a handicraft occupation, or talents that might enable them to provide for themselves, and by exercise and manual labour, guard them against immorality originating in idleness; combining thus bodily and mental health. In France, the first essays for the education of the blind, were too intellectual; they were taught matter beyond their comprehension. M. Haüy gave to his pupils, by means of the touch, ideas, of which they were deprived by absence of light. He composed books and music, the letters and notes of which were raised; but this manner of acquiring knowledge was not equally well adapted to all minds, for the degree of intelligence was by no means equal; classes and categories, therefore, became necessary; manual occupations were given to the blind of inferior intellect, and the study of music, to those endowed with a more favourable organization. The boys were taught shoemaking, weaving, basket-making; the girls bobbin-making, fringe-making, and other simple and useful works. Various objections may be made to these trades, particularly those which necessitate constant repose, or too little exercise, or habitation in damp places; but the trades which necessitate most action are more advantageous. In the education of the blind, it must never be forgotten to place them in conditions favourable to the maintenance of health. The progress of mechanism has rendered the profits resulting resources. from manual labour so trifling for the blind, that music has become one of their most advantageous How much delight may not be derived from the cultivation of this talent! how greatly may not the mind be elevated! what harmony is not created for the lonely state of those deprived of sight! Who does not recollect the sublime inspirations of Beethoven? Was it not during his blindness, that Milton composed part of his harmonious and sublime verses? Music, and more especially sacred music, may become very useful and consolatory to the blind. The blind require bodily exercise, their minds must have repose from the fatigue of meditation and loneliness, to which they are condemned. And as of all gymnastic exercises, after walking, singing is one of the most salutary, different hours in the day should be allotted to vocal music. When the unhappy blind have attained the power of earning a livelihood, or by useful and pleasing occupations, are enabled to pass their time agreeably to themselves, their health improves, and a service is rendered to the state; for there is no country in which a number of individuals afflicted with blindness are not to be found. In 1819, in Austria alone, there were 36,000 born blind, or became so in infancy; and it is only since 1805, that an asylum for the blind, has been formed at Vienna, with a view to alleviate their unhappy lot, by communicating instruction, and making them useful to themselves, and to so ciety. Institutions of a similar nature, have been successively founded in England, in 1799-at St. Petersburg, in 1806; Berlin, in 1807; at Prague, in 1808-at Amsterdam, in 1809; at Dresden in 1810; at Zurich, in 1811. Thus, France, by its example, will have contributed to render to society, individuals who seemed separated from it by birth. But if blindness constitutes an incurable deformity, there are other defects of sight which may be cured by a good education; strabism, which has become habitual, and which originated in negligence or imitation, may be corrected. We are acquainted with several persons who were greatly disfigured by squinting, and we found it possible to effect a perfect cure, with little difficulty. Strabism may depend on a morbid state of the brain, or of the optical nerve, in which case, parents or governesses cannot correct this defect. Strabism may be the symptom of disease; if so, the disease must be treated to cure the strabism. CHAP. XV. On Stammering. STAMMERING is a greater or less difficulty in speaking; there there are various various descriptions of stammering; sometimes hesitation, repetition, or painful suspension of the faculty of articulation; occasionally there is no power of uttering either a syllable or a word. "Stammering," says Magendie, "may prove an infirmity much more painful than complete dumbness." It is when children begin to speak that a habit of stammering is contracted; and where no other cause can be assigned, it may occur from an inequality between the mental and physical powers -an incapacity to give utterance to the precocious development of the mind. In all cases, the first attempts to speak should rather be moderated than excited. Habit, and bad education, are among the number of causes of stammering, notwithstanding the opinion of Majendie, who attributes it principally to an instinct which makes man graceful or awkward, and gives intelligence or vacancy to the features; this instinct, presiding over the innumerable movements requisite to voice and speech, is but the natural constitution, offering irregular development of all parts of the body it must be remembered, that in the muscles which serve for articulation, some depend entirely on the will; others do not, or at least to a very trifling degree. Stammering mostly consists in the inequality of the power of the muscles, and is corrected by exercise and suitable positions given to the tongue. An American lady discovered the means of curing stammering. Becoming a widow at the age of six-and-thirty, she was kindly received in the family of Dr. Yates, where she met with the most disinterested friendship, and thought she could not better prove her gratitude than by seeking the means of curing one of the daughters of her benefactor, aged eighteen, who had a great impediment in her speech. For this purpose Mrs. Leigh read all the English authors who had treated this subject, but not finding the desired information, she confined herself to the observation of the infirmity. After many fruitless attempts she thought she had discovered the immediate cause of the impediment, and invented a system of exercises of the organs of speech, which was completely successful in effecting a radical cure. Mrs. Leigh observed, that when a person stammers, the tongue is placed in the lower part of the mouth instead of being applied to the palate, as with those who have a clear enunciation; she concluded that by advising the stammerer to |