*** THE Author begs to thank the following, and all others who have kindly consented to take copies of the work :-Lord Ebury; the Archbishop of Canterbury; the Bishops of Lichfield, London, Bath and Wells, Chichester, Oxford, Ripon, Lincoln, and St. David's; the Duke of Devonshire; the Duke of Marlborough; the Earl of Shaftesbury; Sir George Barrow; the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P.; Harvey Lewis, Esq., M.P.; Archdeacon Hale; the Rev. Canon Champneys; the Rev. Professor Plumptre; the Principals of the Institutions for the Deaf and Dumb at Brighton, Liverpool, Llandaff, Newcastle-onTyne, etc.

JUDD AND GLASS, PRINTERS, 78, 79, & 80, FLEET STREET, EC.

PREFACE.

"I

a

It is well known and much regretted by teachers of the deaf and dumb, that there is a great want of correct knowledge respecting the affliction of deafness, particularly as regards its fearful consequences. Very few persons, even among the thoughtful and intelligent, are fully acquainted with the natural and moral state of the deaf and dumb, the constitution of their minds, the peculiar means employed in their education, and the nature of their employments in after life. The consequences of deafness are continually confounded with those of blindness, for want merely of a little careful consideration of the palpable and essential difference between them. Such remarks as the following are commonly made by persons in speaking of the deaf and dumb : "They read by the system of raised letters, do they not? was passing such a place, and I heard one reading the Bible." "Are not some of them excellent musicians?" Now moment's reflection would convince any one that the raised letters are made to be felt, and are therefore not required by the deaf and dumb, who can see, and it ought to strike every observer that oral reading is a peculiarly unnatural proceeding for a dumb man. Again, it would occur after a moment's thought that hearing is necessary for proficiency in music. These mistakes arise from the want of a correct understanding of the difference between the consequences of the two deprivations. People have heard of institutions for afflicted persons, where they are taught to read by means of raised letters-where they are also taught music; and they often attribute the acquisition of these accomplishments indiscriminately to the blind and the deaf and dumb, though there is no ground whatever for any rational comparison between them. Another mistake is to regard the deaf and dumb as little, if at all, better than idiots; but more on this point need not be said here, as it has been fully dwelt upon in the body of the work.

These misapprehensions concerning the deaf and dumb, coupled with the apparent mysteriousness which is attached to

the mode of their instruction, show how necessary it is that correct information on the subject should be diffused as widely as possible, that the consequences of this deprivation may be better understood and realized, and that the benevolent projects established for the welfare of this afflicted class, whom God has committed to our care, may receive the full benefit of an enlightened sympathy.

To assist in the diffusion of this knowledge, and to increase the fund now accumulating for the erection of a church for the deaf and dumb, I prepared a few years ago a lecture on the subject, which was delivered several times, both in London and the country; but being much engaged in practical work, and having little opportunity for delivering lectures, I have thought it desirable to re-cast the materials into their present form. Lectures may possibly be thought more interesting, as they were illustrated with specimens of the finger and sign-language, but as the book will be more permanent, so I hope it will be also more beneficial.

The materials for the work have been gathered from nearly twenty years' practical experience amongst the deaf and dumb, both children and adults. I am also indebted to many of the best writers on the subject, British, American, and French, some of whom I have freely quoted. But the present work differs from all its predecessors, inasmuch as it does not enter into the history of deaf-mute instruction, nor give any statistical details of the numbers and proportion of those thus afflicted; nor does it profess to be a complete treatise on the subject. Its chief design is to diffuse as widely as possible as much general information respecting the deaf and dumb as shall correct the erroneous ideas now in existence, and cause their actual state to be known. With this view it is issued in a cheap form, adapted to popular reading; and it contains much interesting matter on the method and progress of the instruction and social life of the deaf and dumb, which has not (to my knowledge) appeared in any previous work.

May God be graciously pleased by its means to increase the friends and promote the best interests of the deaf and dumb. SAMUEL SMITH.

ASSOCIATION IN AID OF THE DEAF AND DUMB,

309, REGENT-STREET, LONDON.