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his system of instruction to them. It is then to him, that all the European deaf and dumb owe their present happiness.

"Soon after, and before his method might have attained the highest degree of perfection, of which it was susceptible, death, that cruel insatiable, which reaps all, without distinction of age, of sex, of condition, came and removed that excellent father from his grateful children. Affliction was in all hearts. Luckily, the abbe Sicard, who was chosen for his successor, caused their tears to cease. He was a man of profound knowledge, and of a mind very enterprising. He reviewed the abbe de l'Epee's method, made perfect what had been left to be devised, and had the glory of going beyond all the disciples of his predecessors. His present pupils are now worthy of him. The institution for the deaf and dumb, at Paris, has in view, not only to enable them to communicate their ideas, and to form their reason and understanding, but also to procure a subsistence for those among them who are in want of it.

"In going out of the asylum, the deaf and dumb of this description are all capable of following a profession or trade, or to fill up some employment which may ensure their maintenance.

"Their apprenticeship begins on their going into the asylum, and it terminated with their instruction. This apprenticeship takes place under the inspection of many masters, some of whom live in the town, and others of whom have their residence in the asylum, and receive their board and a salary.

"The deaf and dumb, who were formerly so unfortunate, are now the happiest in the world. Many are married, and have children, endowed with the faculties of all their senses, and who will be the comforters and protectors of their parents, in their old days. Many others are the instructors of their companions of misfortune. Many others are employed in the offices of the government, and other public administrations. Many others are good painters, sculptors, engravers, workers in mosaic, and printers. Some others, in fine, are merchants, and rule their affairs perfectly well.

Ladies and gentlemen, I have already given you an idea of the European deaf and dumb, and you can easily appreciate the extent of their private comfort and happiness. It is time to speak now of your own countrymen. I have had the pleasure to see some of them. Ah! how great is the difference between an educated and an uneducated deaf and dumb! Who can be indifferent about such a matter? Who can refuse his aid in extending the blessings of knowledge to those poor ignorants. They have no idea of things purely intellectual, and if, nevertheless, they say that there is one God in the Universe, I can assure you, that they do not know what he is, nor cannot conceive how it is possible he should be every where, and possessed of infinite wisdom, of unparalleled goodness, of undiminished mercifulness, of strict justice, of eternal truth, of extreme power, and of a facility to know our most secret thoughts! They cannot at all read the holy bible, which is the work of God, nor acquire the acquaintance of the reason why Jesus Christ has come here below, and of the conditions he has imposed upon us, to obtain a better happiness in the other world! They go to church without knowing how to pray to God. I should be able to tell you more, to show you how much they must be pitied; but it would abuse your patience to attend to us longer.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I beg leave to invite you to become their patrons. The first lesson we shall give them will have for its object the nomenclature of objects which fall under their senses. The second will tend to conduct them to the acquaintance of abstract ideas—the third to

speak to them of the Supreme Being, and of the design for which he has created them the fourth, to entertain them, by way of discourse, upon the obligations they will have towards their parents and benefactors-and the last lesson achieving their education, what pleasure will they not experience, in considering themselves different from what they were before! With what sensibility will they not learn the names of the authors of their happiness, with what eagerness will they not express their gratitude towards their neighbours; and what satisfaction would you not feel, ladies and gentlemen, in seeing the good you will have done! and in thinking that your reward will be in heaven! Who can assure you, that there will never be, sooner or later, some of those unfortunates among your own children, or among the children of your children? Then you would wish a school for their well being:-form it at present. Then you would wish their future felicity in heaven:-open to them the way of it at present. In fine, ladies and gentlemen, pray do at present the good you would desire, at some future time, to have done for your unfortunate countrymen. I shall often pray that your hearts may be opened in favour of humanity." The following resolutions were offered to the meeting, and unanimously adopted, viz.

Resolved, That the ladies and gentlemen present entertain an impressive and grateful sense of the benevolence which has induced Mr. Clerc to devote himself to the instruction of the deaf and dumb, in the United States, and tender to him their thanks, for the opportunity which he has kindly afforded them, of witness ing the efficacy of that system by which he has been instructed

Resolved, That this meeting consider it to be an important and interesting duty, to aid the exertions which are making for the education of the deaf and dumb in our country; and that a com mittec be appointed to select suitable persons, to wait upon the inhabitants of the city and districts, to receive contributions for this interesting object, &c. &c.

On communicating to Mr. Clerc the purport of the first resolution, he immediately wrote the following acknowledgment:"Ladies and Gentlemen,

"I am more sensible than I can express for your thanks, and I as sure you that nothing has given me more pleasure, in this city, than the opportunity of having been a witness of your good dispositions towards the deaf and dumb of your country, whoever they may be. I shall soon leave your city, with the satisfaction of having procured benefactors to those unfortunates."

A number of questions were proposed to Mr. Clerc, by the ladies and gentlemen present, in writing and by signs, which were answered by him in writing, with a promptitude rarely equalled by those possessing the full command of their speech. Among others were the following:

Q. By what means do you judge whether the operations of your mind are similar to those of persons who can hear and speak?

A. I can express my own ideas by writing, and as what I write is what you speak, I can judge that I possess the same faculties of the mind as you do.

Q. What are your ideas of music, and of sounds in general? A. I have no accurate idea of every thing that relates to the sense of hearing; but, if I may judge from what I have been told, and what I have read, I may say that music is a concert of various sounds, emanated either from the voice, or from some instrument, and which forms a most agreeable harmony for the persons endowed with the sense of hearing. Sound is the feeling of the organs of hearing, struck and moved by the agitation of clinking bodies, and which are causing an agreeable or disagreeable sensation on the ear.

Q. What is virtue?

A. Virtue, in its proper sense, is the efficiency, the vigour, the faculty, the power of acting, which exists in all natural bodies, according to their qualifications and properties.

In the figurative sense, virtue is the rectitude, the integrity, the disposition, the habit of the soul to do good, and to follow what divine and human laws, as well as reason, dictate.

Q. What is fear?

A. Fear is the state of a person, who is in a great emotion, occasioned by the presence of a danger, or by the imagination of its approaching.

Q. Are the deaf and dumb sensible of their misfortune, or do they think all others are in the same situation with themselves?

A. Those who know how to write, do not think they are unhappy; but those who are not instructed are sensible of their misfortune, and are often jealous of the happiness of their other companions.

Q. Have the deaf and dumb, before their instruction, any idea of a future state?

A. Those who have been educated have an idea of it; but those who have never been instructed, do not know what is a future state, and believe they die as animals die.

Specimen of the Sublime-Married, on Saturday last (says the Steubenville Western Herald, of June 10), by the reverend G. Buchanan, Dr. J. St. L. D'Happart, to Miss Polly Johnston, daughter of Thomas Johnston, plain and honest farmer, near Island creek, Jefferson county.

Yes; after sixteen long and long years of slavery,
With a beautiful face;

Disgrac❜d and ruin'd by her perfidious tricks;
Wandering, the heart sunk into sorrow,

Another home he has, and a more faithful companion

He hopes to possess!

Ah, may then his mind be restored

To the delights of peace,

And his last hours and days elapse,

Amidst the pure pleasures of a simple country life.

A copper mine has been discovered, on Beaver run, in Muncy township. Some of the ore has been taken to Fowler's furnace, and the metal separated, which is found to be equal to

two-fifths of the ore. The mine is very extensive, and has now fallen into the hands of a number of enterprising gentlemen, who will undoubtedly make it useful to the public. The earth in this neighbourhood appears to be filled with rich treasures. Two copper mines are within 20 miles of this place, and iron ore in great abundance.

DEFINITIONS OF HUMAN KNOWLEDGE.

The following passage was omitted in the review of the "Philosophical Essays," in our last. It should have been inserted at p. 505, immediately after the 6th line.

Before we copy Mr. Ogilvie's definitions, we shall barely remark, that he strongly reminds us, in this place, of another philosopher, who philosophized the honest vicar of Wakefield out of a horse, by his unintelligible jargon about "cosmogony."

"Our language, and of course our ideas, as they regard the philosophy of the human mind, will be more precise, if we consider whatever is known or knowable, as proceeding from our consciousness, first, of impressions from external objects, and secondly, of the internal energies that are called into action by these impressions.

"Viewed in this light, human knowledge, or, more properly, that sort of knowledge which we entitle science, may be defined 'the arrangement of the various subjects or modifications of consciousness, in the order of cause and effect: Or, a co-incidence betwixt the order, in which the various subjects and modifications of consciousness, is concatenated in the mind, and that in which the corresponding phenomena, are connected according to the relation of cause and effect; or, if precise co-incidence be impossible, in a constant approximation towards it, and in whatever is subsidiary to, such co-incidence or approximation.

"Or, perhaps, the following definition may be more precise and less obnoxious to misconception.

"A co-incidence between the association of ideas, and the order or sac⚫ession of events or phenomena, according to the relation of cause and effect, and in whatever is subsidiary, or necessary, to realize, approximate and extend such co-incidence: understanding by the relation of cause and effect, that order or succession, the discovery or development of which, empowers an intelligent being, by means of one event or phenomenon; or by a series of given events or phenomena, to anticipate the recurrence of another event or phenomenou, or of a required series of events or phenomena, and to summon them into existence, and employ their instrumentality, in the gratification of his wishes, or in the accomplishment of his purposes." pp. 34, 35, 36.

Indeed, indeed, Mr. Ogilvie, this will not do; "Sanconiathon," as the vicar's friend said, "Manetho, Berosus and O cellus Lucanus have all attempted it in vain."

THE PORT FOLIO,

FOR

FEBRUARY, 1817.

Embellished with a view of the Washington Hall, engraved by Strickland.

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AND IN LONDON,

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J. Maxwell, Printer.

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