he following extract from the correspondence of a deaf and dumb pupil with his teacher is a fair specimen of the natural condition of the deaf and dumb before receiving instruction:—
"Before I came to school I thought that the stars were placed in the firmament like grates of fire, and that the moon at night was like a great furnace of fire; I did not know how the stars and moon and heavens were made; but I supposed that the people, like us above the firmament, kindled the moon and stars; and I did not know whether the heavens was made by art or not. I thought the world little and round like a table, and was always intending to go to the end of it."
OBSERVATIONS OF DEAF & DUMB CHILDREN.
gentleman called to see some little deaf and dumb girls who had been present at a large meeting in aid of the Institution on the previous day, when the gentleman asked, "What did you think of the great meeting yesterday?" "I thought," replied a little girl of ten summers, "people would give great money for deaf and dumb school." To another little girl the question put was, "Did you observe any difference in the behaviour of the people present at the meeting?" "I saw some smile, and I believe some were fretting." "What do you think was the reason that some fretted?" "I thought they fretted about the deaf and dumb and about God."