VI. Additional Communications respecting the Blind and Deaf Boy, JAMES MITCHELL. BY JOHN GORDON, M. D. F. R. S.

EDIN.

By

Read Nov. 20. 1815.)

T Boy,

'HE following circumstances respecting the Blind and Deaf Boy, JAMES MITCHELL, have come to my knowledge since the publication of Professor STEWART'S Memoir; and I doubt not but the Society will think them worthy of being recorded. They are derived from the most accurate and authentic of all sources, the boy's sister, Miss MITCHELL.

In the month of April 1814, Mr PARKER, an English gentleman, (distinguished, as I have since learned, for his active benevolence,) did me the honour to wait upon me, to communicate a plan for the instruction of young MITCHELL, which had some time before occurred to him, and which he was very desirous should be put to the test of experiment. This method seemed in no respect inconsistent with those principles which in all circumstances appear to regulate the acquisition of language; and I therefore expressed my willingness, to promote, by every means in my power, the object which Mr PARKER had in view.

VOL. VIII. P. I.

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Mr PARKER, accordingly, took the trouble of getting an alphabet cut in wood; the letters of which were in relief, and in separate pieces, each about an inch long. He provided, also, two other alphabets, one of pasteboard, and the other of metal, with the letters of the same size, and detached, as in the former. These alphabets I transmitted to Miss MITCHELL on the 2d of June; informing her, at same time, of the purpose for which they were intended; and expressing my anxiety, that she would lose no time in giving the plan proposed a fair trial. Particular directions for the use of the alphabets were drawn up by Mr PARKER; and I took the liberty of adding only a few general hints; being well aware how unnecessary it was to go into the minutia, when addressing so judicious a preceptor.

The outline of the plan was simply this: The name of any familiar object being chosen, such as egg, bread, sugar, arm, &c., the letters forming the word were to be put together by Miss MITCHELL, exactly as they are arranged in print. MITCHELL was then to be made to touch, first the object, and then this word, in immediate succession, as often as possible; so as to form a close association in his mind, between the thing and its tangible name. It was left entirely to Miss MITCHELL'S judgment, to employ such means as she deemed best, for securing her brother's perseverance in the task for such a length of time, as might enable him to perceive its object: And in the event of this primary and fundamental step being gained, the experiment was to be prosecuted, according to similar principles.

The following is a copy of a letter which I received from Miss MITCHELL, dated Nairn, the 30th June.

"I have been from home during these last ten days, which has prevented my sooner acknowledging the receipt of your

favour of the 2d instant, accompanying a parcel from Mr PARKER, to whom we consider ourselves very much indebted for the interest he takes in my brother. Have the goodness to make offer of our warmest acknowledgements to him, and say that I shall, with much pleasure, avail myself of the liberty he allows me, of informing him of the progress made, in the plan he has so ably sketched for my brother's instruction, which I mean to attempt immediately, and shall not be easily discouraged by not succeeding at first. If I can once interest my brother, by affording him any gratification, in my communications by the means of letters, I shall have very great hopes of success. I shall first try the pasteboard letters, as I think them less likely to distract the attention than the wooden ones.

My brother was twice at Ardclach of late. The first time, he probably found his way there by chance, as he had not been at Ardclach before, since he came to reside at Nairn; but the second time, he must have gone intentionally, as there was only one day between the two visits. I have seen Mrs MACBEAN since these visits, and inquired particularly respecting his conduct. The first day, after having taken some refreshment, he went through the different apartments of the manse, examining, by touch, the furniture, &c. and seemed to miss a closetdoor, which had been shut up after we left the place. He did not betray any particular emotion, upon thus visiting, for the first time, a house which had been for so many years his home; but when he had satisfied his curiosity, seemed anxious to get and returned directly to Nairn. On the second visit, he found workmen employed in taking down the kitchen, (a part of the repair which the manse was then undergoing,) and after standing some time, evidently very much displeased at the work of destruction which was going forward, he came away in very bad humour, and could not be prevailed on to return and R 2

away,

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go into the house. He did not discover the least wish to visit the church-yard either time.

"I had an opportunity of observing his conduct with regard to a dead body very lately;-the body of an old gentleman, a near neighbour of ours, and one who had been very kind to him, frequently indulging him with a pipe and tobacco, his favourite gratification. I brought him to the room where the body was laid, and allowed him to feel it, which he did very willingly, not shrinking as upon a former occasion, but seemingly rather anxious to examine it. When he had done So, he stood for a few seconds, rather thoughtful; and this was followed by a smile, with, I thought, something of wildness in the expression of the countenance. He then came away very willingly with me, but not before he shewed that he recognised the person, and was sensible of the situation. This he did, by making his usual sign for smoking, and by putting his hand to the ground, his sign for interment. He discovered a wish to learn when the ceremony was to take place, (by a slight inclination of his head to one side,) which I endeavoured to inform him of; and he kept constantly in the way until it was over; frequently going to the apartment where the body was kept; but without discovering sorrow, further than now and then appearing rather thoughtful.

"These particulars are perhaps of little consequence; but from the great interest you have always taken in my brother, I think it right to mention them. And, with best respects, I am," &c.

The following letter, dated Nairn, 31st October 1814, is from Miss MITCHELL to Mr PARKER, and communicates the complete failure of her attempts to educate her brother by means of the tangible alphabet.