Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 3.djvu/845

Rh No one who has not made the attempt can have any idea of the extreme difficulty of combining great accuracy and durability with cheapness. This has been in a great mea sure accomplished as regards the Braille writing frames, which are now within the reach of every blind person who wishes to avail himself of the advantages of writing. The fact that a large number of these frames has been already sold speaks for itself, and, as the great majority of the purchasers are poor, the quick sale is evidence not only of the cheapness of the frames, but also of the widespread desire for self-education existing among the blind. &quot; Another obstacle to the diffusion of the knowledge of the Braille system has been the absence of printed books in English. With the view of meeting this want one of the council has perfected the process of stereotyping used in France, by which the cost of production of stereotype plates is greatly reduced ; and as the blind can themselves produce these plates, a new and remunerative means of employment has been discovered. Some school books have already been issued by the association, and will shortly be followed by others. The work on the Education and Em ployment of the Blind, by the honorary secretary, has been published under the sanction and at the expense of the association.&quot;

The following extract from an address delivered by the [ r honorary secretary before the Society of Arts on the vari- ous types for the blind, shows how thoroughly they are investigating the subject:—

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