Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-10-28
From the New York Observer.
SENSlBlLITY OF THE DEAF AND DIMB.

| "'ADAMhA VA AAE DEAF AMI
Visiting the Deaf and Dumb Asylum in th
city OF New DIRK, few days since, me
with an instance of the ready and. sensitiv,
appreciation of ideas conveyed by signs, tina
ueiighted me more than any exhibition of tn,
aesi nutes that had ever seen. Quitea mum
per OF ladies and gentlemen were present dur
ing the examination of class, that had beer
under instruction but single year. The
class was composed of males and females o
various ages; including two or three young
iadies OF about seventeen, ofprepossessing APP
Pearance; their intelligent, happy faces rem
dering it difficult to believe that the uoice OF
gladness had never broken in upon the ST.
lence of their souls
A young man, one of the pupils, was on
the floor, and after having given an exhibition,
by signs, of various emotions, as are, fear.
haired, admiration, he was desired by one of
the company to illustrate lope.-As he pro-
ceeded to express by gesticulation, the man
ner OF one who wished to make himself agree
able to female friend, which he did with
gracefulness and skill, l turned to look at one
oil the young ladies in the class, to watch the
effect of the exhibition upon her mind As |
turned, caught her eye. She was evidently
all alive TO the sentiment of the exhibition
Aoashed at being detected in her conscious
enjoyment of the thoughs she blushed deeply,
and quietly moped her scat, so as to be no
longer IN sight. In the expression of her
sweet lace, In the delicate blush that man,led
her cheek, Ill the half rogueish, but happy
smiles that played on her lips, and in the re-
movai OF her seat as if she were ashamed to
De detected IN her confessed enjoyment of
such scene, there was all the evidence of
the perfect conception of the idea, and the
proper appreciation of the delcacy of mind
becoming young and lovely girl, that could
nave marked the department of the most re-
hned OF her sex, to whom all the inlets of in
telligence were free
Call 1t weakness or foolshness to be pleas
ed with such an exhibition of the power of the
deal and dumb to enter into the iveiest and
tenderest emotions of the human heart; bnt
was just SO weak and foolish that as this
timid girl stole out of sight, mist gathered
over my eyes, and found them filling with
tears. What would not have given for the
power to pour upon her hearing ear the sound
OF voice of love; and then to unloose her
tongue, and listen TO the music that would
come back, when the cords of her hearts harp
were touched 1t may be that the loss of
these outward, (and, may say, grosser) SEN
ses, is more than made up by an exquisite SEN
sibillty OF soul that anticipates and exceeds the
expression of sounds that takes an impress
deep and precious and pure from tile faintest
CLEAN of thought that kindles in the eve, or
plays on the face Of a friend; and thus i'm the
quill, O ! h~" stilI nhon,hnrs- Of ,h".--.....-
spirit, there may be bliss that zoe never feel.
And then thought that the time is coming
when those ears may be opened and the full
tide of heavens own music poured in; when
those lips will be unsealed, and break forth
into singing before the throne, with exceeding
Joy. 1t is love that makes heaven; and this
spirit, now refined NAV be purified by
grace, and love like an angel, and bask in the
radiant sunshine of it's Redeemer's smiles
1t shall hear of love. 1t shall speak of love
Every sense shall be tempered with ETHEREAL
| fire, and made exquisitely alive to Joy and
every nerve become a string, which the air of
heaven shall move to melody, so sweet that
saints and angels, and He who made that harp
shall listen with rapture forever.
There were other pleasing indications of
sensitiveness in the class, butnone that touch
ed me tenderly this. Mrs. Thurston,
the female missionary from the Sandwich ISL
ands, was of the party; and as the teacher
SigniGcd the distance which she had travelled
in coming to them, over the mighty deep, as
constituent filled their minds. One of them
pointed 10 ner weeds OF mourning, and asked
why she was thus clad, and when the story
of the slaughter Of the isles" who died jus,
as we welcomed her here and learned to love
her, was told, their countenances fell,and sad
ness sat on them, and the big tear told, louder
than words, that the deafand dumb can feel rol
others woes.
When the teacher conveyed to them the
thought that at the Sandwich Islands, wher
Mrs. I. went there, the poor natives had ne
Bibles, one of the pupils, a lad oftwelve, step
ped to his desk, and taking out his Bible helc
it up with a smile of Joyful gratitude that he
though speech and hearing were denied him
was more blessed that they.
, Ii was mournfully sweet to hold commun
ion with these sons and daughters of aillic
ton, and we came away almost doubtn,
. which found The highest happiness, these pu
. pills who drink in like water the thoughts tina
signs convey; or these teachers who hav
= triumphed over untold difficulties, and are a
II BILE to offer these thirsty spirits, even the wa
" ter of eternal life.