Printing for the Blind.-It was not long after Haüy commenced the instruction of his blind pupils, that he became convinced of the necessity of devising some mode of printing by which touch might supply the place of sight to the reader; and, after revolving several plans in his mind, accident finally suggested the best method. Sending his pupil, Lesueur, to his desk one day, for some article, the young man found there a printed card of invitation, which had received an unusually strong impression; passing his fingers over the back of the paper, he distinguished the letter O, and brought the paper to Hauy to show him that he could do so. The philanthropist saw, at a glance, that the principle of printing for the blind was discovered, and that it was only necessary to perfect the process. He experimented for a long time on the form of letter best adapted to be read by touch, and finally adopted the Illyrian, which, from the square form of the letters, seemed to offer more distinct points of recognition than any other. But, unfortunately, his letters were too large, and the embossing so imperfect as to make it difficult for those whose tactile sensibility was too defective to read them. His successor, Dr. Guillié, adopted a different form of letter in the place of the Illyrian, and boasted greatly of the perfection of his type; but the 22 volumes published by him were found illegible by the blind, and were mostly sold to the shops for refuse paper. Dr. Pignier, who succeeded him, probably introduced the script letter, which, with some modifications to promote greater sharpness of embossing, is still used on the continent, at Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Pesth, Amsterdam, and St. Petersburg, in all of which cities printing for the blind has been executed. In England, Mr. James Gall, principal of the Edinburgh institution for the blind, commenced, in 1826, a series of experiments with a great variety of alphabets, with a view of ascertaining which was best adapted to the purposes of the blind. The alphabet upon which he finally fixed is known as Gall's triangular alphabet. He published several small books in it, but repeatedly modified its form, till at last it approximated to the Roman alphabet. These books have never come into general use among the blind, although quite legible. They were printed in 1832, and the 5 following years. A more popular and attractive form of letter was adopted, nearly simultaneously, in Great Britain and in the United States. It is known in the former country as Alston's, and in the latter as the Philadelphia letter. It is the Roman capitals, with a light sharp face, and deprived or the serifs or hair lines, forming a type analogous to that known among type-founders and printers as sans-serif. Dr. Fry is said to have been the first to suggest its use in England, and Mr. Friedlander, the founder of the Philadelphia school for the blind, had, at a period somewhat earlier, adopted it here. Dr. Russ, the founder of the New York institution, devised a phonetic alphabet in 1833, which possessed considerable

merit, but did not come into use to any great extent. The alphabet for the blind, which is most generally used in Great Britain and America, is the Boston letter, invented and perfected by Dr. S. G. Howe, the founder of the Perkins institution for the blind. Its peculiarities, which it would be easier to distinguish than to describe, are, the angular form of the letters; the rigid adherence to what printers call the lower case letters; the marked distinction between those which are ordinarily most nearly alike in form; its compactness, and the sharpness and perfection of the embossing. On account of these qualities, which rendered it more easily legible by the blind than any other, and reduced the cost of printing, the jury on printing, at the London crystal palace exhibition, gave it the preference over the other styles of type for the blind. The number of books in this letter is much greater than in any other.-We have already adverted to Dr. Russ's invention of a phonetic alphabet; the introduction of arbitrary characters has been repeatedly attempted in printing for the blind, and with all the advantages of large funds to prosecute the work, but it has proved practically a failure, because the blind have found it more difficult to acquire these arbitrary alphabets than the ordinary English letters; and because their use in writing or reading would only put them in communication with the few who had acquired these systems, and thus would lead to the greater isolation of the blind as a class. Three of these alphabets have been put forth in England, and in each there have been several books (the Scriptures among the number) published, and each has been proclaimed as a great advance on every previous method of teaching the blind. They are known as Lucas's, Frere's, and Moon's, the inventors being principals respectively of the Bristol, London and Blackheath, and Brighton asylums for the blind. We ought not to omit here a reference to an ingenious apparatus used as a substitute for books and manuscripts, which was the joint invention of 2 blind men, Messrs. Macbeath and Milne of the Edinburgh institution, in 1830. We allude to the string alphabet-a mode of designating by the form and distance of knots, on a cord, the different letters of the alphabet. This invention, though cumbrous and capable of material improvement, was for many years in use in the Edinburgh institution, though never generally adopted elsewhere.-The great cost of printing books for the blind, in consequence of their bulk and the small editions required, has rendered the supply very scanty. Aside from the Scriptures, and the text books in use in the different institutions, there were, in 1856, but 46 miscellaneous books in English, printed in relief, unless we include those printed in the arbitrary characters, which aside from the Scriptures amounted to 9 volumes more. Many of these are quite small, some comprising only a very few pages; yet these 55 volumes, if sold at actual cost, would amount to about $70. Provision should be

made by the governments of Great Britain and the United States for a fund to be devoted to the production of books for the blind. The variety of books published for the blind on the continent of Europe, is still smaller. The French catalogue, which is by far the largest, contains, beside the necessary text-books, only a very few religious books, lives of the saints, &c. The Dutch catalogue has but 12 volumes in all, several of which are single books of the Scriptures, nor are the others more extensive. The printing of music for the blind, which seems a necessity, from the resource which it furnishes for a comfortable livelihood to many of them, has been a very expensive and difficult matter so much so, that music is to a very great extent committed to memory by the pupils of blind institutions. This difficulty has been obviated by an ingenious system invented by a French teacher in the institution at Paris, himself blind, M. Louis Braillé.-It has always been a problem extremely difficult of solution, to teach the blind to communicate their ideas by writing, in such a way that they themselves should be able to read what they had written. By a very simple apparatus they could be taught to write with considerable rapidity, but the words once committed to paper were lost to them; tangible inks, intaglio-type, pin-type, a small printing apparatus, all were tried, and each found in some respects objectionable. M. Ch. Barbier, in 1825, had invented a system of writing with points, in which he represented, by certain arrangements of points, about 40 sounds. His plan was faulty, both as a phonetic system and a system of writing, requiring as it did the use of 10 or 12 points for almost every sound. M. Louis Braillé modified Barbier's system completely, rendering it far more simple, and representing by each character some letter or combination of letters. His plan is based upon a series of fundamental signs, comprising the first 10 letters of the alphabet; none of these consists of less than 2 nor more than 4 dots. The perforations are made from right to left, in order that the writing, when reversed, may be read from left to right. This system has been introduced into the French, Prussian, Austrian, Belgian, Swedish, and Dutch schools in Europe, the New York, Maryland, and Illinois institutions in the United States, and the imperial institute for the blind at Rio Janeiro. (See BRAILLE.)-From the first commencement of instruction for the blind, music has been a favorite pursuit with them. To many it furnishes the means of support; for the blind have often, from their sensitiveness to sound and the delicacy of their touch, as well as from their careful modulation of their voices, extraordinary qualifications for acquiring great skill in instrumental and vocal music. To some it is an agreeable recreation, and to others a source of pure and intense enjoyment. All, however, cannot practise it, and while some find employment in the tuning of pianos, for which a well-trained ear and skilful touch are requisite, others are occupied

in the manufacture of mattresses, mats, baskets, paper boxes, brooms, brushes, the simpler departments of cabinet-work, or in trade. The capacity of the blind as a class to sustain themselves by their own labor, has been one of those practical questions which hardly admit of a complete or satisfactory solution. All, or nearly all, the schools for the blind have workshops, in which the pupils labor some hours every day, in order to acquire some handicraft which may aid in their support. Most of the larger institutions of the United States have also connected with them workshops for the adult blind, either their own graduates or others, where certain advantages of shop-rent, machinery, material at wholesale prices, or sale of goods at retail prices, and in some instances board at a reduced rate, or a moderate pension to aid in paying their way, is allowed. Objections have been made to these measures of assistance, but in the fierce competition for subsistence among the poorer classes, we see not how the poor blind man, who has the loss of sight added to the other disabilities of poverty, is to exist without it. In one instance (at Philadelphia), an asylum has been provided for the aged and infirm blind, where, beguiling the weariness of the passing hours by such light toil as they can readily accomplish, they may pass the evening of life in comfort and happiness.-The British institutions for the blind are mostly asylums rather than schools. In the greater part the blind are received for life; their educational training consists merely in reading, musical instruction, and perhaps the most elementary knowledge of figures; but they are taught trades, and required to work a certain number of hours every day. These institutions are, for the most part, well endowed, and any deficiency in the results of the labor are made up from other funds. On the continent there are, in the larger cities, asylums of a character nearly corresponding to the hospice des quinze vingts, already described, for the infirm, and even the healthy blind. Berlin has especially distinguished itself for the completeness of its provisions for every class of the blind. Beside the institute for the young blind, it has a crèche or hospital for blind infants; a workshop for blind laborers, furnishing material and paying a pension to the blind laborer; an industrial asylum for the blind of both sexes, who have graduated at the institute, and are unable to obtain a complete support elsewhere; and a hospital for blind foreigners, and for the sick, aged, and infirm blind.

The blind, as a result of their infirmity, have some peculiarities, though fewer than mere theorists have attributed to them. In youth they are generally very happy, and even gay. As they arrive at adult age, they are more disposed to be restless, uneasy, desirous of change, and discontented with their condition. It is under these circumstances that some writers have been disposed to charge them, as a class, with ingratitude. The charge is unjust. In

dividuals among them, as among the seeing, undoubtedly often manifest an ungrateful disposition, but this is rather the result of the restless temperament already noticed, than of unusual depravity. They are generally endowed with very keen perceptions, and are usually better judges of character than persons who can see. Diderot charges them with being devoid of the idea of modesty or shame; but if this charge was the result of observation, he must have mingled with a different class of blind persons from those found in other countries. That modesty of deportment, which is one of the highest graces of womanhood, is nowhere found in greater perfection than among the blind. The consciousness of physical weakness

has probably had its effect in rendering them generally less vain than deaf mutes; while at the same time their intellectual faculties are usually of a higher order, and the facility in the acquisition of knowledge is much greater.-The number of blind persons who have attained distinction, either in science or art, is very large. We give a list of the most eminent, omitting many whose abilities perhaps entitle them to a place. A part of the materials for this list is derived from one compiled by Mr. Charles Baker, of the Yorkshire institution for the deaf and dumb, for the "Penny Cyclopædia," but we have added a number of names which he had omitted, or which have more recently become celebrated.

Among the instances of remarkable blind men, few are more worthy of record than the case of the Rev. Dr. Samuel Willard, of Deerfield, Mass. Dr. W. is now (1858) in his 83d year, and lost his sight, at least so far as ability to read was concerned, at the age of 43. He was already known favorably to the public by his writings on controversial, musical, and scientific subjects; but the commencement of his blindness seemed the beginning of a new era in his intellectual career. Within the 40 years that have since intervened he has prepared and published: 1, a volume of hymns, composed by himself, each constructed with the purpose of making the rhetorical correspond with the musical rhythm, a work of great labor; 2, a collection of hymns from various authors; 3, a series of 4 primary school books, which have enjoyed a large popularity; 4, "Principles of Rhetoric and Elocution;" 5, "Memorials of Daniel B. Parkhurst," one of his successors in the pastorate of the Congregational church at Deerfield; 6, "The Grand Issue," an ethico-political pamphlet upon the relations of slavery; 7, "An Affectionate Remonstrance" with certain orthodox ministers and periodicals concerning the temper and style of religious controversy; 8, several single sermons. Beside these, he has in manuscript an elaborate essay on phonography, to which subject he has devoted special atten

Inventor of Improvements on the

Pianoforte.

History of Norman Conquest in England, &c.

Repertoire du Maitre de Chapelle, &c.

Method of Writing with Points,

for the Blind.

Rifle, Axe, and Saddle Bags.

Ferdinand and Isabella; Mexico;
Peru; Philip Second, &c.

Star of Atteghei, and other Poems. Clergyman & Au- Autobiography; Discourses. thor,

Clergyman & Au- Educational Works, Hymns, &c. thor,

tion for many years, and a work on the "Harmony of Musical and Poetical Expression." During a considerable portion of the period in which he has been engaged upon these works he has had the care of a large parish. Dr. Willard is a man of very active habits, and performs with ease and readiness many of those acts for which we are accustomed to regard sight as indispensable. He gathers his own fruit, climbing the trees readily, notwithstanding his age; prunes them carefully and judiciously; digs, lays out, and plants his garden, selecting and sowing the seeds without mistake; saws and carries in his own wood, and seems almost unconscious of his privation. He has for the last 25 years been completely blind, and for 12 years previous had only been able to distinguish large objects indistinctly; but even now, when closeted in his room, visions of the green fields and sunny slopes of the Connecticut valley appear to him as really as when he gazed upon them with the eyes which for so long a period have admitted no light. He denies that this is imagination, but regards it as an exhibition of one of the mysterious modes in which the mind may hold communication with the outer world without the aid of the senses. Notwithstanding his great age, there are no symptoms of failure in his intellectual powers. He has always contended that the loss of memory and