Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-10-31
MISCELLANEOUS.
From the Journal Of Education.
JULIA BRACE, THE DEAF, DUMB, AND
BLIND GIRL,


The privation of hearing and tho consequent
loss Of speech is felt to be of the greatest mis-
fortunes. few instances on record in which
the l.ssnsity rendered more distressing by the
loss OF sight apd tho taste, tho SMELL and the touch
were the only avenues of kno Wedge left A BEING
thus deprived of tho ordinary means of receiving
as well as of communicating ideas, is a highly in.
tcrestng subject of examination; and Mitchell, the
deaf and blind boy of Scotland, was conridered
worthy of careful observation by the celebrated
metaphyscian, Stewart. Another imperfect being
of tho sano kind, not less worthy of attention. is
julia Brace, who is now inmate of tho Ameri-
can Asylum, at Hartford in Connecticut.
She is the daughter of John and Rachel Brace,
natives of Hartford, and born in that towE
June ID, 1907. AT four years of age she was
seized with the Typhus Fever while on 4 visit at
Glastonbury, few miles from Hartford She was
taken sick on Monday evening, Nov. %, 1911,
and Oh Saturday morning following, she became
blind and deaf
Before her Hines, she had not only learned to
speak, but to repeat her letters and to spell words
of three or four syables; and for some time after
the loss OF her. sight and hesring, she fond of
taking book, and speiling words and the nam es
OF her acquaintance. She retained her speech
protty we'll for about year; but gradually lost it.
and seems now condemned to perpetual silence
For three years, she could still utter fow words
One of tho last of these was mother
Julia was at first unconscious of her MISFORTUNE
She seemed to imagine, that long night had come
upon the world. and ofton said, 1T will never be
day She would call upon the family 10 light
lamp and was inpatient at their seeming neglect
eyeq to give her an answer. At length in passing
q WIN dow, she felt Ehss sun shine warm upon her
hang she immediately hold out her hand, and point
cd with delight, TO indicate that the sur shlne-
From tho January after her illness until tho follow
ing August, she would sleep during the day, and
DO awake through the might and it was not until
Autumn, by taking great pains to keep her awake
curing tho day, that she set right. She is now
as regular in this respect othor persons + ron,
tho o1 ia
the return OF the Sabbath; and OH Sunday mornino
would get her own clean clothes and tn ose nf the
other children IF her mother was reading, she
would find book and ondea your to do So The
intervention OF day of fasting, or Thanksgiving
will confuse her reckoning even now; and some
time olapses before she gets right
Unable as sho was, to lift, penetrate the veil
OF darkness and silence which separated her from
the world, the prlvations she endured, without any
consciousness of tho cause might very naturolIv
| appear 20 her Ike cruel punishment, which those
around were intiicing. 1T was probably from some
ieeilg like this, that during the first winter or her
recovery she seemed irritable almost to madness
would exhibit the most violent passion and use
the NEST Profare language. The ne At 81. MINER she
became calmer and her mother could pogern her n
! come extent BY shaking her. and stamping on the
te noor IN sgi Of disapprobaton; and strokiDp or
PattIng her mead, when she conducted we'll She is
! now, habually mild, and obcdient, and affection.
Ete.
| During the first summer after her illness sho
~ "S very unwilling TO wear clothes, and would null
Them Oft violently. At length her mother took ono
OF her frocks, and tried it on her sister, with view
OF altering it for her. Julia had always been re-
markablc tor her sense of Justice If regard to pyo
PeTfy This seemed to be awakened; and she took
tho frock, and put it herself. After this. she
was willing TO wear clothes, and even cried for nc,c
ones She has ever since been fond of dress. At
nine years of age she was taught to sew and since
that time has learned to kut
julia is now 25 years ofage She has been residi,,
ior several yenrs in the american ASYLUM at U,ri
toFd where she is supported in part by the yolunt,
ry contributions of visitors and in part by her oyy
i@oors' IN sewing and knitting. A language ofpalno.
03e Sig"s was early established as means of com
municaton with her friends. This has been mich
improved by hsE intercourse with the doof and
dumb and * now sufficient for all aeeess1rv purno
Ses. 80 =. PH1I>"-
Ter countenancc she sits at work, cxb,b;ts tbs
strongest evidence of ~ active mind and feeI;ng
hcart, whn and thoughts and feelings sec,n 70 al
across IT, lIko the clouds in summer skv A.
ehode OF pcnsivcness will be followed 'by cloud n
sn@icty or gloom; peaceful lock will porbons
succoedaand rot unfrcqucntly, sG,fc lights nm bcr
countenancc, which seems to make ono FORGET bor
m'Sfortuncs But 10 ono has yet penetrated tho
darkness OF her prison house, or been able 10 f,d
AZ: a{onuc for intellectual or moral ljgbt H.
mind scepis. thus far, inaccessible 10 ali En-, 5.r
Maker ~ '''' '"' "e'