remarkable phenomena of our nature, and the kindest dispensations of Providence, that the ambition of great minds has something in it to counteract these evils; that they have ever chiefly regarded the glory which should come after them; and derived their highest excitements from anticipating those praises which they well knew must never reach beyond "the warm precincts of the cheerful day."

Such ambition, however, is no ordinary passion. Something like it has, no doubt, often given a feverish dream to many a poet, who has soon been driven, "by the influence of a malignant star," to the ordinary day-light occupations of his fellow-mortals. And something very unlike it has made a thousand schemers believe that their inventions would bring them as near to the remotest posterity, as that of the immortal Galileo brought the heayens to the earth. The genuine passion of which we have been speaking, such as that of Bacon and Mansfield, has been known to few; and has always been allied to a lofty and a prophetic genius. But there have been many men of humble powers who, nevertheless, possessing talents so decidedly original as to lead them out of the common track, and such strong practical sense as would guide them in a route of useful discovery, and turn their observations to the best account, have been compelled, by the discouragements of indifference, prejudice, and interest, to abandon their pursuits. We have not time, nor does it come within the limits of our design, to inquire minutely into the causes which within a short time have, to a very extraordinary extent, increased the patronage of practical sense, and of useful labours. There are two, how ever, too remarkable to be overlooked. The boundaries of the republic of letters have recently been a good deal enlarged; the love of reading has grown upon the people through the medium of literature, a very considerable intercourse has been brought about between them and men of science, and thus, at least, everything new, which concerns the advancement of knowledge, or the substantial improvement of our condition, is subjected to general observation. Another, and perhaps the greatest which exists, is to be found in the formation of numerous societies for the promotion of almost every object of general utility. Among them will be immediately, recollected those for the encouragement of literature; Bible and Missionary Societies; those for the extension of the Lancastrian

Schools; and for the Abolition of the African Slave-trade.

Of all these, however, there has been none more interesting than those winch are renewing upon the earth, one of the most delightful scenes which distinguished the Saviour's advent; which are unstopping the ears of the deaf, and causing the tongue of the dumb to sing. The Report, of which we have prefixed the title, gives a brief history of the origin of the first institution for the Instruction of the Deaf and Dumb which our country has had the honour of founding. "About two years since," says the Report, “several persons met in this city (Hartford) and appointed a committee to solicit funds to enable Mr. Gallaudet to visit Europe, for the purpose of qualifying himself to become an instructor of the deaf and dumb. The generous promp titude with which means were furnished, put it in his power to embark soon after for England. Not meeting with a satis factory reception at the London Asylum, he went to Edinburgh. Here new obsta cles arose from an obligation which had, been imposed upon the institution in that city, not to instruct teachers in the art for a number of years; thus rendering unavailing the friendly desire of its benevolent instructor, and the kind wishes of its generous patron."

We very well know that almost all good things under the sun have their attendant evils; and that whenever the liberality of the government or of society has secured a proprietorship in inventions, it has too frequently been followed by those abuses which render monopoly odious. The policy of generally allow ing monopolies of this sort cannot be doubted, because they furnish stimulus and support to the most productive and most useful species of labour. But there are cases where the government should extend its patronage to invention or discovery without the permission of monopoly, and where society without forgetting the rewards which belong to the one, should deny all toleration to the other. That art, which, passing by the hopeless and appalling obstructions that occupied the principal avenue to the human mind, has been able to open a communication with it by a path of its own, ought to be considered sacred to humanity, and as the property of the human species. Besides, the inconsiderable improvements, which this art has received in England, could hardly be considered as giving a title to its exclusive use. We would not indulge any harshness upon a subject

which calls up so many emotions which forbid it, but we cannot entirely suppress the feelings of sorrow and disgust which we have felt at the narrowness of that jealous policy which shut its doors on this mission of mercy, as if it could coin the disappointed hopes, and the broken hearts of fathers, and mothers, of brothers and sisters.

But to go on with the report.-After these repeated disappointments and discouragements, in which, however, let us behold a providential hand, Mr. Gallaudet departed for Paris, where he met with a courteous and favourable reception from the Abbe Sicard, and soon commenced his course of lessons in the establishment over which that celebrated instructor presides. An arrangement made with Mr. Laurent Clerc, himself deaf and dumb, one of the professors in the institution of Paris, and well known in Europe as a most intelligent pupil of his illustrious master, enabled Mr. Gallaudet to return to his native country, with this valuable assistant, much sooner than had been expected.

"The establishment was opened on the 15th of April, and it already contains upwards of twenty pupils whose names are subjoined to this report."

There are probably many persons who will take some interest even in the slight account which our very limited observation will enable us to give of the principles of that wonderful system of education which is little less to its subjects than a new creation. Its immediate object is not so much to put the pupil in possession of the treasures of knowledge, as to give him the key by which they may be unlocked. We are very apt to confound these two things, because language is of no use but to express ideas, and we cannot be said to be acquainted with it but as we know the meaning of its words. It will be useful, however, to keep in view that the primary object in the institution of the deaf and dumb is to teach them language.

A perfect knowledge of the mode in which the deaf and dumb, or indeed any other persons, acquire a language would show us its complete analysis, and thereby explain to us the whole philosophy of grammar, and would also give us a pretty satisfactory account of the mode by which we acquire general ideas, and by which language has the power of communicating those which relate exclusively to the mind. In order to render the subject as simple as possible, let us first consider how those who have the sense of

We have got

hearing acquire language; and then let us see whether the process of teaching the deaf is not precisely the same in principle. The first words which children learn are the names of sensible objects; they then pass on to those which express qualities, relations, actions, and bodily sensa tions, and which in them are pretty much the same thing as those of the mind. The words expressing these ideas will be nouns, verbs and adjectives. All these ideas may be and are communicated by signs, or actions, or by reference to visible objects. Pronouns, participles, and adverbs are substantially the saine parts of speech with those first named. Conjunctions and prepositions whether they are or are not either verbs in disguise, or parts of verbs, or only signs of tenses and cases; being mere servants, are always known by their livery, or in plain language being used only to qualify, connect, diminish or enlarge, are easily taught by the same means which are employed to explain the more important members of a sentence. thus far in the progress of teaching language, and by the help of one word more besides those thus already acquired, for the purpose of expressing affirmation or negation, viz. is, we shall have made considerable progress in the acquisition of language. The idea conveyed by this word, whether expressed by letters or an arbitrary sign, would soon be acquired. Thus far we find no difficulties in our way. Let us now see how children acquire general ideas, and those which relate solely to the mind by means of language. As to the former, we know there are great names in support of the theory that they can only be acquired by language; but it is not necessary for us to examine that question. Let us consider the mode in which both these classes of ideas are acquired or communicated by language, in the order in which they are above stated. A single instance of the mode of acquiring each will suffice. A child pointing to a pigeon, inquires what it is, the answer is, a bird. His only idea thus far is that the pigeon which he sees is called a bird, he asks the same question with regard to a swallow, a robin. a wren, a humming-bird, and receives the same answer. He would now perhaps apply the generic term to all birds of the smaller class, but it would certainly evince a want of discrimination if he should apply the term to an Ostrich. It will be readily seen that a want of discrimination assists children in acquiring general ideas, and in every case they gain them at last

by a variety of applications of the same term. The facility of the acquisition will depend upon the frequency of the opportunities for noticing the various uses of the term. A child old enough to talk who should visit a museum could hardly avoid acquiring as correct an idea of the word "bird" as any philologist possesses. To communicate ideas which relate exclusively to the mind is more difficult, because there can be no direct reference to external objects. There can in the nature of things be but three modes by which these ideas can be communicated, by signs, by referring to external objects, or by words. It is by the latter mode, through the medium of analogy, that their communication is most frequently made, and with this we are now more particularly concerned. When we wish to express any passion, power, sentiment, or idea which relates to the mind, we resort to the name of some action which usually accompanies its exercise or expression; or to that of some sensible quality or circumstance, which we suppose possesses some analogy to the thing we wish to communicate. Hence it is that there are few, and we believe no words in any language, which, though now employed exclusively to express the operations of the mind, or ideas relating solely to it, were not originally derived in some way or other from objects of sense. This assertion will, probably, meet with a very plump denial from a great many of our readers, and they will be immediately satisfied of its inaccuracy by calling to mind a great many words which they cannot perceive to have had such an origin. The farther they examine, however, the easier they will find it to trace words to this source, and they will soon begin to suspect that the principal difficulty lies in their imperfect acquaintance with their language and its parent tongues. In a great majority of instances, words which are employed to express ideas relating to the mind, retain also their original use. We say hardness and tenderness of heart, vigour of mind, fertility of invention, richness of fancy, &c. We speak of force, power, purity, invention, grandeur, às qualities or attributes of mind. There is another class expressive of ideas purely intellectual, such as comparison, bringing together-imagination, from forming images -deliberation, from weighing, or putting in scales--sincerity, from sine cera, with out wax-openness, from intrusting a friend with a letter without putting a seal to it. Now as children advance in their progress of language from the names of

visible objects, qualities, and actions, to those which belong principally or exclusively to the mind, it seems evident that they can be made to understand the latter only by signs, or by the help of analogies drawn from sensible objects, or actions, in the manner which we have above stated. Some may suppose that these analogies must be principally concealed from those who do not understand the derivation or origin of the words whose meaning is to be learned. Nevertheless, they are explained to the learner by those who do understand them, by the aid of the same analogies which gave them birth, or by others which are similar.

There is a mode by which the meaning of words of the kind we are now considering is not unfrequently acquired, and perhaps, after we have made some progress in our education, more frequently than in any other way; which may seem to contradict our theory. By the frequent recurrence of the same words under different connexions, we ordinarily learn its meaning; and in much the same manner as that by which we acquire a knowledge of general terms. But it should be recollected, that we have an immense number of words differing only in very slight shades of thought-aud that in every instance of learning words in the way just stated, we do it by their resemblance to others which we have learned before, or by their standing in a connexion which suggests their meaning upon the principle above stated.

The instruction of the deaf and dumb proceeds upon the same general principles. As soon as they have learned to write the alphabet, they are taught to make the signs of visible objects, and to write down their names. Many of these signs are so simple and so expressive, that they are common to almost all the deaf and dumb. They are so prone, however, to derive their signs from accidental associations, and thus render their language worse than provincial, that the greatest judgment is required at the very beginning to abstract from their signs every thing accidental, and select those of the most general use-and the greatest patience is necessary in fixing in the memory of the pupils, such a multitude of fleeting images. From nouns, verbs, and adjectives, they proceed to the less important parts of speech by the same means. As signs are generally less definite than words, they proceed to the arquisition of general terms perhaps with more facility than we do. They have now arrived at that boundary which se

parates the world of sense from that of mind, and to the Abbé de l'Epée was reserved the immortal honour of conducting them beyond it. To him they owe it that they are brought within reach of the richest blessings and most exalted distinctions of their species. Indeed, we had almost said, that to him under God they owe it, that they even belong to that species, for any other purpose than that of exercising the most tender and painful interest.

We'think, after what we have already said, that our readers by pursuing the train of thought which we have merely suggested, will, without much farther assistance from us, learn how the education of the deaf and dumb is completed. In one respect their instruction is precisely similar to that of other persons. Signs are the only language addressed to infants, and we believe they afterwards acquire the meaning of a great many words by a reference to the actions which express the same ideas. The first object is to get the idea into the mind; when that is effected, it is as easy for the dumb to learn to express it by a sign, or by written characters, as for those who can speak to do it by a word. The difference is, that signs afford a much less convenient and more imperfect medium for the communication of ideas than words. There are many cases, however, where the expressions of passion and feeling by signs are so decidedly marked, that the general idea involved in them is immediately acquired and readily communicated. The language of signs is in many cases, too, more precise than that of words, which are often vague, they being used in a variety of senses. The dumb would learn much sooner to express with precision the fondness of the heart and that of the lips, by placing the hand on the one or the other, than a child with the sense of hearing would learn the various applications of that much honoured and much abused word, "love." Every idea which is communicated to a deaf and dumb person, must first be conveyed by signs as we have above remarked, there is no great difficulty in teaching him afterwards to express it by written words. If the idea be, purely intellectual, he must necessarily resort to those external objects and actions, which are supposed to hear some resemblance to the act of the mind, or the thought which he wishes to express. The specific difference between teaching these ideas to him and a person possessed of hearing, is, that the analogies supplied by signs are generally much

more vague and much more difficult to get at, than those expressed by words. And

W have but one remark more to make on this subject, and that is, that according to the present system of teaching the deaf and dumb, signs are not laid aside as we should suppose they would be, to-a considerable extent, after a pretty extensive acquaintance with language was acquired; but they express by signs every thing which we can by words-for, instance, the most difficult modes and tenses of verbs. We mention this to show that the business which the teachers undertake is a herculean task-one which requires a very long and patient training, and very high qualifications of character.

There is another inquiry connected with this very interesting subject, in which we hope our readers will be willing to join us. We most cordially invite to aecompany us all those whose partialities and prepossessions, if any they have, are of little weight when balanced against the paramount interests of the objects of this novel charity.

We are aware that it may be said, that there is no stinted field for this new intellectual culture-that there are scope and objects enough for the labours of the Institution at Hartford, and for one in this city or elsewhere in this state; that it would be wiser for the opulent and the liberal of this metropolis to reserve their patronage for objects more immediately within their sphere and under their inspection; and that there is no propriety in transferring to Connecticut the exclusive honour of an establishment supported in part, at least, by the munificence of New-York.

These suggestions are of a nature popular and seductive, and with many more of a similar kind will doubtless be urged by some with an honest conviction of their justice, by many from a narrow feeling of jealousy, and by the great number of objectors as the most plausible excuse for withholding their subscriptions. A superficial view of the subject might indeed lead to the result, that there are objects enough for two, or even more institutions of this description, and the multiplicity of them would only create a generous and beneficial emulation. The number of the deaf and dumb, in the state of Connecticut has, we believe, been ascertained with a considerable degree of accuracy, and found to amount to nearly one hundred. If the population of the state of Connecticut be supposed at present

to amount to three hundred thousand, that of the United States to 10,000,000, which cannot be far from the truth, it will follow, that if the state of Connecticut be in this respect a fair sample of the Union, the latter contains 5,533 of those unfortunate persons; and it will be argued, with great truth, that this is a number much too large for a single school, certainly, upon any plan at present proposed to the public. But it is to be remembered, that this is the total number throughout the Union, including persons of every description-the aged, infants, slaves, and persons in entire obscurity and extreme indigence, and the greater part of them at distances very remote from any one point of the Union. In Europe, we believe, that none except between the ages of eight, and thirty, are admitted to the schools, and certainly no great advantage could be proposed from the admission ́of others. This limitation would at once exclude more than one half of the total number. Of those which remain, all but a small proportion would be deprived by the single circumstance of poverty from participating in the benefits of this partial charity, for let it be remembered it is but partial. Public munificence hath not yet been such as to afford any prospect that the dispensers of this charity will be able to furnish to the pupils much, if any thing, in addition to the requisite buildings and instruction. All other expences must be defrayed by their friends; and it will be easy to perceive that the want of the preliminary means necessary to their removal to the place of instruction, will be an obstacle, and it is to be feared, in most instances, an insurmountable bar to those who do not reside in its vicinity. These considerations are prob bly enough to show, that in the present state of this country, and of the aids which can reasonably be anticipated for an object of this nature, a single institution will, at present, be sufficient to receive and disburse all the donations of public or private charity; they are certainly enough to convince every fair mind, that it would be unwise to erect two rival seminaries so nearly in the neighbourhood of each other, as Hartford and this city. Every effort should be exerted, not to divide, but to concentrate. One seminary will be able to employ all the accomplished teachers whom it will be possible to procure.

There is another consideration upon this subject which did not suggest itself to us in the proper place, and which seems nearly decisive. We have estimated the whole number of the deaf and dumb in the United States at 3,335, but

this is an entire generation. According to the common computation a generation lasts thirty years; and therefore if it be supposed that all who are now fit subjects of education have received the instruction designed to be bestowed upon them, it will follow that the new cases annually occurring will be but a thirtieth part of that number, or one hundred and eleven. For the reason we have already mentioned but a small proportion of even these would ever be presented to an institution, certainly not more than a single well endowed seminary would be able to receive.

But upon a subject of this nature if any analogous facts are to be found, they are to most minds more satisfactory than argument. Ifwe are correctly informed (and we derive our information from sources which we consider liable to no question) there are in England but two public schools of this description, one in London containing 200 pupils, and one in Birmingham of about 30. Besides these there are 2 private establishments, one in and one near the city of London, both of which do not instruct more than eighteen scholars. In Scotland there is a single establishment at Edinburgh of about 50 pupils. In France there are two principal schools, one at Paris of about 100, and one at Bourdeaux, the number of which we have not ascertained, but it is probably less. There are also four or five other establishments which in point of numbers are comparatively inconsiderable.

We do hope that upon a subject of this sort we shall hear of no narrow local jealousies. If there must be rivalry, let it be a generous emulation who shall extend most widely the sphere of this beneficence, and not a petty wrangle as to the place of its local application. New-York already so proud and rich in her institutions can afford to yield something to less favoured cities. Let us imitate, nay, let us surpass the liberality of the citizens of Albany, Salem, and Boston. They did not, withhold their charity because the institution was not at their own doors. The city of Hartford has acquired a fair preference by the priority of the exertions of her citizens. Let us aid and not thwart them in this good work. We have enough other titles to distinction. Magnanimity is the part of greatness.

We regret very much that our limits forbid our domg justice to the well written and highly interesting sermon of Mr. Gallaudet, preached at the opening of the Asylum. We wish for the honour of the country, that more of our sermenizers