Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-06-12
IS THERE THOUGHT WITHOUT LANGUAGE -?

Is THERE THOUGHT WITHOUT LANGUAGE ?
The Narrative of a Deaf Mute.
| HIS FIRST THOUGHTS AND HxPERrRNcRs
AT the meeting OF the Anthropoligical Society
held at the Smithsonian Institution on Tues
day, list inst, Professor Samuel Porter, of the
National Deaf Mute College, at Kendall Green,
read very interesting paper entitled, "Is There
Thought Without Language? Case of Deaf
Mute" After quoting Darwin, Max Muller and
form OF mental action which distinguishes them
from the brutes, Prof. Porter comments on their
views and cites Archbishop Whateley as saying
"a deaf mute before he has been taught lam
guage-either the finger language or reading
cannot carry on train Of reasoning any more
than brute until he is In possession Of
importance OF an accurate ascerta1nment of
the facts concerning the mind Of the uninstruc-
ted aeaI mute, Prof Porter says is sufficiently
Vile Ballard, teacher at the Columbia Inst.
tute, and graduate OF the National Deaf Mute
C.llege as throwing light on the inquiry:
| DEAF MUTEs FIRST IDEAS.
munlcated with his parents and brothers by
natural signs or pantomime. His father believ-
Ing that observation would help to develop his
I
t'nues that 1t was during ride two or three
years before he was initiated into the rudi-
lnents OF written language that he began to ask
| btino'" and his curiosity was awakened as to
what was the origin Of human life, its first ap-
peaIance, the cause of the existence OF
seeing large stump he asked himself the Ques-
ton: us it possible that the first man that
ever came into the world rose out of that
stump? But that stump is only remnant OF a
once magnificent tree, and how came that tree?
| Why, 1t came only by beginning to grow out of
the ground just like these little trees now COM
| absurd the connection between the origin of
| man and decay1ng old stump. He had no
Idea OF what suggested to him the question
| as to
THE ORIGIN OF THINGS.
but he had gained ideas OF the descent from
parent to child of the propagation of AMI
| The question that occurred to his mind was
whence came the first man, the first animal
and the nrst plant at the remoteSt distance OF
time, when there was no man, no animal, no
| plant; since he knew all had beginning and
an end. He thought most upon man and the
earth, and believed that man would be ann1h1-
grave. 1t was when he was five years old that
ne began to understand the descent from pa
rent TO child and the propagation of animals;
and he was about eight or nine years old when
he began TO ask as to the origin of the universe
OF THE FORM OF THE EARTH
ne lnlered from look at map OF the two hem
matter lying near each other; that the sun and
moon were two round fiat plates OF illumna-
ting matter, for which he entertained sort of
reverence, and thought from their coming up
and going down that there must be a certain
something having power to govern their
course, he believed the sun went into hole
at the west and came out at another at the east
travelling through great tube in the earth. de.
scending the same curve as 1t tthe sun) seemed
to describe In the sky. The stars seemed to be
tiny lights studded in the sky. BE relates
how vainly he endeavored to comprehend this
subject until he came to school, at II years of
age. Before this he had been told by his mother
that there was
MYSTERIOUS BEING Up IN THE SKY.
out when she could not answer his questions he
gave it up in despair, feeling sorrowful that he
could not obtain definite Idea of the mystic
his admission Into the school for deaf mutes. he
learned few sentences every Sunday, and
though ne studied these simple words, he never
chapel services, but they were almost unintelli
gible. owing to his imperfect knowledge of the
sign language as employed In the Institution.
containing series OF questions and answers
He was now able to understand the sign Ian
guage employed by his instructors. 1t may be
said that bis inquir1ng disposition ought to have
been satisfied. 1t was not so: for when he had
learned of the creation of the universe by the
one great ruling Spirit, he began to ask himself,
whence came the Creator? and set himself to
inquiring after his nature and origin. While
he revolved this question he asked himself
shall we ever know the nature of God and
comprehend His inflnity after we enter His
kingdom?" and would it not be better for us to
say with the patriarch OF old, "Canst thou by
searching find out God?'
PROF. PORTER DISCUSSES THIS CASE
and notes that bruteS may understand some
words, tell some objects from others, &C. he
says: ALLOWING to the bruteS the utmost that
can be claimed for then, is it not still plain that
man mas faculties which we cannot conceive as
developed out of or as simply exaltations In de-
gree OF anything that he possesses In common
Win Il ane re- lower se,, animals an Whatever
impressions are produced or In the structure of
the organs, and whatever may be the depend
ance upon organic acion-that is to say how
sensations or perceptions those OF the eye are
different in themselves and imply a Special
GIT or power not implied In those
thus with the acts of the reason as compared
with the working of the lower faculties. +.
That the two have some elements In common
the same order or render it possible for one to
be developed out of the other. And IL the eve
OF the soul, the higher reason, by which we
In upon itself and clearly discern It's own Nature
and processes, we ought not therefore forgetting
what II does, to deny its essential superiority
and TO asslmilate It to those lower and suosl-
duary faculties which we can bring under its
scrutiny. That by which we understand
all things must be essentially superior to
anything else that is understood by 1t.
In rank above all other creatures on this globe
OF the earth, 1t cannot be well for him to re-
n0unce, dtsown or barter away his birthright.
Would not q true science that should comDre-
hend all the phenomena, and all the facts. be
able to characterize man by some other works
Than as the two-handed variety OF the prI-
mateS?'
THE SIGN LANGUAGE.
one or the most Interesting features OF this
meeting was Mr.. Ballard by signs explaining
how his mother informed him that he was
going a long way to school, where he would
read from book write and fold letter and
send 1t to her, &c, and also by pantomime. re.
citing how hunter after killing a squirrel
accidentally Shot and killed himself Mr.. BIS
signs and gestures with the expression of the
eyes and face, ed his meaning perfectly
to the audience, and, in the words of member
the expression OF the eye was language, which
could not be misunderstood.
WE'RE ILL HONEST.
We are all honett-oh, of course;
VI mis- remark Boggs shows the force
whence he swaps mule or horse
You know him.
Old Blcdger, ere the prices drop,
Brings into town his apple crop
Vhe biggest app es on the top.
That's proper.
The maroon feel3no rafhar l,,,,o