Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1848-11-18

and ELL Intellectual communication with her fellow
creatures This was all accomplished, OF course,
,brorrh the medium of the sense of touch and il
was not orlv achieved in her own case, but we find,
IN recent number of Boston periodical, an en-
craving representing LAURA BRlDGMAN engaged in
the still more surprising task of teaching another
unhappy being like herself IA youth named Oliver
CAswELL, also deaf, dumb, and blind) 10 read.
brief narrative Of what have referred TO above Is
contained in the Periodical, and copy il for the
Qualification and admiration of our readers.
From the Prisoners Friend monthly magazine de-
rofed 10 Criminal Reform, Ploophy, Literature, DC,
edited ty the Rec. CHARtFs SPEAR, at Boston.
LAURA BRIDGMAN.
. ..s ny mrs. E. FAnSHAH
II is always interesting TO witness The triumph oil humhh
affection and pfrmiy Obstacles AMI more especially
when these are exercised t. aid the development OF the noos
and most podke Of the atbues OF humsnity Hence The
admiration snI pleasure that thrill when contemplate
the abos Of any who have sought successfully to make ndi-
viuas Or communities pu-er, nober, greater than they
were In this all periods in the existence OF man. when
his value is rekonl by his capacity Of creating, developing,
m ep,yng oo9 they are Justly rcckoned most worthy of adj
raon whose presence among AMI whose deeds TO-
warts them are most purely contrbuvc TO these ends
The destructive man longer the hero of the world or
a. best the applause he receives seems bt faint echo borne
down the ages that have diminished his stature Oar hero
j. the advocate Of good the worker OF it De who enghtens
the Ignorant ennoes the degraded and in all his ways and
works raises the type humanity and assimIate II 10 tnato
the heavenly The growing tendency thus TO estimate man
Is daily ying the words that the high shall be brought low
and the humble exalted We begin to Ead our nobility
among the dces good deeds the patient workers for the
happiness Of man and feel that somewhat less OF enthu
siasm and praise and shouting tie old umeaye, and III
the later .oo-would nave ho!e justly fe"oeu TAG ah
Of blocd aud conquest
Now we care less to know what countries he's
cuered or how many millions OF people be had oppressed
than how much love- fatbulness patience, and integrity he
has shown in enabling some less favored brother aPpehend
the truths apparent his acute understanding to become
ACQUAINTED with the facts which delight his mind aud 10 GENE
nearer point where he views God and his works The
great man Of this is he wE0 would make his Drethren
Greater no, he who would degrade Them 10 the contrast
thus created The nohe achievements now are those which
place mind the highest and cearcst relations 10 TRUTH and
knde daIkened recesses the light which Goa Inehced
should ultimately illuminate them
The education OF the unfortunate beings who here rep
resented The giving The other receiving instruction.
Is one Of these Iaite-day achievements and more difficult
vii! Try the ingenuity OF man. Laura DslDG-
Max was brought this institution eleven years ago. she
was then eight wears age, when Dr. HOWE took her IN
charge for the purpose of attempting the education oil her
mind.
interesting conuon arc progress. The qus
on j. often asked how coud the language be taught
herl Tase DR.. Howc's answer
There was one of two ways 70 I've adopted either to 20 on
and build Up language Of sgps tie as Of the natural
Language which she had already herself commenced -
teach her the purely arbitrary language that
IS give Der knowledge e letters, ~ the combination Of
which she might express her idea 81 the existence, aud the
mode anil condoa II existence 81 any hing The 70
would have easy but very Intellectual the latter seemed
very diui b0 If accomplished very tiiecda de,erm!a.
e., therefore, to Try The iat ~
TIE first experiments were made by lsug articles com
use suc. as knives, forks spoons Seys, g., nnj past
M upon them Labels WITH t2eir printed raised let
These she r Of very carefully, and so, Of coUrse
distinguished the crooked lines yOoD differed much
ION aa crooked lines 3, as the spoon differed from the
key in form.
Hitherto the process had been mechanical aud , success
out great teachirs very knowing aog variety Of
tricks The poor rhd bad sat In mu'c amaEeren aud "a
teudy initiated every thing hsI teacher did but the truth
began fash UPON her intellect began work sic
perceived that here = by which she could berelf
make up Ea Of any tia- that in her own mind and
show il her Mind aud her couneuanco lighted
up with human expression u longer dog or par.
ro-t was i1nJHal fPfi, eagerly s.zug upon a new
lIuk Of u,ion with other spirits could almost upon the
moment when this truth Gswne6 upon hsr mind and ,presI
iis light to Der coun,cnance bat the great ob.,a-
cie overcome and that henceoaj nothing patient
aid pcr,syerhg, though pain and straightforward eJrs were
g. BE used.
The result thus far, is quickly related al easily con-
oeytd; but not iho process Tor nauy Werks "
parer,y Improbable labor passed before ,.csd
Nhen il said above that sign made, was in
tended say that the performed by her teacher
she feeling his hands, and initiating tbe motion.
The next step % procure sci Of metal y pes, with the
diff letters Of tie alphabet upon their ends also
board which square holes into which she could
she types, thai only he letters their ends could be e
above the suriace.
Then, any article bcing handed 10 her-fo instance
pencil wsichshe would select the component letters
arrange them board, and read with apparent
pleasure.
she exercised f several weeks IN the way until Der
vocabulary became and then the im. urtant step
u teaching her represent different let.
ier Ivy the position u her fingers instead Of cuBTous
apparatus Of the board ard types She accomplished the
speedily and easily, tor her Iaee had hegun vok and
Of her teacher, and her progress rapid.
This the eoj about three months aer she bad c5rn.
DeBcc that the r., report Of her made IN whh
s stated that I" SIZE just edfned The manual slphsgt
used by the deal mItc aHd L Is subject d delight sgd
wonder how rady sciy, and eagerly she goes o
with Der abors Her eacher gives her new ohecfor in
stance pencrst lets her IT, and eet en- idea OF
it, use then teaches her how spell by making the signs
fr the letters with her fingers the child grasps his hand
and feels Of his flge the different are lomed She
turns her head little SIDE, like yerson listening close
Iy her lips apart she scarcely 10 breathe and
her countoDance first anxious gradually changes 20
smile soprebeuds the lesson. Sue holds up her
tiny fingers aid SPELLS the word the manual alphabet
she takes her types and srauges Der letters and s
make hst she gh she takes the whole the types
composing word and places upon in contact VITA
The unFrl r,YI,.sn apftfa trnay hp