a journey to-第41章

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utterance；　they　know　so　well　what　is　spoken；　that　it　is　an
expression　scarcely　figurative　to　say；　they　hear　with　the　eye。
That　any　have　attained　to　the　power　mentioned　by　Burnet；　of　feeling
sounds；　by　laying　a　hand　on　the　speaker's　mouth；　I　know　not；　but　I
have　seen　so　much；　that　I　can　believe　more；　a　single　word；　or　a
short　sentence；　I　think；　may　possibly　be　so　distinguished。

It　will　readily　be　supposed　by　those　that　consider　this　subject；
that　Mr。　Braidwood's　scholars　spell　accurately。　　Orthography　is
vitiated　among　such　as　learn　first　to　speak；　and　then　to　write；　by
imperfect　notions　of　the　relation　between　letters　and　vocal
utterance；　but　to　those　students　every　character　is　of　equal
importance；　for　letters　are　to　them　not　symbols　of　names；　but　of
things；　when　they　write　they　do　not　represent　a　sound；　but
delineate　a　form。

This　school　I　visited；　and　found　some　of　the　scholars　waiting　for
their　master；　whom　they　are　said　to　receive　at　his　entrance　with
smiling　countenances　and　sparkling　eyes；　delighted　with　the　hope　of
new　ideas。　　One　of　the　young　Ladies　had　her　slate　before　her；　on
which　I　wrote　a　question　consisting　of　three　figures；　to　be
multiplied　by　two　figures。　　She　looked　upon　it；　and　quivering　her
fingers　in　a　manner　which　I　thought　very　pretty；　but　of　which　I
know　not　whether　it　was　art　or　play；　multiplied　the　sum　regularly
in　two　lines；　observing　the　decimal　place；　but　did　not　add　the　two
lines　together；　probably　disdaining　so　easy　an　operation。　　I
pointed　at　the　place　where　the　sum　total　should　stand；　and　she
noted　it　with　such　expedition　as　seemed　to　shew　that　she　had　it
only　to　write。

It　was　pleasing　to　see　one　of　the　most　desperate　of　human
calamities　capable　of　so　much　help；　whatever　enlarges　hope；　will
exalt　courage；　after　having　seen　the　deaf　taught　arithmetick；　who
would　be　afraid　to　cultivate　the　Hebrides？

Such　are　the　things　which　this　journey　has　given　me　an　opportunity
of　seeing；　and　such　are　the　reflections　which　that　sight　has
raised。　　Having　passed　my　time　almost　wholly　in　cities；　I　may　have
been　surprised　by　modes　of　life　and　appearances　of　nature；　that　are
familiar　to　men　of　wider　survey　and　more　varied　conversation。
Novelty　and　ignorance　must　always　be　reciprocal；　and　I　cannot　but
be　conscious　that　my　thoughts　on　national　manners；　are　the　thoughts
of　one　who　has　seen　but　little。







End