The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-05-12
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REMARKABLE HUMAN PHENOMENON.

The last report OF The Boston Asylum for The
Blind, gives IL large variety of intelligence con.
corning the progress of LAURA BRIDGMAN, the
little girl of whom our readers have heard some.
thing.-Besides being deaf aud dun, aud blind
she Is also deprived ofthe sense OF smell, and
enjoys taste but imperiec,ly-thc touch, alone
being the medium of communication between
her and the outer world 1t is gratifying to
know that careful observations continue to- b,
made with view of asccrtaining the order of
Developments, and the peculiar character of her
intellectual faculties. We quote the following
interesting statements:
The intellectual improvement OF this interes.
ing being, and the progress she has made in eX.
pressing her ideas, is uuly gratifying.
She uses the manual alphabet OF the deaf
mu'es, with great facility aud rapidly; she has
Increased her vocabulary so us TO comprehend
the names of all common objects.
She can count 10 high numbers; she can add
and subtract small numbers.
But the most gratifying requirement which
she has made, and the one which has given her
the most delight. is the power Of ,critjng legi-
bic hand, and expressing her thoughts upon pa.
per. She writes with Il pencil in Il grooyed line
and makes her letters clear and distinct.
She was sadly puzzled at first to know the
meaning of the process 10 which she was sub.
iec, bul when the idea dawned upon her mind,
Mat hy means of II she could convey intelligence
10 her mother, her delight was unboundeh. She
applied herself " ith great DILIGENCE and in 81
few months actually wrote IA legible letter to her
| mother; in which she conveyed infor utioIi
of her being we'll, and Of her coninghone IN
ten weeks.
She has improved very much in her personal
appearance, as well us in intellect-her counter
ance beams with intell;gence-she is always at
study, work or play--sle never ropnes, and
| most of the time is gay and irolicsome.
She is now very expert with her needle; she
knits very easily, and can make Irvine bags and
various fancy articles, very pret,ily. She is very
doce-hasn quick sense of propricjy-drcsses
| herself with great nentness, and is always cor.
rect in her department. In short, it would he
difficult 10 liud child in the possession of all
her senses, and the enjoyment Of the advantages
that wealth and parental love can be,tow, WHO
is more COncnied and cheerful, or to whom eX-
jstence seems greater blessing than it does 10
this bereaved creature for whom the sun has no
light, the air sound, aud the flowers no color
or smell.
No definite course Of instruction can he mark.
ed Cui; for ler inquiSitiveness is great, that
she is very much Disconnected if any question
which occurred to her, is deferred until the les.
son is over-it is deemed best to crafty her. If
her inquiry has amy bearing on the lesson; often
she lends her teacher far away from the objects
he commenced with.
In her eargerness to advance her knowledge
| OF words, aud TO communicate her ideas, she
coins words and is always guided by analogy.
Sometimes her process of tOOrd making is very
interesting; tor instance, after some time spent
in giving her an idea of the abstract meaning OF
alone, she seemed to obtain it, and understands
ing that being 10y ones SELF was TO be alone,or al
one. She was told to go TO her chamber, or
school, elsewhere, and IetlIrh alone, she did so;
bat soon after, wishing to 60 with one OF the
la
thus--Laura go al ttc0.
She has the same fondness for dress, for rib
bons, and for inery, as other girls of her age,
and proof that it arises from the same anna
bic desire Of pleasing others, it may he remarked
that whenever she has new bonnet, any
article of dress, she is particularly DESTROYS
of going 10 meeting, or TO go out with IT, Jt peo'
pie do not notice it, she directs their auen'
lion by placing their hand upon it.
She seems to have a PERCEPTION of character,
and to have no esteem Tor those who have little
int ect The following anecdote is significant
of her PERCEPTION of character, aud shows that
from her friends she requires something more
than good natured indulgence.
A new scholar entered the schoul--a little girl
about Laura S age. She was very helpless, and
Laura took great pride and pains in showing
her the way about the house, assisting her to
di ess and understand doing for her many things
W hch she could not do herself
in a few weeks it began TO be apparent even
to Latirn that the child was not only helpless,
bu, naturally very stupid, being almost nm idiot
Then Laura gave her up in despair and avoided
her and has ever since had an aversion to being
with her, passing 10y her as il in contempt, by
natural association Of ideas, she attributes TO
This child all those countless deeds which Mr.
.Nob3dv does in every house-ifa cllait Is bro
ken, or any thing misplaced, aud no one
knows who did it, Laura at once attributes 1t
to this child
With regard to the sense otto is very a.
cute even for blind person. 1t Is SHOWN re-
,norknblv in tbe readiness with which she dstin
cuisines persons; there are forty. inmates III the
fernaleswing, with all OF whom, of course, Laura
is acquainted, whenever she is walking through
the passage way, she perceives by the jar OF the
floor, or the agitation Of The air, that some one