning and slunk pitifully away; or, as the rakes' term for it is, they brushed off, and for all their odds had the worst of the lay. i, who had some authority with mr. campbell, by reason of my years, and the strict acquaintance i had with his mother, when i came and found him in that pickle, and had the whole relation told to me by the people of the house, though i could not forbear pitying him within my own mind, took upon me to reprehend him, and told him that these hardships would by providence be daily permitted to fall upon him, for he met with them twenty times, while he continued in that irregular way of living and spending his time, that might be so precious to himself and many others, in drunkenness and debauchery; and i think the lessons i wrote down to him upon that head, though a little severe just at that juncture, were, notwithstanding, well timed, and did, as i guessed they would, make a more solid impression in him than at any other. in all these scuffles, whether it is that being deaf and dumb an affront works deeper upon a man, and so renders him far more fierce or resolute, it must be said, that, though nature has been kind in making him very strong, robust, and active withal, yet he has bore some shocks, one would imagine, beyond the strength of a man, having sometimes got the better of five or six ruffians in rencounters of the like kind. the next banter he met with was in a gentler way, from an unbelieving lady, and yet she came off with very ill success, and the banter turned all upon herself in the end. a lady of distinction, whose name shall therefore be concealed in this place, came with two or three of her special friends, who took her for the most merry, innocent, spotless virgin upon earth, and whose modesty was never suspected in the least by her relations or servants that were nearest about her; after having rallied mr. campbell with several frivolous questions, doubting his capacity, and vexing and teasing him with gay impertinences beyond all patience, was by him told, that he did not take fees in his profession to be made a jest of like a common fortuneteller, but to do real good to those who consulted him, as far as he was able by his predictions; that he was treated with more respect by persons of a higher condition, though her own was very good, and so offered her guinea back again with a bow and a smile. she had a little more generosity of spirit than not to be a little nettled at the proffer she had caused by so coarse an usage. she affected appearing grave a little, and told him she would be serious for the future, and asked him to set down her name, which she had neglected before, to ask other questions that were nothing to the purpose. he promised to write it down, but pausing a little longer than ordinary about it, she returned to her former way of uncivil merriment and ungallant raillery. she repeated to him in three or four little scraps of paper, one after another, as fast as she could write them, the same words, viz., that he could not tell her name, nor whether she was maid, wife, or widow; and laughed as if she would split her sides, triumphing to the rest of her companions over his ignorance and her own wit, as if she had posed him, and put him to an entire stand. but see what this overweening opinion of security ended in: the man of the second-sight was not to be so easily baffled. vexed at being so disturbed, and coming out of his brown study, he reaches the paper and begins to write. now it was the lady's turn to suffer, she had deserved hearty punishment, and it came into her hands with the note, to a degree of severity, as you will perceive by the contents of it just now. she read it, and swooning away, dropped from her chair. the whole room being in a bustle, i, that was in the outward chamber, ran in: while mr. campbell was sprinkling water in her face, a lady snatched up the note to read it, at which he seemed mightily displeased; i, therefore, who understood his signs, recovered it out of her hands by stratagem, and ran to burn it, which i did so quick that i was not discovered in the curiosity which i must own i satisfied myself in by reading it first; a curiosity raised too high by so particular an adventure, to be overcome in so little a time of thought, as i was to keep it in my hands, and so i came by the knowledge of it myself, without being informed by mr. campbell. this shows how a sudden curiosity, when there is not time given to think and correct it, may overcome a man as well as a woman; for i was never over-curious in my life, and though i was pleased with the oddness of the adventure, i often blushed to myself since for the unmanly weakness of not being able to step with a note from one room to another to the fireside, without peeping into the contents of it. the contents of it were these: madam since you provoke me, your name is ----. you are no widow, you are no wife, and yet you are no maid; you have a child at nurse at such a place, by such a gentleman, and you were brought to bed in leicestershire. the lady, convinced by this answer of his strange and mystical power, and pleased with his civility in endeavouring to conceal from others the secret, after so many repeated provocations, though she showed great disorder for that day, became one of his constant attenders some time after, and would not take any step in her affairs without his advice, which she often has said since, she found very much to her advantage. she was as serious in her dealings with him afterwards, and improved by being so, as she was gay and turbulent with him before, and smarted for it. in fine, she was a thorough convert, and a votary of his; and the only jest she used afterwards to make, concerning him, was a civil witticism to his wife; to whom she was wont, every now and then, smiling, to address herself after this manner: your husband, madam, is a devil, but he is a very handsome and a very civil one. not long after this came another lady, with a like intent, to impose upon him; and was resolved, as she owned, to have laughed him to scorn if she had succeeded in her attempt. she had very dexterously dressed herself in her woman's habit, and her woman in her own; her footman squired the new-made lady in a very gentlemanly dress, hired for the purpose of a disguise, from monmouth-street. the strange and unknown masqueraders entered mr. campbell's room with much art. the fellow was by nature of a clean make, and had a good look, and from following a genteel master when he was young, copied his gait a little, and had some appearance of a mien, and a tolerable good air about him. but this being the first time of his being so fine, and he a little vain in his temper, he over-acted his part; he strutted too much; he was as fond of his ruffles, his watch, his sword, his cane, and his snuff box, as a boy of being newly put into breeches; and viewed them all too often to be thought the possessor of any such things long. the affectation of the chambermaid was insufferable; she had the toss of the head, the jut of the bum, the sidelong leer of the eye, the imperious look upon her lady, now degraded into her woman, that she was intolerable, and a person without the gift of the second-sight would have guessed her to have been a pragmatical upstart, though it is very probable that during that time she fancied herself really better than her mistress; the mistress acted her part of maid the best; for it is easier for genteel modesty to act a low part, than for affected vanity to act a high one. she kept her distance like a servant, but would, to disguise things the better, be every now and then pert, according to their way, and give occasion to be chid. but there is an air of gentility inborn and inbred to some people; and even when they aim to be awkward a certain grace will attend all their minutest actions and gestures, and command love, respect, and veneration. i must therefore own that there was not need of a man's being a conjuror to guess who ought to be the lady and who the maid; but to know who absolutely was the lady, and who was the maid did require that skill. for how many such real ladies have we that are made so from such upstarts, and how many genteel waiting-women of great descent that are born with a grace about them, and are bred to good manners. mr. campbell's art made him positive in the case; he took the patches from the face of the maid, and placed them on the mistress's; he pulled off her hood and scarf, and gave it the lady, and taking from the lady her riding-hood, gave it the maid in exchange; for ladies at that time of day were not entered into that fashion of cloaking themselves. then he wrote down that he should go out, and ought to send his maid in to undress them quite, and give the mistress her own clothes and the maid hers and with a smile wrote down both their names, and commended her contrivance; but after that it was remarked by the lady that he paid her less respect than she expected, and more to her footman, who was in gentleman's habit, whom he took by his side, and told a great many fine things; whereas he would tell the lady nothing farther. the lady nettled at this, wrote to him that she had vanity enough to believe that she might be distinguished from her maid in any dress, but that he had shown his want of skill in not knowing who that gentleman was. mr. campbell told her her mistake in sharp terms; and begging her pardon, assured her he knew several chambermaids as genteel and as well-born as her, and many mistresses more awkward and worse born than her maid; that he did not go therefore by the rule of guess and judging what ought to be, but by the rule of certainty and the knowledge of what actually was. she, however, unsatisfied with that answer, perplexed him mightily to know who the man was. he answered, he would be a great man. the lady laughed scornfully, and said she wanted to know who he was, not what he would be. he answered again, he was her footman, but that she would have a worse. she grew warm, and desired to be informed, why, since he knew the fellow's condition, he respected her so little and him so much, and accused him of want of practising manners, if he had not want of knowledge. he answered, madam, since you will be asking questions too far, this footman will advance himself to the degree of a gentleman, and have a woman of distinction to his wife; while you will degrade yourself by a marriage to be the wife of a footman; his ambition is laudable, your condescension, mean, therefore i give him the preference; i have given you fair warning and wholesome advice, you may avoid your lot by prudence; but his will certainly be what i tell you. this coming afterwards to pass exactly as was predicted, and his disappointing so many that had a mind to impose upon him, has rendered him pretty free from such wily contrivances since, though now and then they have happened, but still to the mortification and disappointment of the contrivers. but as we have not pretended to say, with regard to these things, that he has his genius always at his elbow or his beck, to whisper in his ear the names of persons, and such little constant events as these; so, that we may not be deemed to give a fabulous account of his life and adventures, we think ourselves bound to give the reader an insight into the particular power and capacity which he has for bringing about these particular performances, especially that of writing down names of strangers at first sight, which i don't doubt will be done to the satisfaction of all persons who shall read the succeeding chapter, concerning the gift of the second-sight. chapter vii. concerning the second-sight. mr. martin lately published a book, entituled, a description of the western isles of scotland, called by the ancient geographers, hebrides. it contains many curious particulars relating to the natural and civil history of those islands, with a map of them; and in his preface he tells us that, perhaps, it is peculiar to those isles that they have never been described, till now, by any man that was a native of the country, or had travelled them, as himself has done; and in the conclusion of the said preface he tells us, he has given here such an account of the second-sight as the nature of the thing will bear, which has always been reckoned sufficient among the unbiassed part of mankind; but for those that will not be satisfied, they ought to oblige us with a new scheme, by which we may judge of matters of fact. the chief particulars he has given us concerning the second-sight, are here set down by way of abstract or epitome, that they may not be too tedious to the reader. . in the second-sight, the vision makes such a lively impression on the seers, that they neither see nor think of anything else but the vision as long as it continues, and then they appear pensive or jovial, according to the object which was presented to them. . at the sight of a vision the eyelids of the person are erected, and the eyes continue staring till the object vanish, as has often been observed by the author and others present. . there is one in skye, an acquaintance of whom observed, that when he sees a vision, the inner part of his eyelids turns so far upwards, that, after the object disappears, he must draw them down with his fingers, and sometimes employs others to draw them down, which he finds to be much the easier way. . the faculty of the second-sight does not lineally descend in a family, as some imagine; for he knows several parents that are endowed with it, but not their children, and so on the contrary; neither is it acquired by any previous compact; and after a strict inquiry, he could never learn from any among them that this faculty was communicable any way whatsoever. note. that this account is differing from the account that is given by mr. aubrey, a gentleman of the royal society; and i think mr. martin's reason here against the descent of this faculty from parents to children is not generally conclusive. for though he may know parents endowed with it and not children, and so vice versa, yet there may be parents who are endowed with it, being qualified, as mr. aubrey has said, viz., both being second-sighted, or even one to an extraordinary degree, whose children may have it by descent. and as to this faculty being any otherwise communicable, since the accounts differ, i must leave it to a farther examination. . the seer knows neither the object, time, nor place of a vision before it appears; and the same object is often seen by different persons living at a considerable distance from one another. the true way of judging as to the time and circumstance of an object, is by observation; for several persons of judgment, without this faculty, are more capable to judge of the design of a vision, than a novice that is a seer. as an object appears in the day or night, it will come to pass sooner or later accordingly. . if an object be seen early in the morning, which is not frequent, it will be accomplished in a few hours afterwards; if at noon, it will commonly be accomplished that very day; if in the evening, perhaps that night; if after candles be lighted, it will be accomplished that night; it is later always in accomplishment by weeks, months, and sometimes years, according to the time of the night the vision is seen. . when a shroud is perceived about one, it is a sure prognostic of death; the time is judged according to the height of it about the person; for if it be not seen above the middle, death is not to be expected for the space of a year, and perhaps some months longer; and as it is frequently seen to ascend higher towards the head, death is concluded to be at hand in a few days, if not hours, as daily experience confirms. examples of this kind were shown the author, when the persons, of whom the observations were made, enjoyed perfect health. there was one instance lately of a prediction of this kind, by a seer that was a novice, concerning the death of one of the author's acquaintance; this was communicated to a few only, and with great confidence; the author being one of the number, did not in the least regard it, till the death of the person, about the time foretold, confirmed to him the certainty of the prediction. the foresaid novice is now a skilful seer, as appears from many late instances; he lives in the parish of st. mary's, the most northern in skye. . if a woman be seen standing at a man's left hand, it is a presage that she will be his wife, whether they are married to others, or unmarried, at the time of the apparition. if two or three women are seen at once standing near a man's left hand, she that is next him will undoubtedly be his wife first, and so on, whether all three, or the man, be single or married at the time of the vision; of which there are several late instances of the author's acquaintance. it is an ordinary thing for them to see a man, that is to come to the house shortly after; and though he be not of the seer's acquaintance yet he not only tells his name, but gives such a lively description of his stature, complexion, habit, &c, that upon his arrival he answers the character given of him in all respects. if the person so appearing be one of the seer's acquaintance, he can tell by his countenance whether he comes in good or bad humour. the author has been seen thus, by seers of both sexes, at some hundreds of miles' distance; some that saw him in this manner had never seen him personally, and it happened according to their visions, without any previous design of his to go to those places, his coming there being purely accidental; and in the nineteenth page of his book he tells us, that mr. daniel morrison, a minister, told him, that upon his landing in the island rona, the natives received him very affectionately, and addressed themselves to him with this salutation; god save you, pilgrim! you are heartily welcome here, for we have had repeated apparitions of your person amongst us; viz., after the manner of the second-sight. . it is ordinary with them to see houses, gardens, and trees, in places void of all three, and this in process of time used to be accomplished; of which he gives an instance in the island of skye. . to see a spark of fire fall upon one's arm, or breast, is a forerunner of a dead child to be seen in the arms of those persons, of which there are several fresh instances. to see a seat empty at the time of one's sitting in it, is a presage of that person's death quickly after. when a novice, or one that has lately obtained the second-sight, sees a vision in the night-time without doors, and comes near a fire, he presently falls into a swoon. some find themselves, as it were, in a crowd of people, having a corpse, which they carry along with them; and after such visions the seers come in sweating, and describe the people that appeared; if there are any of their acquaintance among them, they give an account of their names, and also of the bearers. but they know nothing concerning the corpse. all those that have the second-sight, do not always see these visions at once, though they are together at the time; but if one, who has this faculty, designedly touch his fellow seer, at the instant of a vision's appearing, then the second sees it as well as the first. . there is the way of foretelling death by a cry, that they call _taisk_, which some call a _wraith_, in the lowland. they hear a loud cry without doors, exactly resembling the voice of some particular person, whose death is foretold by it, of which he gives a late instance, which happened in the village rigg, in skye isle. . things are also foretold by smelling, sometimes, as follows: fish or flesh is frequently smelt in the fire, when at the same time neither of the two are in the house, or, in any probability, like to be had in it for some weeks or months. this smell several persons have who are endued with the second-sight, and it is always accomplished soon after. . children, horses, and cows, have the second-sight, as well as men and women advanced in years. that children see it, it is plain, from their crying aloud at the very instant that a corpse or any other vision appears to an ordinary seer; of which he gives an instance in a child when himself was present. that horses likewise see it is very plain, from their violent and sudden starting, when the rider, or seer in company with them, sees a vision of any kind by night or day. it is observable of a horse, that he will not go forward that way, till he be led about at some distance from the common road, and then he is in a sweat; he gives an instance of this in a horse in the isle of skye. that cows have the second-sight appears from this; that if a woman milking a cow happens to see a vision by the second-sight, the cow runs away in a great fright at the same time, and will not be pacified for some time after. in reference to this, paracelsus, tom. ix. l. _de arte presagâ_, writes thus; "horses also have their auguries, who perceive, by their sight and smell, wandering spirits, witches, and spectres, and the like things; and dogs both see and hear the same." here in the next place the author answers objections that have lately been made against the reality of the second-sight. first, it is objected, that these seers are visionary and melancholy people, who fancy they see things that do not appear to them or anybody else. he answers, the people of these isles, and particularly the seers, are very temperate, and their diet is simple and moderate in quantity and quality; so that their brains are not, in all probability, disordered by undigested fumes of meat or drink. both sexes are free from hysteric fits, convulsions, and several other distempers of that sort. there are no madmen among them, nor any instance of self-murder. it is observed among them, that a man drunk, never has a vision of the second-sight; and he that is a visionary would discover himself in other things as well as in that; nor are such as have the second-sight, judged to be visionaries by any of their friends or acquaintance. secondly, it is objected, that there are none among the learned able to oblige the world with a satisfactory account of these visions; therefore they are not to be believed. he answers, if everything of which the learned are not able to give a satisfactory account, shall be condemned as false and impossible, we shall find many other things, generally believed, which must be rejected as such. thirdly, it is objected, that the seers are impostors, and the people who believe them are credulous, and easy to be imposed upon. he answers, the seers are generally illiterate, and well-meaning people, and altogether void of design; nor could he ever learn that any of them made the least gain of it; neither is it reputable among them to have that faculty; beside, the people of the isles are not so credulous as to believe an impossibility, before the thing foretold be accomplished; but when it actually comes to pass, afterwards it is not in their power to deny it, without offering violence to their senses and reason; beside, if the seers were deceivers, can it be reasonable to imagine that all the islanders, who have not the second-sight, should combine together and offer violence to their understandings and senses, to force themselves to believe a lie from age to age? there are several persons among them, whose birth and education raise them above the suspicion of concurring with an imposture merely to gratify an illiterate and contemptible sort of persons. nor can a reasonable man believe, that children, horses, and cows, could be engaged in a combination to persuade the world of the reality of a second-sight. every vision that is seen comes exactly to pass according to the rules of observation, though novices and heedless persons do not always judge by those rules; concerning which he gives instances. there are visions seen by several persons, in whose days they are not accomplished; and this is one of the reasons why some things have been seen, that are said never to have come to pass; and there are also several visions seen, which are not understood till they are accomplished. the second-sight is not a late discovery, seen by one or two in a corner, or a remote isle; but it is seen by many persons of both sexes, in several isles, separated about forty or fifty leagues from one another; the inhabitants of many of these isles never had the least converse by word or writing; and this faculty of seeing visions having continued, as we are informed by tradition, ever since the plantation of these isles, without being disproved by the nicest sceptic after the strictest inquiry, seems to be a clear proof of its reality. it is observable, that it was much more common twenty or thirty years ago than at present; for one in ten does not see it now, that saw it then. the second-sight is not confined to the western isles alone, the author having an account that it is in several parts of holland, but particularly in bommel, where a woman has it, for which she is courted by some, and dreaded by others. she sees a smoke about one's face, which is the forerunner of the death of a person so seen, and she actually foretold the deaths of several that lived there. she was living in that town a few winters ago. the second-sight is likewise in the isle of man, as appears by this instance: captain leathes, the chief commander of belfast, in his voyage , lost thirteen men by a violent storm; and upon his landing in the isle of man, an ancient man, clerk to a parish there, told him immediately that he had lost thirteen men there; the captain inquired how he came to the knowledge of that; he answered that it was by thirteen lights, which he had seen come into the churchyard; as mr. sacheverel tells us in his late description of the isle of man. note, that this is like the sight of the corpse-candles in wales, which is also well attested. here the author adds many other instances concerning the second-sight, of which i shall set down only a few. a man in knockow, in the parish of st. mary's, the northernmost part of skye, being in perfect health, and sitting with his fellow-servants at night, was on a sudden taken ill, dropped from his seat backward, and then fell a vomiting; at which the family was much concerned, he having never been subject to the like before; but he came to himself soon after, and had no sort of pain about him. one of the family, who was accustomed to see the second-sight, told them that the man's illness proceeded from a very strange cause, which was thus: an ill-natured woman, whom he named, who lives in the next adjacent village of bornskittag, came before him in a very angry and furious manner, her countenance full of passion, and her mouth full of reproaches, and threatened him with her head and hands, till he fell over, as you have seen him. this woman had a fancy for the man, but was like to be disappointed as to her marrying of him. this instance was told the author by the master of the family, and others who were present when it happened. sir norman macleod and some others, playing at tables, at a game called in irish, falmermore, wherein there are three of a side, and each of them throw the dice by turns, there happened to be one difficult point in the disposing of one of the tablemen; this obliged the gamester to deliberate before he was to change his man, since upon the disposing of it, the winning or losing of the game depended; at length the butler, who stood behind, advised the player where to place the man, with which he complied, and won the game. this being thought extraordinary, and sir norman hearing one whisper him in the ear, asked who advised him so skilfully? he answered it was the butler; but this seemed more strange, for it was generally thought he could not play at tables. upon this sir norman asked him how long it was since he had learned to play? and the fellow owned that he had never played in his life, but that he saw the spirit brownie, a spirit usually seen in that country, reaching his arm over the player's head, and touching the part with his finger where the tableman was to be placed. this was told the author by sir norman, and others who happened to be present at the time. daniel bow, _alias_ black, an inhabitant of bornskittag, who is one of the precisest seers in the isles, foretold the death of a young woman in minginis, within less than twenty-four hours before the time, and accordingly she died suddenly in the fields, though at the time of the prediction she was in perfect health; but the shroud appearing close about her head, was the ground of his confidence that her death was at hand. the same person foretold the death of a child in his master's arms, by seeing a spark of fire fall on his left arm; and this was likewise accomplished soon after the prediction. some of the inhabitants of harris, sailing round the isle of skye, with a design to go to the opposite mainland, were strangely surprised with an apparition of two men hanging down by the ropes that secured the mast, but could not conjecture what it meant; they pursued their voyage, but the wind turning contrary, they were forced into broad-ford, in the isle of skye, where they found sir donald macdonald keeping a sheriff's court, and two criminals receiving sentence of death there. the ropes and mast of that very boat were made use of to hang those criminals. this was told the author by several, who had this instance related to them by the boat's crew. several persons, living in a certain family, told the author that they had frequently seen two men standing at a gentle-woman's left hand, who was their master's daughter; they told the men's names, and being her equals, it was not doubted but she would be married to one of them; and perhaps to the other after the death of the first. some time after a third man appeared, who seemed always to stand nearest to her of the three, but the seers did not know him, though they could describe him exactly; and within some months after, this man who was seen last, actually came to the house, and fully answered the description given of him by those who never saw him but in a vision; and he married the woman shortly after. they live in the isle of skye, and both themselves and others confirmed the truth of this instance when the author saw them. archibald macdonald, of the parish of st. mary's, in the isle of skye, being reputed famous in his skill of foretelling things to come, by the second-sight, happening to be in the village knockow one night, and before supper, told the family that he had just then seen the strangest thing he ever saw in his life, viz., a man with an ugly long cap, always shaking his head; but that the strangest of all was a little kind of a harp which he had, with four strings only, and that it had two hart's horns fixed in the front of it. all that heard this odd vision fell a laughing at archibald, telling him that he was dreaming, or had not his wits about him, since he pretended to see a thing which had no being, and was not so much as heard of in any part of the world. all this could not alter archibald's opinion, who told them that they must excuse him if he laughed at them after the accomplishment of the vision. archibald returned to his own house, and within three or four days after, a man with a cap, harp, &c., came to the house, and the harp, strings, horns, and cap, answered the description of them at first view, and he shook his head when he played; for he had two bells fixed to his cap. this harper was a poor man, who made himself a buffoon for his bread, and was never seen before in those parts, and at the time of the prediction he was in the isle of barray, which is about twenty leagues distant from that part of skye. this relation is vouched by mr. daniel martin, and all his family, and such as were then present; and they live in the village where this happened. one daniel nicholson, minister of st. mary's, in skye, the parish in which mr. archibald macdonald lived, told the author, that one sunday, after sermon, at the chapel uge, he took an occasion to inquire of archibald, if he still retained that unhappy faculty of seeing the second-sight, and wished him to get rid of it, if possible; for, said he, it is no true character of a good man. archibald was highly displeased, and answered, that he hoped he was no more unhappy than his neighbours, for seeing what they could not perceive. i had, said he, as serious thoughts as my neighbours in time of hearing a sermon to-day, and even then i saw a corpse laid on the ground, close to the pulpit; and i assure you it will be accomplished shortly, for it was in the day-time. there were none in the parish then sick, and few are buried at that little chapel, nay, sometimes, not one in a year. yet when mr. nicholson returned to preach in the said chapel, a fortnight or three weeks after, he found one buried in the very spot named by archibald. this story is vouched by mr. nicholson the minister, and several of the parishioners still living. note, that it is counted by many an argument of somewhat evil attending upon this faculty of the second-sight, because there are instances given of some persons who have been freed of it upon using some christian practices; but i shall hereafter show that this opinion cannot be entirely true. sir norman macleod, who has his residence in the isle of bernera, which lies between the isles of north uist and harris, went to the isle of skye about business, without appointing any time for his return; his servants, in his absence, being altogether in the large hall at night; one of them, who had the second-sight, told the rest they must remove, for there would be abundance of other company in the hall that night. one of his fellow-servants answered that there was very little likelihood of that, because of the darkness of the night, and the danger of coming through the rocks that lie round the isle; but within an hour after, one of sir norman's men came to the house, bidding them provide lights, &c., for his master had newly landed. sir norman being told of this, called for the seer and examined him about it. he answered, that he had seen the spirit brownie, in human shape, come several times and make a show of carrying an old woman, that sat by the fire, to the door, and at last seemed to carry her out by neck and heels, which made him laugh heartily, and gave occasion to the rest to conclude him mad, to laugh so much without any reason. this instance was told the author by sir norman himself. four men from the isle of skye and harris went to barbadoes, and stayed there some years; who though they had wont to see the second-sight in their native country, never saw it in barbadoes; but upon their return to england, the first night after their landing, they saw the second-sight; as the author was told by several of their acquaintance. john morrison, who lives in bernera, of harris, wears the plant called _fuga dæmonum_ sewed in the neck of his coat, to prevent his seeing of visions, and says, he never saw any since he first carried that plant about him. a spirit, by the country people called brownie, was frequently seen in all the most considerable families in the isles, and north of scotland, in the shape of a tall man, having very long brown hair; but within these twenty years past he has been seen but rarely. there were spirits also that appeared in the shape of women, horses, swine, cats, and some like fiery bulls, which would follow men in the fields; but there have been but few instances of these for upwards of forty years past. these spirits used also to form sounds in the air, resembling those of a harp, pipes, crowing of a cock, and of the grinding of hand-mills; and sometimes voices have been heard in the air at night, singing irish songs; the words of which songs some of the author's acquaintances still retain; one of them resembled the voice of a woman who died some time before, and the song related to her state in the other world. all these accounts, the author says, he had from persons of as great integrity as any are in the world. so far mr. martin, whose account is so long, that i have given the reader only a short abridgment thereof; and shall therefore satisfy myself, without relating any further passages, by directing the reader to others also, learned men, who have written on the same subject. laurentius ananias printed a volume in latin, at venice, anno , about the nature of demons; where, in the third book, he writes concerning the second-sight. the learned camerarius does the like, and names a person of his own acquaintance whom he testifies to have had that gift. st. austin himself testifies something (not very different from what we now call the gift of the second-sight) of one curina, who lived in the country of hippo, in africa. bonaysteau tells us something like it in his _disc. de excell. et dig. hominis_, concerning the spirit of hermotimus. so do likewise herodotus and maximus tyrius, about the spirit of aristæus. cardan does the same in his _de rerum variet._ . . c. , of his kinsman baptista cardan, a student at pavia. baptista fulgosus tells us of what we call the second-sight, in other words, in his _fact. et dict. memorab._ . i. c. . among our own countrymen, the lord henry howard, in the book he writ against supposed prophecies, in his seventeenth chapter, tells us a wonderful story of this kind of sight; and sure that noble lord may be looked upon as an unexceptionable testimony, in a story he relates of his own knowledge, he having otherwise little faith in things of this kind. mr. cotton mather, a minister of new england, in his relation of the wonders of the invisible world, inserted in his ecclesiastical history of that country, printed in london, anno , in folio, has given us several instances of this kind, as also of many other diabolical operations. mr. baxter's book concerning the certainty of the world of spirits, has the like proofs in it. mr. aubrey, fellow of the royal society, has written largely concerning second-sighted persons; so has mr. beaumont, in his book of genii and familiar spirits, who has collected almost all the other accounts together; and many others, whose very names it would be tedious to recite. however, as there are a few more passages, very curious in themselves, i will venture so far upon the reader's patience, as not only to recite the names of the authors, but the accounts themselves, in as succinct and brief a manner as it is possible for any one to do. mr. th. may, in his history, lib. viii. writes, that an old man, like a hermit, second-sighted, took his leave of king james i. when he came into england; he took little notice of prince henry, but addressing himself to the duke of york, since king charles i., fell a weeping to think what misfortunes he should undergo; and that he should be one of the most miserable and most unhappy princes that ever was. a scotch nobleman sent for one of these second-sighted men out of the highlands, to give his judgment of the then great george villiers, duke of buckingham. as soon as ever he saw him; pish, said he, he will come to nothing, i see a dagger in his breast; and he was stabbed in the breast by captain felton, as has been at large recounted in some of the foregoing pages. sir james melvin hath several the like passages in his history. a certain old man in south wales, told a great man there of the fortune of his family, and that there should not be a third male generation. it has fallen out accordingly. sir william dugdale with his own mouth informed several gentlemen, that major-general middleton (since lord) went into the highlands of scotland to endeavour to make a party for king charles i. an old gentleman, that was second-sighted, came and told him that his endeavour was good, but he would be unsuccessful; and, moreover, that they would put the king to death; and that several other attempts would be made, but all in vain; but that his son would come in, but not reign in a long time; but would at last be restored. this lord middleton had a great friendship with the laird bocconi, and they made an agreement, that the first of them that died should appear to the other in extremity. the lord middleton was taken prisoner at worcester fight, and was prisoner in the tower of london, under three locks. lying in his bed, pensive, bocconi appeared to him; my lord middleton asked him if he were dead or alive? he said, dead; and that he was a ghost; and told him that within three days he should escape, and he did so, in his wife's clothes; when he had done his message, he gave a frisk, and said-- givanni, givanni, 'tis very strange, in the world to see so sudden a change; and then gathered up and vanished. this account sir william dugdale had from the bishop of edinburgh; and this account he hath writ in a book of miscellanies, which is now reposited, with other books of his, in the museum at oxford. thus the reader sees what great authorities may be produced to prove that wonderful and true predictions have been delivered by many persons gifted with the second-sight. the most learned men in almost all nations, who are not in all likelihood deceived themselves; the most celebrated and authentic historians, and some divines in england, who, it is not to be thought, have combined together and made it their business to obtrude upon us falsehoods; persons of all ranks, from the highest to the lowest, in scotland, who, it would be even madness to think would join in a confederacy to impose tricks upon us, and to persuade us to the greatest of impostures as solemn truths delivered from their own mouths; all these, i say, have unanimously, and, as it were, with one voice, asserted, repeated, and confirmed to us, that there have been at all times, and in many different nations, and that still there are persons, who, possessed with the gift of a second sight, predict things that wonderfully come to pass; and seem to merit very little less than the name of prophets for their miraculous discoveries. now, if any man should come, and without giving the least manner of reason for it (for there is no reason to be given against such assertions), declare his disbelief of all these authentic, though strange accounts, can he with reason imagine that his incredulity shall pass for a token of wisdom? shall his obstinacy confute the learned? shall his want of faith be thought justly to give the lie to so many persons of the highest honour and quality, and of the most undoubted integrity? in fine, shall his infidelity, by a reverse kind of power to that which is attributed to the philosopher's stone, be able to change the nature of things, turn and transmute truth into falsehood, and make a downright plain matter of fact to be no more than a chimera, or an _ens rationis_? and shall a manifest experience be so easily exploded? taking it, therefore, for granted, that no modest man whatsoever, though never so hard of belief, which is certainly as great a weakness as that of too much credulity, will make bold openly to declare his disbelief of things so well attested; and taking it much more for granted still, that it is impossible for any man of common sense to have the front of declaring his disbelief of them in such a manner as to urge it for an argument and a reason why others should disbelieve them too; taking this, i say, as i think i very well may, for granted, i think there remains nothing farther for me to offer, before i conclude this chapter, except a few remarks as to the similitude there is between those actions which i have related above to have been performed by mr. campbell, and these actions which so many learned, ingenious, and noble authors, as i have just now quoted, have asserted to have been performed by persons whom they knew to be gifted with the second-sight. as to what is said several pages above, concerning duncan campbell when a boy at edinburgh, that he even told his little companions who would have success at their little matches when they played at marbles, and that he informed a great gamester there, whose name i have disguised under that of count cog, what times he should choose to play if he would win, as ludicrous as it may have appeared to be, and as much as it may have seemed to my readers to carry with it nothing better than the face of invention and the air of fiction, yet if they will be at the pains of comparing that passage of duncan campbell's with the account given in this chapter from the mouth of sir norman macleod, concerning a man, who, though he never played at tables in his life, instructed a skilful gamester, when he was at a stand, to place one of his men right, upon which the whole game depended, which the ignorant fellow, when asked how he came to do it, said he was directed to by the spirit brownie; whoever, i say, will be at the pains of comparing these passages together, will find they bear a very near resemblance, and that the way we may most reasonably account for duncan campbell's prediction when he was a boy, must be, that he was at that time directed by his little genius or familiar spirit, which i described in the precedent pages, as this fellow was by the spirit brownie, according to sir norman macleod's assertion; which spirit brownie, as mr. martin, a very good and credited writer, assures us, in his history of the western islands, dedicated to the late prince george of denmark, is a spirit usually seen all over that country. if the reader recollects, he will remember likewise, that in the little discourse which i mentioned to have been held between me and this duncan campbell, when a boy, concerning his little genius, i there say, the boy signified to me that he smelt venison, and was sure that some one would come to his mother's house shortly after; accordingly i came thither that morning from the death of a deer, and ordered a part of it to be brought after me to her house. now mr. martin's twelfth observation about the second-sight, in this chapter, clears it plainly up that this knowledge in the boy proceeded from the gift of second-sight. not to give the reader too often the trouble of looking back in order to judge of the truth of what i say, i will here repeat that observation, which is as follows: things are also foretold by smelling sometimes: for example, fish or flesh is frequently smelt in the fire, when, at the same time, neither of the two are in the house, or, in any probability, like to be had in it for some weeks or months. this smell several persons have, who are, endued with the second-sight, and it is always accomplished soon after. but i will here omit any farther remarks by way of accounting how he compassed his predictions when a boy, either by the intervention of his genius, or the gift of a second-sight; and examine how nearly those things, which i have related to have been done by him in his more advanced years, when he took up the profession of a predictor, in london, correspond with the accounts given us in this chapter about a second-sight, and how near a resemblance the things done by him bear to those things that are so well attested to have been performed by others, through the efficacious power of this wonderful faculty. first, then, if we have a mind to make a tolerable guess which way mr. campbell came acquainted that the death of the beautiful young lady, miss w--lw--d was so near at hand, and that, though she was so universally admired she would die unmarried, the accounts given of other second-sighted persons in the like cases, will put us in the most probable way of guessing right. this is explained by the seventh observation in this chapter, where it is said from mr. martin, that when a shroud is perceived about one, it is a sure prognostic of death; the time is judged according to the height of it, about the person; for if it be not seen above the middle, death is not to be expected for the space of a year or longer, but as it comes nearer to the head it is expected sooner; if to the very head, it is concluded to be at hand within a few days, if not hours. of this we have an example, of which mr. martin was an eye-witness, concerning the death of his own acquaintance; but he did not in the least regard it, till the death of the person, about the time foretold, confirmed to him the certainty of the prediction. secondly, as to the ignominious death that irwin came to, and which he predicted to his mother so long before, when she was in flourishing circumstances, and when there was no appearance that any of her children should be brought to a beggarly condition, and learn among base gangs of company to thieve, and be carried to the gallows; the story told in this chapter of some of the inhabitants of harris, sailing round the isle of skye, and seeing the apparition of two men hanging by the ropes on the mast of their vessel, and when they came to the opposite mainland, finding two criminals just sentenced to death by sir donald macdonald, and seeing their own very mast and ropes made choice of for their execution, clears up the manner how mr. campbell might predict this of irwin likewise, by the force of the second-sight. thirdly, as to mr. campbell's telling christallina the belle and chief toast of the court, and urbana the reigning beauty of the city, that they should shortly be married, and who were to be their husbands, it is a thing he has done almost every day in his life to one woman or other, that comes to consult him about the man she is to be married to; the manner he probably takes in doing this may be likewise explained by the foregoing story in this chapter about the servants, who said they saw three men standing by the left hand of their master's daughter; and that he that was nearest would marry her first, whom they plainly and exactly described, though they had never seen him but in their vision, as appeared afterwards. for within some months after, the very man described did come to the house, and did marry her. vide the eighth observation of the second-sight. fourthly, as to the predictions delivered by mr. campbell to the merchant, which are set down at length in the foregoing chapter, i know no better way at guessing the manner how the second-sight operated in him at that time, than by comparing them to these two instances, which i briefly repeat because they are set down at length before, in this chapter. and first it may be asked, how did the second-sight operate in mr. campbell, when it gave him to know that the merchant's ships, which repeated intelligences had in appearance confirmed to be lost, were at that time safe, and would return securely home into the harbour designed? the best way of accounting for it, that i know, is by the story that sir norman macleod is above affirmed to have told with his own mouth, concerning a servant of his, who rightly foretold his returning home and landing on the isle of bernera one night, where his residence is, when there was very little or no likelihood of it, because of the darkness of the night, and the danger of coming through the rocks that lie round the isle. when sir norman examined him about it, he answered that he knew it by a vision of the spirit brownie; and hence it may be the most probably conjectured that mr. campbell's knowledge of the merchant's ships being safe came from a vision of his particular genius, or familiar spirit, which we spoke of before. what i have already instanced in, is, i think, sufficient with regard to the wonderful things which mr. campbell has performed, either by the intervention of a genius, or the power of a second-sight. but as he has frequently done a great many amazing performances, which seem to be of such a nature that they can't be well and clearly explained to have been done either by the intervention of his familiar spirit and genius, or by the power of the second-sighted faculty, we must have recourse to the third means by which only such predictions and practises can be compassed, before we expound these new mysteries, which appear like incredible riddles, and enigmas at the first; and this third means which we must have recourse to for expounding these strange acts of his, is a due consideration of the force and power of natural magic, which, together with a narrative of the acts, which he seems magically to bring about, will be the subject of the following chapter. chapter viii. but before we proceed to our disquisitions concerning the power and efficacy of natural magic, and examine what mysterious operations may be brought about and compassed by magical practises, and before we take a farther survey of what mr. campbell has performed in this kind, that relates to his profession and the public part of his life, which concerns other people as well as himself; i shall here relate some singular adventures that he passed through in his private life, and which regard only his own person. in order to this, i must return back to the year , about which time some unaccountable turns of fortune attended him in his own private capacity, which must be very surprising and entertaining to my readers, when they find a man, whose foresight was always so great a help and assistance to others, who consulted him in their own future affairs, helpless, as it has been an observation concerning all such men in the account of the second-sight, and blind in his own future affairs, tossed up and down by inevitable and spiteful accidents of fortune, and made the may-game of chance and hazard, as if that wayward and inconstant goddess, was resolved to punish him, when she catched him on the blind side, for having such a quick insight and penetrating faculty in other people's matters, and scrutinizing too narrowly into her mysteries, and so sometimes preventing those fatal intentions of hers, into which she would fain lead many mortals hood-winked, and before they knew where they were. in this light, these mighty and famous seers seem to be born for the benefit and felicity of others, but at the same time to be born to unhappiness themselves. and certainly, inasmuch as we consider them as useful and beneficial often, but always satisfactory to persons who are curious in their enquiries about their fortunes, it will be natural to those of us who have the least share of generosity in our minds, to yield our pity and compassion to them, when they are remarkably unfortunate themselves; especially when that calamity seems more particularly to light upon them for their ability, and endeavour to consult the good fortune of other folks. about the above-mentioned year, , duncan campbell grew a little tired of his profession; such a multitude of followers troubled him, several of whom were wild youths, and came to banter him, and many more too inquisitive females to tease him with endless impertinences, and who, the more he told them, had still the more to ask, and whose curiosity was never to be satisfied: and besides this, he was so much envied, and had so many malicious artifices daily practised against him, that he resolved to leave off his profession. he had, i know, followed it pretty closely from the time i first saw him in london, which was, i think, in the beginning of the year , till the year , with very good success; and in those few years he had got together a pretty round sum of money. our young seer was now at man's estate, and had learned the notion that he was to be his own governor, so far as to be his own counsellor too in what road of life he was to take, and this consideration no doubt worked with a deeper impression on his mind, than it usually does on others that are in the same blossom and pride of manhood, because it might appear more natural for him to believe that he had a sufficient ability to be his own proper adviser, who had given so many others, and some more aged than himself, counsel, with very good success. now every experienced person knows, that when manhood is yet green, it is still in the same dangerous condition as a young plant, which is liable to be warped by a thousand cross fortuitous accidents, if good measures be not taken to support it against all the contingent shocks it may meet with from the weather or otherwise. now, it was his misfortune to be made averse to business, which he loved before, by having too much of it, and to be so soured by meeting with numerous perplexities and malicious rubs laid in his way by invidious people, (who are the useless and injurious busy-bodies that always repine at the good of others, and rejoice to do harm to the diligent and assiduous, though they reap no profit by it themselves), that he was disgusted and deterred entirely from the prosecution of a profession by which he got not only a competent but a copious and plentiful subsistence. nay, indeed, this was another mischief arising to him from his having so much business, that he had got money enough to leave it off, when the perplexities of it had made him willing to do so, and to live very comfortably and handsomely, like a gentleman, without it, for a time; and we know the youngest men are not wont to look the farthest before them, in matters that concern their own welfare. now, inasmuch as he had thus taken a disgust to business and application, and was surfeited, as i may say, with the perplexities of it, it must be as natural for him, we know, to search for repose in the contrary extreme, viz., recreation and idleness, as it is for a man to seek rest after toil, to sleep after a day's labour, or to sit down after a long and tiresome walk. but there are two very distinct sorts of idleness, and two very different kinds of recreation; there is a shameful idleness which is no better than downright sloth; and there is a splendid kind of indolence, where a man having taken an aversion to the wearisomeness of a business which properly belongs to him, neglects not however to employ his thoughts, when they are vacant from what they ought more chiefly to be about, in other matters not entirely unprofitable in life, the exercise of which he finds he can follow with more abundant ease and satisfaction. there are some sorts of recreations, too, that are mean, sordid, and base; others that are very innocent, though very diverting, and that will give one the very next most valuable qualifications of a gentleman, after those which are obtained by a more serious application of the mind. the idea which i have already given my readers of our duncan campbell, will easily make them judge, before i tell them, which way, in these two ways, his genius would naturally lead him; and that, when he grew an idle man, he would rather indulge himself with applying his mind to the shining trifles of life, than be wholly slothful and inactive; and that when he diverted himself he would not do it after a sordid, base manner, as having a better taste and a relish for good company; but that his recreations would still be the recreations of a gentleman. and just, accordingly, as my readers would naturally judge beforehand in his case, so it really happened. the moment he shook off business, and dismissed the thoughts of it, his genius led him to a very gallant way of life; in his lodgings, in his entertainments, in paying and receiving visits, in coffee-houses, in taverns, in fencing-schools, in balls, and other public assemblies, in all ways, in fine, both at home and abroad, duncan campbell was a well-comported and civil fine gentleman; he was a man of pleasure, and nothing of the man of business appeared about him. but a gentleman's life, without a gentleman's estate, however shining and pleasant it may be for a time, will certainly end in sorrow, if not in infamy; and comparing life, as moralists do, to a day, one may safely pronounce this truth to all the splendid idlers i have mentioned, that if they have sunshiny weather till noon, yet the afternoon of their life will be very stormy, rainy and uncomfortable, and perhaps just at the end of their journey, to carry on the metaphor throughout, close in the darkest kind of night. of this, as i was a man of years and more experienced in the world than he, i took upon me to forewarn mr. campbell, as soon as i perceived the first dangerous fit of this elegant idleness had seized him. but when will young men, by so much the more headstrong as they have less of the beard, be guided and brought to learn! and when shall we see that happy age, in which the grey heads of old men shall be clapped upon the shoulders of youth! i told him, that in this one thing he ought to consult me, and acknowledge me to be a true prophet, if i told him the end of the seeming merry steps in life he was now taking, would infallibly bring him to a labyrinth of difficulties, out of which if he extricated himself at all, he would at least find it a laborious piece of work. his taste had been already vitiated with the sweets which lay at the top of the bitter draught of fortune, and my honest rugged counsel came too late to prevail, when his fancy had decoyed and debauched his judgment, and carried it over into another interest. i remember i writ down to him the moral story, where vicious pleasure and virtue are pictured by the philosopher to appear before hercules, to court him into two several paths. i told him more particularly, since he had not an estate to go through with the gentlemanly life, as he called it, that, if he followed the alluring pleasures which endeavoured to tempt hercules, he would involve himself at last in a whole heap of miseries, out of which it would be more than an herculean labour for him to disentangle himself again. if he had been a man that could have ever heard with either, i would have told the reader in a very familiar idiom, that he turned the deaf ear to me; for he did not mind one syllable or tittle of the prescriptions i set down for him, no more than if he had never read them; but, varying the phrase a little, i may say at least, when he should have looked upon my counsel with all the eyes he had, he turned the blind side upon it. i was resolved to make use of the revenge natural to a man of years, and therefore applied that reproachful proverb to him, which we ancients delight much in making use of to youths that follow their own false and hot imaginations, and will not heed the cooler dictates of age, experience, and wisdom. accordingly, i wrote down to him these words, and left him in a seeming passion: i am very well assured, young man, you think me that am old, to be a fool; but i that am old, absolutely know you, who are a young fellow, to be a downright fool, and so i leave you to follow your own ways, till sad and woful experience teaches you to know it your own self, and makes you come to me to own it of your own accord. as i was going away, after this tart admonition and severe reprimand, i had a mind to observe his countenance, and i saw him smile, which i rightly construed to be done in contempt of the advice of age, and in the gaiety and fulness of conceit, which youth entertains of its own fond opinions and hair-brained rash resolves. he was got into the company of a very pretty set of gentlemen, whose fortunes were far superior to his; but he followed the same genteel exercises, as fencing, &c., and made one at all their public entertainments; and so being at an equal expense with those who could well afford to spend what they did out of their estates, he went on very pleasantly for a time, still spending and never getting, without ever considering that it must, by inevitable consequence, fall to his lot at last to be entirely reduced to a state of indigence and want. and what commonly heightens the misfortune of such men, and so of all gentlemen's younger brothers, who live upon the ready money that is given them for their portions, is, that the prosperity they live in for a time gains them credit enough just to bring them in debt, and render them more miserable than those very wretches who never had either any money or credit at all. they run themselves into debt out of shame, and to put off the evil day of appearing ruined men as long as they can, and then, when their tempers are soured by adversity, they grow tired of their own lives; and then, in a quarrel, they or some other gentleman, may be, is run through, or else being hunted by bailiffs, they exercise their swords upon those pursuers. thus, where gentlemen will not consider their circumstances, their very prosperity is a cause of, and aggravates their misery; their very pride, which was a decent pride at first, in keeping up and maintaining their credit, subjects them too often to the lowest and the meanest acts, and their courage, which was of a laudable kind, turns into a brutish and savage rage; and all the fine, esteemed, flourishing, and happy gentleman ends, and is lost in the contemned, poor and miserable desperado, whose portion at last is confinement and a gaol, and sometimes even worse, and what i shall not so much as name here. into many of these calamities mr. campbell had brought himself before it was long, by his heedlessness, and running, according to the wild dictates of youth, counter to all sound and wholesome advice. he had, it seems, run himself into debt, and one day as he was at a coffee-house, the sign of the three crowns, in great queen-street, in rushed four bailiffs upon him, who being directed by the creditor's wife, had watched him into that house, and told him they had a warrant against him, and upon his not answering, they being unacquainted with his being deaf and dumb, offered to seize his sword. he startled at their offering of violence, and taking them for ruffians, which he had often met with, repelled the assaulters, and drawing his sword, as one man, more bold than the rest, closed in with him, he shortened his blade, and in the fall pinned the fellow through the shoulder, and himself through the leg, to the floor. after that he stood at bay with all the four officers, when the most mischievous assailant of them all, the creditor's wife, ventured to step into the fray, and very barbarously took hold of that nameless part of the man, for which, as she was a married woman, nature methinks should have taught her to have a greater tenderness, and almost squeezed and crushed those vitals to death. but at last he got free from them all, and was going away as fast as he could, not knowing what consequences might ensue. but the woman who aimed herself at committing murder, in the most savage and inhuman manner, ran out after him, crying out, murder! murder! as loud as she could, and alarmed the whole street. the bailiffs following the woman, and being bloody from head to foot, by means of the wound he received, gave credit to the outcry. the late earl rivers's footmen happening to be at the door, ran immediately to stop the supposed murderer, and they indeed did take him at last, but perceived their mistake, and discovered that instead of being assistants in taking a man whom they thought to be a murderer endeavouring to make his escape from the hands of justice, they had only been tricked in by that false cry to be adjutants to a bailiff in retaking a gentleman, who, by so gallant a defence, had rescued himself from the dangers of a prison; and when they had discovered this their mistake they were mighty sorry for what they had done. the most active and busy among the earl's footmen was a dutchman, and the earl happening to be in a room next the street, and hearing the outcry of murder, stepped to the window, and seeing his own servants in the midst of the bustle, examined the dutchman how the matter was, and, being told it, he chid the man for being concerned in stopping a gentleman that was getting free from such troublesome companions. but the dutchman excused himself, like a dutchman, by making a very merry blunder for a reply; _sacramente_, said he, to his lord, if i had thought they were bailiffs, i would have fought for the poor dumb gentlemen, but then why had he not told me they were bailiffs, my lord? in short, duncan campbell was carried off as their prisoner; but the bailiff that was wounded was led back to the coffee-house, where he pretended the wound was mortal, and that he despaired of living an hour. the proverb, however, was of the fellow's side, and he recovered sooner than other people expected he could. as soon as all danger was over, an action for damages and smart money, as their term is, was brought against mr. campbell; the damages were exaggerated and the demand was so extravagant, that duncan campbell was neither able, just at that time, nor willing, had he been able, to pay so much, as he thought, in his own wrong, and having no bail, and being ashamed to make his case known to his better sort of friends, who were both able and willing to help him at a dead lift, he was hurried away to gaol by the bailiffs, who showed such a malignant and insolent pleasure, as commonly attends powerful revenge, when they put him into the marshalsea. there he lay in confinement six weeks, till at last four or five of his chief friends came by mere chance to hear of it; immediately they consulted about his deliverance, and unanimously resolved to contribute for his enlargement, and they accordingly went across the water together, and procured it out of hand. two of his benefactors were officers, and were just then going over to flanders. duncan campbell, to whom they communicated their design, was resolved to try his fortune in a military way, out of a roving kind of humour, raised in him partly by his having taken a sort of aversion to his own profession in town, and partly by his finding that he could not live, without following a profession, as he had done, any longer. he, over a bottle, frankly imparted his mind to them at large; he signified to them that he hoped, since they had lately done him so great a favour in freeing him from one captivity, they would not think him too urgent if he pressed for one favour farther, upon natures so generous as theirs, by whom he took as great a pleasure in being obliged, as he could receive in being capable of obliging others. he wrote to them that the favour he meant was to redeem him from another captivity, almost as irksome to him as that out of which they had lately ransomed him. this captivity, continued he, is being either forced to follow my old profession, which i have taken an entire disgust to, for a maintenance, or being forced to live in a narrower way than suits with my genius, and the better taste i have of higher life. such a state, gentlemen, you know, is more unpalatable than half-pay; it is like either being forced to go upon the forlorn hope, or else like a man's being an entirely cashiered and broken officer, that had no younger brother's fortune, and no other support but his commission. thus, though you have set my body at liberty, my soul is still under an imprisonment, and will be till i leave england, and can find means of visiting flanders, which i can do no otherwise than by the advantage of having you for my convoy. i have a mighty longing to experience some part of a military life, and i fancy, if you will grant me your interest, and introduce me to the valiant young lord lorne, and be spokesmen for a dumb man, i shall meet with a favourable reception; and as for you, gentlemen, after having named that great patron and pattern of courage and conduct in the field, i can't doubt but the very name i bear, if you had not known me, would have made you take me for a person of a military genius, and that i should do nothing but what would become a british soldier, and a gentleman; nothing, in fine, that should make you repent the recommendation. these generous and gallant friends of his, it seems, complied with his request, and promised they would make application for him to the lord lorne, and duncan campbell had nothing to do but to get his bag and baggage ready, and provide himself with a pass. his baggage was not very long a getting together, and he had it in tolerable good order, and as for his pass, a brother of the lord forbes was so kind as to procure him one upon the first application duncan made to him. accordingly, in a few days afterwards, they went on board, and having a speedy and an easy passage, arrived soon at rotterdam. duncan met with some of his english acquaintance in that town, and his mind being pretty much bent upon rambling, and seeing all the curiosities, customs, and humours he could, in all the foreign places he was to pass through, he went, out of a frolic, with some gentlemen, next day, in a boat to an adjacent village, to make merry over a homely dutch entertainment, the intended repast being to consist of what the boors there count a great delicacy, brown bread and white beer. he walked out of sight from his company, and they lost one another; and strolling about by himself at an unseasonable hour, as they call it there after the bell has tolled, duncan campbell, who neither knew their laws, nor if he had, was capable of being guided by the notice which their laws ordain, was taken into custody in the village, for that night, and carried away the next day to williamstadt, where he was taken for a spy, and put into a close imprisonment for three or four days. but some scotch gentlemen, who had been in company with mr. campbell at mr. cloysterman's, a painter in covent-garden, made their application to the magistrate and got him released; he knew his friends the officers, that carried him over, were gone forward to the camp, and that there was no hope of finding them at rotterdam, if he should go thither, and so he resolved, since he had had so many days punishment in williamstadt, to have three or four days pleasure there too, by way of amends, before he would set out on his journey after his friends. but on the third night he got very much in drink; and as he went very boisterously and disorderly along, a sentry challenged him; and the want of the sense of hearing had like to have occasioned the loss of his life. the sentry fired at him and narrowly missed him; he was taken prisoner, not without some resistance, which was so far innocent, as that he knew not any reason why he should be seized; but very troublesome and unwarrantable in so orderly a town; so the governor's secretary, after the matter was examined into, judging it better for the unhappy gentleman's future safety, advised him to return home to his own country, and accordingly bespoke him a place in a dutch ship called yowfrow catherine, for his passage to england. duncan campbell had taken up this humour of rambling, first, of his own accord, and the troubles which he had run himself into by it, we may reasonably suppose had pretty well cured him of that extravagant itch; and there is little doubt to be made but that he rejoiced very heartily when he was got on board the ship to return to england; and that in his new resolutions he had reconciled himself to the prosecution of his former profession, and intended to set up for a predictor again as soon as he could arrive at london. but now fortune had not a mind to let him go off so; he had had his own fancy for rambling, and now she was resolved to have hers, and to give him his bellyful of caprice. accordingly, when the dutch ship, called yowfrow catherine, was making the best of her road for london, and each person in the vessel was making merry, filled with the hopes of a quick and prosperous passage, a french privateer appeared in sight, crowding all the sails she could, and bearing towards them with all haste and diligence. the privateer was double-manned, and carried thirty guns; the dutch vessel was defenceless in comparison; and the people on board had scarce time to think, and to deplore that they should be made a prey of, before they actually were so, and had reason enough given them for their sorrow. all the passengers, to a single man, were stripped, and had french seamen's jackets in exchange for their clothes. duncan campbell had now a taste given him of the fate of war, as well as of the humour of travelling, and wished himself again, i warrant him, among his greatest crowd of consulters, as tiresome as he thought business to be, instead of being in the middle of a crew of sea savages. the town where the dumb prisoner was at last confined was denain. there happened to be some english friars there, who were told by the others who he was, and to them he applied himself in writing, and received from them a great deal of civil treatment. but a certain man of the order of recollects, happening to see him there, who had known him in england, and what profession he followed, caused him to be called to question, as a man that made use of ill means to tell fortunes. when he was questioned by a whole society of these religious men, he made them such pertinent and satisfactory answers in writing, that he convinced them he had done nothing for which he deserved their reprimand; and they unanimously acquitted him. the heads of his defence, as i have been informed, were these:-- first, he alleged that the second-sight was inborn and inbred in some men; and that every country had had examples of it more or less; but that the country of scotland, in which he was educated from an infant, abounded the most of any with those sort of people; and from thence he said he thought he might very naturally draw this conclusion, that a faculty that was inborn and inbred to men, and grown almost a national faculty among a people who were remarkably honest, upright, and well-meaning people, could not, without some impiety, be imputed to the possessors of it as a sin; and when one of the fathers rejoined that it was remarked by several writers of the second-sight, that it must be therefore sinful, because it remained no longer among the people when the doctrines of christianity were fully propagated, and the light of the gospel increased among them; and that afterwards it affected none but persons of vicious lives and an ill character; to this objection mr. campbell replied, that he knew most (even ingenious) writers had made that remark concerning the second-sight, but begged leave to be excused, if he ventured to declare that it was no better than a vulgar and common error; and the reasons were these, which he alleged in his own behalf; and to confirm his assertion, he told them men of undoubted probity, virtue, and learning, both of their own religion, viz., the roman catholic, and also of the reformed religion, and in several nations, had been affected, and continued all their lives to be affected, with this second-sighted power, and that there could be, therefore, no room to fix upon it the odious character of being a sinful and vicious, not to say that some called it still worse, a diabolical talent. he said he would content himself with making but two instances, because he believed those two would be enough to give content to them, his judges too, in that case. in his first instance he told them that they might find somewhat relating to this in nicolaus hemingius, who, in his tracts _de superstitionibus magicis_, printed at copenhagen, anno , informs the world, that petrus palladius, a bishop of see-landt, and professor of divinity at copenhagen, could, from a part of his body affected, foretell from what part of the heavens tempests would come, and was seldom deceived. one of the fathers immediately asked him if he understood latin? to this duncan campbell replied, no. oh! said the friar, then, i don't remember that book was ever translated into english, that you mention. but, rejoined duncan campbell, the passage i mentioned to you, i have read in an english book, and word for word, according to the best of my memory, as i have written it down to you. in what english book? said the friar. i don't remember the name of the book, duncan campbell answered, but very well remember the passages, and that it was in a book of authority, and which bore a credit and good repute in the world; and you, being scholars, may, if you please, have recourse to the learned original, and i doubt not but you'll find what i say to be a truth. for the second instance, he told them, that in spain, there are those they call saludadores, that have this kind of gift. there was, continued he, in writing, one of your own religion, venerable fathers, and of a religious order, nay, a friar too, that had this gift. he was a noted dominican, said he, and though i forget his name, you may, by writing a letter to england, learn his name. he was a devout portuguese, belonging to queen catherine dowager's chapel, and had the second-sight to a great degree, and was famous and eminent for it. they then asked him what was the full power he had to do by the second-sight. he answered, that as they had intimated that they had perused some of the skilful writers concerning the second-sight, he did not doubt but they had found, as well as he could tell them, that as to the extent of people's knowledge in that secret way, it reached both present, past, and future events. they foresee murders, drownings, weddings, burials, combats, manslaughters, &c., all of which there are many instances to be given. they commonly foresee sad events a little while before they happen; for instance, if a man's fatal end be hanging, they will see a gibbet, or rope about his neck; if beheading, they will see a man without a head; if drowning, they will see water up to his throat; if stabbing, they will see a dagger in his breast; if unexpected death in his bed, they will see a windingsheet about his head. they foretell not only marriages, but of good children; what kind of life men shall lead, and in what condition they shall die; also riches, honours, preferments, peace, plenty, and good weather. it is likewise usual with persons that have lost anything to go to some of these men, by whom they are directed how, with what persons, and in what place they shall find their goods. it is also to be noted that these gifts bear a latitude, so that some have it in a far more eminent degree than others; and what i have here written down to you, you need not take as a truth from me; but as it concerned me so nearly, i remember the passage by heart, and you will find it very near word for word in dr. beaumont's book of familiar spirits. aye, said the friars, but you have a genius too that attends you, as we are informed. so, replied duncan campbell, have all persons that have the second-sight in any eminent degree; and to prove this i will bring no less a witness than king james, who, in his demonology, book the third and chapter the second, mentions also a spirit called brownie, that was wont formerly to haunt divers houses, without doing any evil, but doing, as it were, necessary turns up and down the house; he appeared like a rough man, nay, some believed that their house was all the 'sonsier,' as they called it, that is, the more lucky or fortunate, that such spirits resorted there. with these replies the friars began to own they were very well satisfied, and acquiesced in the account he had given of himself as a very good, true, and honest account; but they told him they had still a farther accusation against him, and that was, that he practised magic arts, and that he used, as they had been informed, unlawful incantations. to this he made answer, that there were two kinds of magic, of which he knew they that were men of learning could not be ignorant. the art of magic, which is wicked and impious, continued he, is that which is professed, and has been professed at all times in the world, by witches, magicians, diviners, enchanters, and such like notorious profligates; who, by having an unnatural commerce with the devil, do many strange, prodigious, and preternatural acts, above and beyond all human wisdom; and all the arguments i ever did, or ever will deduce, continued he, from that black art, is a good and shining argument; it is this, o fathers: i draw a reason from these prodigious practices of wizards, magicians, enchanters, &c, and from all the heathen idolatry and superstition, to prove that there is a deity; for from these acts of theirs, being preternatural and above human wisdom, we may consequently infer that they proceed from a supernatural and immaterial cause, such as demons are. and this is all the knowledge i ever did or ever will draw from that black hellish art. but, fathers, there is another kind of art magic, called natural magic, which is directly opposite to theirs, and the object of which art is to do spiritual good to mankind, as the object of theirs is to torment them, and induce them to evil. they afflict people with torments, and my art relieves them from the torments they cause. the public profession of these magical arts has, as you know, fathers, it is a common distinction, between black and white magic, been tolerated in some of the most famous universities of christendom, though afterwards for a very good reason in politics, making it a public study to such a degree was very wisely retrenched by prohibition. if this, therefore, be a fault in your own opinions, hear my accusers, but if not, you will not only excuse, but commend me. the friars were extremely well pleased with his defence, but one of them had a mind to frighten him a little if he could, and asked him what he would say if he could produce some witches lately seized, that would swear he had been frequently at their unlawful assemblies, where they were making their waxen images and other odd mischievous inventions in black magic, to torment folks; what if i can produce such evidence against you, wrote the father to him, by way of strengthening the question, will you not own that we have convicted you then? and when he had wrote the note, he gave it duncan campbell, with a look that seemed to express his warmth and eagerness in the expostulation. duncan campbell took the paper and read it, and far from being startled, returned this answer, with a smile continuing in his face while he wrote it. no, said he, fathers, by your leave, they will only prove me a good magician by that oath, and themselves more plainly witches. they will prove their love to torment good folks, and only show their hatred to me, an innocent man, but wise enough to torment them by hindering them from tormenting others. the fathers were well pleased with the shrewdness of the answer; but duncan campbell had a mind to exert his genius a little farther with the good friar, who thought likewise he had put him a very shrewd question; so taking up another sheet of paper, fathers, said he, shall i entertain you with a story of what passed upon this head, between two religious fathers, as you all of you are, and a prince of germany, in which you will find that mine ought to be reputed a full answer to the question the last learned father was pleased to propose to me? the story is somewhat long, but very much to the purpose and entertaining; i remember it perfectly by heart, and if you will have patience while i am writing it, i do not doubt but that i shall not only satisfy you, but please you and oblige you with the relation. the author i found it in, quotes it from fromannus, (i think the man's name was so, and i am sure my author calls him a very learned man,) in his third book of magical incantation, and though i do not understand the language the original is writ in, yet i dare venture to say upon the credit of my english author, from whom i got the story by heart, that you will find me right whenever you shall be pleased to search. the friars were earnest for the story, and expressed a desire that he would write it down for them to read, which he did in the following words. note--that i have since compared mr. duncan campbell's manuscript with the author's page out of which he took it, and find it word for word the same; which shows how incomparable a memory this deaf and dumb gentleman has got, besides his other extraordinary qualifications. the story is this:-- a prince of germany invited two religious fathers, of eminent virtue and learning, to a dinner. the prince, at table, said to one of them: father, think you we do right in hanging persons, who are accused by ten or twelve witches, to have appeared at their meetings or sabbaths? i somewhat fear we are imposed on by the devil, and that it is not a safe way to truth, that we walk in by these accusations; especially since many great and learned men everywhere begin to cry out against it, and to charge our consciences with it; tell me, therefore, your opinion. to whom the fathers, being somewhat of an eager spirit, said; what should make us doubtful in this case? or what should touch our consciences, being convicted by so many testimonies? can we make it a scruple, whether god will permit innocent persons should be so traduced? there is no cause for a judge to stick at such a number of accusations, but he may proceed with safety. to which, when the prince had replied, and much had been said _pro_ and _con_ on both sides about it, and the father seemed wholly to carry the point, the prince at length concluded the dispute; saying, i am sorry for you, father, that in a capital cause you have condemned yourself, and you cannot complain if i commit you to custody; for no less than fifteen witches have deposed that they have seen you, ay, start not! you your ownself, at their meetings; and to show you that i am not in jest, i will presently cause the public acts to be brought for you to read them. the father stood in a maze, and with a dejected countenance had nothing here to oppose but confusion and silence, for all his learned eloquence. as soon as mr. campbell had wrote down the story, the fathers perused it, and seemed mightily entertained with it. it put an end to all farther questions, and the man whom they had been trying for a conjuror, they joined in desiring, upon distinct pieces of paper, under their several hands, to come frequently and visit them, as being not only a harmless and innocent, but an extraordinary well-meaning, good, and diverting companion. they treated him for some time afterwards during his stay, with the friendship due to a countryman, with the civility that is owing to a gentleman, and with the assistance and support which belonged to a person of merit in distress. money they had none themselves, it seems, to give him, being mendicants by their own profession; but they had interest enough to get him quite free from being prisoner; he participated of their eleemosynary table, had a cell allowed him among them in what they call their dormitory; he had an odd coat and a pair of trowsers made out of some of their brown coarse habits, by the poor unfashionable tailor, or botcher, belonging to the convent, and at last they found means of recommending him to a master of a french vessel that was ready to set sail, to give him a cast over the channel to england; and to provide him with the necessaries of life till he got to the port. this french vessel was luckier than the dutch one had been before to our dumb gentleman; it had a quick and prosperous passage, and arrived at portsmouth; and as soon as he landed there, he having experienced the misfortunes and casualties that a man in his condition, wanting both speech and hearing, was liable to, in places where he was an utter stranger to everybody, resolved to make no stay, but move on as fast as he could towards london. when he came to hampton town, considering the indifferent figure he made in those odd kind of clothes, which the poor friars had equipped him with, and that his long beard and an uncombed wig added much to the disguise, he was resolved to put on the best face he could, in those awkward circumstances, and stepped into the first barber's shop he came at to be trimmed and get his wig combed and powdered. this proved a very lucky thought to him; for as soon as he stepped into the first barber's shop, who should prove to be the master of it, but one tobit yeats, who had served him in the same capacity at london, and was but newly set up in the trade of a barber-surgeon, at hampton town, and followed likewise the profession of schoolmaster. this tobit yeats had shaved him quite, before he knew him in that disguise; and mr. campbell, though he knew him presently, had a mind to try if he should be known himself first; at length the barber finding him to be a dumb man, by his ordering everything with motions of the hand and gestures of the body, looked at him very earnestly, remembered him, and in a great surprise called for pen, ink, and paper, and begged to know how he came to be in that disguise; whether he was under any misfortune, and apprehension of being discovered, that made him go in so poor and so clownish a habit, and tendered him any services, as far as his little capacity would reach, and desired him to be free, and command him; if he was able to assist him in anything. these were the most comfortable words that duncan campbell had read a great while. he took the pen and paper in his turn; related to him his whole story, gave the poor barber thanks for his good natured offer, and said he would make so much use of it, as to be indebted to him for so much money as would pay the stage-coach, and bear him in his travelling expenses up to london, from whence he would speedily return the favour with interest. the poor honest fellow, out of gratitude to a master whose liberality he had formerly experienced, immediately furnished mr. duncan campbell with that little supply, expressing the gladness of his heart that it lay in his power; and the stage-coach being to set out within but a few hours, he ran instantly to the inn to see if he could get him a place. by good luck, there was room, and but just room for one more, which pleased duncan campbell mightily, when he was acquainted with it by his true and trusty servant the barber; for he was as impatient to see london again, it seems, as he had been before to quit it. well, he had his wish; and when he came to london, he had one wish more for fortune to bestow upon him, which appeared to begin to grow kind again, after her fickle fit of cruelty was over; and this wish was, that he might find his former lodgings empty, and live in the same house as he did when he followed his profession. this too succeeded according to his desire, and he was happily fixed once more to his heart's content in his old residence, with the same people of the house round about him, who bore him all that respect and affection, and showed all that readiness and willingness to serve him on every occasion and at every turn, which could be expected from persons that let lodgings in town to a gentleman, whom they esteemed the best tenant they ever had in their lives, or ever could have. immediately the tidings of the dumb gentleman's being returned home from beyond sea, spread throughout all the neighbourhood; and it was noised about from one neighbourhood to another, till it went through all ranks and conditions, and was known as well in a day or two's time, all the town over, as if he had been some great man belonging to the state, and his arrival had been notified to the public in the gazette, as a person of the last importance. and such a person he appeared indeed to be taken for, especially among the fair sex, who thronged to his doors, crowd after crowd, to consult with him about their future occurrences in life. these curious tribes of people were as various in their persons, sex, age, quality, profession, art, trade, as they were in the curiosity of their minds, and the questions they had intended to propound to this dumb predictor of strange events, that lay yet as embryos in the womb of time, and were not to come, some of them, to a maturity for birth, for very many years after; just as porcelain clay is stored up in the earth by good artificers, which their heirs make china of, half a century, and sometimes more than an age, afterwards. these shoals of customers, who were to fee him well for his advice, as we may suppose, now he stood in need of raising a fresh stock, were unquestionably as welcome and acceptable to him as they appeared too troublesome to him before, when he was in a state of more wealth and plenty. fortune, that does nothing moderately, seemed now resolved, as she had been extremely cruel before, to be extremely kind to him. he had nothing to do from early in the morning till late at night, but to read questions, and resolve them as fast as much-frequented doctors write their prescriptions and recipes, and like them also to receive fees as fast. fortune was indeed mightily indulgent to the wants she had so suddenly reduced him to, and relieved him as suddenly by these knots of curiosos, who brought him a glut of money. but one single fair lady, that was one of his very first consulters after his return, and who had received satisfactory answers from him in other points, before he went abroad, proved, so good fortune would have it, worth all the rest of his customers together, as numerous as they were, and as i have accordingly represented them. this lady was the relict or widow of a gentleman of a good estate, and of a very good family, whose name was digby, and a handsome jointure she had out of the estate. this lady, it seems, having been with him in former days, and seen him in a more shining way of life, (for he had taken a humour to appear before all his company in that coarse odd dress made out of the friar's habit, and would not be persuaded by the people of the house to put on a nightgown till he could provide himself with a new suit,) was so curious, among other questions, as to ask him whether he had met with any misfortunes, and how he came to be in so slovenly and wretched a habit? here mr. campbell related the whole story of his travels to her, and the crosses and disappointments he had met with abroad. the tears, he observed, would start every now and then into her eyes when she came to any doleful passage, and she appeared to have a mighty compassionate kind of feeling, when she read of any hardship more than ordinarily melancholy that had befallen him. mr. campbell, it is certain, had then a very good presence, and was a handsome and portly young man; and as a great many young gentlemen derive the seeming agreeableness of their persons from the tailor and peruke-maker, the shoemaker and hosier, so mr. campbell's person, on the other hand, gave a good air and a good look to the awkward garb he had on; and i believe it was from seeing him in this odd trim, as they called it, the ladies first took up the humour of calling him 'the handsome sloven:' add to this that he looked his misfortune in the face with a jolly countenance, and smiled even while he was penning the relation of his calamities; all which are certainly circumstances that first sooth a generous mind into a state of compassion, and afterwards heighten it in the breast wherein it is conceived. hence it came that this pretty and good natured widow, mrs. digby, when she had expressed her commiseration of him by her looks, began to take the pen and express it in very tender terms. neither did she think that expression in words a sufficient testimony of the compassion she bore to him; the generosity of her mind did lead her to express it in a more substantial manner still, and that was to show it plainly by a very benevolous action. she laid a purse of twenty guineas before the table, and at the same time smiling, pointed to the table, as signifying her desire that he would accept it, and running to the door, dropped a curtsy, and skuttled away; and by the same civil act as she obliged him, she put it out of his power to refuse being so obliged; so that, though the present was very handsome, the manner of giving it was still handsomer. if being a handsome young man of merit in distress, and bearing his misfortunes with an equal mind, are powerful motives to excite compassion in the mind of a generous lady, so the generosity of a young agreeable widow, expressed in so kind and so benevolous a way, to a young gentleman, when he had been tasting nothing but the bitter draughts of fortune before, must stir up an affection in a mind that had any sense of gratitude; and truly just such was the effect that this lady's civility had upon mr. duncan campbell. he conceived from that moment a very great affection for her; and resolved to try whether he could gain her, which he had no small grounds to hope, from the esteem which she appeared to bear towards him already. i remember mr. dryden makes a very beautiful observation of the near alliance there is between the two passions of pity and love in a woman's breast, in one of his plays. his words are these; for pity still foreruns approaching love, as lightning does the thunder. mr. bruyere, a most ingenious member of the french academy, has made another remark, which comes home to our present purpose. he says, that many women love their money better than their friends; but yet value their lovers more than their money. according to the two reflections of these fine writers upon the tempers of the fair, mr. campbell had hopes enough to ground his courtship upon; and it appeared so in the end, by his proving successful; she from being a very liberal and friendly client, became at last a most affectionate wife. he then began to be a housekeeper, and accordingly took a little neat one, and very commodious for his profession, in monmouth-court. here i must take leave to make this observation; that if mr. campbell inherited the talents of his second-sighted mother, he seemed likewise to be an heir to his father, mr. archibald campbell, both in his strange and accidental sufferings by sea, and likewise in his being relieved from them after as accidental and strange a manner, by an unexpected marriage, just like his father's. and here we return again to take a new survey of him in the course of his public practice as a predictor. the accounts i shall give of his actions here, will be very various in their nature from any i have yet presented to the reader; they are more mysterious in themselves, and yet i shall endeavour to make the manner of his operating in this kind as plain as i think i have the foregoing ones, and then i flatter myself they must afford a fresh entertainment for every reader that has any curiosity and a good taste for things of so extraordinary a kind. for what i have all along propounded to myself from the beginning and in the progress to the end of this history, is to interweave entertaining and surprising narratives of what mr. campbell has done, with curious and instructive inquiries into the nature of those actions, for which he has rendered himself so singularly famous. it was not, therefore, suitable to my purpose, to clog the reader with numerous adventures, almost all of the same kind, but out of a vast number of them to single some few of those that were most remarkable, and that were mysteries, but mysteries of very different sorts. i leave that method of swelling distorted and commented trifles into volumes, to the writers of fable and romance; if i was to tell his adventures, with regard, for example, to women, that came to consult him, i might perhaps have not only written the stories of eleven thousand virgins that died maids, but have had relations to give of as many married women and widows, and the work would have been endless. all that i shall do therefore is to pick out one particular, each of a different kind, that there may be variety in the entertainment. upon application to this dumb man, one is told in the middle of her health, that she shall die at such a time; another, that she shall sicken, and upon the moment of her recovery, have a suitor and a husband; a third, who is a celebrated beauty with a multitude of admirers round about her, that she shall never become a wife; a fourth, that is married, when she shall get rid of an uneasy husband; a fifth, that hath lost her goods, who stole them, where and when they shall be restored; a sixth, that is a merchant, when he shall be undone, and how and when he shall recover his losses, and be as great on the exchange as ever; a seventh, that is a gamester, which will be his winning, and which his losing hour; an eighth, how he shall be involved in a law-suit, and whether the suit will have an adverse or a prosperous issue; a ninth, that is a woman, with choice of lovers, which she shall be most happy with for life; and so on to many others, where every prediction is perfectly new and surprising, and differs from the other in almost every circumstance. when a man has so extensive a genius as this at foretelling the future occurrences of life, one narrative of a sort is enough in conscience to present the reader with, and several of each kind would not methinks be entertaining, but tiresome; for he that can do one thing in these kinds by the power of prediction, can do ten thousand; and those who are obstinate in extenuating his talents, and calling his capacity in question, and that will not be convinced by one instance of his judgment, would not own the conviction if ten thousand instances were given them. the best passages i can recommend to their perusal are those where persons who came purposely to banter him under the colour of consulting him, and covered over their sly intentions with borrowed disguises, and came in masquerades, found all the jest turned upon themselves in the end, which they meant to our famous predictor, and had the discouragement of seeing their most concealed and deepest laid plots discovered, and all their most witty fetches and wily contrivances defeated, till they were compelled universally to acknowledge, that endeavouring to impose upon the judgment of our seer by any hidden artifice and cunning whatsoever, was effectually imposing upon their own. his unusual talent in this kind was so openly known, and so generally confessed, that his knowledge was celebrated in some of the most witty weekly papers that ever appeared in public. isaac bickerstaff, who diverted all the _beau monde_, for a long space of time with his lucubrations, takes occasion in several of his papers to applaud the speculations of this dumb gentleman in an admirable vein of pleasantry and humour, peculiar to the writer, and to the subject he writ upon. and when that bright author, who joined the uttermost facetiousness with the most solid improvements of morality and learning in his works, laid aside the title of a tatler, and assumed the name of a spectator and censor of men's actions, he still, every now and then, thought our duncan campbell a subject worthy enough to employ his farther considerations upon. i must take notice of one letter sent concerning him to the spectator, in the year , which was at a time when a lady wanted him, after he had removed from monmouth-street to drury-lane. mr. spectator,-- about two years ago i was called upon by the younger part of a country family, by my mother's side related to me, to visit mr. campbell, the dumb man; for they told me that was chiefly what brought them to town, having heard wonders of him in essex. i, who always wanted faith in such matters, was not easily prevailed on to go; but lest they should take it ill, i went with them, when, to my own surprise, mr. campbell related all their past life; in short, had he not been prevented, such a discovery would have come out, as would have ruined their next design of coming to town, viz., buying wedding clothes. our names, though he had never heard of us before, and we endeavoured to conceal, were as familiar to him as to ourselves. to be sure, mr. spectator, he is a very learned and wise man. being impatient to know my fortune, having paid my respects in a family jacobus, he told me, after his manner, among several other things, that in a year and nine months i should fall ill of a new fever, be given over by my physicians, but should with much difficulty recover; that the first time i took the air afterwards, i should be addressed to by a young gentleman of a plentiful fortune, good sense, and a generous spirit. mr. spectator, he is the purest man in the world, for all he said is come to pass, and i am the happiest she in kent. i have been in quest of mr. campbell these three months, and cannot find him out; now hearing you are a dumb man too, i thought you might correspond and be able to tell me something; for i think myself highly obliged to make his fortune, as he has mine. it is very possible your worship, who has spies all over this town, can inform me how to send to him; if you can, i beseech you be as speedy as possible, and you will highly oblige your constant reader and admirer, dulcibella thankley. the spectator's answer. ordered, that the inspector i employ about wonders, inquire at the golden-lion opposite to the half-moon tavern, in drury-lane, into the merit of this silent sage, and report accordingly. vide the th volume of spectators, no. , being on wednesday, september the rd, . but now let us come to those passages of his life the most surprising of all, during the time that he enjoyed this reputation, and when he proved that he deserved the fame he enjoyed. let us take a survey of him while he is wonderfully curing persons labouring under the misfortune of witchcraft, of which the following story will be an eminent instance, and likewise clear up how he came by his reputation in essex, as mentioned in the above-mentioned letter to the spectator. in the year , susanna johnson, daughter to one captain johnson, who lived at a place adjacent to rumford, in essex, going one morning to that town to buy butter at the market, was met there by an old miserable looking woman, just as she had taken some of her change of the marketwoman, in copper, and this old woman rather demanded than begged the gentlewoman to give her a penny. miss johnson reputing her to be one of those hateful people that are called sturdy beggars, refused it her, as thinking it to be no act of charity, and that it would be rather gratifying and indulging her impudence, than supplying or satisfying her indigence. upon the refusal, the old hag, with a face more wrinkled still, if possible, by anger, than it was by age, took upon her to storm at young miss johnson very loudly, and to threaten and menace her; but when she found her common threats and menaces were of no avail, she swore she would be revenged of the young creature in so signal a manner, that she should repent the denial of that penny from her heart before she got home, and that it should cost her many pounds to get rid of the consequences of that denial and her anger. the poor innocent girl despised these last words likewise, and, getting up on horseback, returned homewards; but just as she got about half way, her horse stopped, and no means that she could use would make him advance one single step; but she stayed awhile, to see if that would humour him to go on. at last the beast began to grow unruly, and snorted and trembled as if he had seen or smelt something that frightened him, and so fell a kicking desperately, till he threw the girl from the saddle, not being able to cling to it any longer, though a pretty good horsewoman of her years; so much were the horse's motions and plungings more than ordinarily violent. as providence would have it, she got not much harm by the fall, receiving only a little bruise in the right shoulder; but she was dreadfully frightened. this fear added wings to her feet, and brought her home as speedily of herself as she usually came on horseback. she immediately, without any other sign of illness than the palid colour with which fear had disordered the complexion of her face, alarmed all the family at home with the story, took her bed upon it, complained of inward rackings of the belly, and was never at ease unless she lay doubled up together, her head to her knees, and her heels to her rump, just like a figure of . she could not be a single moment out of that posture without shrieking out with the violence of anxious torments and racking pains. in this condition of misery, amidst this agony of suffering, and in this double posture, was the poor wretched young gentlewoman brought to town; physicians were consulted about her, but in vain; she was carried to different hospitals for assistance, but their endeavours likewise proved ineffectual; at last she was conducted to the college of physicians; and even the collective wisdom of the greatest sages and adepts in the science of physic was posed to give her any prescription that would do her service, and relieve her from the inexplicable malady she laboured under. the poor incurable creature was one constant subject of her complaining mother's discourse in every company she came into. it happened at last, and very providentially truly, that the mother was thus condoling the misfortune of her child among five or six ladies, and telling them, among other things, that by the most skilful persons she was looked upon to be bewitched, and that it was not within the power of physic to compass her recovery. they all having been acquainted with our mr. duncan campbell, unanimously advised her to carry her daughter to his house, and consult with him about her. the mother was overjoyed at these tidings, and purposed to let no time slip where her child's health was so deeply concerned. she got the ladies to go with her and her child, to be eye-witnesses of so extraordinary a piece of practice, and so eminent a trial of skill. as soon as this dismal object was brought into his room, mr. duncan campbell lifted up her head and looked earnestly in her face, and in less than a minute's time signified to the company, that she was not only bewitched, but in as dreadful a condition almost as the man that had a legion of fiends within him. at the reading of these words the unhappy creature raised up her head, turned her eyes upwards, and a smile, a thing she had been a stranger to for many months, overspread her whole face, and such a kind of colour as is the flushing of joy and gladness, and with an innocent tone of voice she said, she now had a firm belief she should shortly be delivered. the mother and the rest of the company were all in tears, but mr. campbell wrote to them that they should be of good heart, be easy and quiet for a few moments, and they should be convinced that it was witchcraft, but happily convinced by seeing her so suddenly well again. this brought the company into pretty good temper; and a little after, mr. campbell desired she might be led up stairs into his chamber and left there alone with him for a little while; this occasioned some small female speculation, and as much mirth as their late sorrow, alleviated with the hopes of her cure, would permit. this you may be sure was but a snatch of mirth, just as the nature of the thing would allow of; and all sorts of waggery being laid instantly aside, and removed almost as soon as conceived, the poor young thing was carried in that double posture up stairs. she had not been much above half an hour there, when by the help only of mr. campbell's arm she was led down stairs, and descended into that roomful of company as a miracle appearing in a machine from above; she was led backward and forward in the room, while all gazed at her for awhile with joyful astonishment, for no arrow was ever more straight than she. mr. campbell then prevailed with her to drink a glass of wine, and immediately after she evacuated wind, which she had not done for some months before, and found herself still more amended and easy; and then the mother making mr. campbell some small acknowledgment at that time, with the promise of more, and her daughter giving thanks, and all the company commending his skill, took their leaves and departed, with great demonstrations of joy. i shall here, to cut the story short, signify, that she came frequently afterwards to make her testimonials of gratitude to him, and continues to enjoy her health to this very day, at greenwich, where she now lives, and will at any time, if called upon, make oath of the truth of this little history, as she told me herself with her own mouth. the next thing, therefore, it behoves me to do in this chapter, is, to give some satisfactory account of magic, by which such seeming mysterious cures and operations are brought about. this task i would perform in the most perspicuous and most convincing manner i can; for magic, i know, is held to be a very hard and difficult study by those learned, and universally unlawful and diabolical by those unlearned, who believe there is such a science attainable by human genius. on the other hand, by some learned men, who believe there is no such science, it is represented as an inconsistent system of superstitions and chimeras; and again laughed at as such by the unlearned, who are of an incredulous temper; what i would therefore undertake to do in this place is to show the learned men, who believe there is such an art, that the attainment to a tolerable knowledge of the manner how magical practices may be brought about, is no such difficult matter as they have represented it to themselves; and by doing this i shall make the system of it so plain, that while the learned approve of it, the unlearned too, who are not of an unbelieving kind, may understand clearly what i say; and the learned men who have rejected this science as chimerical, may be clearly convinced it is real; and then there is nothing left but obstinate unbelieving ignorance, which i shall not here pretend by arguments to lead into sense, but leave it to the work of time. in fine, i will endeavour to induce men of sense to say, that what has been accounted mysterious, is delivered in a plain, easy, and convincing manner, and to own that they approve, while men of the lower class of understanding shall confess and acknowledge that they themselves understand it; and that what has hitherto been represented as arduous and difficult to a great genius, is adapted and rendered not only clear, but familiar to persons of middling talents. in this work, therefore, i shall follow the strictest order i can, which of all things render a discourse upon any subject the most clear; and that it may be plain to the commonest capacity, i will first set down what order i intend to follow. first, i will speak of magic in general. secondly, of magic under its several divisions and subdivisions. thirdly, concerning the object of art, as it is good or bad. fourthly, of the persons exercising that art in either capacity, of good or bad, and by what means they become capacitated to exercise it. in the fifth place, i shall come to the several objections against the art of magic, and the refutation of those objections. the first objection shall be against the existence of good and bad spirits; the refutation of which will consist in my proving the existence of spirits, both good and bad, by reason and by experience. the second objection that will be brought, is to contain an allegation that there are no such persons as witches now, and an argument to support that allegation, drawn from the incapacity and impossibility of any thing's making, while itself is incarnate, a contract with a spirit. this objection will be answered by proving the reality of witches from almost universal experience, and by explaining rationally the manner how the devils hold commerce with witches; which explanation is backed and authorised by the opinion of the most eminent divines, and the most learned physicians. from hence, sixthly and lastly, we shall conclude on the side of the good magic, that as there are witches on the one hand that may afflict and torment persons with demons, so on the other hand there are lawful and good magicians that may cast out demons from people that are possessed with them. and first as to magic in general. magic consists in the spirit by faith, for faith is that magnet of the magicians by which they draw spirits to them, and by which spirits they do great things, that appear like miracles. secondly, magic is divided into three sorts, viz., divine, natural, and diabolical. and natural magic is again subdivided into two kinds, simple and compound; and natural compound magic is again likewise divided into two kinds, viz., natural-divine magic, and natural-diabolical magic. now, to give the reader a clear and a distinct notion of each several species of magic here mentioned, i set down the following definitions: divine magic is a celestial science, in which all operations that are wonderfully brought about, are performed by the spirit of god. natural magic is a science in which all the mysterious acts that are wrought, are compassed by natural spirits. but as this natural magic may be exercised about things either in a manner indifferent in themselves, or mere morally good, and then it is mere natural magic; or else about things theologically good, and transcendently bad; and then it is not merely and natural magic, but mixed and compound. if natural magic be exercised about the most holy operations, it is then mixed with the divine, and may then be called, not improperly, natural-divine magic. but if natural magic troubles itself about compassing the wickedest practices, then is it promiscuous with the demoniacal, and may not improperly be called natural-diabolical magic. thirdly, the object of this art is doing wonders out of the ordinary appearing course of nature, which tend either to great good or bad, by the help and mediation of spirits good and bad. fourthly, as to the persons exercising that art in either way, whether good or bad, and by what means they become capacitated to act it, the notion of this may be easily deduced from the notions of the art itself, as considered above in its each different species; for as all magic consists in a spirit, every magician acts by a spirit. divine magicians, that are of god, are spoke of in the sacred book, and therefore i shall not mention the passages here, but pass them over, as i ought in a book like this, with a profound and reverential silence, as well as the other passages which speak of natural and demoniacal magicians; and in all i shall speak of them in this place, i shall only speak of them with regard to human reason and experience, and conclude this head with saying, that natural magicians work all things by the natural spirits of the elements; but that witches and demoniacal magicians, as jannes and jambres in egypt were, work their magical performances by the spirit of demons, and it is by the means of these different spirits that these different magicians perform their different operations. these things thus distinctly settled and explained, it is now we must come and ground the dispute between those who believe there are no such things as magicians of any kind, and those who assert there are of all the kinds above specified. those who contend there are, have recourse to experience, and relate many well-witnessed narratives, to prove that there have been in all times, and that there are still, magicians of all these kinds. but those who contend that there are no such persons, will give no ear to what the others call plain experience; they call the stories, let whatever witnesses appear to justify them, either fabulous legends invented by the authors, or else tricks of intellectual legerdemain imposed by the actors, upon the relators of those actions. since, therefore, they say, though the believers in magic brag of experience never so much, it may be but a fallible experience; they reasonably desire to know whether these gentlemen that stand for magic can answer the objections which they propose, to prove that the practice of magic, according to the system laid down, is inconsistent with reason, before they will yield their assent. let the stories be never so numerous, appear never so credible, these unbelieving gentlemen desire to be tried by reason, and aver till that reason is given they will not be convinced by the number of stories, because, though numerous, they are stories still; neither will they believe them because they appear credible, because seeming so is not being so, and appearances, though never so fair, when they contradict reason, are not to be swallowed down with an implicit faith as so many realities. and thus far, no doubt, the gentlemen who are on the unbelieving side are very much in the right of it. the learned gentlemen, on the other hand, who are persuaded of this mighty mysterious power being lodged in the hands of magicians, answer, that they will take upon them to refute the most subtle objections brought by the learned unbelievers, and to reconcile the practicability of magical mysteries by the capacity of men who study that art, to right rules and laws of reasoning, and to show that some stories, though never so prodigious, which are told of magicians, demand the belief of wise men on two accounts; because as experience backs reason on the one hand, reason backs experience on the other, and so the issue of the whole argument, whether there are magicians or not, is thrown upon both experience and reason. these arguments on each side, i shall draw up fairly _pro_ and _con_; for i do not pretend to be the inventor of them myself, they belong to other authors many years ago; be it enough for me to boast of, if i can draw them up in a better and closer form together than they have yet appeared in. in that i take upon myself a very great task; i erect myself as it were into a kind of a judge; i will sum up the evidences on both sides, and i shall, wherever i see occasion, intimate which side of the argument bears the most weight with me; but when i have enforced my opinion as far as i think needful, my readers, like a jury, are still at liberty to bring in their verdict just as they themselves shall see fit; and this naturally leads me where i promised to come to in the fifth part of this discourse, to the several objections against the power of art magic, and the refutation of those objections. _the first objections being against the existence of spirits, and the refutations thereof._ the first objection which they who reject magic make use of, is, denying that there are any such things as spirits, about which, since those who defend the art say it entirely exerciseth itself, the objectors contend, that if they can make out that there are no such beings as spirits, all pretensions to the art must be entirely groundless, and for the future exploded. to make this part out, that there are no spirits, the first man they produce on their side is undoubtedly one of very great credit and authority, inasmuch as he has justly borne for many centuries the title of a prince of philosophers. they say that aristotle in his book _de mundo_, reasons thus against the existence of spirits, viz., that since god can do all things of himself, he doth not stand in need of ministering angels and demons. a multitude of servants showing the weakness of a prince. the gentlemen who defend the science make this reply, they allow the credit and authority of aristotle as much as the objectors; but as the objectors themselves deny all the authorities for the spirits, and desire that reason may be the only ground they go upon, so the refuters, on their parts desire, that aristotle's _ipse dixit_ may not be absolutely passed upon them for argument; but that his words may be brought to the same touchstone of reason, and proved if they are standard. if this argument, say they, will hold good, aristotle should not suppose intelligences moving the celestial spheres; for god sufficeth to move all without ministering spirits; nor would there be need of a sun in the world, for god can enlighten all things by himself, and so all second causes were to be taken away; therefore, there are angels and ministering spirits in the world, for the majesty of god, not for his want of them, and for order, not for his omnipotency. and here if the objectors return and say, who told you that there are spirits; is not yours a precarious hypothesis? may not we have leave to recriminate in this place? pray, who told aristotle that there were intelligences that moved the celestial spheres? is not this hypothesis as precarious as any man may pretend that of spirits to be? and we believe there are few philosophers at present who agree with aristotle in that opinion; and we dare pronounce this to be ours, that aristotle took his intelligences from the hebrews, who went according to the same whimsical, though pretty notion, which first gave rise to the fiction of the nine muses. but more than all this, it is a very great doubt among learned men, whether this book _de mundo_ be aristotle's or no. the next thing the objectors bring against the existence of spirits, is, that it is nonsense for men to say that there are such beings of which it is impossible for a man to have any notion, and they insist upon it that it is impossible for any man to form an idea of a spiritual substance. as to this part, the defendants rejoin, that they think our late most judicious mr. locke, in his elaborate and finished essay on the human understanding, has fairly made out, that men have as clear a notion of a spiritual substance as they have of any corporeal substance, matter, or body; and that there is as much reason for admitting the existence of the one, as of the other; for that if they admit the latter, it is but humour in them to deny the former. it is in book the nd, chap. , where he reasons thus: "if a man will examine himself concerning his notion of pure substance in general he will find he has no other idea of it, but only a supposition of he knows not what support of such quality which are capable of producing simple ideas in us, which qualities are commonly called accidents. thus, if we talk or think of any particular sort of corporeal substance, as horse, stone, &c., though the idea we have of either of them be but the complication or collection of those several simple ideas, or sensible qualities which we use to find united in the thing called horse, or stone; yet because we cannot conceive how they should subsist alone, not one in another, we suppose them to exist in, and be supported by some common subject; which support we denote by the name of substance, though it be certain we have no clear or distinct idea of that thing we suppose a support. the same happens concerning the operations of our mind, viz., thinking, reasoning, and fearing, &c., which we concluding not to subsist of themselves, and not apprehending how they can belong to body, we are apt to think these the actions of some substance which we call spirit; whereby it is evident, that having no other notion of matter, but something wherein those many sensible qualities which affect our senses do subsist, by supposing a substance wherein thinking, knowing, doubting, and a power of moving, &c., do subsist, we have as clear a notion of the nature or substance of spirit, as we have of body: the one being supposed to be, without knowing what is, the substratum to those simple ideas which we have from without; and the other supposed, with a like ignorance of what it is, to be the substratum of these operations which we experiment in ourselves within. it is plain, then, that the idea of corporeal substance in matter, is as remote from our conceptions and apprehensions as that of spiritual substance, and therefore from our not having any notion of the substance of spirit, we can no more conclude its not existence, than we can for the same reason deny the existence of body; it being as rational to affirm there is no body, because we cannot know its essence, as it is called, or have the idea of the substance of matter, as to say, there is no spirit, because we know not its essence, or have no idea of a spiritual substance." mr. locke also, comparing our idea of spirit with our idea of body, thinks there may seem rather less obscurity in the former than the latter. our idea of body he takes to be an extended solid substance, capable of communicating motion by impulse; and our idea of soul is a substance that thinks, and has a power of exciting motion in body by will or thought. now, some perhaps will say they comprehend a thinking thing, which perhaps is true; but, he says, if they consider it well, they can no more comprehend an extended thing; and if they say, they know not what it is thinks in them, they mean they know not what the substance is of that thinking thing; no more, says he, do they know what the substance is of that solid thing; and if they say they know how not how they think, he says, neither do they know how they are extended, how the solid parts are united, or where to make extension, &c. the learned monsieur le clerc, who generally knows how far human reason can bear, argues consonantly to what is before delivered by mr. locke, in his _coronis_, added to the end of the fourth volume of his philosophical works, in the third edition of them, where he writes as followeth:-- "when we contemplate the corporeal nature, we can see nothing in it but extension, divisibility, solidity, mobility, and various determinations of quantity, or figures; which being so, it were a rash thing, and contrary to the laws of right reasoning, to affirm other things of bodies; and consequently from mere body nothing can be deduced by us, which is not joined in a necessary connection with the said properties; therefore those who have thought the properties of perceiving by sense, of understanding, willing, imagining, remembering, and others the like, which have no affinity with corporeal things, to have risen from the body, have greatly transgressed in the method of right reasoning and philosophising, which hath been done by epicurus, and those who have thought as he did, having affirmed our minds to be composed of corporeal atoms: but whence shall we say they have had their rise? truly, they do not owe their rise to matter, which is wholly destitute of sense and thought, nor are they spontaneously sprung up from nothing, it being an ontological maxim of most evident truth, that nothing springs from nothing." having thus given the reader the first objections made against the existence of spirits, and the refutations thereof, i must now frankly own on which side my opinion leans; and for my part, it seems manifest to me that there are two beings; we conceive very plainly and distinctly, viz., body and spirit, and that it would be as absurd and ridiculous to deny the existence of the one as of the other; and really, if the refuters have got the better in their way of reasoning, they have still a much greater advantage over the objectors, when they come to back these reasons with fresh arguments drawn from experience. of this, there having been many undoubted narratives given in the foregoing pages, concerning the apparitions of spirits, i shall refer the reader back again to them, and only subjoin here one or two instances, which may, if required, be proved upon oath, of spirits seen by two persons of our duncan campbell's own acquaintance. in the year , one mrs. stephens and her daughter were together with mr. campbell, at the house of mr ramell, a very great and noted weaver at haggerstone, where the rainy weather detained them till late at night. just after the clock struck twelve, they all of them went to the door to see if the rain had ceased, being extremely desirous to get home. as soon as ever they had opened the door and where all got together, there appeared before them a thing all in white, the face seemed of a dismal palid hue, but the eyes thereof fiery and flaming, like beacons, and of a saucer size. it made its approaches to them till it came up within the space of about three yards of them, there it fixed and stood like a figure agaze, for some minutes; and they all stood likewise stiff, like the figure, frozen with fear, motionless, and speechless; when all of a sudden it vanished from their eyes, and that apparition to the sight was succeeded by a noise, or the appearance of a noise, like that which is occasioned by the fighting of twenty mastiff dogs. not long after, mrs. anne stephens, who lived in spitalfields, a woman well known by her great dealings with mercers upon ludgate-hill, sitting in her house alone, and musing upon business, happened by accident to look behind her, and saw a dead corpse, to her thinking, lie extended upon the floor, just as a dead corpse should be, excepting that the foot of one leg was fixed on the ground, as it is in a bed when one lies with one knee up; she looked at it a long while, and by degrees at last stole her eyes from so unpleasing and unexpected an object. however, a strange kind of a curiosity overcame her fears, and she ventured a second time to turn her head that way, and saw it, as before, fixed for a considerable time longer, but durst not stir from her seat; she again withdrew her eyes from the horrible and melancholy spectacle, and resumed the courage, after a little reflection, of viewing it again, and resolved to ascertain herself if the vision was real, by getting up from her seat and going to it, but upon this third retrospection she found it vanished. this relation she writ down to mr. duncan campbell, and has told before mrs. ramell, her own sister, and many other very creditable persons. now as to these arguments from experience, i shall also deliver my opinion; i dispute not but that learned men, who have obstinate prepossessions, may produce plausible arguments why all things should be thought to be done by imposture which seem strange to them, and interfere with their belief; and truly thus far their humour may be indulged, that if only one person relates a very strange and surprising story, a man may be more apt to think it is possible for that person to lie, than that so strange a relation should be true; but if a considerable number of persons, of several countries, several religious, several professions, several ages, and those persons looked upon to be of as great sagacity as any the country afford, agree in relations of the same kind, thought very strange and are ready to vouch the truth of them upon oath, after having well considered circumstances, i think it a violation of the law of nature to reject all these relations as fabulous, merely upon a self-presuming conceit, unless a man can fairly show the things to be impossible, or can demonstrate wherein those persons were imposed on; for from hence i form the following conclusive argument. what is possible according to reason, grows probable according to belief; where the possibility is attested to have reduced itself into action by persons of known credit and integrity. now, not only the possibility of the existence of spirits, but the actual existence thereof is proved above by logical demonstration; therefore are we to believe both by the course of logical reason and moral faith, that those existences have appeared to men of credit, who have attested the reality thereof upon oath. _second objection against the existence of witches._ these objectors go on to say, that provided they should allow there is an existence of spirits, yet that would be still no argument how magic should subsist, because they deny that it is impossible for a man in his body to have a commerce, much less make a contract, with spirits; but here again the refuters allege they have both experience and reason on their sides. as a joint argument of reason and experience, they tell you, that the numerous witches which have in all countries been arraigned and condemned upon this occasion, are evident testimonies of this commerce and contract being held and made with spirits. they pretend to say, that these objectors call not their, the refuters, judgment so much in question, who contend that there is a magic art, as they call in question the judgment of all the wisest legislative powers in christendom, who have universally agreed in enacting penal laws against such capital offenders. but here the objectors return and say, that it being impossible for us to show the manner how such a contract should be made, we can never, but without reason, believe a thing to be, of which we can form no perfect idea. the refuters, on the other hand, reply with the learned father le brune, it is manifest that we can see but two sorts of beings, spirits and bodies; and that since we can reason but according to our ideas, we ought to ascribe to spirits what cannot be produced by bodies. indeed the author of the republic of learning, in the month of august, anno , has given us a rough draught for writing a good tract of witchcraft, which he looks upon as a desideratum; where among other things, he writes thus: since this age is the true time of systems, one should be contrived concerning the commerce that may be betwixt demons and men. on this passage father le brune writes thus: "doubtless here the author complies with the language of a great many persons, who, for want of attention and light, would have us put all religion in systems. whatever regard i ought to have for many of those persons, i must not be afraid to say, that there is no system to be made of those truths, which we ought to learn distinctly by faith, because we must advance nothing here, but what we receive from the oracle. we must make a system to explain the effects of the loadstone, the ebbing and flowing of the sea, the motion of the planets; for that the cause of these effects is not evidently signified to us, and many may be conceived by us; and to determine us, we have need of a great number of observations, which by an exact induction may lead us to a cause that may satisfy all the phenomena. it is not the same in the truths of religion, we come not at them by groping, it were to be wished men spoke not of them, but after a decisive and infallible authority. it is thus we should speak of the power of demons, and of the commerce they have with men; it is of faith, that they have power, and that they attack men, and try to seduce them divers ways. it is true, indeed, they are sometimes permitted to have it over the just, though they have it not ordinarily, but over those that want faith, or fear not to partake of their works; and that to the last particularly, the disordered intelligences try to make exactly succeed what they wish; inspiring them to have recourse to certain practices by which those seducing spirits enter into commerce with men." thus far father le brune. but still these objectors demand to know by what means this commerce may be held between demons and men, and urge us to describe the manner; or pretend that they have still reason to refuse coming into the belief of a thing which we would impose upon them, though wholly ignorant of it ourselves; to that the refuters answer thus; that both christian divines and physicians agree as to the manner how, which they are so curious in inquiring after, that demons stir up raptures and ecstacies in men, binding or loosing the exterior senses, and that either by stopping the pores of the brain, so that the spirits cannot pass forth, as it is done naturally by sleep, or by recalling the sensitive spirits from the outward senses to the inward organs, which he there retains; so the devil renders women witches ecstatical and magicians, who while they lie fast asleep in one place, think they have been in divers places, and done many things. this the learned objectors say proceeds from no demon, but from the disease called an epilepsy; but, on the other hand, the more learned refuters insist upon it, that these ecstacies are not epileptic seizures; this, say they, appears from bodin, in his theatre of universal nature, where he says, that those who are wrapped by the devil, feel neither stripes nor cuttings, nor no wresting of their limbs, nor burning tortures, nor the application of a red hot iron; nay, nor is the beat of the pulse, nor the motion of the heart perceived in them; but afterwards, returning to themselves, they feel most bitter pains of the wounds received, and tell of things done at six hundred miles' distance, and affirm themselves to have seen them done. the ingenious dr. ader, makes an admirable physical distinction between this kind of ecstacy and a syncope, or stupor caused by narcotic medicines. sennertus, in his institutio medica, writes of the demoniacal sopor of witches, who think they are carried through the air, dance, feast, and have copulation with the devil, and do other things in their sleep, and afterwards believe the same things waking. now, he says, whether they are really so carried in the air, &c., or being in a profound sleep, or only dream they are so carried, and persist in that opinion after they are awake, these facts or dreams cannot be natural; for it cannot be that there should be so great an agreement in dreams, of persons differing in place, temperament, age, sex, and studies, that in one night, and at the same hour, they should, in concert, dream of one and the same such meeting, and should agree as to the place, number, and quality of the persons, and the like circumstances; but such dreams are suggested from a preternatural cause, viz., from the devil to his confederate, by the divine permission of an almighty power, where punishments are to be permitted to be inflicted upon reprobate sinners. whence also, to those witches, sincerely converted, and refusing to be any more present at those diabolical meetings, those dreams no longer happen, which is a proof that they proceeded not before from a natural cause. here begins the great point of the dispute as to that branch of magic which we call natural magic. the objectors may tell us, that they will freely own that there may be an existence of spirits, that there may be an existence of witches, that by a divine power men may be influenced so far as to have a communication with good spirits, and that from thence they may become spiritual-divine magicians, they will likewise, perhaps, as freely grant, that by the intervention of a demon, things preternatural may be brought about by persons who have studied the demoniacal magic; but then what they principally insist upon is, that it must be contradictory to all human reason to imagine that there can be such a thing as natural magicians; and thus far they may form their argument. they say, that the persons, who contend for the magic art, own, that all that is brought about by magic, is by the assistance and help of a spirit, and that consequently what is effected by it must be preternatural; now, they say, it is a thing inconsistent, by a natural power, to bring about a preternatural effect; therefore, there can be no such thing as natural magic, which has within itself the efficacy of destroying those acts done by magicians in the diabolical. to this the refuters take leave to reply, that the foundation upon which the argument is built is wrong grounded; they have admitted that, in diabolical art magic, there may be a commerce held between men and spirits, by which several preternatural effects may be brought about; and the reason they assign for it there is, because there is a preternatural agent concerned therein, the devil; but then, say they, in natural magic you can pretend to no such agent, and therefore to no such preternatural effect. this argument contains within it two fallacies; first, as to the commerce held between a man and a demon, there is nothing preternatural in getting the acquaintance; the will of the man is entirely natural, either naturally good, or naturally corrupted; the black spirit that converseth with him, it is acknowledged is not so, but it is from the will of the man, not from the power vested in the devil, that the acquaintance first grows, therefore the acquaintance itself is natural, though it arises from the last corruption and depravations of nature; but being made with a preternatural existence, though the cause of the acquaintance be corruptedly natural, yet the intermediate cause or means after that acquaintance is not so, and therefore the effect of that intermediate cause may be wonderful, and seem to be out of the ordinary course of nature. now, since it is generally allowed that there are natural spirits of the elements, as well as divine and infernal, what we have to prove is only this, that man by natural magic may have a commerce with natural spirits of their elements, as witches may have with the spirits or demons. now, as we said before, the commerce itself depends upon the will of the person, and is therefore natural, and consequently may as well subsist between the one as the other; for the devil cannot force a man to hold a commerce with him whether he will or no. the second fallacy is calling the effect preternatural, no otherwise than as it connotates the agent that brought it about, which is a spiritual agent; for the effect is, in itself considered, natural, and brought about by second causes that are natural, by the devil's penetration, who is subtle enough to make use of them for such and such ends. now men, by natural spirits, which are of a faculty thoroughly subtle, may as well with natural second causes compass the remedy of an evil spirit, as the devil is able to infect men with it. from these speculations a farther plain consequence may be deduced, how a man may, by the pure force of natural magic, cure a person that is infested with evils by a demon; for how is it that a demon infests anybody with his evil motions? it is true, he is a preternatural agent, but the evil effect he does is brought about by natural causes. for how does a demon stir up raptures or ecstacies in men? why he does it, as we are told above, by binding or loosing the exterior senses, by stopping the pores of the brain, so that the spirits cannot pass forth; and this the art of physic can compass by its drugs, and sleep causes the same thing very naturally of itself; therefore, as the evil itself is natural, the remedy, that is natural, will certainly overcome it. but then, say you, why cannot those persons be cured by physicians? i answer, not because their remedies are not in themselves sufficient to cure the evils themselves, but because generally physicians do not administer their drugs as christians, but as physicians; and when they prescribe them to the sick they generally prescribe to them only purely considered as patients, not as christians, and therein they come to fail; because the agent, the devil, is a subtle spirit, that brings the evil, and alters its situation before the remedy, which would master it otherwise, can take any effect; which agent, the devil, is employed by the horrible and impious faith of the antiphysician, viz., the black magician; but if the physician would act the christian at the same time, so far as to have a faith that things ordained in the course of nature for the good of man, would have its effects in spite of a devil, if taken with a good faith by the patient; that all good things ordained to be for the natural recovery of men, if they took it with thankfulness to the sender, would have due effect; why then the natural spirits of the elements would resist the farther agency of the demoniacal spirit, and then nothing but the natural evil, caused at first by the demon, remaining in the person, without the farther superintendency of the demon, might demonstratively be taken away by the mere natural remedy or medicine. and thus good and pious physicians, making use of such proper remedies as their skill teaches them, and having an honest faith, that the goods of nature intended for the use and benefit of man, if received by the patient with the same good faith, is above the power of the devil to frustrate, may not improperly be called natural magicians. these arguments of mine i shall now take leave to back by experience. besides, what we have urged from reason, concerning the power of natural magic, we shall only subjoin, that divines themselves hold that natural magic, and also natural divinations and prophecies, are proved by quotations from that venerable writ which is their guide; and bring proofs from the same also, that by natural magic demons are also cast forth, but not all kinds of demons, and so many works of efficacy are wrought by natural magic: they tell you, such was the pythonissa that raised the apparition to saul, which appeared in a body of wind and air. thus, if a person by natural magic should cast out demons, it does not follow that this was also from divine magic; and if demons are cast out by natural magic, by one that is in the fear of god, it does not follow that he is a true magician of god; but if it exorbitates to demoniacal, then it is condemned: and when natural magic keeps within its bounds, the divines tell us it is not condemned in the venerable book, which is the christian's sure guide. but, inasmuch as the lawfulness even of natural magic has been called in question by others, i shall, in an appendix joined to this treatise, examine that matter, both according to the reasons of our english laws, and according to the best stated rules of casuistry that i am a master of; still submitting my judgment to the superior judgment of those who are professed divines and lawyers; and if my opinions prove erroneous, i am willing to retract them; and therefore, in this place, there remains nothing farther for me to do, but only, as i have shown, on the one hand, how natural magic, and its powerful operations, are proved by reason, to show, on the other hand, how far reason in these cases is likewise backed and supported by well-evidenced practice, and notorious experience. and to do this, after having mentioned one memorable instance, which i refer the reader to in the body of the book, concerning the performances of mr. greatrix, to which a lord orrery was a witness, in ireland; i shall, to avoid prolixity, bring the other testimonials of practice, from the success which our duncan campbell himself has had in this way on other occasions. in the year , lived in fenchurch-street, one mr. coates, a tobacco-merchant, who had been for many years sorely tormented in his body, and had had recourse for a cure to all the most eminent physicians of the age, even up to the great dr. ratcliff himself; but all this mighty application for relief was still in vain; each doctor owned him a wonder and a mystery to physic, and left him as much a wonder as they found him. neither could the professors of surgery guess at his ailment, or resolve the riddle of his distemper; and after having spent, from first to last, above a thousand pounds in search of proper remedies, they found the search ineffectual; the learned all agreed that it could proceed from nothing else than witchcraft; they had now indeed guessed the source of his illness, but it was an illness of such a kind that, when they had found it out, they thought themselves not the proper persons to prescribe to him any remedies. that task was reserved, it seems, for our duncan campbell, who, upon somebody's information or other, was sent for to the bewitched patient mr. coates, who found him the wonder that the others had left him, but did wonders in undertaking and compassing his cure. i remember, one of the ingredients made use of was boiling his own water, but i cannot tell how it was used; and, upon turning over the books of some great physicians since, i have found, that they themselves have formerly delivered that as one part of the prescriptions for the cure of patients in like cases. but as there are other things which mr. campbell performs, that seem to require a mixture of the second-sight, and of this natural magic, before they can be brought about, i will entertain the reader with one or two passages of that sort likewise, and so conclude the history of this so singular a man's life and adventures. in the year , a gentlewoman lost about six pounds' worth of flanders lace, and inasmuch as it was a present made to her husband, she was concerned as much as if it had been of twenty times the value; and a lady of her acquaintance coming to visit her, to whom she unfolded, among other things in discourse, this little disaster, the lady, smiling, replied with this question, did you never hear, madam, of mr. duncan campbell? it is but making your application to him, things that are lost are immediately found; the power of his knowledge exceeds even the power of laws; they but restrain, and frighten, and punish robbers, but he makes thieves expiate their guilt by the more virtuous way of turning restorers of the goods they have stolen. madam, rejoined the losing gentlewoman, you smile when you tell me this; but really, as much a trifle as it is, since it was a present to my husband, i cannot help being sensibly concerned at it, a moment's disappointment to him in the least thing in nature, creates in me a greater uneasiness than the greatest disappointment to my single self could do in things of moment and importance. what makes me smile, said the lady, when i speak of it, or think of it, is the oddness and peculiarity of this man's talent in helping one to such things; but, without the least jest, i assure you, that i know, by experience, these things come within the compass of his knowledge; and i must seriously tell you, for your farther satisfaction, that he has helped me, and several of my friends, to the finding again things lost, which were of great value. and is this, without laughing, true? said the losing fair, very gravely and demurely, like a person half believing, and desirous to be fully confirmed in such a belief. the lady she advised with did then ascertain her of the truth of the matter, alleging that, for a single half-guinea, he would inform her of her things, and describe the person that conveyed them away. no sooner was this gentlewoman convinced, but she was eager for the trial; solicited her friend to conduct her to mr. campbell, and, upon the first word of consent, she was hooded and scarfed immediately, and they coached it away in a trice to mr. campbell's house, whom they luckily found within. the ladies had not been long seated before he wrote down the name of this new client of his, exactly as it was, viz., mrs. saxon. then she was in good hopes, and with much confidence propounded to him the question about the lace. he paused but a very little while upon the matter, before he described the person that took it, and satisfied her that in two or three days she would be mistress of her lace again, and find it in some book, or corner of her room. she presented him a half-guinea, and was very contentedly going away, but mr. campbell very kindly stopped her, and signified to her, that, if she had no more to offer to him, he had something of more importance to reveal to her. she sat full of expectation while he wrote this new matter; and the paper he delivered to her contained the following account: as for the loss of a little bit of lace, it is a mere trifle; you have lost a great many hundreds of pounds, which your aunt (naming her name) left you, but you are bubbled out of that large sum. for while you was artfully required down stairs about some pretended business or other, one mr. h--tt--n, conveyed your aunt's will out of the desk, and several other things of value; and writing down the names of all the persons concerned, which put mrs. saxon in a great consternation, he concluded this paper, with bidding her go home with a contented mind, she should find her lace in a few days; and as she found that prediction proved true, she should afterwards come and consult about the rest. when she came home, it seems, big at first with the thoughts of what she had been told, she rifled and ransacked every corner, but no lace was to be met with; all the next day she hunted in the like manner, but frightened the whole time as if she thought the devil was the only person could bring it, but all to no purpose; the third day her curiosity abated, she gave over the hopes of it, and took the prediction as a vain delusion, and that what she gave for it was only more money thrown away after what had been lost before. that very day, as it commonly happens in such cases, when she least dreamt of it, she lighted on it by accident and surprise. she ran with it in her hand immediately to her husband, and now she had recovered it again, told him of the loss of it, and the whole story of her having been at mr. campbell's about it; and then, amplifying the discourse about what he had told her besides, as to more considerable affairs, she said she resolved to go and consult him a little farther about them, and begged her husband to accompany her. he would fain have laughed her out of that opinion and intent, but the end was, she persuaded him into it, and prevailed upon him to seem at least very serious about the matter, and go with her to the oracle, assuring him there was no room for doubting the same success. well, to mr. campbell's they accordingly came; and after mr. saxon, in deference to his wife's desire, had paid our predictor a handsome complement of gold, mr. duncan campbell saluted him in as grateful a manner, with the assurance that there was in kent a little country house, with some lands appertaining to it, that was his in right of his wife; that he had the house, as it were, before his eyes, that though he had never substantially seen it, nor been near the place where it stood, he had seen it figuratively as if in exact painting and sculpture; that particularly it had four green trees before the door, from whence he was positive, that if mr. saxon went with him in quest of it, he should find it out, and know it as well the moment he come near it, as if he had been an inhabitant in it all his life. mr. saxon, though somewhat of an unbeliever, yet must naturally wish to find it true, you may be sure, and yet partly doubting the event, and partly pleased with the visionary promise of a fortune he never expected, laughed very heartily at the oddness of the adventure, and said he would consider whether it would not savour too much of quixotism, to be at the expense of a journey on such frolics, and on such a chimerical foundation of airy hopes, and that then he would call again and let mr. campbell know his mind upon that point. in every company he came into, it served for laughter and diversion; they all, however, agreed it was worth his while, since the journey would not be very expensive, to go it by way of frolic. his wife, one morning, saying that she did remember some talk of a house, and such things as mr. campbell had described, put him forward upon the adventure; and upon mr. saxon's proposing it to his brother barnard, mr. barnard favoured the proposal as a joke, and agreed upon the country ramble. they came on horseback to mr. campbell's with a third horse, on which the dumb predictor was mounted, and so on they jogged into kent, towards sevenoaks, being the place which he described. the first day they set out was on a saturday morning in june, and about five that afternoon they arrived at the black bull, at sevenoaks, in kent. it being a delicate evening, they took an agreeable walk up a fine hill, gracefully adorned with woods, to an old seat of the earl of dorset. meeting by the way with an old servant of the earl, one perkin, he offered mr. barnard, who it seems was his old acquaintance, to give them all a sight of the fine ancient seat. after they had pleased themselves with viewing the antique nobility of that stately structure, this perkin went back with them to their inn, the bull, at sevenoaks. they that could talk, were very merry in chat; and the dumb gentleman, who saw them laugh and wear all the signs of alacrity in their countenances, was resolved not to be behind with their tongues, and by dint of pen, ink, and paper, that he made signs should be brought in, was resolved, if one might be said to crack without noise, to crack his jest as well as the best of them; for it may be truly said of him, that he seldom comes into any, even diverting company, where he is not the most diverting man there, and the head, though we cannot call him the mouth, of the cheerful society. after having eyed this perkin a little, and being grown, by his art, as we may suppose, as familiar with the man's humour as if he had known him as many years as mr. barnard, pray, mr. barnard, quoth he, in writing, how comes it, you, that are so stanch and so stiff a whig, should be so acquainted and so particularly familiar with such an old papist, and so violent a jacobite, as i know that mr. perkin (whom i never saw nor had any notice of in my life) to be? and pray, replied mr. barnard, what reason have you beyond a pun to take him for a jacobite? must he be so because his name is perkin? i do assure you, in this you show yourself but little of a conjurer; if you can tell no more of houses than you do of men, we may give over the search after the house you spoke of. (here the reader must understand they discoursed on their fingers, and wrote by turns.) mr. campbell replied, seriously, laying a wager is no argument in other things, i own, but in this i know it is, because i am sure, after we have laid the wager, he will fairly confess it among friends, since it will go no farther; and i, said mr. campbell, will lay what wager you will apiece with you all round. hereupon, mr. barnard, who had known him a great many years, was the first that laid, and many more, to the number of five or six, followed his example; the decision of the matter was deferred till next day at the return of the old man to the inn, they being about to break up that night and go to bed. the next day being sunday, the landlord carried his guests to see the country, and after a handsome walk, they came through the churchyard. they were poring upon the tombs; no delight can be greater to mr. campbell than that; and really, by the frequent walks he usually takes in westminster abbey, and the churchyards adjacent to this metropolis, one would imagine he takes delight to stalk along by himself on that dumb silent ground, where the characters of the persons are only to be known, as his own meaning is, by writings and inscriptions on the marble. when they had sufficiently surveyed the churchyard, it grew near dinner-time, and they went homewards; but before they had got many yards out of the churchyard, mr. campbell makes a full stop, pointing up to a house, and stopping his friends a little, he pulls out of his pocket a pencil and paper, and notes down the following words: that, that is the house my vision presented to me; i could swear it to be the same, i know it to be the same, i am certain of it. the gentlemen with him remarked it, would not take any farther notice at that time intending to inquire into it with secrecy, and so went on to the inn to dinner. as merry as they had been the night before after supper, they were still more innocently cheerful this day after dinner, till the time of service begun. when the duty of the day was performed and over, they returned to divert and unbend their minds with pleasant but harmless conversation. i suppose nobody but a set of very great formalists will be offended with scandal or scruples, that to travellers just ready to depart the town, mr. perkin came on that good day and decided the wagers, by owning to all the company, secrecy being first enjoined, that he was a roman catholic, though nobody of the family knew it in so many years as he had lived there, which was before mr. campbell was born. this and other innocent speeches afforded as much cheerfulness as the lord's-day would allow of. on the next day, being monday, they sent for one mr. toland toler, an attorney of the place, to find out to whom that house belonged, but by all the inquiry that could possibly be made with convenient secrecy, nobody could find it out for a long time; but at last it came to light and appeared to be justly to a tittle as mr. campbell had predicted. being now satisfied, the next day our three travellers returned for london; and the two vocal men were very jocular upon their adventure, and by their outward gesticulations gave the prophetical mute his share of diversion. mr. barnard, as they passed into a farmhouse-yard, remarked that all the hogs fell a grunting and squeaking more and more as mr. campbell came nearer, (who, poor man! could know nothing of the jest, nor the cause of it, till they alighted and told it him by signs and writing,) said to mr. saxon, laughing, now we have found out our house, we shall have only mr. campbell home again by himself--we have no farther need of the devil that accompanied him to the country, up to town with us, there are other devils enow to be met with there he knows; and so this, according to the fashion of his predecessor devils, is entered into the herd of swine. however, the event of this journey, to cut the story short, procured mr. saxon a great insight, upon inquiry, into several affairs belonging to him, of which he would otherwise have had no knowledge; and he is now engaged in a chancery suit to do himself justice, and in a fair way of recovering great sums of money, which, without the consultation he had with this dumb gentleman, he had in all likelihood never dreamt of. in the year , a gentleman, whose name shall be, in this place, amandus, famed for his exquisite talents in all arts and sciences, but particularly for his gentlemanlike and entertaining manner of conversation, whose company was affected by all men of wit, who grew his friends, and courted by all ladies of an elegant taste, who grew his admirers; this accomplished gentleman, i say, came to mr. campbell, in order to propound a question to him, which was so very intricate, and so difficult to answer, that, if he did answer it, it might administer to himself and the ladies he brought with him, the pleasure of admiration in seeing a thing so wonderful in itself performed; or, on the other hand, if he did not make a satisfactory reply to it, then it might afford him and the ladies a very great delight, in being the first that puzzled a man who had had the reputation for so many years of being capable of baffling all the wittiest devices and shrewd stratagems that had been from time to time invented to baffle his skill and explode his penetration in the second-sight, and the arts which he pretended to. the persons whom amandus brought with him, were the illustrious lady delphina, distinguished for her great quality, but still more celebrated for her beauty, his own lady, the admired amabella, and a young blooming pretty virgin whom we will call by the name of adeodata, about which last lady, the question was to be put to mr. campbell. adeodata, it seems, was the natural daughter of this very fine gentleman, who had never let her into the knowledge of her own birth, but had bred her up from her infancy under a borrowed name, in the notion that she was a relation's daughter, and recommended to his care in her infancy. now the man that had the second-sight was to be tried; it was now to be put to the proof if he could tell names or no? amandus was so much an unbeliever as to be willing to hazard the discovery. amabella and delphina were strangers to her real name, and asked duncan campbell, not doubting but he would set down that which she ordinarily went by. amabella had indeed been told by amandus, that adeodata was the natural daughter of a near friend of his; but who this near friend was remained a secret: that was the point which lay upon our duncan campbell to discover. when the question was proposed to him, what her name was, he looked at her very steadfastly, and shook his head, and after some time he wrote down that it would be a very difficult name for him to fix upon. and truly so it proved; he toiled for every letter till he sweated; and the ladies laughed incontinently, imagining that he was in an agony of shame and confusion at finding himself posed. he desired amandus to withdraw a little, for that he could not so well take a full and proper survey of ladies' faces when a gentleman was by. this disturbance and perplexity of his afforded them still more subject of mirth; and that excuse was taken as a pretence, and a put-off to cover his shame the better, and hide from one at least, that he was but a downright bungler in what he pretended to be so wonderful an artist. however, after two hours hard sweat and labour, and viewing the face in different shades and lights, (for i must observe to the reader that there is a vast deal of difference, some he can tell in a minute or two with ease, some not in less than four or five hours, and that with great trouble) he undeceived them with regard to his capacity. he wrote down that adeodata's real name was amanda, as being the natural daughter of amandus. delphina and amabella were surprised at the discovery; and amandus, when he was called in, owning it a truth, his wife amabella applauded the curious way of her coming by such a discovery, when adeodata was just marriageable, took a liking to her as if her own daughter, and everything ended with profit, mirth, and cheerfulness. i could add a thousand more adventures of mr. campbell's life, but that would prove tedious; and as the town has made a great demand for the book, it was thought more proper to conclude it here. the most diverting of all, are to be found best to the life in original letters that passed between mr. campbell and his correspondents, some select ones of which will be shortly published in a little pocket volume, for the farther entertainment of such readers as shall relish this treatise; in which the author hopes he shall be esteemed to have endeavoured at the intermingling of some curious disquisitions of learning, with entertaining passages, and to have ended all the merriest passages with a sober, instructive, and edifying moral, which even to those who are not willing to believe the stories, is reckoned sufficient to recommend even fables themselves. appendix. it is not that mr. duncan campbell stands in need of my arguments, to prove that he is in no respect liable to the acts of parliament made against fortuntellers, &c., that i undertake the writing of this appendix, the true reason thereof being, the more completely to finish this undertaking; for having, in the body of the book itself, fully proved a second-sight, and that the same frequently happens to persons, some of them eminently remarkable for piety and learning, and have from thence accounted for the manner of mr. campbell's performing those things he professes, to the great surprise, and no less satisfaction of all the curious who are pleased to consult him; and at the same time proved the lawfulness of such his performances from the opinions of some of the most learned in holy science; i thought it not improper to add the following short appendix, being a summary of several acts of parliament made against fortune-tellers, conjurers, egyptians, sorcerers, pretenders to prophecy, &c., with some proper remarks, suited to our present purpose, as well to satisfy them who are fantastically wise, and obstinately shut their eyes against the most refulgent reason, and are wilfully deaf to the most convincing and persuasive arguments, and thereupon cry out, that mr. campbell is either an impostor and a cheat, or at least a person who acts by the assistance of unlawful powers; as also to put to silence the no less waspish curs, who are always snarling at such whom providence has distinguished by more excellent talents than their neighbours. true merit is always the mark against which traducers level their keenest darts; and wit and invention oftentimes join hands with ignorance and malice to foil those who excel. art has no greater enemy than ignorance; and were there no such thing as vice, virtue would not shine with half its lustre. did mr. campbell perform those wonderful things he is so deservedly famous for, as these cavillers say, by holding intelligence with infernal powers, or by any unjustifiable means, i am of opinion he would find very few, in this atheistical age, who would open their mouths against him, since none love to act counter to the interest of that master they industriously serve. and did he, on the other hand, put the cheat upon the world, as they maliciously assert, i fancy he would then be more generally admired, especially in a country where the game is so universally, artfully, and no less profitably played, and that with applause since those pretenders to wisdom merrily divide the whole species of mankind into the two classes of knaves and fools, fixing the appellation of folly only upon those whom they think not wise, that is, wicked enough to have a share with them in the profitable guilt. our laws are as well intended by their wise makers to screen the innocent, as to punish the guilty; and where their penalties are remarkably severe, the guilt they punish is of a proportionable size. art, which is a man's property, when acquired, claims a protection from those very laws which false pretenders thereto are to be tried and punished by, or else all science would soon have an end; for no man would dare make use of any talent providence had lent him, and his own industrious application had improved, should he be immediately tried and condemned by those statutes, which are made to suppress villains, by every conceited and half-learned pedant. it is true, indeed, those excellent statutes, which are made against a sort of people, who pretend to fortune-telling and the like, are such as are well warranted, as being built upon the best foundation, viz., religion and policy; and were mr. campbell guilty of any such practice as those are made to punish, i openly declare, that i should be so far from endeavouring to defend his cause, that i would be one of the first that should aggravate his crime, thereby to enforce the speedier execution of those laws upon him, which are made against such offenders. but when he is so far from acting, that he doth not even pretend to any such practice, or for countenancing the same in others, as is manifest from the many detections he has made of that sort of villany, which the book furnishes us with, i think myself sufficiently justified for thus pleading in his defence. i cannot but take notice, in reading the statutes made against such offenders, our wise legislature hath not in any part of them seemed so much as to imply that there are in reality any such wicked persons as they are made against, to wit, conjurors, &c., but that they are only pretenders to those infernal arts, as may reasonably be inferred from the nature of the penalties they inflict; for our first laws of that sort only inflicted a penalty which affected the goods and liberty of the guilty, and not their lives, though indeed they were afterwards forced to heighten the punishment with a halter; not that they were better convinced, as i humbly conceive, but because the criminals were most commonly persons who had no goods to forfeit, and to whom their liberty was no otherwise valuable but as it gave them the opportunity of doing mischief. indeed our law-books do furnish us with many instances of persons who have been tried and executed for witchcraft and sorcery, but then the wiser part of mankind have taken the liberty to condemn the magistrate, at that time of day, of too much inconsideration, and the juries of an equal share of credulity; and those who have suffered for such crimes, have been commonly persons of the lowest rank, whose poverty might occasion a dislike of them in their fellow-creatures, and their too artless defence subject them to their mistaken justice; so that, upon the whole, i take the liberty to conclude, and i hope not without good grounds, that those laws were made to deter men from an idle pretence to mysterious and unjustifiable arts, which, if too closely pursued, commonly lead them into the darkest villany, not only that of deceiving others, but, as far as in them lie, making themselves slaves to the devil; and not to prevent and hinder men from useful inquiries, and from the practice of such arts, which though they are in themselves mysterious, yet are, and may be lawful. i would not, however, be thought, in contradiction to my former arguments, to assert that there never were, or that there now are no persons such as wizards, sorcerers, &c., for by so doing i should be as liable to be censured for my incredulity, as those who defame mr. campbell on that account are for their want of reason and common honesty. holy and profane writ, i confess, furnishes us with many instances of such persons; but we must not from thence hastily infer, that all those men are such who are spitefully branded with the odious guilt; for were it in the devil's power to make every wicked man a wizard, and woman a witch, he soon would have agents enough to shake this lower world to atoms but the almighty, who restrains him, likewise restrains those. having premised thus much, i shall now proceed to consider some of the acts of parliament themselves; the persons against whom they were made, and the necessity of making the same. and some of the first acts we meet with, were those which were made against a sort of people called egyptians; persons who, if in reality such, might, if any, be suspected of practising what we call the black art, the same having been for many ages encouraged in their country; nay, so much has it been by them favoured, that it was introduced into their superstitious religion, if i may without an absurdity call it so, and made an essential part thereof; and, i believe, mahometanism has not much mended the matter, since it has imperiously reigned there, or in any respect reformed that idolatrous nation. now the mischief these persons might do, being so much in the devil's power, among the unwary, was thought too considerable not to be provided against; and therefore our wise legislature, the more effectually to prevent the same, by striking at the very foundation, made an act in henry viii. : that if any, calling themselves egyptians, do come into this realm, they shall forfeit all their goods; and being demanded, shall depart the realm within fifteen days, upon pain of imprisonment; and the importers of them, by another act, were made liable to a heavy penalty. this act was continued by the philip and mary. conjuration, witchcraft, enchantment, and sorcery, to get money, or consume any person in his body, members, or goods, or to provoke any person to unlawful love, was by the henry viii. . and the elizabeth . and the james i. . made felony; and by the same henry viii. . it was made felony to declare to another any false prophecies upon arms, &c., but this act was repealed by the edward vi. ., but by another act of the and of edward vi. . it was again enacted, that all such persons who should pretend to prophecies, &c., should, upon conviction, for the first offence forfeit ten pounds, and one year's imprisonment; and for the second offence, all his goods, and imprisonment for life. and by the edward vi. . the same was made to continue but till the then next sessions of parliament. and by the elizabeth . the same act was again renewed against fantastical prophesiers, &c., but both those acts were repealed by the james i. . thus far we find, that for reasons of state, and for the punishment of particular persons, those acts were made and repealed, as occasion required, and not kept on foot, nor indeed were they ever made use of, as i can remember in my reading, against any persons whose studies led them into a useful inquiry into the nature of things, or a lawful search into the workings of nature itself, by which means many things are foretold long before they come to pass, as eclipses and the like, which astrologers successfully do, whose art has been in all ages held in so great esteem that the first monarchs of the east made it their peculiar study, by which means they deservedly acquired to themselves the name of magi, or wise men; but, on the contrary, were provided against persons profligate and loose, who, under a pretence and mask of science, commit vile and roguish cheats; and this will the more plainly appear, if we consider the letter and express meaning of the following acts, wherein the persons i am speaking of, are described by such characters, which sufficiently prove the assertion; for in the of elizabeth . it was enacted, that all persons calling themselves scholars, going about begging, seafaring men pretending losses of their ships and goods at sea, and going about the country begging, or using any subtle craft, feigning themselves to have knowledge in physiognomy, palmistry, or any other the like crafty science, or pretending that they can tell destinies, fortunes, or such like fantastical imaginations, shall be taken and deemed rogues, vagabonds, sturdy beggars, and shall be stripped naked from the middle upwards, and whipped till his or her body be bloody. and by the james i. . for the better restraining of the said offences, and for the farther punishing the same, it was farther enacted, that any person or persons using witchcraft, sorcery, &c., and all their aiders, abettors, and counsellors, being convicted, and attainted of the same offences, shall suffer pain of death, as felons, without the benefit of clergy; or to tell and declare in what place any treasure of gold and silver should or might be found in the earth, or other secret places; or where goods or things lost or stolen should be found or become; or to provoke any person to unlawful love, such offender to suffer imprisonment for one whole year without bail or mainprise, and once in every quarter of the said year shall in some market-town, or upon the market-day, or at any such time as any fair shall be kept there, stand openly in the pillory by the space of six hours, and there shall openly confess his or their offence; and for the second offence shall suffer death as felons, without the benefit of clergy. that these laws were made against a set of villains, whose natural antipathy to honesty and labour furnished them with pretensions to an uncommon skill, thereby the more easily to gull and cheat the superstitiously credulous, and by that means discover from them some such secrets that might farther them in perpetrating the more consummate villany, is plain from the very words and expressions of the very acts themselves, and the description of the persons they are made against; and not, as i before observed, to prevent and hinder men from the lawful inquiry after useful, delightful, and profitable knowledge. mr. campbell, who has been long a settled and reputable inhabitant in many eminent parts of the city of london, cannot, i am sure, be looked upon as one of those these acts of parliament were made against, unless we first strip the acts themselves of their own natural, express, and plain meaning, and clothe them with that which is more obscure, unnatural, forced, and constrained a practise; which, if allowed, would make them wound the innocent and clear the guilty, and render them not our defence but our greatest evil; they would, by that means, become a perfect enigma, and be so far from being admired for their plainness, that they would be even exploded like the oracles of the heathen for their double meaning. if mr. campbell has the second-sight, as is unquestionable, from the allowed maxim, that what has been may be again, and by that means can take a view of contingences and future events; so long as he confines these notices of approaching occurrences to a good purpose, and makes use of them only innocently and charitably to warn persons from doing such things, that according to his conceptions would lead them into misfortune, or else in putting them upon such arts that may be of use and benefit to themselves and posterity, always having a strict regard to morality and religion, to which he truly adheres; certainly, i think, he ought so much the more to be admired for the same, by how much the more this his excellent knowledge is surpassing that of other men, and not be therefore unjustly upbraided with the injurious character of a cheat, or an ill man: however, this i will presume to affirm, and i doubt not but to have my opinion confirmed by the learned sages of the law, that this his innocent practice, and i venture to add, honest one too, doth by no means entitle him to the penalties of the before-mentioned laws made against fortune-tellers, and such sort of profligate wretches; which it is as great an absurdity to decry, as it would be to call him, who is a settled and reputable inhabitant, a stroller or wandering beggar. again; it is true that mr. campbell has relieved many that have been supposed to have been bewitched, as is related and well attested in the book of his life; but will any one from thence argue that he himself is a real conjurer, or wizard, because he breaks the chains by which those unhappy wretches were bound? no, surely; for if that were the case, we might then as well indict the physician who drives away a malignant distemper, and roots out its latent cause by his mysterious skill in plants and drugs; or conclude that the judge, who condemns a criminal, is for the same reason guilty of the self-same crime for which the offender is so by him condemned. persons who delight in such unnatural conclusions, must certainly be in love with the greatest absurdities, and must entirely abandon their natural reason before they can be brought to conclude that the prince of darkness would assist men in destroying his own power. the best answer i can afford those men is silence; for if they will not argue upon the principles of reason, or be guided by her dictates, i think them no more fit to be contended with in a rational and decent manner than bedlamites, and such who are bereft of all understanding. a rod is the best argument for the back of a fool, and contempt the best usage that ought to be shown to every headstrong and ignorant opponent. in a word, i know of no branch of mr. campbell's practice that bears the least resemblance to those crimes mentioned in the foregoing acts. that he can and doth tell people's names at first sight, though perfect strangers to him, is confessed by all who have made the curious inquiry at his hands; but what part of the acts, i would fain know, is that against? knowledge, and a clear sight into things not common, is not only an allowable, but a commendable qualification; and whether this knowledge in him be inherent, accidental, or the result of a long study, the case is still the same; since we are assured he doth it by no unlawful intelligence, or makes use of the same to any ill purpose, and therefore is undoubtedly as lawful as to draw natural conclusions from right premises. hard is the fate of any man to be ignorant, but much harder would his lot be if he were to be punished for being wise; and, like mr. campbell, excelling others in this kind of knowledge. much more might be said in defence of mr. campbell and the art he professeth, but as the arguments which are brought against him by his enemies on the one hand, are trivial and ill-grounded, i therefore think they deserve no farther refutation; so on the other, his innocency is too clear to require it. after having thus taken a survey of mr. campbell's acts, with regard to their legality according to the statutes and the laws of the nation wherein he lives, we will consider next, whether, according to the stated rules of casuistry, among the great divines eminent for their authority, it may be lawful for mr. campbell to predict, or for good christian persons to visit his house, and consult him about his predictions. i have upon this head examined all the learned casuists i could meet with in ancient times, for i cannot meet, in my reading, with any moderns that treat thoroughly upon this case, or i should rather have chosen them, because, perhaps, the second-sight was less known in those ancient days than it has been since, and so might escape their notice. my design is first to give the reader a distinct summary of all that has been said of this matter, and to do it as succinctly and briefly as possible, and then to argue myself from what they agree upon as to this man's particular case. that the reader may have recourse to the authors themselves, if they have a curiosity, and find that i do not go about to impose upon their judgments, i will here tell the reader where he may find the whole contents of the following little abstract of divinity and casuistry, because it would be a tedious piece of work to set down the words of each of them distinctly, and quote them every one round at the end of their several different sentences, which tend to the same meaning, but i will strictly keep to the sense of them all; and i here give the reader their names, and the places, that he may consult them himself, if his inclination leads him to be so curious: thomas aquinas, iv. _distin._ . _quæstio._ . _art. _; bona, ii. _dist. . art. . quæst._ ; joannes major, iv. _dist. . quæst. _; sylvester, _verbo malefico. quæst. _; rosella, _verb impedimentum_, xv. cap. ; tabiena, _verb. impedimentum_, vers.; cajetan, tom. ii. _opusc. . de malefic_; alphonsus, _a cast._ lib. x. _de justa hæreticorum punitione_, cap. ; cosmus philiarchus, _de offic. sacerdot_, p. . lib. iii. cap. ; toletus, _in summa._ lib. iv., cap. ; spineus, _in tract. de strigibus_; petrus binsfield, _in tract. de confessionibus maleficorum_. these divines have generally written upon impious arts of magic, which they call by the name of divination; and this divination, as they term it, they divide into two kinds; the one, in which the devil is expressly invoked, to teach hidden and occult things; the other, in which he is tacitly called upon to do the same. an express invocation is made by word or deed, by which a real pact is actually made with the devil, and that is a sin that affects the death of the soul, according to the laws of theology, and ought to affect the death of the body, according to civil and political laws. the tacit invocation of demons is then only, when a man busies himself so far with such persons, that it is meet and just that the devil should be permitted to have to do with him, though it was opposite to the intention of the man. but then this express invocation is again subdivided into several species, according to the divers manners by which the devil instructs these men. the first is enchantment, which i need not describe, and of which i will speak no more, because it is what everybody knows to be detestable, and nobody ought to know the art thereof. the second is divination by dreams, when any instructions are expected from the devil by way of dream, which is a capital crime. the third is called necromancy, which is, when by the use of blood and writing, or speaking certain verses, the dead seem to rise again, and speak and teach future things. for though the devil cannot recall a soul departed, yet he can, as some have thought, take the shape of the dead corpse, himself actuate it by his subtlety, as if it was informed with a soul. and some affirm, that by the divine permission the devil can do this, and spake so in the case of samuel and saul. but divines of a more solid genius attribute that power only to the deity, and say, with reason, that it is beyond the devil's capacity. but it is certain this was a divination done in dead animals by the use of their blood, and therefore the word is derived from the greek [greek: nekron], which signifies dead, and [greek: manthêa], which signifies divination. the fourth species is called divination by the pythians, which was taken from apollo, the first diviner, as thomas aquinas says in his _secundâ secundæ, quæst. . art. _. the fifth is called geomancy, which is when the devil teaches anything by certain signs appearing in the earthly bodies, as in wood, iron, or polished stones, beryls, or glass. the sixth is named hydromancy, as when a demon teaches anything by appearances in the water. the seventh is styled æromancy; and it is when he informs people of such things by figures in the air. the eighth is entituled pyromancy; that is, when it instructs people by forms appearing in the fire. the ninth is termed aruspicy; which is when by signs appearing in the bowels of sacrificed animals the demon predicts at altars. thus far as to express divination, or invocation of the devil, which is detestable; and the very consulting of persons that use such unlawful means is, according to the judgment of all casuists, the high road to eternal damnation. now as to tacit divination, or invocation of the devil, that is divided into two subaltern kinds. the first kind is, when for the sake of knowing hidden things, they make use of a vain and superstitious disposition existing in things to judge from; which disposition is not of a sufficient virtue to lead them to any real judgment. the second kind of tacit divination is, when that knowledge is sought by the disposition of those things which men effect on purpose and of their own accord, in order to come by and acquire that knowledge. both these kinds of tacit divination are again subdivided into several species, as are particularly mentioned by st. thomas, _secundâ secundæ, quæst. , art. _; gregory de valentine, tom. iii. _disput. . quæst. . puncto _; toletus, _in summa._ lib. iv. cap. ; and michael medina, lib. ii. _de recta in deum fide: post sanctum augustinum_. lib. ii. _de doct. christ._ cap. . _et seq_. the first of these kinds of tacit divination contains under it the following several species:-- the first species is called genethliacal, which is when from the movement or situation of the stars, men's nativities are calculated and inquired into so far, as that from such a search they pretend to deduce the knowledge of human effects, and the contingent events that are to attend them. this thomas aquinas and sixtus quintus condemns; but i shall, with humility and submission to greater judgments, inquire hereafter into their reasons, and give my opinion why i think this no evil art; but i submit my opinion, if, after it is given, it is thought erroneous. the second is augury, when anything is predicted from the chattering of birds, or the voice of animals, and this may be either lawful or unlawful. if it comes from natural instinct, for brutes having only a sensitive soul, have their organs subject to the disposition of the greater bodies in which they are contained, and principally of all to the celestial bodies, his augury is not amiss. for if when crows are remarked to caw, as the vulgar phrase is, more than ordinary, it is, judging according to the instinct of their nature, if we expect rain, and we may reasonably depend upon it, we shall be right if we foretell rain to be at hand. but sometimes the devils actuate those brute animals to excite vain ideas in men, contrary to what the instinct of their nature compels them to. this is superstitious and unlawful, and forbid in holy writ. the third is aruspicy, when from the flight of birds, or any other motion of any animals whatsoever, persons pretend to have an insight and a penetrative knowledge into occult and hidden matters. the fourth consists in omens, when, for example, a man from any words which others may have spoken on purpose, or by accident, pretends to gather a way of looking into and knowing anything of futurity. the fifth is chiromancy, which consists in making a pretence to the knowledge of future things by the figures and the lines of the hands; and if it be by consulting the shoulder-bones of any beast, it goes by the name of spatulamancy. * * * * * as the first kind of divination, by a tacit invocation of the devil is divided into the five species above mentioned; so also is the second kind of tacit divination, or invocation of the devil, divided into two species by st. thomas of aquin. _secundâ secundæ, questione nonagesima quinta articulo tertio_, and too tedious to insert here. now all these ways are by these divines counted wicked, and i set them down that people may avoid them. for how many gipsies and pretenders to chiromancy have we in london and in the country? how many that are for hydromancy, that pretend in water to show men mighty mysteries? and how many in geomancy, with their beryls and their glasses, that, if they are not under the instigation of the devil, propagate the scandal at least by being cheats, and who ought to be punished to the utmost severity, as our english laws enact? mr. campbell, who hates, contemns, and abhores these ways, ought, methinks, to be encouraged by their being restrained; and people of curious tempers, who always receive from him moral and good instructions, which make them happy in the conduct of life, should be animated in a public manner to consult him, in order to divert the curious itch of their humours from consulting such wicked impostors, or diabolical practisers, as too frequently abound in this nation, by reason of the inquisitive vulgar, who are more numerous in our climate, than any i ever read of. but now to argue the case of conscience with regard to his particular practice by way of the second-sight, whether, _in foro conscientiæ_, it is lawful for him to follow it, or others to consult him? the divines above mentioned having never had any notice of that faculty in all likelihood, or if they had, never mentioned it, makes it a point more difficult for me to discuss; but i think they have stated some cases, by the making of which my premises, i can deduce from all the learned men i have above quoted, a conclusion in favour of our mr. duncan campbell, and of those who consult him; but my opinion shall be always corrected by those who are wiser than myself, and to whom i owe entire submission. i take leave to fix these premises from them first, and to form my argument from them afterwards in the following manner:-- first, it is allowed by all these divines, that a knowledge which one may have of future things within the order of nature, is and may be lawful. secondly, they imply, that where justice is not violated, it is lawful both to predict and to consult. thirdly, many of them, but particularly aureolus, puts this question: is it lawful to go to one that deals in the black art, to persuade them to cure any innocent body that another necromancer or dealer in the black art may have maliciously afflicted and tormented with pains? and some of these casuists, particularly aureolus, say, it is lawful on such an occasion to go to such a conjurer, because the end is not conjuration, but freeing a person from it. but i take leave to dissent from these great men, and think they are in a double mistake; first, in stating the question, and then in making such an answer, provided the question had been stated right. the question is founded upon this supposition, which is passed by as granted, viz., that one necromancer could release a person bewitched by another, which is absolutely false; for it is against the nature of the devil to be made an instrument to undo his own works of impiety. but admitting and not granting this to be possible, and the question to be rightly stated, why still these casuists are out in their answer. it is lawful, reply they, because the end of going to the conjurers, is not conjuration, but freeing a good person from it; but the end is not the point here to be considered, it is the medium, which is bad, that is to be considered. it is by conjuration, according to their hypothesis, the other conjuration is to be dissolved; and does not the common rule, that a man must not do evil that good may come of it, forbid this practice? and to speak my opinion plainly in that case, the friend that should consult a conjurer for that end, would be only so kind to put his own soul in danger of being guilty of hell torments, to relieve his afflicted friend from some bodily pains, which it would be a virtue in him to suffer with patience and resignation. others, almost all divines, indeed, agree, that it is and may be lawful to go to a conjurer that torments another, and give him money not to afflict the patient any longer; because that is only feeing him to desist from acting after his conjuring manner. these premises thus settled, if we allow the second-sight to be inborn and inbred, and natural and common to some families, which is proved in the book; and if all that mr. campbell has predicted in that second-sighted way terminates with moral advice, and the profit of the consulter, and without the violation of justice to others, as the book shows all throughout; if he can relieve from witchcraft, as it seems oath is to be had he can, which no one that deals in black art can do, why then i need not draw the conclusion, every reader will do it naturally; they will avow all the strictest laws of casuistry and morality to be in favour of mr. campbell and his consulters. verses to mr. campbell, on the history of his life and adventures. i court no muse amidst the tuneful throng, thy genii, campbell, shall inspire my song; the gentle summons every thought obeys, wakens my soul, and tunes it all to lays. among the thousand wonders thou hast shown, i, in a moment, am a poet grown; the rising images each other meet; fall into verse, and dance away with feet: now with thy cupid and thy lamb i rove[a], through ev'ry bloomy mead and fragrant grove. a thousand things i can myself divine, thy little genii whispers them to mine; beyond the grave i see thy deathless fame, the fair and young all singing campbell's name; and love himself--for love and thou art friends, he joins the chorus, and his dart defends. what noisy talker can thy magic boast? let those dull wretches try who scorn thee most. o, sacred silence! let me ever dwell, with the sweet muses, in thy lonely cell! or else bind up, in thy eternal chain, scandal and noise, and all that talk in vain. m. fowke. to mrs. fowke, occasioned by the foregoing verses sweet nightingale! whose artful numbers show, expressive eloquence to silent woe, sing on, and in thy sex's power presume, by praising campbell, to strike nations dumb. whene'er you sing, silent, as he, they'll stand, speak by their eyes, grow eloquent by hand: tongues are confusion, but as learnt by you, all but pythagoras's doctrine's true; campbell and he taught silence--had he heard how much thy lays to silence were preferr'd, he had recanted from thy powerful song, and justly wish'd each organ had a tongue. but could he see, what you, in every line, prophetic tell of campbell's sight divine, like croesus's sons his loosened nerves must break, and ask the cause--or make his campbell speak. g. s. * * * * * to mr. campbell. milton's immortal wish[b] you sure must feel, to point those fates which you to all reveal; if second-sight so much alarms mankind, what transports must it give to know thy mind? thy book is but the shadow of thy worth, like distant lights, which set some picture forth. but if the artist's skill we nearer trace, and strictly view each feature of the face, we find the charm that animates the whole, and leave the body to adore the soul. milton's immortal wish you sure must feel, to point those fates which you to all reveal. i. philips. * * * * * the parallel to mr. campbell. as denham sings, mysterious 'twas, the same should be the prophet's and the poet's name[c]; but while the sons of genius join to praise, what thine presaging dictates to their lays, the things they sweetly sing, and you foreshow, open the sampson riddle to our view; strong are thy prophecies, their numbers sweet, and with the lion combs of honey meet. late on fantastic cabalistic schemes, of waking whimsies, or of feverish dreams, new cobweb threads of poetry were spun, in gaudy snares, like flies, were witlings won, their brains entangled, and our art undone. pope, first, descended from a monkish race, cheapens the charms of art, and daubs her face; from gabalis[d] his mushroom fictions rise, lop off his sylphs--and his belinda[e] dies; the attending insects hover in the air, no longer than they're present is she fair; some dart those eyebeams, which the youths beguile, and some sit conquering in a dimpling smile. some pinch the tucker, and some smooth the smock. some guard an upper, some a lower lock; but if these truant body-guards escape, in whip the gnomes and strait commit a rape; the curling honours of her head they seize, hairs less in sight, or any hairs they please; but if to angry frowns her brow she bends, upon her front some sullen gnome descends, whisks through the furrows with its airy form, bristles her eyebrows and 'directs the storm.' as wide from these are addisonian themes, as angels' thoughts are from distempered dreams; spenser and he, to image nature, knew, like living persons, vice and virtue drew: at once instructed and well pleas'd we read, while in sweet morals these two poets lead, no less to wisdom than to wit pretence, they led by music, but they led to sense. but pope scarce ever force to fancy joins, with dancing-master's feet equips his lines, plumes empty fancy, and in tinsel shines. or if by chance his judgment seems to lead, where one poor moral faintly shows its head, 'tis like a judge, that reverently drest, peeps through the pageants at a lord may'r's feast; by starts he reasons, and seems wise by fits, such wit's call'd wisdom, that has lost its wits. unnam'd by me this witling bard had been, had not the writer's caused the reader's sin; but less by comedies and lewd romances, are ruin'd, less by french lascivious dances, than by such rhymers' masqueraded fancies. from such the root of superstition grew, whose old charms fertile, daily branch'd in new; from such chimeras first inspired, the fair the conj'rer's ring approach'd, and jesuit's chair; throng'd to the doors where magic rogues divin'd, and sold out _ignes fatui_ to the mind. wizards and jesuits differ but in name, both demon's envoys, and their trade the same; weak wills they lead, and vapour'd minds command, and play the game into each others' hand; like spiritual jugglers at the cup and ball, rising by foolish maids, that long to fall. some into love they damn, and some they pray, for greensick minds are caught a different way; to the same end, tho' several paths, they run, priests to undo and maids to be undone; some blacker charms, some whiter spells cajole, as some lick wall and some devour a coal. here ladies, strong in vapours, see men's faces imprinted in the conjurer's dazzling glasses, there, when, in spring time, the too praying priest, toasts, and does something better,--to the best a spouse is promised on next baptist's[f] feast. first some young contrite rake's enjoined to marry, lest--madam's forc'd to squeak for't--or, miscarry: in june, the lass does to the fields repair, where good sir domine just took the air. when, o strange wonder! near a plaintain root, she finds a coal--and so a spouse to boot. she longs to dream and to secure the sport that very day the youth design'd--must court, he does--she struck with rapture and delight. bespeaks her fancy--strongly--dreams at night. the yielding fair, the ravish'd youth obtains, a maid she passes--so his child's free gains, he has the pleasure, yet is sav'd the pains. thus when priest's wench--to cure the growing evil poor st. john baptist must forerun the devil. but if the ladies fall, at fall of leaf, or in the winter--still there's fresh relief; let her lace close four months, and if she can, st. agnes[g] heals the breach and brings the man. thus a lewd priest to vapour'd virgins cants, and into pimps reverts his vestal saints. o! dire effects of mask'd impiety! and shall they, christian muse! have aids from thee; wilt thou, like witty heathens, lewdly given, to a gehenna metamorphose heaven? wilt thou?--o no--forbid th' unhallow'd song, such profanations to rome's bard belong. let one, who gods and goddesses adores, paint them like rakes and bullies, bawds, and whores. our genii, campbell, shall be all divine, shall high o'er theirs as much distinguish'd shine, as o'er such priests or chiromancers, thine. thine, which does future time's events command to leap to sight, and in thy presence stand; thine, whose eyes glowing with a gifted ray, new roads of life o'er wisdom's alps survey, and guide benighted travellers to day. let me, for once, a daring prophet be, mark from this hour--and poetry thoul't see date a new era from thy book and thee; thy book, where, thro' the stories, thou hast laid, all moral wisdom's to the mind convey'd; and thus far prophecies each page, that all must rise by virtues, or by vices fall. poets shall blush to see their wit outdone, resume their reason and assert its throne, shall fables still for virtue's sake commend; and wit the means, shall wisdom make its end. who hopes to please, shall strive to please by pains, shall gaining fame, earn hard whate'er he gains and denham's morals join to denham's strains. here paint the thames[h] 'when running to the sea like mortal life to meet eternity.' there show both kings and subjects 'one excess, makes both, by striving, to be greater, less.' shall climb and sweat, and falling, climb up still, before he gains the height of cooper's hill. in windsor forest, if some trifling grace gives, at first blush, the whole a pleasing face, 'tis wit, 'tis true; but then 'tis common-place. the landscape-writer branches out a wood, then digging hard for't finds a silver flood. here paints the woodcock quiv'ring in the air, and there, the bounding stag and quaking hare. describes the pheasant's scarlet-circled eye, and next the slaught'ring gun that makes him die. from common epithets that fame derives, by which his most uncommon merit lives. 'tis true! if finest notes alone could show, (tun'd justly high or regularly low,) that we should fame to these mere vocals give, pope more, than we can offer, should receive. for, when some gliding river is his theme, his lines run smoother than the smoothest stream; not so when thro' the trees fierce boreas blows, the period blust'ring with the tempest grows. but what fools periods read for periods' sake? such chimes improve not heads, but make 'em ache; tho' strict in cadence on the numbers rub, their frothy substance is whip-syllabub; with most seraphic emptiness they roll, sound without sense, and body without soul. not such the bards that give you just applause, each, from intrinsic worth, thy praises draws, morals, in ev'ry page, where'er they look, they find divinely scatter'd thro' thy book: they find thee studious with praiseworthy strife, to smooth the future roads of human life, to help the weak, and to confirm the strong, make our griefs vanish, and our bliss prolong, with phineus' equal find thy large desert, and in thy praise would equal milton's art. some fools, we know, in spite of nature born, would make thee theirs, as they are mankind's scorn, for still 'tis one of truth's unerring rules, no sage can rise without a host of fools. coxcombs, by whose eternal din o'ercome, the wise in just revenge, might wish them dumb, say on the world your dumbness you impose, and give you organs they deserve to lose. impose, indeed, on all the world you would, if you but held your tongue, because you could; 'tis hard to say, if keeping silence still, in one, who, could he speak, would speak with skill, is worse, or talk in these, who talk so ill. why on that tongue should purposed silence dwell, whence every word would drop an oracle? more fools of thy known foresight make a jest, for all bate greatest gifts who share the least, (as pope calls dryden the often to the test[i]) such from thy pen, should irwin's sentence[j] wait, and at the gallows own the judge of fate. or, while with feeble impotence they rail, write wonders on, and with the wise prevail. sooner shall denham cease to be renown'd, or pope for denham's sense quit empty sound, to addison's immortal heights shall rise, or the dwarf reach him in his native skies. sooner shall real gipsies grow most fair, or false ones mighty truths like thine declare, than these poor scandal-mongers hit their aim, and blemish thine or curll's acknowledg'd fame. great nostradamus thus, his age advis'd, the mob his counsels jeer'd, some bards[k] despis'd him still, neglecting these his genius fir'd, a king encourag'd, and the world admir'd; greater (as times great tide increas'd) he grew, when distant ages proved what truths he knew; thy nobler book a greater king received, whence i predict, and claim to be believ'd, that by posterity, less fame shall be to nostradamus granted, than to thee; thee! whom the best of kings does so defend, and (myself barring) the best bards commend. h. stanhope. whitehall, june th, . [a] see mr. campbell's life, p. . [b] to see and tell of things invisible to mortal sight, paradise lost. [c] (vates) see the progress of learning. [d] see the history of the count de gabalis, from whence he has taken the machinery of his rape of the lock. [e] mrs. f--m--r. [f] see the dedication of mr. campbell's life. [g] see mr. campbell's dedication. [h] see cooper's hill. [i] see many places of his notes on homer. [j] see mr. campbell's life, page . [k] alluding to this verse, "sed cum falsa damus, nil nisi nostra damus." the end of duncan campbell. * * * * * transcriber notes: punctuation corrected without note. archaic spellings have been retained. the following corrections have been made: page iv: "two" changed to "too" (too long to dwell upon). page : "dedelighted" changed to "delighted" (however, delighted extremely in this way). page : "off" changed to "of" (night not be despaired of.). page : "a" added for continuity (for she that can dally with a heart). page : "governer" changed to "governor" (who is the governor of uma). page : "willis" changed to "wallis" (an extract from dr. wallis). page : "hiting" changed to "hitting" (that he seldom missed hitting). page : "vension" changed to "venison" (to bring a side of venison to me). page : "be" added for continuity (no demonstrative proof is to be had on either side). page : "their" changed to "there" (and left there alone). page : "know" changed to "known" (by persons of known credit). page : "inbord" changed to "inborn" (if we allow the second-sight to be inborn). page : "onger" changed to "longer" (not to afflict the patient any longer). available by internet archive (https://archive.org) note: project gutenberg also has an html version of this file which includes the original illustration. see -h.htm or -h.zip: (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/ / -h/ -h.htm) or (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/ / -h.zip) images of the original pages are available through internet archive. see https://archive.org/details/deafdumb sandiala transcriber's note: text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). [illustration: frontispiece. _page ._ _deaf & dumb._ "_pray come to us when you take your ride._"] deaf and dumb! by the author of "_the twin sisters_," _&c. &c._ "that good diffus'd may more abundant grow, and speech may praise the power that bids it flow." _cowper._ third edition. london: printed for darton, harvey, and darton, no. , gracechurch-street. . preface. it is hoped the title of the following book will excite attention: how much more, then, should the unhappy situation of those who are in that state demand compassion! and it is gratefully acknowledged, that in some benevolent minds the tide of pity has flowed even to them. an asylum, on a plan more and more extensive, as the means of making it so has increased, has been formed for these _once_ melancholy appellants to their commiseration, but who are _now_, through their means, enabled cheerfully to pass through life; and scarcely to feel the deprivation of those powers, which, were it not for this institution, would have sunk them into listless apathy, or moody ideotism. perhaps the reader is little aware how many of his fellow-creatures are labouring under this misfortune, and how much the number of those who cannot, from want of room, or means for their support, be admitted into the asylum, exceeds those who have received the benefit of it. let the following extract acquaint them with it:--"the unhappy malady which affects these children is found to exist to a dreadful extent; scarcely a week passes without some application for admission, and though the number of pupils has been gradually augmented from six to sixty, it must be stated (and it is stated with deep concern) that at every election, the _number of candidates_ exceeds, in a _tenfold proportion_, the number of vacancies! such a painful fact makes a most interesting and powerful appeal to every benevolent mind." another powerful plea may also be added: that, after twelve, the age appointed by the committee, they cannot be admitted. arrived at these years, any one possessing all his faculties, (and who has till then been brought up in comparative ignorance,) finds it difficult to learn. but to these unhappy children, the difficulty must of necessity be increased; besides the danger there is that, if till that time, they are taught _nothing_, it will be beyond the reach of human means to rescue them from the state above described. the writer of the following pages earnestly appeals to the lively feelings of youth, (the season of compassion,) to consider these things. let them remember, it is for those of their own age that their assistance is demanded; and who, instead of having to look forward to a life of activity and usefulness--or that they shall fill up their place in society beneficially, either to themselves or others, must, without the improvement afforded them by these means, drag on a miserable existence--a burden to themselves and all around them. the necessitous in more advanced life, have, at least, the consolation of thinking every year that passes brings them nearer to the end of their sorrows; and _blessed_ are they, if they have a _well-grounded_ hope of happiness in eternity. their troubles then are nothing; but these poor children are not only suffering want at the present, (for it is for the children of _the poor_ i plead,) but continuing as they are, they have no prospect of ever raising themselves, by useful industry, above it. and what is still worse, they are in this state excluded from those _means_ which are appointed by divine wisdom for the instruction of his people, and which lifts their minds to higher views, and enables them to support affliction, by acquainting them with another and a better world. deaf and dumb! "we are going out in a cart," said henry rawlinson, as he jumped down the steps of the street-door, to meet mr. beaufort, a gentleman who was then on a visit to his father, and who had gained the affections of all the children he was acquainted with, by his kindness to them. "dear mr. beaufort, do you know where we are going?" continued he: "to nurse's house, the woman who nursed me; we are to spend the whole day there." then taking his hand, he begged him to accompany him into the yard, to see the vehicle that was to convey them: "it is such a very nice cart," said he, "it is open at the top: won't it be pleasant to ride in it?" "very pleasant indeed," replied his good friend, smiling to see him so happy; "and who is to be of the party? i fear there would not be room for _me_, should _i_ wish to join it," added he, on seeing the neat little cart they were going in. "why, i think," replied the little boy, in a lower tone, "that you would not like to ride with the servants, not but that they are very good to us. there are miller, and sally, and my sister caroline, and myself; and nurse's son drives us. do you think there will be room for you?" added he, with an enquiring look. "i believe not," answered mr. beaufort; "and besides, my weight, added to all yours, would be too much for the poor horse. but suppose i ride over in the course of the day, and see how you get on; and then i can take you up before me, and we can ride a little way together." "oh, do, do!" exclaimed henry, skipping for joy, "i shall be _so_ glad; and as for the road, if you don't know it, nurse's son can tell you _that_." while they were thus settling this pleasurable scheme, the horse and cart were gone round to the door, and "master henry" was loudly called for. mr. beaufort accompanied him back again, and henry introduced him to nurse's son, that he might understand the road he was to come to them. "you _cannot_ mistake it now," said henry, on hearing it accurately described; "i hope you'll come." "what," said caroline, who was a year or two older than her brother, and who was already seated in the cart, "does mr. beaufort talk of coming to us? o! pray do, sir; you cannot think what a pleasant place it is." "i won't promise," answered the good-natured man, pleased at their eagerness, "but perhaps i may;" and then kindly assisting the servants to get up, he had the pleasure of setting off the whole party, rewarded by their smiles and thanks. "pray come to us when you take your ride," was loudly repeated, both by caroline and henry, till they were out of his sight, and with a look of kindness, he gave them, what they considered, a nod of assent. mr. and mrs. rawlinson were not up when their children left the house, and had not mr. beaufort been an early riser, he would have lost the satisfaction he felt on seeing their happy faces, as it was not quite six o'clock when they commenced their journey. he had the pleasure of describing them to their parents, whom he met at breakfast, and they were equally delighted at the recital. he also mentioned the invitation he had received to pay them a visit some time in the day, and mr. rawlinson earnestly seconded it: "do," said he, "for it is just by the spot on which i wish you to build; and, were i not particularly engaged this morning, i would accompany you." this was _one_ inducement to mr. beaufort, as he had long talked of building a residence for himself in that neighbourhood; and the idea of giving the children pleasure was _another_. he therefore ordered his horse at the usual time, and determined to comply with their request. in the mean while, the happy party arrived at nurse goldsmith's cottage, highly pleased with their ride and the kind reception they were sure to meet with. it was between four and five miles from the town, and situated on the side of a common, part of which belonged to mr. rawlinson's estate, and on which he had formed several plantations of firs. before the house was a neat little garden, sheltered from the north wind by a small coppice of hazel trees, through which ran a murmuring brook, that supplied the family with water. the good woman, with all her children, was at the wicket gate to receive her guests; and all who _could_ speak, expressed pleasure at seeing them. but, alas! _all_ could not, for two of them were deaf and dumb! do my young readers fully consider the extent of this misfortune? and are they truly sensible of the blessings of speech and hearing? oh, what a pity that they should ever misapply the gift of speech, in murmuring and complaints, because they have not always every thing they wish; or in that which is still more wrong, speaking of the faults of others, or in telling untruths. having never heard the sound of the human voice, nor indeed any sound at all, these poor children could not frame their mouths to speak; they could never add to the pleasure of their parents, by repeating what gave pleasure to themselves; nor could they speak their wishes, or their simple thanks, when they were complied with. let the little ones who read this tale, reflect upon what it is that makes them in any measure agreeable to others. is it not their conversation? and do they not express themselves, as they think will be most likely to induce their friends to comply with their request, whenever they have a favour to ask of them? alas! those children who labour under the misfortune here described, have no such power; and many such, i am sorry to add, there are! what, then, is the reply of the benevolent heart?--"it is our duty to speak for them, to alleviate their distress, as much as possible, and, if in our power, to contribute to the removal of it." i hope this is the language of all my readers. it has been (and i have seen it with pleasure) that of not a few children, who, on hearing of the asylum for those of their own age that are thus unfortunate, where they are taught to speak, and to understand others, have contributed their small donations; while some, even by a penny a week, collected from a number, have, within a few months, added no inconsiderable sum to the fund which is raised for the support of this charity; and their pleasure is increased by it, in proportion as the gratification of contributing to the relief of such distress, is superior to that obtained by toys or sweetmeats. caroline and henry were soon out of the cart, and greeted with an affectionate kiss from mrs. goldsmith; particularly the latter, who returned her caresses with equal affection. he then shook hands with his foster brother, who had been named after him, and began asking after the health of some rabbits he had left in his care, while caroline offered a present she had brought for the eldest girl. she spoke to all the rest; but william and lucy, one ten, and the other five years old, stood on one side. caroline took the hand of the eldest, and would have kissed little lucy, but feared distressing her, as she could not recollect her former visits to them. the poor mother's eyes bore witness that she felt her kindness to the unfortunate child: "it is of no use to tell her who you are, miss," said she, "or i know she would not be afraid of so good a friend, for she is not insensible of kindness." a tear shone in caroline's eye, as she handed her some sugar-plums and cakes she had brought in her pocket; and the little girl was the only one whose pleasure, at that time, was not mixed with regret. she was too young to feel her situation; and though she often found herself at a loss to express her meaning, she had not yet observed that others had not the same difficulty. but this was not the case with william, _he_ severely felt the difference between himself and his brothers, though he could not understand what made it: he saw their lips move, and he moved his, unconscious whether he uttered a sound or not. in every other respect his senses were perfect, and perhaps more keen from this deficiency. hardly any thing escaped his notice: he was even more useful to his mother than any of the rest; and whatever she wanted, he was the one most likely to find it out, and bring it to her, though he could not hear her say what it was. her tears, as on this morning, were often mingled with her smiles, on observing his affectionate attention; and a sympathetic feeling would excite the same in him, though he could not judge from what cause it proceeded. he would wipe his eyes, and kiss the tears from hers, and then, with his arms around her neck, endeavour to comfort her with his inarticulate expressions. happily for him, he was not conscious that the very attempt added to her distress. he had this morning seen his mother's face enlivened by a smile, without any appearance of sorrow, and this was enough to make him happy. he had also seen his eldest brother preparing the cart to fetch their young visitors; and his memory, which was very retentive, immediately recurred to their former visits, in which he had often experienced their good-nature. harry, the namesake and foster brother of little rawlinson, was one year younger than he, but william had long given up the seniority, and allowed him to take the lead in all their amusements. on seeing their guest, he recollected that the rabbits which he had often fed in harry's absence, belonged to him, and pointing to the place in which they were kept, endeavoured to draw him to them. the two henrys immediately followed him; and caroline was as eager to notice the baby mrs. goldsmith held in her arms. this again produced a sigh from the poor woman: "i am afraid," said she, "that this dear child is as unfortunate as my poor william and lucy: it is now nine months old, and yet it does not seem to know its name. if i speak ever so loud, it does not turn its head, and i am very much afraid i shall never have the pleasure of hearing it answer me: only when it sees a thing, does it seem to notice it! ah, my poor dear," continued she, "what shall i do with you?" "oh, i hope you will not be so unfortunate, mrs. goldsmith," returned caroline, and she again kissed the child and called it by its name. he saw her look of kindness, and smiled at her in return, but the sound of her voice did not reach him. the servants, who had by this time unpacked the provision with which they were loaded, saw there was ground for the poor woman's fears, but caroline would fain have persuaded her they were without foundation. the rest of mr. goldsmith's family consisted of the boy who drove them, then about fourteen; mary, the eldest girl, two years younger; and jane, who was between harry and little lucy; a boy still younger, in petticoats; and the little one in arms: seven in the whole; and three of these, my young readers, would have been incapable of getting their bread, had it not been for the asylum i have spoken of: their parents being _poor_, and having no means of procuring for them such instruction as would make them useful, and which is provided for them there. master goldsmith was a day-labourer, and at this time came home for his breakfast, which his cleanly wife had prepared for him before the company came: the bread and cheese and cold bacon were on the table when he entered. the kettle was also boiling, and all the party sat down to eat their meal together. master goldsmith and his eldest boy at one table, and the children and the maids, with mrs. goldsmith, at another. the little ones, who, on other mornings, had bread and milk for their breakfast, were on this occasion treated with tea and bread and butter, as mrs. rawlinson had sent enough for all to partake of. it was pleasing to see the attention which william paid to his sister lucy: it seemed as if he considered her as doubly endeared to him, by their both sharing in the same misfortune; and yet those who noticed it were at a loss to account for his knowing it.--nature had taught it him, and the sorrow of their mother was much alleviated by perceiving it. he watched every thing that was given to her, and appeared more anxious that _she_ should have enough, than for himself. when the rest of the children had had two cups of tea, and hers was not given to her immediately, he held up one of his fingers, (the way in which his mother had taught him to distinguish _numbers_,) and pointed to lucy, as if to tell her she was neglected. caroline saw his meaning, and touching his hand to draw his attention, offered him hers to give to his sister. with an eye as quick as lightning, he looked to his mother, as if to ask if that were proper, and seeing her disapprove, he shook his head, and again pointed to lucy's cup, which when miller had once more filled, he nodded his thanks, and quietly drank what was in his own. his father also was another object of his attention: he would have carried some tea to him, had not the good man preferred the more substantial food he was taking, and by signs made him understand so. when the breakfast was ended, he and his son went again to their work; and mary, after looking in vain to her mother, to introduce the subject for her, begged miss caroline to accept of a squirrel she had been taming purposely for her: "my brother made the cage, miss," said she, "and you will be kind enough to excuse the rough work; but the little fellow in it, is what i hope you will like." william seemed to know what she was speaking of; he watched her motions, and when he saw her bring the cage into the room, he discovered as much pleasure that he had understood what she intended to do with it, as that miss rawlinson should have it. he took some nuts out of his pocket, and showed her those were what it was to eat; and then running to his mother, with a look which she as perfectly understood as if he had spoken to her, asked if she were not glad miss rawlinson was going to have it. but little lucy, who had been often entertained by the squirrel's tricks, was not so willing it should be parted with: she thought something was going to be done with it, and, as well as she could, expressed her enquiries and dissatisfaction. william saw her distress, and by motions, understood only by themselves, made her know it was what _he_ approved of, and if so, he concluded she could have no objection. in this conclusion he was right, for the countenance of lucy immediately cleared up, and she appeared perfectly content. after this, all the young ones, with miller and sally to take care of them, went to the copse to search for nuts; while mrs. goldsmith and her daughter staid within, to put away what had been used at breakfast, and to prepare the dinner. in the party out of doors, william was the most active: he climbed the trees, and not being interrupted by the conversation of the others, his whole attention was employed in gathering nuts for miss rawlinson and her brother, except that every now and then a glance was directed towards lucy, who stood looking on his employment. with a look fully expressive of his meaning, he never presented the nuts to their visitors, without giving lucy a few, as if to say: "poor thing, she is but a child, and she is unfortunate; she will be uneasy if she has not some, and i know you will excuse it:" and then, with an approving nod and smile, he would direct her eyes towards their company, as if to make her sensible it was proper they should have the largest share. having filled their little baskets, miller prohibited their gathering any more, and then proceeded to an opening in the middle of the wood, and agreed to play at _hunting the hare_. "and shall not william play with us?" said caroline, as she was endeavouring to make him sensible of the game, while his brother harry directed him to sit with lucy at a distance. "i don't _like_ that in _you_, harry," said henry rawlinson, who thought he meant to forbid his joining them, "why should not he be amused as well as we?" harry blushed, and said, "lucy would not be quiet unless william was with her; besides," continued he, "when he sees what it is we are playing at, and can understand it, he will come; and he can make lucy sit without him better than we can." during this conversation, william had marked the countenance of each; he saw anger in that of master rawlinson, and shame in his brother's, and entirely unconscious that he was himself the cause, his whole attention was directed to make up the disagreement he perceived between them. tears stood in his eyes as he took the hand of harry, and bringing him to henry, whom he thought he had offended, he stroked the face of each, and with an imploring look seemed to say: "do be reconciled." "he _shall_ play," said henry. "my dear," said miller, who now interfered, "he did not mean any other; but you must think that _he_ knows best what will suit his brother." "_that's_ what i meant," replied harry, pleased to find some one take his part, "when he sees what our game is, he will join us." "so much the better then," said henry; "i beg your pardon;" and taking the hand of his foster-brother, he gave it a hearty shake. smiles once more appeared in their faces, but no countenance showed more pleasure than that of william, on seeing them thus friends again: he expressed it by "nods, and winks, and wreathed smiles;" and then went and took his place by lucy, and in _his_ manner made her understand they were going to play. the game began, and the little girl was as much amused by looking on, as they were who were engaged in it. she discovered no want of understanding, but clapped her hands and laughed as loud as any of them, fully entering into their amusement. when william became thoroughly acquainted with the game, he made her sensible he was going to join them, (as his brother had said he would,) and then lucy was doubly interested. whenever she saw _him_ likely to be caught, she screamed out, not with alarm, but as if to warn him of his danger, though neither herself nor he could hear the caution. during this pleasant exercise mr. beaufort arrived, to whom henry had almost forgotten he had given so pressing an invitation. the place of their retreat was near the road, and he heard the voices of his young friends, long before he saw them. tying his horse to the paling which surrounded the house, he made his way to them, without seeing the good woman who belonged to it, and for some minutes, he stood unobserved, till henry rawlinson caught his eye: "oh, there is mr. beaufort!" said he, and the game was ended in an instant. the eyes of all were directed to the stranger, and william, who had not heard the exclamation, immediately saw the cause of their breaking off so abruptly. but indeed it was not particularly so to him, to whom, from not having his hearing, every thing that happened, and for which he was not prepared by _seeing_ what was going on, had that appearance. "you _are_ come then," said henry, to his friend, "this is very good of you;" and in his eagerness to welcome him, he had nearly overthrown little lucy; who, on seeing the game ended, had risen from her seat to seek the hand of her favourite brother. "oh, my dear!" said henry, setting her again on her feet, "i did not mean to hurt you. she is deaf and dumb, sir," continued he, addressing mr. beaufort, whose benevolent hand was stretched out to keep her from falling, and whose countenance, when he heard this, bore witness to his feelings. "poor little girl," said he, offering her his hand, "what can be done for you?" lucy looked half pleased, half frightened at his notice; yet there was something in his manner which excited her regard, and william's also, who by this time was at her side, and who read in the stranger's looks, that compassion for their case which he had often observed in others, when either lucy or himself was the object of attention; and for which he felt a grateful sensation, such as seemed to tell him he had found a _friend_. "and this poor boy has the same misfortune, sir," said miller, who was standing by them, and knowing the compassionate nature of mr. beaufort, felt assured he would not be unmindful of them. "indeed!" replied he, "and yet what intelligent faces." "oh, sir! they are both very sensible children," returned miller, "and you would be delighted to see their affection for each other." "have they never heard of the asylum?" resumed mr. beaufort, with earnestness, "their misfortune might be greatly lessened.--where is their mother? i'll speak to her about it." and he turned hastily round, unmindful of his friend henry, and every thing else but the charitable design he had in view. "she is within the house, sir," answered miller; "she feels their situation very keenly, but has no means of helping them." "i will help her," said he, as they led the way to the cottage. "there is one of our neighbour's sons in that asylum," whispered harry goldsmith to his namesake, "and my mother has often wished william could be there; he has not been long, and he can speak already. she meant to ask your papa about it, the next time she came to town." by this time mr. beaufort had entered the house; the table was neatly spread for the young folks' dinner, and the mother sitting with her baby in her arms. "speak to it _now_, mary," said she to her eldest daughter, who was standing behind, "_now_ that it does not see you." she did so, but it took no notice. "oh! at nine months old this would not be the case, if it was not deaf," continued the poor woman, with a heavy sigh. "another unfortunate!" exclaimed mr. beaufort on hearing this, as he entered the door. mrs. goldsmith instantly arose, and henry rawlinson introduced him as a gentleman who had come from their house. "set the gentleman a chair, mary," said she; and while lucy, who had now reached her mother's side, kept pulling her by the gown, and pointing towards the stranger, she motioned her to be silent; and rather seemed to wish her to escape his notice, than to obtrude her on his attention. "i am come to know the state of your family, my good woman," said he, "and to know whether i can be of any service to you. how old is _that_ little boy?" pointing towards william. "ten, sir," answered she, "and the next is nearly eight." "no children older?" "yes, sir, a boy who is at work with his father, and that girl." "but whom do you wish assistance for most?" said mr. beaufort. "oh, sir, my poor william and lucy!" she replied with great emotion; "they most need it." "i understand so," answered the benevolent man; "i know how they are situated; but do you know that there is a charity established lately, exactly suited to their case?" "yes, sir, i have heard of it," said she; "but i have no friend but mr. rawlinson," she continued, hesitatingly, "and i have thought that i would speak to him about it." "_i_ will be your friend," said mr. beaufort; "i am one of the _governors_ of that charity!" it is impossible to describe the expression of joy and gratitude which appeared in the countenance of the poor woman. she could not utter a word; but her looks, and the tears which flowed from her eyes, spake her thanks more impressively than any thing she could have said. "no time is lost yet," continued mr. beaufort; "your boy could not have been admitted till he was nine years old, and, the next vacancy, i will give all my votes for him." the poor woman, a little recovered, could now express her thanks; and william, whose face had been like scarlet on seeing her distress, advanced towards her. "have you taught him any thing?" asked mr. beaufort. "oh, sir, he has taught himself!" answered she: "he knows my meaning almost as soon as i look at him. i think he knows his _letters_, though i am not sure he puts the same meaning on them as we do; and figures he can tell, by counting on his fingers as many as he sees written. i am sure he does not want for sense, or his sister either; you can't think, sir, how they love me, or how i love them! dear little creatures, whenever i am out for a day's work, they sit by the road-side together, and as soon as they see me, if it is at half a mile's distance, william leads little lucy towards me, and they meet me with _such_ delight!" "why, my good woman," said mr. beaufort, whose eyes bore witness to the pleasure with which he heard her artless relation, "your other children will be jealous, if you thus speak of them." "no, they won't, sir," said she, "they are very good; they know that i _ought_ to love these best, because they are unfortunate. and this poor baby, sir," added she, pressing it to her bosom, "i fear it is in the same state: it takes no notice of any thing but what it sees." "i am sorry for you," replied the good-natured man, "but we will hope better things: it may be only a temporary deafness. at present, this little boy is the most to be attended to;" and he took his name and age down in his pocket-book, while the grateful mother put up a secret prayer that it might be attended with success. william watched all that was done, with an expression of anxiety which could not be accounted for, unless he thought that something either very pleasant or distressing was to happen to his mother from it. the rest stood in silent attention, listening to what was said; and the countenance of each bespoke their earnest wishes for their brother's welfare. mr. beaufort now invited henry to ride with him to the spot mr. rawlinson had wished him to see; and mrs. goldsmith, seeing it was just one o'clock, pointed to the door, for william to go and call his father home to dinner. lucy, who had been accustomed always to accompany him on that errand, made a sign to do so now; but william, by stepping out his feet in a peculiar manner, let her know that he must make great haste, and that she could not walk so fast as he; and with this information she was made satisfied to remain at home. while henry was riding before mr. beaufort, all their conversation was respecting william and the asylum. "i will give all the money i have, for him to go," said the kind-hearted boy; "and i think that caroline will too: i'll ask her when i get back." and on his return he called his sister on one side, to make the request: "mr. beaufort says that a great deal is wanting to support the children," said he, "and that they have built a new house for them to live in; the other was not large enough: won't you give _your_ money towards it." "yes, that i will;" replied she, "and as soon as we get home, we will speak to papa and mamma about it." mr. beaufort had taken his leave, but not without a liberal earnest of his generosity to mrs. goldsmith, and an assurance that william should not be forgotten. he had brought his father and eldest brother home to dinner, to whom the poor woman related the circumstance of mr. beaufort's visit, with the greatest pleasure. never was such a happy dinner as these affectionate parents sat down to with their young guests, though their feelings could scarcely allow either of them to partake of what was placed before them. "why he'll speak as well as neighbour goodyer's boy," said the delighted father, "_he_ has been up to london to see him, and he says all the children are treated so kindly!" "the time of admission is the second monday in next month," said his mother, "and perhaps he may be admitted _then_. _we_ are only expected to keep him decently clothed. i must begin making him some shirts; won't you let me buy him a few?" continued she. to this her husband readily consented; and miller said she was sure her mistress would give him a jacket and trowsers. this point being settled, and the dinner ended, the children returned to their play, till the time of tea; after which, the horse was again harnessed to take them home, and the same party which he had brought in the morning, with the squirrel, and two rabbits henry had obtained leave to take with him, were all placed in the cart, with a large basket of nuts, and some greens for the rabbits. they took their leave of nurse, with many thanks for the pleasure they had had, and expressions of kindness to all the children, particularly william and lucy, the latter of whom had, in the course of the day, become so sociable with caroline, as to cry at seeing her depart. when they reached home, they found their parents, and mr. beaufort, sitting, after dinner, with another gentleman or two, and the little goldsmiths were the subject of their conversation. henry would have directly asked his mamma for his little store of money, that he might put it into mr. beaufort's hands, for the benefit of the charity, had not a significant look from caroline prevented him. when they retired for the night, he asked her the reason. "it is like asking the gentlemen, who were strangers, to praise you," said she; "and besides, you know mamma has told us, that whenever we give any thing away, we should not speak of it: to-morrow, when she is alone, will be time enough." in a day or two after this, mr. beaufort returned to town, after fixing the day for william and his mother to come up, in time for the meeting, when he hoped to be so fortunate as to get him admitted. the intervening time was fully employed in preparing his clothes, in which caroline assisted, and in endeavouring to make him understand the good fortune which awaited him. mrs. rawlinson had him to visit her, a day or two before he was to go; she took him to the school, to which, he recollected, his eldest brother had gone, and gave him a copy-book, pen and ink, and slate. william blushed, and lifted up his hand affectingly, he shook his head, as if to say, "i don't know how to use them." he had been very fond of their neighbour's son, who was already in the asylum, and before he went they were constant companions. william had for a long time understood he was gone somewhere greatly to his advantage, and whenever he went into the cottage of his parents, he pointed to the stool on which his old companion used to sit, as if to enquire how he was, while an approving smile from mrs. goodyer always told him he was well off. on their return from mrs. rawlinson's, his mother took him to their neighbour's, and directing his attention to the stool, which always recalled the idea of his friend, she showed him the books and slate which mrs. rawlinson had given him, and made him understand that he was gone to be instructed how to use them. william nodded his approval, but when she distinctly said, "_you_ are to go _to_ him, (and such a sentence as this he could understand by the motion of her lips,) he danced for joy, he kissed his mother and mrs. goodyer, caught up the books and hugged them, then the pen, with which he showed them he should soon know how to write; and then, by every means in his power, he asked the question _when_ he should go? he looked up to the sky, then waved his hand with the sun, once, twice, thrice, as if to enquire, was it in such a number of days? his mother held up one finger; and then, by moving his hand, as if in the act of driving, he asked if _that_ was to be the mode of their conveyance. on receiving a nod of assent to this question also, he again capered round the room, and all the way, as they walked home, delighted his mother with his expressive gestures of pleasure. when there, he met his brothers and sisters with increased affection, and with the same significant motions, made them sensible that he knew what was designed for him. he marked the return of the next evening with some appearance of regret, and, for the first time, seemed to recollect that all his family could not go with him; and he kissed them all again and again, especially little lucy, who as yet had not a notion that she was so soon to lose him. he led her to his mother, and, with an expressive look, bespoke her double affection for her when he was away, and waving his hand towards the door, he tried to tell his sister he was going a great way off. in this manner he led her round to each of the family separately, as if to beg them all to be attentive to her in his absence. the next morning, he and his mother were up before any of the children; and to spare him the pain of taking leave, she directed mary not to awake them till they were gone. our travellers had about a mile to walk to meet the coach, to which his father accompanied them, and, with the most earnest wishes for his success in gaining admittance, he bade his affectionate child--farewell. poor william had, till then, been all joy and ecstasy, but when he saw his father turning back, a tear stole from his eye. he had hoped, from his coming thus far with them, that _he_ was also to accompany him; and with an enquiring look, he turned to his mother, with whom he was seated on the top of the coach, to know why he did not. the novelty of william's actions soon attracted the attention of the other passengers, and the recital of his case excited their pity. among the number, the poor woman met with one who very well knew the part of the town she was going to, and where mr. beaufort had secured a room for them to sleep in, near the asylum: and in the morning this benevolent man called to see her before the committee assembled. william instantly knew him again, and, from his mother's behaviour, he saw that it was to _him_ he was obliged for the education he was about to receive, and with all the eloquence of silent gratitude he expressed his thanks. at length eleven o'clock came, and william was introduced to the gentlemen. the votes were given, and he obtained his admission by a majority only of one; and that was from mr. beaufort having the number of votes which constitutes a governor for life; and the pleasure with which he informed mrs. goldsmith of her son's success, could only be excelled by hers on hearing it. william was then introduced to some of the scholars, among whom was jacob goodyer: they immediately recollected each other, and ran to express their pleasure in thus meeting. "how do you do, mrs. goldsmith?" said jacob, delighted thus to use his newly-acquired speech, and to have an opportunity of displaying his improvement. "how are my father and mother?" the poor woman could not answer him: she burst into tears. "and will my boy ever speak so well as he?" she exclaimed to one of the matrons of the school, who was with her. "no doubt he will," answered the woman, who was equally affected. she then described more of jacob's attainments; and when the first emotions of surprise were over, mrs. goldsmith was able to converse some time with him. he told her he had seen his father lately, begged her to carry his duty and love to all at home, and tell them he had made six pair of shoes since his father was there. he walked round the school and house with his old friends; told them how happy he was, and what pleasure it gave him that william was come, to whom he often spoke in his own way; and the poor boy, with the most intelligent look, showed how well he understood stood him. mr. beaufort recommended mrs. goldsmith to stay one day longer in town, so that she had the pleasure of seeing her son happy, and settled in his new situation. he knew she was not to stay longer, and seemed reconciled to her departure; and before he gave her his parting kiss, he opened his book, and showed that he should be able to read and write by the time he saw her again; he also touched his mouth, in token that he should _speak_. she expressed her earnest hopes that it might be so, and, with the most affectionate regard, bade him be a good boy, and wished him farewell. jacob gave her a letter to carry to his parents, the first he had ever written. and mr. beaufort, who was then in the house, promised that, if any thing happened to her son, she should immediately be informed of it; and also that, through mr. rawlinson's family, he would often let her know how he got on, and what improvements he made. with this assurance, the poor woman left him without the least regret, being well convinced that he was in the only place in which he could gain sufficient knowledge to become a useful member of society; and she returned to her expecting family, full of the kindness of the ladies and gentlemen she had met with, and the wonderful improvement of jacob goodyer, whose parents (particularly his mother) listened to her account with anxious joy. his letter was shown and read to all the village, as a proof of the excellency of the charity; and mrs. goldsmith received the congratulations of all her neighbours, on her son's being admitted into it. it would be hardly possible to describe the distress of little lucy, when she found her brother gone; nor was she old enough for them to make her understand it was for his advantage. she hunted in every part of the house and garden for him, and on not discovering the object of her search, she sat down and cried. mary and harry tried to pacify her, and with her dolls and playthings she began to be amused, till, as the evening drew on, she put herself into a great bustle, and, taking harry's hand, she led him to the road side, where, with william, she had so often sat, to watch the return of their mother. it was in vain he endeavoured to let her know she would not return that night, and mary was at last obliged to put her crying to bed, where, at length, she forgot her sorrows in sleep. the next morning she renewed her search, and till her mother's return, she appeared truly unhappy; but on seeing her, her countenance revived, and while receiving _her_ affectionate caresses, she seemed to forget that her brother was not returned with her. mr. beaufort wrote frequent accounts of william's welfare and improvements; and at the next vacation, to which all the family looked forward with pleasure, he was permitted to come home, with his neighbour, jacob goodyer. they came on the top of the coach, and as they drew near their home, these poor boys expressed to each other the greatest pleasure. "i shall _speak_ to my mother," said william, and hardly had he spoke the words, than he saw her standing with lucy, harry, and jane, who had all walked a mile or two to meet him. the agitation he felt, at thus unexpectedly seeing them before he reached home, prevented his speaking as he wished: he pulled the coachman's arm, and pointing to the happy group below, his lips moved, but he could not utter a word. the coach stopped, and he was down in an instant, and in his mother's arms. "mother! my dear mother!" repeated he, as articulately as his emotion would allow him, while harry and jane were in raptures to hear his voice. jacob had yet some miles further to go; he could therefore only nod and smile, rejoicing that, in a very short time, he should have a pleasure equal to his friend's. "we will go round by the field where your father is at work, my dear," said the delighted mother, "for he is impatient to see you." "my father," returned william, "and edward," meaning his eldest brother. he then repeated the names of all his brothers and sisters, and received the affectionate welcome of those who were then present. lucy did not at first recollect him; but when he spoke to her, and she observed his looks and motions, no one can express her pleasure. she kissed him twenty times, pressed his hand, and held it tight all the way they walked together, as if nothing should again part them from each other. when they reached their father, william ran towards him, and repeating his name, made the heart of the poor man leap for joy: "oh, my dear boy!" said he, "_do_ you speak at last? well, if i lose some of my week's wages, i must leave work, and go home with you. here, edward, edward," continued he, calling to his eldest son, who was in the next field, "william is come home." edward heard the news with pleasure, and impatient to see the brother for whom they were so deeply interested, he jumped over the hedge in an instant; and william no sooner saw him, than he flew to meet him, and greeted him with all the expressions of joy which he could utter. this was a happy evening for them all, and when the joyful party arrived at the cottage, mary, who had been left in charge of the baby, expressed the same delight. the tea-things were ready, and william repeated the names of every thing he saw; he walked round the room, and, as if anxious to show the advantage he had gained, called over all that was in it, or on the shelves about the room, while his delighted parents listened with fond emotion to all he said. his little stock of clothes was now opened, and eagerly taking out his spelling-book, which was in the parcel, he began to read. he showed his writing also; in short, there was none of his acquirements which he was not eager to exhibit, and to receive the congratulations of his parents upon. he watched the motion of their lips, and understood every word they said, when they expressed their pleasure to each other. in the course of the next day, he visited his old acquaintance in the village, whither little lucy accompanied him, proud to be once more with her dear brother. all the neighbours were astonished at his improvement, and william was in danger of thinking himself something extraordinary, he was so much noticed and admired. he also paid his respects to mrs. rawlinson; and received from her the sincerest congratulations, as well as from his old friends, miller and sally. caroline and henry made him say every thing that he could speak; and when unable to answer them, (which, among the numerous questions they asked him, was sometimes the case,) they immediately removed the distress he showed on these occasions, by replying for him. yet this did not seem to satisfy him, and before he left them, he was, after repeatedly endeavouring, able to pronounce the word himself. a few days after this, jacob goodyer came over to visit his friend, and it was pleasant to see with what delight they met each other. the simplicity of childhood was blended with their artless manners, and they seemed to take an interest in each other's concerns, which none other could have. william related to his attentive friend, all that had happened to him since they parted; even mentioned what he had ate and drank each day, and received the same information from jacob. while thus conversing with each other, they seemed to feel themselves the objects of attention to all around; but when they could get away together, quite alone, and enjoy a conversation in their own way, partly by signs mingled with words, (for though able to understand others by the motion of their lips, _they_ could not so exactly frame _their_ mouths to pronounce what they wished, as to be clearly comprehended by the _sight_ alone,) it appeared as if nothing was wanting to their happiness. each of these unfortunate children, throughout the whole school, seemed allied to the others by a nearer tie than that of relationship: they were a world within themselves, and their manners and ideas were, in one sense, unmixed with that evil which is in others. having not the sense of hearing, their acquaintance with what was wrong was excluded through this channel; and as, before their admittance to the school, their age and misfortune in great measure precluded their beholding it; so, while they were there, the attention paid to their morals, and to keep them from every thing which might add to that taint of sin, which is so inherent in our nature, and which these children were not exempt from, gave to the simplicity with which they acted, the appearance of innocence; or rather what is called so by us, who are totally ignorant of what _innocence_ really is, and can only comparatively judge of it. they were taught to love each other, and feeling themselves equally unfortunate, there was not among them that air of superiority, which too many are apt to assume, from possessing powers which they see are wanting in others. the pride, also, of the human heart, revolts at times at the compassion shown in such cases, though at others it feels grateful for the expression of it, and much depends on the manner in which it is displayed; but among themselves there was nothing of this sort--all felt for each other. their wants they could often make known to others: but while shut out from the power of language, they could not describe their comforts to any one, so well as to themselves. william and jacob both spake highly of the school, and of the kindness with which they were treated; and, as the time for their going back drew near, they rather expressed pleasure than regret at the thought of returning. mrs. goldsmith bade her boy farewell, with still greater comfort than at the first; she was now assured of his improvement, and had no fear of his continuing to do so. jacob had tried to persuade him to become a shoe-maker like himself, at which employment he was getting more and more expert; but william had always shown a desire to be a cabinet maker, and the gentlemen of the committee meant to indulge him in having him instructed in that trade, making it a point to consult the disposition of the children, where it was possible. in the course of the next half year, mr. beaufort paid a second visit to mr. rawlinson; and while there, kindly called on mrs. goldsmith with the pleasing intelligence of william's advancement both in speaking, writing, and the business which he was now learning. the poor woman thanked him for his goodness, while he enquired after lucy and the youngest child, who was now two years old, and the fears of his mother unfortunately confirmed, as it evidently appeared he was a sharer in the affliction which attended the others. mr. beaufort gave her hopes, that, as the fund increased the scheme would be enlarged, and that he should then have it in his power to get one or both of them into the school, when they were of a proper age. "i hope they will," said henry rawlinson, who had accompanied his old friend, (not now riding before him, as when they first met at the cottage, but on a little horse his father had bought for him,) "i hope they will: it is such an advantage to william, that i should be sorry the others should not share it likewise. and jacob goodyer, also, will be able to get his living any where; his father says he will soon come home, and make shoes for the whole parish." mr. beaufort smiled at this information, and, as they returned, henry enquired if the fund did not increase. "i wish i was a man," said he, "i would give a great deal towards it." "my dear boy," said mr. beaufort, "you give a great deal now for your age;" (for henry and caroline also, had, from their first hearing of this charity, contrived to lay by part of their pocket-money towards the support of it;) "if every boy and girl were to spare as much from their weekly or quarterly allowance as you do, and your sister, how would the fund be increased, as well as the pleasure they would receive from thus employing it. perhaps three or four children might be admitted every year, in addition to the present number; and thus they might be a means of rescuing their fellow-creatures from a state worse than that of oblivion!" "oh, that they would;" said henry, ready to spring from his horse at the idea; "oh, that they would! and did they but know the pleasure it gave to poor nurse goldsmith to hear her son speak, i think there would be no doubt of it." we shall now proceed to relate the further benefit this benevolent institution was of to william, and how it enabled him, in some measure, to requite the kindness of mr. beaufort and henry rawlinson, as well as materially to assist his family when he grew up. when mr. beaufort returned to town, he took henry with him for a fortnight's pleasure, and knowing it would be as great a one to him as any, to see william goldsmith, and the manner in which he was instructed, almost the first place they visited, was the asylum in which he was placed. he saw the method by which these unfortunate children were taught to speak--the kind attention of their teachers--the way in which they lived--and how they were permitted to amuse themselves. william had great pleasure in speaking to him of these things, and that henry might carry the most accurate account of himself and his proceedings to his mother, he showed him every part of the school, as well as of his workmanship, from which the governors permitted him to send her a small trifle of his own making. during the time henry staid with mr. beaufort, as a further pleasure to them both, william was one day asked to dine; and after dinner, as henry expressed a wish to walk out, mr. beaufort gave him leave, and william to accompany him. the two boys set off together, highly delighted, and henry made william understand that he would go and look at the monument. he had been there once with mr. beaufort, but he wished to see it again; and he thought he knew the way: "if not," said he, "i can enquire, and what harm can happen to us?" william was equally pleased with his intention; but before they had proceeded far on their way, so many various things in the different shop-windows attracted their attention, and the crowds of people who were continually passing, with the narrowness of the streets, all added to the difficulty they had in keeping with each other; and at length, in crossing the road, they were entirely separated. william had been standing at a shop-window, and who, from his want of hearing, had been more used to have his eyes employed, did not cross so soon as henry, as he saw some carriages in the way; but he hoped to find his friend waiting for him on the other side. how was he disappointed, therefore, on not finding him there. he looked on every side, but could see no one like him; he walked on a little way, then back again, fearing he might have passed him in the crowd; till, at a distance, and on the opposite side of the way, he saw two men bearing in their arms a boy of his size, and who appeared to be lifeless. judge of his alarm and distress, when, on pushing by the carriages, and hastening towards them, he saw it was henry himself, whom they were thus carrying. he followed them into one of the narrow lanes or alleys, with which london abounds; and saw them take him into a low, dirty-looking house, into which he entered also. "he is not much hurt," said they, not at all attending to william's being there; "only stunned a little: he is a gentleman's son, i can see, by his clothes, and if we keep him here, he will be advertised, and we shall get a handsome reward." "_i_ know who he is," said william; "_i_ know to whom he belongs," as articulately as his agitation would allow him to speak. "hollo!" said one of the brutish fellows, "who have we here? a dumb boy! don't let us mind what _he_ says, he may be a _fool_ for what we know." it was well for henry, and william also, perhaps, that the distress he felt, prevented his speaking more distinctly at that time; for had they found that he could have been understood, they might have kept _him_ there also, in order to conceal the place that henry was in; from the hope, that the longer his parents were kept in suspense about him, the larger reward would be offered. but supposing that william's information would be unintelligible, or considered of no consequence, they forced him from the house; and he had the distress of seeing that henry had not recovered his senses, when he was thus obliged to leave him. he ran back to mr. beaufort's, with all the speed he was capable of using, feeling what none can enter into but those who are in a similar situation--a dread of the danger his friend was in; anticipating the distress, if not the displeasure, of mr. beaufort: and, above all, afraid that he should not be able to speak so as to be understood. almost out of breath, and with a face pale and full of distress, he rapped at the door. "what is the matter?" said the footman who opened it, alarmed at his countenance; but william could only answer by his tears. on hearing this, mr. beaufort, who was still sitting with his wine after dinner, hastened out of the parlour, and seeing only william, immediately guessed the cause of his distress. "you have lost henry," said he; "i was foolish to let you go out together." william tried in vain to speak, but pulling him by the arm, he waved his hand for mr. beaufort to accompany him. the good man caught up his hat, and telling the footman to follow, he hastened, with the trembling boy, to the place in which he had left henry. "has any accident happened?" said mr. beaufort, looking steadily at william, who could only shake his head; till being a little recovered, he endeavoured to acquaint him with what he had seen. mr. beaufort hurried on, and they were presently at the house. the man who opened the door, on seeing william with the gentleman, thought it would be of no use to deny henry's being there, he therefore expressed pleasure, rather than surprise, at seeing him; and said, "we have taken great care of the young gentleman, sir, and he is better already." "have you sent for a surgeon?" asked mr. beaufort; "let me see him directly," and rushing forward, he discovered henry lying on an old blanket upon the floor, with a bundle of rags for his pillow. his eyes were open, and he instantly knew the friends who were about him. william wept for joy at again seeing him sensible, while mr. beaufort, with great indignation, exclaimed: "do you call _this_ taking care of him?" "bless your honour," replied the man, "we are but poor folk, and have no better place; but my wife is gone out to see if she can get a bed for him." this was a made-up story, and william, by his countenance, showed he thought it so. mr. beaufort having sent his servant for a surgeon, he asked if there was not a chair in the house, in which henry might be placed, for none was in the room. the man brought in a very old one, and with his assistance mr. beaufort lifted him into it. "a carriage knocked him down, your honour," said the man, "but it did not go over him; and i and my comrade took him up. we did not know to whom he belonged." "and where was _you_ at this time?" asked mr. beaufort, turning to william. "oh, sir," said he, now quite able to speak, "i was looking in at a shop-window, and i did not see the accident; but i saw the men with him in her arms, and saw them bring him here. i told them that i knew who he was, and where he lived, but they would not hear me." "we did not know what he said, your honour," replied the man, with a still more servile air, "and we could not think that such a one as he could tell us any thing about the young gentleman." william watched every word the man spoke, and, with his eyes flashing fire, he replied: "but _i_ knew what _you_ said, and i believe you understood me, though you pretended not; for you said that you would not attend to what i told you, and that he was a gentleman's son, and that a handsome reward would be offered for him; and you would not let me stay with him, but pushed me out of doors." mr. beaufort saw, by the man's countenance, that he understood william, and with a significant look, he said, "you may depend upon it that you shall be _rewarded_, and that all the accommodation the _young gentleman_ has had shall be paid for." at this moment the surgeon arrived, who pronounced the patient to be in no danger, but that it was necessary for him to be bled. this was immediately done, after which a chair was procured, and the invalid, who already declared himself much better, was taken home, mr. beaufort and william walking all the way with the chairmen. before they left the house, mr. beaufort offered the man half-a-crown:-- "quite as much as you deserve," said he, "for it is clear, had it been in your power, you would have kept his friends in ignorance of his situation, till they had enquired for him; nor would you have let them know it then, till their anxiety had led them to pay a good price for the information. and as for your wife's being gone to seek a bed for him, i don't believe a word of it." the man began to grumble at the smallness of the sum; he declared he had lost half a day's work by it, and if he had known he should have had such a _small_ matter for it, he would have let him lie there till that time. "i readily believe it," said mr. beaufort; "but remember, you are in _my_ power, and if you are at all abusive, i know how to procure a constable. this boy's evidence, or mine either, will not be much in your favour. i know how to reward assistance, but not imposition; and i can distinguish what is _servile_ from civility." on their getting home, henry was put to bed, and william sat by him till it was time for him to return to the asylum; but never did he go towards it with such regret. to have remained with henry all night would have been the highest gratification he could at that time have had; however, he had the pleasure of leaving him _well_, in comparison to the state he had seen him in, and in the care of a kind friend: and with these thoughts, and the comparison of what his feelings would have been had he not discovered him as he did, he endeavoured to reconcile himself to returning. the next day he was afraid to ask leave to go out again, as it was not a holiday: but when he was at liberty, he narrowly watched the entrance into the yard, hoping that every person who came into it might be mr. beaufort, or some one from his house, from whom he could gain some information respecting henry. but, alas! no one arrived, and his anxiety increased as the day declined. at length he thought of sending a note to mr. beaufort, and getting one of the elder scholars to write it for him, he set forth, with the most affecting simplicity, his uneasiness at not hearing of henry; he begged his pardon for being thus troublesome; "but," continued he, "i do so want to know how master rawlinson is, that if you could tell me he was _well_, it seems as if i should want nothing else." mr. beaufort smiled at his expression; but he could not be angry, except with himself, that he had not thought of letting him know that his friend was recovering very fast; and the next morning henry was well enough to accompany him to the asylum, where william had the pleasure of once more beholding him, and _seeing_ him say he felt no ill effects from the accident that had so alarmed him. but the part which he had taken in it, and his letting mr. beaufort know into what hands he had fallen, was not easily erased from the mind of henry, and he expressed his sense of it in strong terms. "the asylum," said he, "has been an advantage to _me_, for if william had not been educated there, i should have had no one to speak for me when i was senseless, and no one would have known to whom i belonged." "did i not say, your beneficence would not go unrewarded?" said mr. beaufort, exultingly; "and if you never meet with a similar occurrence, _this_ has been sufficient to convince you that such a way of disposing of your money has not been useless." and _thus_, i hope, will some of my readers think, and, as far as is in their power, contribute their little share towards the support of such an institution. let them reflect, that though such a circumstance as i have described may never happen, yet the enabling these poor children to understand, and be understood; the relieving their parents from the anxiety they must feel on their account, while in the helpless state their misfortune places them in; as well as removing what they themselves would have felt, on being all their lives useless and a burden to others, are no mean advantages: and, to some minds, these would be more powerful inducements, than the chance of its being a benefit to themselves. on his return home, henry related this adventure to his old friend and nurse, mrs. goldsmith, with the most grateful sensations; who, in her turn, rejoiced that her son had been of such service to one whom she so loved. caroline received equal pleasure on hearing of her brother's escape; and from this time not only the annual gift of the young folk to the charity was increased, but that of their parents also. william was always considered as more peculiarly their charge, and each time he came home, while in the school, he was well clothed by mrs. rawlinson, in remembrance of the service he had done her son. all their interest was also exerted to get his sister lucy into the asylum, who, from the instructions he had given her when at home in the vacations, was much forwarder in her education when she went there, than he was; and at her return from it, she was able to get her living by needlework. most of her employment is in mrs. rawlinson's family, and those to whom she recommends her. william works as a journeyman cabinet-maker and upholsterer, having now perfectly learned the trade; and is enabled to add greatly to the comforts of his family, as well as procure for himself every necessary of life. jacob goodyer also set up the trade of shoe-making when he returned home, and, as his delighted father had said, was employed by the whole parish. these young men retain a particular friendship for each other; and no pleasing occurrence which happens to one, is half so gratifying, if not shared by the other. the part which they take in each other's feelings, can only be compared to that interest, which men, belonging to the same society, feel for each other in a distant country, where, though they may meet with attention and kindness from the inhabitants of it, they are still considered as strangers, and the union among themselves is strengthened by it. his youngest brother has a particular claim to william's attention; and mr. beaufort, who has by no means forsaken the family, promises to use his interest in assisting him, as he already has his brother and sister; but so many are the candidates on the list at present, whose circumstances are still more distressing[a], that unless the fund increases so as to admit a larger number, mrs. goldsmith herself can hardly wish his success, when she reflects what must be the feelings of many of those mothers, who have travelled more than once or twice to town with their children, and received the severe disappointment of their not being admitted from want of room. such, the author knows, has been the case of many; and again she recommends it to her readers to consider whether it is not in their power to add a small sum--if ever so little, _that_ willingly, and regularly bestowed, might at least save _one_ of these anxious mothers another disappointment. would every one who reads this book, but ask their acquaintance to join their little to their own, (supposing it was only what they would spend one morning in the week at the pastry-cook's,) this added together would make no inconsiderable sum in the list of donations; and a lasting benefit would accrue to their unfortunate fellow-creatures of the same age, and with the same feelings as themselves, and who, like them, have to pass through this world, perhaps to spend many years in it. but, alas! unless the advantage of this charity be extended to them, these years must be spent in sorrow, or unmeaning cheerfulness, and without the means of improvement, either to the mind or body. footnotes: [a] see the list at the end, copied from the account of this charity. extract from the account of the charity, in . "in order to acquaint the public with the unfortunate condition of these mute supplicants of benevolence, a few of the cases now in the asylum are subjoined. "catherine griffith, father an ironmonger, with nine children. "william jones, father a labourer, with four children; two deaf and dumb. "john clucas, mother a widow, with seven children. "ann byford, mother a widow and washerwoman, with three children; one a cripple. "thomas ryley, father a collier, with six children; two deaf and dumb. "thomas pricket, father a small farmer, with six children; two deaf and dumb. "elizabeth redhead, one of seven orphan children. "eliza hemsley, father a watch-maker, with six children. "ambrose davis, father a journeyman cotton-spinner, with eight children. "ann elizabeth caulfield, father a music engraver, with eight children; two deaf and dumb. "jane minter, father a baker, with six children; two deaf and dumb. "martha pearce, mother a poor spinner, with two children; both deaf and dumb. "elizabeth bright, father a lime-burner, with nine children. "william arnold, mother a widow in great poverty, with four children. "robert smith, parents poor, with three children; two deaf and dumb. "ann jones, father a poor carpenter, with two children; both deaf and dumb. "wharton rye, father a mariner, with two children; both deaf and dumb. "w. e. cherry, mother a widow, with five children; two deaf and dumb." darton, harvey, and co. printers, gracechurch-street. * * * * * * transcriber's note: every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as possible. the following is a list of changes made to the original. the first line is the original line, the second the corrected one. smiles once once more appeared in smiles once more appeared in pressing an invitation. the place so pressing an invitation. the place have, for him to go," said the kind-hearted-boy; have, for him to go," said the kind-hearted boy; speak at last?" well, if i lose some speak at last? well, if i lose some taken great care of of the young gentleman, taken great care of the young gentleman,