Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-01-08

I HI, I'M, Dre-
conceived notions Dcscar,cs had given up his for
opinions; aud directing his Investigate ions to an
examination oil the organ Of Speech ITSELF and To-
It's signs this simple change in the Of observ-
ing put him tho track ola theory and in pos
session OF the mems lay which to mako admirable
discovery. .
Studying the instrument ofihe human voice, n. DO
Laorrc found that the physiological law its action
ruled that of its expression into uIculae sounds, OF
language; and that the law ofthe language was like
wise that which controlled its form i'll writing-eo,
sgain, the notifications of sound produced by tho vo-
cal instrument, limited TO nulnber in every spo-
ken llngunge-tIcsc notifications of sound are il
their turn represented by signs; the number and ar
rangemont OF which are likewise limited in every
written tongue. Possessing therefore, the law which
regulates the action OF the orga we possess that one
which prcsides the combination of sounds in the
language, ond also over the arrangement of the signs
used IN writing IL is this law which NJ. de i.aforre
has discovered aftcr ong Investigation and by means
oil powerful analysis. 81 summoned (llc says) Itc-
oiogy, Anatomy, and above ALL Physiology to- nv as
sstance. dare say, that they lave been, for my
study, pretty nearly what the Mathematics are to the
exact Sciences that IL, powerful auxiliary in tho
search alter truth and means of deducing from il
POSITIVE principles IL being true, that every where
man perceFeS ideas IN the uncr; and ns th.
transmission Of them from mind TO another either
lii words by writing, is effected by calling into nc
ton the vocal instrument, the ear, and the eyoarens
whose organization IS every where the same studied
the different modes of transmission without rcfrcnce
TO any particular language. From that ,noncnt,p,y
deductions became general, M laws applicable To ali
iitlOhs; thCir Simplest expression bPcatne
my method Kind OF algobraical form, whose terms
were ia vary according 10 the language to which they
would be applied without altering its nature by these
different applications"
7 NJ do lahore has then found mctho1 ocuniSers,l
appliance. In his eiuption OF il To the French Inn
gu'ge he has determined the various notifications Of
sound which arc employed in that lanCuage the order
IN which they Produced and tho sors or cttcr h.
whchthey arc representative hls fixed the value
aud power OF these signs, and gi,tl tho law rouula
ting their combination into syables By means OF
two small tables, NJ do Laorre teaches in a few
hours how TO know these signs how TO pronoinc,,
! tncr,--hnw to associate thGia. Syllablcs which in
ell the old systems, the despair of both teachers
and pupils on account of their nuinEerless variety to
be mastered only by lons; habit end which were re-
Tened by the memory alone no longer present any
dnhcuity by the assistance OF the new method II
give but law, CONTINUES III. dc i.aforre) whici,
belongs to the eye tor the division Of words into syl-
nbos but ono principle of reading applicable ro reno
: rat causes; Int rule for particular cases: and b
ono form for all syllabes. want no particular book
As soon as the signs are Known, any book can b.
" dc Y, discovered that there was moro order N
the physical composition osthe languages than in the
methodsb by which they taught; and by the dscov
cry OF this order, he has rendered his method as To-
glcal as tho language itself Physiology is indebe ed 70
him for now theory Of the vocal organ. Phlosophy
owes to him the discovery Of the intellectual laws OF
sounds applied to writing, and the art of teaching a
rnrfhod OF lncompnracie simplicity and usefulness.
This beautiful discovery brought by its author
To Paris IN the fthe last year. Ii was iu1roc
diaely submitted 70 the double test cf practical az
pertinent and thooreticaE demonstration. The trial
OF his method was made before committee of the So
cicty for the Improvement and promotion of Eemento
ry Instruction, upon child whom he taunht 70 read
IN the space of twenty-eiTht hours "This expert
Innnt to 10 the expression of the reporter as,o,
i5hcd the committee would have done phcnone
nal commemorative child read, after these few les,
sons all words taken at random ont OF any book nrc
scented 70 him." Mr.. Franceur, q Professor in the
faculty Of science, and the reporter Of the committee
10 whom NJ. de Laforre had communicated his theory
exposed rs character and the result ofte experiment.
To the socety declaring himself its advocate and nd
rnircr The author (says Mr. Franccur) mas intristed
TO me the secret of his procccdng-I saw thcin put
into practice under my own eyes and have at once.
The conviction OF HE success and the knowledge of Inc
means by which it is obtained" He then proposod "a
call tho new method, in compliment to its author
''Ihc Latorrean Method" The society pnproved
th7 conclusions of the reporter congratulate NJ de L.
/ upon his discovery, aud begged OF him to apply it
without further delay. "
~ de L. has obtained patent and ma dc his 1netbod
known to many persons, whom he has authorized to
use 1T III several or the provinces lie ACCOMPANIED
tlesc persons, to make public experiments in LYONS
! valencia, Msrseies TOuon, Turin, Nismcs Mont
peer, Agen, Sc. Every where the application pro-
we'd itself uAeXcep onable, and its wonderful effects
excited universal emf tsasm. Ofonc hundred pupils
OF all ages and condition chosen by the persons before
! Wnon the experiments were made, not one contra
dlccd The Success Of the new method; all learnt hos,
\ 10 read IN from nine 10 forty hours giving 4 AVERAGE
for the whole Of % hours. Mr. dc Iuforre avnIc
that an theological discovery Of such a nature was
calculated to strike the mind vet forcibv by t5
Application than by its result, he communicated It m
tho Faculty Of Medicine Of Montpelier, with view
TO obtain the assent and support OF that learned bo,,
The Professors of the faculty have expressed TO him
their great satisfaction in the following ferms-"Wo
have listened with the greatest interest," they saw to
INC theoretical exposition Of the method which you
have invencd-we have followed tho lessons ,ven nv
you to the puPls-we have been present at the exper
mcnt made with the greatest Success after few honrs
Of instruction. and upon children taken from the lower
g,aSses' ana VINO did not know single word of the
French language; we, in the first place sir offer Won
/ the expression of our unboundcd gratitude. Tho
readiness with which you have made us ACQUAINTED
with all the secrets Of your discovery makes il duty
Incumbent upon us 10 express our thanks-but we
must still further, sir express candid opinion With
respect to your brilliant discovery which will be an
epoch IN the history Of discoveries useful TO mankind
up 70 TINS moment the newest and easiest methods Of
reading hut combin of