Page:The education of the deaf and dumb practically considered.djvu/8

 was formerly apt to use the organs of speech in making odd noises, disagreeable to people about her. When told of this and encouraged to be silent, she asked, 'Why, then, has God given me so much voice?' Her guardians took the hint and gave her a place to play in, for some-time every day, where she could make as much noise as she liked, hearing none of it herself, but enjoying the exercise to her organs of sound."

Doubtless, it was a great thing for Laura this nature-prompted exertion of her voice. Her many deprivations may have rendered the use of articulate language on her part a most tedious and perhaps distasteful acquisition; or I cannot help thinking her instructors would have seized this opportunity of establishing between her and themselves that most rapid of all means of communication For others, who have not her disadvantages, the lesson will bear a closer reading. Since God has given them voices, and He gives nothing in vain, are not we bound to train those voices to the best of our ability? The more artificial a man becomes, says Kingsley, the nearer he approaches the condition God intends him to occupy. To rise above surrounding circumstances is man's peculiar privilege, distinguishing him from the beasts that perish.

Though it would be folly to call deafness an advantage, and artificially taught articulation preferable to the ear-taught emissions of the ordinary speaker, it is, at least, wisdom to strive after an end so desirable, to attempt an accomplishment so advantageous.

For myself, I can testify that the power of speech has been most valuable as a means of gaining access to the pupil's mind. Dumb show might be mistaken, a written