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 £jr Libris 
 C. K. OGDEN 
 
 THE LIBRARY 
 
 OF 
 
 THE UNIVERSITY 
 
 OF CALIFORNIA 
 LOS ANGELES
 
 'nj.
 
 E S S A Y S 
 
 THE PUPILS 
 
 COLLEGE OF THE DEAF AND DITMB. 
 
 RUGBY, 
 
 WARWICKSHIRE. 
 
 LONDON: LONGMAN & CO. 
 
 MANCHESTER: T. SO^\T.ER, SIMMS & DINHAM, and 
 
 C. AMBER Y. 
 
 BIRMINGHAM: B. HALL, and WRIGHTSON & WEBB. 
 
 RUGBY: J. C. CROSSLEY. 
 
 MDCCCXLV.
 
 manxhester: 
 
 PRINTED BY T. SOWLER, SAINT ANN'S SQUARE.
 
 
 COLLEGE OF THE DEAF AND DUMB, 
 
 RUGBY, WAR^VICKSHIRE, 
 
 CONDUCTED BV 
 
 MR. H. B. BINGHAM. 
 
 Since the period at which Dr. Johnsox, describing his journey 
 to the Western Islands, speaks of a " College of the Deaf and 
 Dumb" which he visited in Edinburgh, as a philosophical cu- 
 riosity which no other city had to show, several Institutions 
 have happily been established for the improvement and educa- 
 tion of this class of persons. One however has of late been 
 wanting, of a strictly private and domestic character, confined 
 exclusively to the higher classes of society, where they can be 
 received and brought up, in a manner conformable to the prin- 
 ciples and habits which belong to their station in life. 
 
 With a view to supply this want, Mr. Bingham has withdrawn 
 from the duties in which for many years he has been engaged as 
 a Public Instructor of the Deaf and Dumb, and now devotes 
 
 lC26i89
 
 IV 
 
 himself to the work of givmg, with the comforts of ;i domestic 
 circle, a sound and liberal education to those persons of the 
 higher classes, of both sexes, who, being Deaf and Dumb, or 
 having impediments of speech, are thus incapacitated for 
 receiving instruction by the usual channels. 
 
 Ample testimony, of the highest kind, to Mr. Bingham's 
 success as a Teacher of the Deaf and Dumb, with all other 
 necessary particulars, may be had on application. 
 
 TERMS : 
 
 Education, Board, Washing, &c. &c., from Sixty to One 
 Hundred Guineas per Annum, according to age and circum- 
 stances. 
 
 OPTIONAL expenses. 
 
 Drawing. Drilling. 
 
 Dancing. Modern Languages.
 
 INTEODUCTION, 
 
 The catalogue of infirmities and calamities 
 to which human nature is liable, exhibits, 
 perhaps, no case of our fellow creatures (in- 
 sanity excepted,) which more forcibly, or more 
 justly excites our commiseration than that of 
 the uneducated deaf and dumb, for although 
 bhndness may and does claim a readier sym- 
 pathy, from the deep interest it excites, yet, 
 on attentively comparing these two great 
 calamities, we cannot fail to discover that the 
 former possesses the heavier privations. It is 
 remarkable that until about the middle of the 
 sixteenth century no attempt was made to in- 
 struct the deaf and dumb ; and that in the time 
 of Justinian they were considered as idiots, 
 and abridcred of their civil rights. 
 
 a2
 
 VI INTRODUCTION. 
 
 In 1552, Peter Ponce, a Benedictine monk, 
 commenced the instruction of a deaf and dumb 
 person. 
 
 In 1620, John Paul Bonet pubHshed a work, 
 after havin^ taught several deaf and dumb 
 persons. 
 
 In 1648, Dr. Bulvver pubhshed his " Philo- 
 cophus ; or, Deaf and Dumb Man's Friend." 
 
 In 1659, Dr. Wilham Holder taught one 
 young gentleman in this country to make some 
 proficiency, and pubhshed a work on the deaf 
 and dumb in 1669- 
 
 In 1660, Dr. John Walhs, F.R.S., and Savi- 
 han Professor of Geometry at Oxford, instructed 
 two, in some degree, having previously written 
 a work on the subject. 
 
 In 1680, George Dalgarno, of Aberdeen, 
 published a similar work. 
 
 In 1700, Dr. Amman published his treatise, 
 " Dissertatio di Loquela." 
 
 Some other instances are also on record of 
 philanthropic individuals endeavouring to ame- 
 liorate the condition of the deaf and dumb ;
 
 INTRODUCTION. Vll 
 
 but nothing of any moment was accomplished 
 until Mr. Braidwood, of Edinburgh, in the be- 
 ginning of the year 1760, opened an estabhsh- 
 ment for this afflicted portion of our fellow 
 creatures, from which have sprung all the pre- 
 sent institutions of the kind in Great Britain 
 and Ireland. 
 
 At the latter part of the same year (1760), 
 the Abbe de I'Epee also opened a school for 
 the deaf and dumb; and each of these philan- 
 thropists carried on their respective establish- 
 ments for the space of five years, without being 
 conscious of the existence of a competitor in any 
 part of the world. 
 
 It would be presumptuous in me to attempt 
 to speak of the merits of these great and good 
 men ; suffice it to say, that Arnot, in his history 
 of Edinburgh, Dr. Johnson, in his tour to the 
 Hebrides, Lord Monboddo, in his origin and 
 progress of language, and Pennant, in his tour 
 through Scotland, have each individually made 
 most honourable mention of the former, and 
 France has erected a national monument to the
 
 Vlll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 latter, In Pere la Chaise ; and richly did he 
 deserve this mark of a nation's gratitude, for 
 such was his zeal and love for the deaf and 
 dumb, that for a long period he denied himself 
 every comfort, and almost the necessaries of 
 life, in order that his annual income (which was 
 very limited,) might enable him to support and 
 educate a greater number of his less fortunate 
 brethren ; and, during a very severe winter, his 
 pupils, finding that for the same reasons he did 
 not allow himself a fire, went in a body, and, 
 with tears in their eyes, most earnestly besought 
 him not to injure his health by so great a 
 privation. 
 
 It will be seen by the following calculation, 
 extracted from the third circular of the Paris 
 Institution, publis-hed in 1832, that the propor- 
 tion of deaf and dumb is unfortunately more 
 than is generally supposed : —
 
 INTRODUCTION. * IX 
 
 NOMBRE DES 
 PAYS. POPULATION. SOURDS- 
 
 MUETS. 
 
 Portugal 3,815,800 ... 2,407 
 
 Espagne 11,500,000... 7,255 
 
 France 32,000,000 ... 20,189 
 
 Italie 20,000,000 ... 12,618 
 
 Suisse 2,000,000 ... 3,976 
 
 Grand Duclie de Bade 1,108,060... 1,983 
 
 Wurtumberg 1,550,215 ... 1,250 
 
 Baviere 4,037,000... 2,908 
 
 Autriche 26,444,000 ... 16,684 
 
 Pnisse 12,726,823 ... 8,223 
 
 Saxe 1,400,000 ... 883 
 
 Grand Duclie de Saxe Weimar... 226,000 ... 142 
 
 Hesse Electorale 550,000... 400 
 
 Duche de Nassau 300,000... 210 
 
 Principaute de Lippe Schauen- 
 
 bourg 25,500 ... 16 
 
 Hano\Te 1,500,000... 946 
 
 Duche de Brunswick 206,000... 176 
 
 Duclie d'Oldenbourg 240,000... 151 
 
 Francfort 75,000 ... 47 
 
 Hambourg 137,700 ... 86 
 
 Breme 50,000 ... 31 
 
 166 
 
 Belgique 1 
 
 Holiande |6,166,854 ... 2, 
 
 Danemarck 1,800,000... 1,260 
 
 Suede et Norwege 3,800,000... 2,397 
 
 Russie d'Europe 44,118,000 ... 27,834 
 
 Pologne 3,700,000 ... 2,334 
 
 Etats-Unis d'Amerique 12,000,000 ... 6,000
 
 X INTRODUCTION. 
 
 During the first fourteen years of my pro- 
 fessional career, I took every means and 
 opportunity of ascertaining the cause of deaf- 
 ness, which I found principally to arise from 
 measles, scarlet fever, hooping cough, small 
 pox, paralysis, epileptic fits, water on the brain, 
 enlarged tonsils, and scrofula. I also found that 
 deafness prevailed more in some counties than 
 in others; thus in Derbyshire, I met with one 
 in every 500 persons, whilst on an average 
 throughout England there was one in every 
 1,500; so that, according to the census taken 
 in 1841, of a population of 15,91 lj757, the 
 aggregate number of deaf and dumb would be 
 10,607. Since the opening of the first public 
 institution, in 1792, 2,300 deaf and dumb have 
 been educated, and about 600 are receiving 
 education ; therefore supposing all the educated 
 are still living (which is by no means likely), 
 there are 7,707 in England and Wales, without 
 the least knowledge of their moral responsibility. 
 
 Much is done in various ways to ameliorate 
 the condition of man, and I cannot refrain ex-
 
 INTRODUCTION. XI 
 
 pressing my regret that the benevolence which 
 is a prominent trait in the character of the pre- 
 sent age, is not sufficiently expansive to embrace 
 and to relieve the wants of all those, who, 
 by a mysterious dispensation of Providence, are 
 deprived of that medium through which are 
 conveyed to others the rays of intellectual, 
 moral, and religious hght. To children with 
 all their faculties the means of education are 
 furnished. Is it not a matter of equal justice 
 that the same liberality should be extended to 
 those doubly unfortunate ? The advantages 
 cannot be less than to others, whilst the benefits 
 are much greater. Many I know, even in this 
 enlightened age, consider the deaf and dumb 
 incapable of receiving instruction, whilst others, 
 on the contrary, believe that their want of hear- 
 ing is made up to them by a greater share of 
 mental powers. These are both extreme errors; 
 the truth is, that the scale of intellect in them 
 is as variously graduated as in other persons. 
 Many of them, when educated, possess a quick- 
 ness of apprehension, and a scope of imagination
 
 Xll INTRODUCTION. 
 
 equal to those of their own age who are not 
 naturally deaf; in proof of which, and in com- 
 pliance with the repeated solicitations of indivi- 
 duals who have visited my estabhshment, I have 
 consented to publish the following little essays, 
 written off hand by my pupils, (not exceeding 
 fifteen years of age,) in the presence of the 
 parties who proposed the subjects, and whose 
 names and residences are attached. It may be 
 proper to state that the exercises are published, 
 without the slightest alteration, as they were 
 composed by their respective authors. 
 
 H. B. BINGHAM. 
 
 College of the Deaf and Dumb, 
 Ruobv, fFarwickskire .
 
 ESSAYS. 
 
 PATRIOTISM. 
 
 Subject proposed by Captain Turner, 
 at J. BusEV, Esq., Edgbaston. 
 
 Every man, high or low, is attached to places 
 with which he has long been familiar, and more 
 particularly with those in which he has passed 
 his younger days, for then the affections are 
 stronger and more easily excited, and as when 
 we have an affection for an object we naturally 
 desire to promote its welfare; therefore we have 
 a feeling which makes us zealous for the safety, 
 honour, and happiness of that country in which 
 we have been brought up, and this feeling is 
 what we designate by the name of Patriotism. 
 Many and great have been the actions to which 
 this feeling has prompted men. It stimulates 
 
 A
 
 2 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 them to rise up in the defence of their native 
 land in the hour of need; to repel all attacks 
 upon its rights and privileges; and to promote 
 its welfare. It was Patriotism that actuated 
 Leonidas and his three hundred Spartans ; which 
 strengthened the aged arm of Paoli ; which 
 nerved successively the hearts of Aloys Reding 
 and William Tell, with their bands of gallant 
 Switzers; and which raised that burst of national 
 enthusiasm in Britain, on the intelligence of 
 Napoleon's projected invasion. 
 
 But not only the soldier and seaman, who 
 stand by the sinking fortunes of their country, 
 and raise it up to prosperity, are patriots. Their 
 Patriotism is more conspicuous, and is tried in 
 the face of greater apparent dangers, but every 
 one who does anything to promote the welfare 
 of their country with a sincere heart, is a 
 Patriot. To the glorious names of Nelson, 
 Wellington, and Marlborough, must be added 
 those of Wilberforce, Newton, and Pitt ; for 
 while the former defended their country from 
 the attacks of outward enemies, the latter kept
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 6 
 
 it from those secret ones which are often found 
 ornawing down the foundations of the most 
 mighty states, and promoted its wealth and wis- 
 dom, and raised it in the scale of nations. 
 
 Though they have all but one departed from 
 the scene of these actions, Britain has other 
 sons ready to support her ; and long may she 
 possess such as these, in whose bosoms Patriot- 
 ism glows in all its fervour, whom no difficulty 
 nor danger can daunt, and who will sacrifice 
 every private and individual interest when their 
 country demands their assistance.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 PATRIOTISM. 
 
 Subject proposed by L. Weld, Esq., 
 Principal of the Hartford Deaf and Dumb Asylum, U. S. 
 
 The Briton loves his home. The Laplander 
 adores his snows. The Norwegian sings " For 
 Norgee," whenever the festal bowl goes round. 
 The African sighs for Africa, under the rod of 
 oppression. Wherever man is there is Patriot- 
 ism. It is a flame which never dies, save in the 
 smothering atmosphere of vice. Traitors are 
 only to be found among the worshippers of 
 Mammon, and they are hated both by their 
 own and the other party. He who can betray 
 a trust in the Land of his Fathers, cannot be 
 expected to keep one in that of another. 
 
 There is a spirit which nerves the man, and 
 urges on the hero ; that spirit Nelson saw, and 
 Wellington sees. He fought manfully when 
 required, and gained much glory ; but he fore- 
 goes another wreath of laurel, that Britain, may 
 enjoy what she wants most, viz., peace. Nor
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 5 
 
 would I be understood to select these, and 
 others in the mihtary hue, as preeminently con- 
 spicuous ; there is much glory there, but there 
 is glory too elsewhere. Within the halls of 
 Westminster, have not the energies of men 
 been displayed from the purest motives? Have 
 not the voices of Burke, Pitt, and Wilberforce 
 there pleaded the cause of right, equahty, and 
 humanity? That was Patriotism! But it is 
 not all. It would be a poor compliment to a 
 nation to say it burned only in the breasts of 
 her legislators and commanders. He who ho- 
 nestly works for a livelihood, he who answers 
 the call of affliction, who stands up for peace, 
 but girds on the sword when the sword is re- 
 quired, while he fulfils the gospel of Christ, acts 
 upon Patriotic principles. Britain has had many 
 of these, may she have more.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 IF YOU CAN DESCRIBE AN AUTHOR TO 
 ME, I SHOULD BE GLAD TO KNOW 
 (HAVING SOME INTEREST IN THE 
 SUBJECT) WHAT HE IS? 
 
 Subject proposed by C.Dickens, Esq. (Boz.) 
 
 Authors have been represented by one of 
 our poets as going about with loose neckcloths, 
 and turned down collars, with a thoughlful and 
 something -to -do -with -everything air about 
 them. Now, in my opinion, this description 
 may suit some of that class of men, but it can- 
 not suit all. Tastes vary so much, that I 
 believe there is not a man ahve who can find 
 his counterpart among all the millions that 
 inhabit the earth ; and since all men have dif- 
 ferent tastes and sentiments in one way or 
 other, all Authors must be like circumstanced, 
 and, therefore, all cannot fulfil the description 
 which Goldsmith gives of them. 
 
 I, for my part, always fancy an Author in a 
 long dressing-gown and slippers, in a snug little
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. / 
 
 room in which only one candle burns, seated in 
 a comfortable arm chair at a Httle table covered 
 with papers and old pens, now gazing at the fire, 
 now looking into some little book or magazine, 
 and now seizing a pen and writing away in des- 
 peration, then again coming to a stop, taking a 
 turn up and down the room, and then writing 
 again. But an Author is not always confined to 
 his study: well then, here he is taking a walk in 
 the parks, say St. James's, he is engaged in — 
 not reading — dipping into a book he carries with 
 him, and between each dipping he bows to some 
 acquaintance, or else muses or stares vacantly at 
 something or other. Then come the quarrels 
 he wages with the Bookseller about publishing 
 his manuscripts, the airs he gives himself when 
 he hears his works praised, and the way he finds 
 some defect or other with them, as if to say that 
 he knows more now than when he wrote those 
 works. This is the picture which I form to 
 myself; I have never had much intercourse with 
 them, and I do not know whether my opinion 
 of these personages be right or no.
 
 8 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 As Authors influence the pubhc mind in a 
 great degree, and as printing gives to their 
 works a wide and far spreading influence, it 
 well becomes them to take heed lest they 
 should give birth to bad opinions and false con- 
 clusions, which, when once let loose, can never 
 be recalled ; but great good as well as great evil 
 springs from the press, 
 
 " Like Eden's probationary tree, 
 
 Knowledge of good and evil springs from thee," 
 
 says Milton, and every one must confess the 
 truth of what he says. Half of all the scuffles, 
 brawls, riots, quarrels, duels, fights, bloody 
 noses, black eyes, bruised limbs, surgeon's fees, 
 and a host of such like would disappear ; I say 
 the world would be one-half quieter than it is at 
 present, if all the bad books, spurious libels, and 
 inflammatory speeches were withdrawn from the 
 libraries of the world, half, or more than half, of 
 which they 611. Booksellers might quarrel. 
 Printers raise an uproar, Pubhshers petition 
 Parliament, and poor Authors starve, but these 
 would be small evils when compared to the
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 9 
 
 good which might ensue; as small as the mouse 
 is compared to the elephant, under whose foot 
 it squeaks ; and if bad books are productive of 
 such a number of disagreeables in the world, 
 how much more so must that man be who is the 
 cause of them all, but who still gets the reputa- 
 tion of being an Author? Make him stand 
 forth as he really is, and there he is, according 
 to Punch's authority, what the attorney who 
 signs himself "yours truly" is behind his mask, 
 
 a d 1 with two horns as thick as his thumbs 
 
 sticking out of his head. I wonder that man- 
 kind should tolerate such a being, and not only 
 tolerate but praise him. Tear the mask from 
 his face, and the world — not the earth — would 
 run away from him with as much terror as the 
 mouse which ran up the clock did, when it 
 struck one, according to the old rhyme, 
 
 "Hiccory, diccory, dock." 
 
 In fact, a bad Author is the most disgusting, dis- 
 agreeable, abhorrible, contemptible, degrading, 
 treacherous, grovelling, sneaking dog — not man 
 
 a2
 
 10 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 — under the mask of an accomplished, inoffen- 
 sive, great, sincere, and elevated man. 
 
 Less extensive in their effects, but truly pure 
 and worthy, are the productions of the good 
 Author, who, though he may hve and die in 
 poverty and contempt, cannot but fail one day 
 to be raised high, very high above the heads of 
 all the disseminators of evil that have ever 
 existed, and who wonder how he could ever 
 mount up to such an eminence. He is the 
 great machine by which three-quarters of the 
 happiness of the world is promoted. Long may 
 such Authors as these be respected. Long 
 may they be the upholders of everything that 
 is great, everything that is noble. Long may 
 Englishmen be found ranked among them, and 
 long may others than Englishmen find an asylum 
 and a welcome home in Britain.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 11 
 
 REVOLUTION. 
 
 Subject proposed by Miss Linwood, 
 Edgbaston. 
 
 What do we see here on earth, but endless 
 and continued changes. Day follows day, and 
 everything is transformed. Where are those 
 mighty empires which once composed all the 
 known world? Where is the mighty Babylon — 
 the imperious Rome ? Not one of the millions 
 that inhabit the earth can shew with certainty 
 the place where they first stood, and a paper 
 lantern stuck on a rotten post enlightens the 
 shadow of the ruins of Rome's huge capitol. 
 Little did Romulus think what power his city 
 would one day possess, and little did Ceesar 
 think that the mighty Rome would so soon be 
 forgotten. Cities rise upon the ruins of others, 
 soon to form the foundation for others yet. 
 States give birth to states, and each successive 
 generation startles, but is soon forgotten by 
 men. Everything is changeable and unstable
 
 12 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 below the skies, and is not this a lesson to man- 
 kind? Are not they like so many mirrors hung 
 up for him to view his own fate and destiny in? 
 While everything is changing around us, must 
 not we too change? Behold the innocent child 
 playing and sporting about, dreaming of no ill, 
 and wondering at the haste and confusion he 
 sees around him. Happy being! but "change" 
 is the word, and behold him ripened into viva- 
 cious and spirited youth, knowing more but yet 
 knowing only in theory. He grows up, and his 
 muscles gain a bolder swell ; his step gets 
 firmer, and his demeanour more commanding. 
 He is in the prime of life, all eager with hope 
 and anxiety ; his ambition all on fire, and his 
 desires at the highest: but his strength is of no 
 avail to protect him from mutabihty; his hairs 
 grow grey, his limbs get feeble, and ambition no 
 longer swells his breast, and religion and the 
 contemplation of the few good hours he may 
 have passed form his only consolation. Death 
 comes : his cheeks are pale, his eyes are hollow 
 and unmeaning : feel him ; he is cold — cold.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 13 
 
 heavy, and senseless. No voice of pleasure or 
 pain can awake him; his life is fled, and he 
 departs to the worms. How different is he now 
 to that playful and innocent child. May be, sin 
 added to the wrinkles on his face, and marked 
 the lines of those anxious frowns with her burn- 
 ing fingers. But he is gone to immutability, 
 either to joy or woe everlasting.
 
 14 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 ON THE PROGRESS OF CIVILIZATION. 
 
 Subject proposed by Arthi-r Hopper, Esq., 
 Master of the Deaf and Dumb School, Birmingham. 
 
 When we view civilized Europe and the 
 various structures contained in her, raised and 
 supported by the genius of man, whatever those 
 structures may be, from the government of a 
 state to the plough which turns up the stubborn 
 ground, and when Art and Science stretch forth 
 their giant arms straight before us, the question 
 naturally arises in our minds, How mankind 
 attained this degree of excellence, and rose from 
 the barbarity of the savage to the refinement of 
 the citizen ? It surely was not by miracle, nor 
 by a superior power. Civilization was not man's 
 first estate, for though Adam possessed all that 
 was necessary for his own support, and therefore 
 was civilized enough for himself, he was not 
 what is now understood by that word. 
 
 From the observation that Adam was civilized 
 enough for himself, we may draw out the cause
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 15 
 
 of the progress of Civilization in the world. As 
 the wants of mankind increased, they tried to 
 discover, and at times did discover the means to 
 satisfy those wants. One want produces ano- 
 ther, and real or fancied necessities rising up on 
 every side, set the ingenuity of man to work, 
 and that ingenuity, by being continually exer- 
 cised, gained experience, and w ith experience an 
 extended view of things, and this is the first 
 and, in my opinion, the greatest cause of the 
 progress of Civilization. But the wants of a 
 nation are few, if it is secluded from the rest 
 of the world. To see a novelty is to desire 
 to possess it; and the love of enterprize and 
 proximity of the sea having tempted some hardy 
 adventurers to embark on that unstable element, 
 they returned open-mouthed with reports of 
 distant and other lands abounding in produc- 
 tions differing from their own ; these reports 
 being circulated, caused a desire of visiting 
 those lands, and to procure their productions, 
 and the difference in the produce of the two 
 countries suggested the idea of exchange, and
 
 16 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 this laid the foundation of commerce, which 
 brings along: in its train an extended knowledge 
 of the world. But besides these two great 
 causes, there are other and secondary ones 
 which assist them, as tributary streams do some 
 great river: the desire of fame, glory, or ap- 
 plause, set the wits of men a-going, and theories 
 and speculations are as common even at the 
 present day, as inventions and contrivances. 
 
 The Egyptians lay claim to, and possess the 
 glory of being the first known civihzed nation 
 of antiquity; for though Assyria ranks first 
 among empires, it did not make any great pro- 
 gress in science, except perhaps in Astronomy. 
 Greece (itself an Egyptian colony) was the next 
 centre of Civilization, and long after the rise of 
 the Roman power, was still considered the chief 
 seat of learning. For a period after the fall of 
 the last-named empire, Learning and Civilization 
 were banished from the earth. In the wild 
 ferocity of rage, the Germans destroyed the 
 greatest part of the writings and other works of 
 art, which were treasured up in the mistress of
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 17 
 
 the world. What remained was kept concealed 
 in the seclusion of the cloister ; however, the 
 work of Civilization sprung up again, from a 
 few seeds scattered by the Roman legions in 
 their eagle flight over the world. The germ 
 grew, increased, and flourished, and the daugh- 
 ter is now greater than the mother was. 
 
 But how far soever Science may have ex- 
 tended itself, there still remains a large and 
 extensive part yet enveloped in the shrouds of 
 ignorance. It is for us Europeans, for us 
 Englishmen, to drive away that darkness, and 
 to spread the hght of Science into the remotest 
 corner of the globe. Happy is the man who 
 does anything to promote this work ; his mite, 
 for all he knows, may save a soul.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 WHAT IS MAN? 
 
 Subject proposed by Ebenezer Robins, Esq., 
 Birmingham. 
 
 Man is the image of his Creator, the Hkeness 
 of his God, " the paragon of animals, the simih- 
 tude of angels." In action, how majestic ; in 
 form, how imposing; in capability, how exten- 
 sive ; in mind, how great ; in genius, how 
 sublime ; in ideas, how profound ; and in every- 
 thing, how perfect. 
 
 Man is a debased hkeness of former great- 
 ness, the remains of a once beautiful statue, and 
 the mould and rust of what at a former period 
 was the admiration of the Heavenly host. 
 What is his genius, his dominion, or powers of 
 mind and loudly extolled feats of grandeur and 
 strength ? What are they in comparison with 
 the power of Him who wields the force of the 
 whole Heavens, and sends rolling on, in one 
 regular course, millions upon millions of the 
 starry host, one of which could stop for ever
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 19 
 
 the boasting mouths of those thousands that 
 arrogate to themselves the right of victories in 
 Art and Science ? 
 
 Both these representations of man, though 
 so widely contradictory, are agreeable in every 
 respect with veracity; and the question, "How 
 can these things be?" is easily answered. The 
 first is man considered abstractly from a purer 
 being, and washed clean from the impurities of 
 sin. Such he was before his fall, when he 
 breathed the atmosphere of purity, and aspired 
 to Heaven and heavenly things. Sin came, and 
 sullied the prospect ; the loathsome finger of 
 Satan was upon him, and there too the curse of 
 God remained, till Christ died and removed it. 
 But man's exertions must keep himself up, or 
 he falls back into the state from whence res- 
 cued, and then it is that the picture of his 
 second state is found verified.
 
 20 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 ON THE VASTNESS OF THE OCEAN, AND 
 ITS WONDERFUL CONTENTS. 
 
 Subject proposed by Rear-Admiral Mangin. 
 
 On a globe of six inches in diameter, the 
 Ocean in proportion would be only as deep as 
 the thickness of common writing paper. Yet 
 still man, with all his powers of invention and 
 research, has not yet seen the bed of the un- 
 fathomable wave, nor even heard the welcome 
 sound of the lead as it dropped upon the 
 bottom of the Ocean. None but the dead 
 have been there. But though man has not 
 penetrated to its depths, he has seen immea- 
 surable space and sailed till his course was ob- 
 structed by impassable barriers of ice. Navies 
 now ride the seas at large. Commerce reigns, 
 crowned amid her thousand vessels. They 
 float. The least motion of haughty Neptune 
 may consume them all, and by an irresistible 
 force the fabric of men's hands may be swal-
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEA.F AND DUMB. 21 
 
 lowed by the greedy deep. Therefore, what- 
 ever may be the confidence which is to be 
 reposed in the masterpiece of Art, it must not 
 be without trust in the Almighty, that a man 
 can dare to tempt the wave. He alone can 
 destroy and save. The destinies of life and 
 death lie with Him alone, and man must won- 
 der and submit to His absolute decrees.
 
 22 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 ARCHITECTURE. 
 
 Subject proposed by Jlrs. Woodward, Rugby. 
 
 To possess a hovel of mud was the ambition 
 of a monarch of the first century. To live in a 
 palace of marble lined with gold is not enough 
 for a modern sovereign. So much have man- 
 ners and sentiments changed. The mind of 
 man has become enlarged in its conceptions, 
 from being brought to view the wide field of 
 Nature, and it will strive to emulate and excel 
 both her works and those of his fellow-men. 
 Hence, then, it comes that every hour we see 
 each science advancing towards perfection, and 
 Architecture is among those which proceed by 
 rapid strides; for, unlike Geography, Astro- 
 nomy, &c., it does not owe its progress to the 
 slow result of perpetual research, but to Genius 
 alone. The materials are ready, and only re- 
 quire to be moulded, in order to become the 
 products of Science. The Saxon knew how to
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 23 
 
 raise a massive Tower in the first glimmering of 
 that hght which dawned after the former lamp 
 was extinguished by the rude hand of ignorance. 
 The Norman could build a Hall, to be the won- 
 der of centuries to come. Grace and elegance 
 followed, and smoothened down the asperities 
 which yet remained from the rough hand of the 
 warrior ; and now we see rising around us the 
 emblems of a genius which never can attain the 
 full scope of perfection here below. But whe- 
 ther Architecture is on the advance or decline, 
 whether the firm durabihty which has gone 
 before is giving place to the false glitter of 
 ornament and slender style of effeminacy, is a 
 question which alone can be determined by ages 
 to come.
 
 24 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 WHAT SCIENCE HAS CONTRIBUTED MOST 
 TO THE COMFORT OF MAN? 
 
 Subject proposed by Mr. Fry, Rugby. 
 
 Agriculture. It has given him comforts 
 not to be gained from any other quarter, exer- 
 cised his body and mind, excited his ingenuity 
 to discover new methods of tillage, and lastly, 
 drawn him from the puruits of war and blood, 
 led him to create a halo of brightness round 
 his home, lessened the pride of conquest, and 
 brought him within the bounds of civilization. 
 Whenever a nation begins to cultivate the 
 ground, it is a certain sign of progress ; and the 
 decline of husbandry is the forerunner of disso- 
 lution. Rome felt not the stroke of decay, till 
 she withdrew her husbandmen from the field to 
 replenish her exhausted legions. Navigation 
 does much for the comfort of man, but it is the 
 second step, and possesses secondary glory. 
 Agriculture is the first ; but though it has that
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 2o 
 
 dignity, I greatly fear that the farmer is losing 
 Ills place in society. He is of necessity obliged 
 to associate with the lower rank, but that is no 
 reason whiy he should be excluded from the 
 great. Societies and individuals may do much ; 
 but there is a tide of popular feeling which 
 must carry everything before it, and only the 
 mightiest among the sons of men can guide the 
 current.
 
 26 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 RAILROADS. 
 
 Subject proposed by the Rev. Archibald C. Tait, D.C.L., 
 Head Master of Rugby School. 
 
 The next Session of Parliament will have 
 enough to do in examining the numerous pro- 
 posals for new lines for Railways, upon which 
 the wealth of individuals has been lavished. 
 Read one of the London newspapers, and it 
 will give an idea of the public sentiment. All 
 is for Steam. Whole columns are taken up 
 with prospectuses and comments: yet more is 
 called for, and more is coming. Whether the 
 cutting up of the country with iron rails will be 
 a benefit or not, I cannot say ; for the question 
 is not merely as regards the expedition of tra- 
 velling, but wliether it will not give a stimulus 
 to invention, rob many of the means of hveli- 
 hood, and increase the weight which already 
 falls on the country on account of the number 
 of poor. Machinery, by lessening the occasion 
 for more hands, allows masters to go on in
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 27 
 
 business with a third of the number of their 
 workmen, and those who are turned out are 
 reduced to beggary. Steam has robbed thou- 
 sands, and may rob thousands more. 
 
 The greatest production of art certainly is 
 the Steam Engine, and though it has much 
 complexity, it may be advanced as only a step 
 lower than the works of Nature. " Nature is 
 mighty, Art is mighty, but Artifice is weak. 
 The first is the work of God, the second of 
 man under the guidance of God, but the third 
 is the mere creation of man in the littleness of 
 his mimic understanding." I say the Steam 
 Engine is the greatest production of art ; others 
 may be grander and more subhme, but the 
 slightness of the means, and the greatness of 
 the effect, are not to be equalled. The Colos- 
 sus of Rhodes might strike a man with admira- 
 tion and astonishment : the Steam Engine must 
 confound him with wonder.
 
 28 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 THE BATTLE OF WATERLOO. 
 
 Subject proposed by Lieutenant R. P. Radcliffe, R.A. 
 
 Wellington gained greater triumphs than 
 Waterloo. Salamanca and the Passage of the 
 Douro were achieved with greater difficulty; but 
 it is the greatness of the object conquered that 
 gives brilliancy to Waterloo. There Napoleon 
 himself was conquered. He, before whom 
 Europe trembled, was now obliged to acknow- 
 ledge that his star of fortune shone no more. 
 Waterloo, no doubt, was a hard fought field, 
 and there was plenty for Genius to do, but it 
 was more to the spirit of his men that Welling- 
 ton owed his victory. Exasperated at the very 
 name of Buonaparte, they would not leave the 
 field till they saw victory : their only fear was 
 that they should all be slain before they could 
 conquer. There was no thought of retreat or 
 flight in the minds of those brave men who 
 marched to Waterloo. With them all was to
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 29 
 
 conquer or die. Confiding in him whom they 
 served, and knowing the greatness of the cause 
 in which they fought, they rephed to the "Vive 
 I'Empereur" of France with a proud shout of 
 victory. Waterloo was the last and greatest of 
 Napoleon's fields. There he struggled for his 
 former superiority in Europe, for the lost glory 
 )f his name; and there he opposed the hatred 
 uf all Europe. Waterloo ended a long series 
 of fights, unparalleled in the history of the 
 world. They began at Monte Notte, and there 
 Napoleon first displayed that genius which was 
 to carry him triumphant over the battle plains 
 of martial Europe. Austerlitz saw the acme of 
 his glory, but the rays turned at Waterloo, and 
 -hone full on the English shields.
 
 30 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 ON A PICTURE OF NAPOLEON TAKING {| 
 LEAVE OF HIS FAMILY AFTER THE 
 BATTLE OF WATERLOO. 
 
 See there the Hero stands, and with upHfted 
 eyes implores the blessings of the heavens which 
 he had defied upon his only child. He who 
 had rode through the armies of destruction — 
 the spirit of the storm — whose reckless valour 
 Lodi had witnessed, whose prowess Austerhtz 
 acknowledged, and whose fortitude Moskowa 
 confessed, he now felt his heart fail him. The 
 trying moment of his life was come. The mind 
 of Napoleon (than which few have been more 
 ambitious) saw all its plans dashed to the 
 ground, and a hopeless exile the only view 
 before it; an exile where he must plan no 
 more what he so often planned, where he must 
 give up those ideas of majesty which he had so 
 long enjoyed. He shrinks beneath the blow, 
 the thought of passing the remainder of his life 
 in ignominy has broken his proud spirit, and the
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 31 
 
 tear falls from the eye of the warrior. Europe 
 is in arms against him, and the fortunate child 
 of a revolution is fortunate no more. Those 
 whom he relied on before are now no more; he 
 has none to lead to victory or death. Ney lies 
 in a traitor's grave. Murat and the heroic 
 Lasnes are gone. The standard of Bernadotte 
 is against him. Soult, Massenna, Berthier, 
 Suchet, St. Cyr, Marmont, and the rest, where 
 are they ? Dead or traitors ; they are nowhere 
 to be seen, and the fallen Emperor of Europe 
 stands alone, with the weeping daughter of the 
 proudest house of Germany. 
 
 Whatever were Napoleon's public vices and 
 crimes, he certainly had private virtue, as sure 
 as he had military skill ; though a D'Enghein 
 was murdered by his caprice, he lived in the 
 affections of a Josephine and a jNIaria Louise. 
 A few hours more, and he must depart for ever 
 from the scene of his glory — from the son and 
 wife whom he now blesses. The few veterans 
 that remain of his victorious troops will soon 
 shout the final "Vive I'Empereur," and domestic
 
 32 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 peace must depart for ever from the house of 
 Buonaparte. He knows and feels it, and a tear 
 trickles down his cheek. His mind, no doubt, 
 for a moment repents that it soared so high, for 
 then he would not feel that sharpest blast of 
 adversity. He relinquished the sceptre with a 
 shudder, but he tore himself away from his 
 domestic circle with a tear. Alas! Napoleon, 
 that thy public actions were not worthy of thy 
 private virtue. Thy talents were great, but 
 misapplied they were drowned in seas of blood. 
 Europe cries for justice now ; the fleets of 
 England surround thee ; the soldiers of Britain 
 are advancing; and private virtue cannot wash 
 out public crime. Alas ! what is life ? Napo- 
 leon now sleeps in the stillness of the tomb ; 
 his name is forgotten in the cabinet and in the 
 field, and may not his crimes too be forgotten ? 
 May his genius and strength alone be remem- 
 bered. He is gone, and cursed be the hand 
 that would disturb his rest. Peace to thy ashes, 
 O mighty man!
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 33 
 
 INDUSTRY. 
 
 Subject proposed by Fowler, Esq., Solicitor, 
 
 Binningliam. 
 
 " Thou shalt earn thy bread by the sweat of 
 thy brow," was the decree which went forth 
 from the Lord of heaven and earth, when our 
 first parents fell. It was, at first, a punishment 
 to man, who had been accustomed to nothing 
 but light and easy work ; but in His great 
 mercy, God has changed the curse into a bles- 
 sing, and in the present condition of mankind, 
 labour is as necessary for the keeping up of 
 happiness, and maintaining the permanence of 
 society, as kings are to unite the whole in one 
 compact body, and to promote its well-being. 
 Idleness is now, and has ever been, the bane of 
 happiness, and the more a man indulges in it, 
 the more unhappy he is; and it follows, that the 
 more industrious he is, the happier is his lot. 
 
 To bring great effects to pass by slight causes 
 is the height of genius, and shews what that 
 
 b2
 
 34 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 genius could do when excited to the utmost ; 
 and, therefore, men are perpetually trying to 
 gain this height of excellence ; but nothing is to 
 be done without labour, and we often sit still all 
 the time that we wish such and such a thing to 
 come to pass, when the only way to make it so 
 happen is by setting ourselves industriously to 
 bring it on. I repeat, Idleness is the bane of 
 happiness ; for how much soever momentary 
 pleasure it may give, and though the first drops 
 of the cup which Satan holds up to unwary man 
 are sweet, bitter are the dregs which he must 
 drain : he who would see the first, must see the 
 last. Labour, though it disgusts at first, brings 
 pleasure afterwards, and it may be taken as an 
 axiom, that as much happiness as there is in 
 Idleness, so there is sorrow in Industry, and 
 vice versa; a truth, which though seldom 
 beheved, is verified by experience, and con- 
 firmed by the testimony of every mortal man 
 that has ever been endued with a thinking soul. 
 It is strange that so many should disbelieve such 
 testimony ; but they themselves must one day
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 35 
 
 give the same. I do not speak as to what men 
 say, but what they do. Judge mankind by 
 their words, and no race was ever so holy. 
 Heaven itself could scarcely produce beings so 
 pure, undefiled, and disinterested; but judge 
 them by their actions, and what are they? 
 Worse than even the sons of hell. There are 
 not many pleasures more refined than that 
 which arises from the sight of things which we 
 ourselves have made, nourished, or cherished. 
 Augustus preferred one lowly grove of trees to 
 all the other splendid ones which were about 
 his grounds, because his own hands had planted 
 those trees, which now, in gratitude, sheltered 
 him from the mid-day sun, and created in his 
 heart feelings and sentiments which the whole 
 round of pleasure could not afford. 
 
 The association which generally exists be- 
 tween industry and labour for one's bread, has 
 brought all industrious habits into rather low 
 repute among the higher classes of society, as 
 belonging only to those who are obliged to 
 work for their livelihood ; a notion as untrue as
 
 36 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 it is false, and which needs no demonstration to 
 shew its fallacy ; besides, to labour for one's 
 bread has nothing dishonourable in it. It is 
 honourable, for in whatever station we may be 
 placed, we are bound to do all that we can to- 
 wards promoting our own comfort and that of 
 others. 
 
 An idle man is a burden to society and him- 
 self; he is thrown upon the first, and sinks into 
 the grave, and from thence to perdition by a 
 weight which he has never learnt to support — 
 
 HIMSELF.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 37 
 
 DUTY TO MANKIND. 
 
 Subject proposed by Samiel Kemison. Esq , 
 Birmingham. 
 
 Man is born for society ; his desires, habits, 
 and construction are all sociable. To live in 
 retirement, and perfectly secluded from the 
 world, would dry up the secret sources of his 
 vital principle, and the grave or idiocy would 
 soon be his portion ; therefore I say man is 
 formed for society, but that society cannot exist 
 without proper laws and regulations. Who 
 would think of joining two pieces of rough- 
 hewn wood together, so as to form one close 
 and compact piece ; the thing would be impos- 
 sible, till those pieces were smoothed by the 
 plane and chisel : and as fully impossible would 
 it be to endeavour to join together, in the 
 bands of society, men of diverse sentiments and 
 jarring interests, without some laws to keep 
 their several passions down to the level, indis- 
 pensable for the well-being of the whole.
 
 38 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 Where each man possesses ambition, and each 
 desires to overtop his neighbour, the society 
 must fall, unless the chief authority is vested in 
 a person chosen by the whole body for their 
 ruler. The duty of this person is to love those 
 under him ; the duty of his subjects is to love 
 him and their fellow-men ; and this is the whole 
 duty which man owes to man. Love is far 
 more extensive than is at first imagined; but by 
 a glance it will be evident that " Love is the 
 fulfilling of the law," and everything will be 
 done which can in any way promote the happi- 
 ness of a nation or of individuals. 
 
 If love be the ruhng principle of conduct, 
 and a regard for other's interests the base of 
 operations of each man in the community, the 
 duty of man to man will be completed.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 39 
 
 RELIGION: ITS OBJECT AND EFFECT 
 UPON INDIVIDUALS AND COMMU- 
 NITIES. 
 
 Subject proposed by J. Sheffield, Esq., Carlisle- 
 
 Religion is an arranged system of worship 
 to Divinity, and has for its object the acquire- 
 ment of blessings, either spiritual or temporal ; 
 the rendering up of praise to whom praise is 
 due ; and the raising up of a barrier to the 
 assaults of vice. Every nation had and has its 
 religion, and the effect was according to the 
 degree of perfection to which the plan was 
 brought, and the religion of Christ being with- 
 out blemish, its effect must necessarily be pro- 
 portionably great. On individuals it exerts no 
 very perceptible influence, for it is a secret 
 power, not an open force. The Christian and 
 the Pagan, indeed, shew surprising contrasts ; 
 but I compare him with man uninfluenced and 
 unguided. But how far different is the state of 
 the two minds. The Spirit of God, that pure
 
 40 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 ethereal influence of the Omnipotent, rests on 
 the one, and that is enough to speak for the 
 rest. Wild and ungoverned, the other rages 
 here and there, and if Paganism comes, the 
 maddening fanatic runs to the dagger or loud 
 rumbling wheels of the car of his god, in order 
 to quench the fury of his breast in death. 
 
 But it is the voice of millions, and the shout 
 of nations, which proclaim the triumph of 
 Christianity. The united efforts of kindred 
 breasts display, in acts of virtue, the influence 
 which is exerted on each individually. If there 
 was a nation only half as zealous for the religion 
 of Christ, as the Indians are for that of Jugger- 
 naut, the earth itself would tremble beneath the 
 weight of millions, when they met to celebrate 
 the ordinary day of the Lord.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 41 
 
 RELIGION. 
 
 Subject proposed by George Blandford, Esq., M.R.C.S., 
 Rugby. 
 
 No man had better opportunities than 
 Solomon of tasting the pleasures of this world, 
 and he did taste them, and answered "All is 
 vanity." Where, then, is pleasure to be found? 
 If all the worldly pleasures are nought but 
 vanity, where can man be happy? Did God 
 create him to be miserable, and is there no 
 source from which to draw that pleasure which 
 the heart of man naturally desires ? The very 
 sight of this world would refute any such 
 notion. Solomon spoke only of those pleasures 
 which the world calls so. He did not intend 
 to condemn all those endearing sensations of 
 delight which we experience at times, during 
 our passage through life. There is pleasure in 
 those, but it is not lasting. Where, then, is 
 man, to be happy ? The finger of God itself
 
 42 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 points the way. The voice of Rehgion itself 
 speaks and displays happiness, and the Temple 
 of Religion is her abode ; that temple which in 
 all ages (with few exceptions) has been treated 
 with scorn and contempt. Superstition oft has 
 arose in her stead, and led the way over briars 
 and thorns to the depths of despair. Darkness 
 and gloom have oft obscured her; and when 
 she shone brightest her holiest principle has 
 been broken, and she has been made the means 
 of bringing ill-will and discord among brethren. 
 But the hand of God still upholds her temple ; 
 and He will not allow men to be able to say 
 that happiness is departed from the earth. 
 Religion still sheds her influence over some : 
 they are few ; but great are the blessings pro- 
 mised to them. It is not for human mind to 
 conceive, or human mouth to speak of the 
 glories which they will possess. Life is short. 
 It may seem long. Well ; let it be. Death 
 must come at last. The old man we see slowly 
 creeping towards us, will display the eagle's
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 43 
 
 wing if we look back. Time and death wait 
 for no man. It is, then, to our benefit if we 
 try to soften the rigours with which death 
 comes on man : it is our duty and our only 
 happiness.
 
 44 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 HISTORY. 
 
 Subject proposed by George Blandford, Esq., M.R.C.S., 
 Rugby. 
 
 Every man owes to testimony more than 
 half of the knowledge which he possesses. 
 Experience teaches him the rest. History is a 
 description of events which have taken place 
 in the world, and without any addition from 
 fiction or imagination. The benefit the study 
 of History gives to man, in any state of Hfe, is 
 great. Kings may learn to rule from seeing 
 how former sovereigns fell, or were successful. 
 Statesmen may know how to direct, and sub- 
 jects how to obey, from the examples History 
 gives. The man in private life may support 
 his ills with more patience, when he reads of 
 another who bore greater with more magna- 
 nimity. He may strive for Fame, and be 
 directed on his way by those who long since 
 have mouldered in the dust. The dead speak 
 through the mouth of History ; Socrates, The-
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 45 
 
 mistocles, Caesar, and Brutus still animate many 
 on the way of life. But what, on the whole, 
 do we find in the pages of History ? There 
 are bright specks here and there. Glory and 
 virtue, at times, send forth a kindling ray ; but 
 the pages are stained with blood. One man's 
 ambition, and another's pride, carry conquest 
 far and wide. Intrigues during peace, and 
 Revolutions during war, is the whole of His- 
 tory. Dark are the pages which speak of the 
 operations of sinful men. While he has little, 
 he is virtuous ; but he must have more : he 
 gets it, but still goes on, nor stops till his 
 ambition turns against him, and forces him 
 down the hill of destruction. But in all the 
 complexity of rise and fall, progress and decline, 
 there is a certain uniformity which marks a 
 master hand. Alexander did but fulfil the pro- 
 phecies of God, when he gratified his own 
 ambition ; and God reigns in all, from the 
 lowest to the highest state of man ; His will 
 has directed all His doings, and still rules the 
 created world.
 
 46 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 UPON THE MORAL CONDITION OF THE 
 DEAF AND DUMB BEFORE EDUCA- 
 TION. 
 
 Subject proposed by Thomas Turner, Esq., 
 Manchester. 
 
 " The soul's dark prison, batter'd and decay'd, 
 
 Lets in new lights through chinks which time has made." 
 
 But there are no chinks in the prisons of 
 those who are shut out from the usual way of 
 communion with their fellow-men. Time never 
 yet assaulted them ; and, like a hon confined in 
 his cage, the impatient soul turns about, and 
 tries to find the light. But no! all is dark, 
 impenetrably dark ! and the soul, having no 
 stimulus to action, hes down ; dark shadows of 
 ideas float by, and they are grasped with 
 anxiety, but they are shadows. The light of 
 God is found nowhere. The pangs of con- 
 science are not felt, nor the mercy of God. 
 Faults are committed and forgotten, never to 
 be remembered with the pleasing reflection that 
 they are pardoned. The senses that remain,
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 4? 
 
 tell of the things and pleasures of the outward 
 world ; but they puzzle, they do not inform. 
 The storms of passion rage, without any oil to 
 pour upon the waters of strife. Ignorance 
 wields the sceptre. Reason weeps in chains. 
 Hail, the light it comes! it comes!! Education 
 arises, the star of hope. The depths of know- 
 ledge are displayed ; the trembling soul em- 
 barks in the enterprize ; gentle breezes waft the 
 vessel on ; wisdom and God arise ; salvation's 
 lustrous blaze warms the soul, and energy 
 carries it on to the ports of heaven.
 
 48 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 WHAT KIND OF GOVERNMENT DO YOU 
 CONSIDER THE BEST, AND WHY? 
 
 Subject proposed by H. B. Bingham. 
 
 A MoNARCHiAL form of Government, in 
 which the executive power is vested in the 
 King, while neither nobles nor community are 
 excluded from taking part in the administration, 
 is certainly the most effective form of any. 
 Faults it has ; but what that is human has not ? 
 It has been proved by experience to be the 
 soundest, and the wisdom of man has not yet 
 found out a better. 
 
 In default of that, an absolute form of 
 Government, in which the Sovereign has the 
 sole and undivided power, is the most bene- 
 ficial. It is that which the Creator of all 
 things exercises, and from hence it may be 
 argued that it is the most superior form, seeing 
 that the Allwise Being has adopted it himself;
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 49 
 
 but the very wisdom of God forms the ground 
 from which to throw back the argument. God 
 being so constituted, cannot do wrong ; to 
 which virtue no man can lay claim. The whole 
 system is regulated and ordered by His provi- 
 dence, in the most correct and precise way ; so 
 much so, that not a single error has occurred 
 since the creation : and what kingdom on earth 
 can say as much? Man is weak, his power is 
 confined, his judgment faulty, his reason erro- 
 neous, and his desires corrupt ; and to expect 
 him singly and alone to direct the affairs of a 
 nation, in any great degree of excellence, is to 
 expect impossibilities of him. Plurality makes 
 up for deficiency in individuals, and as each 
 genius bends in one particular way, so one 
 genius is fitted to assist, check, and guide ano- 
 ther, where it is deficient, and to receive the 
 same assistance in return ; and, therefore, it 
 would seem that the plan of entrusting the 
 Government to a number of men, is advan- 
 tageous ; and it does seem very plausible. 
 
 c
 
 50 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 But we must not take the good offices of 
 men to one another alone in ihe account ; their 
 faults must form part of a just estimate; and 
 we see that unless there be a superior with 
 authority to restrain and govern the men who 
 have the direction of affairs, those men, if 
 nobles, will conspire to dismember the state 
 and divide it among themselves ; and if quarrels 
 happen to take place, each noble, being pos- 
 sessed of considerable power, will excite a sort 
 of civil war against his neighbour; and where 
 will the Government then be? But if the 
 power be placed with the people, evils of a 
 worse kind will ensue ; for it cannot be ex- 
 pected that men who occupy the lower places 
 in society are well educated, and from a want 
 of education their passions overbalance their 
 reason ; and how many bad effects ensue from 
 the indulgence of momentary caprice, is known 
 to every one. There is nothing that such a 
 Government would not attempt, and nothing 
 which it would not leave undone. Nobles and
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 51 
 
 people united, though one step more to perfec- 
 tion, would only make matters worse without a 
 chief; for the former, elevated by high birth 
 and rank, would domineer over the latter ; who, 
 in their turn, would resist; and thus endless 
 disputes would be generated, which could only 
 be ended by a Sovereign, who, therefore, is 
 indispensably necessary to preserve tranquillity, 
 and to possess power in one sense over the 
 nobility and people, which the latter parties 
 return in another way. Three horses yoked 
 together, so as to pull different ways, cannot 
 advance in any direction ; and this is a tolerable 
 >imile of that Government where each class has 
 something to do in the administration: but un- 
 less the King submit himself implicitly to the 
 laws of the realm, laws passed by both Lords 
 and Commons, and signed by himself, no peace 
 can be expected ; and the evils incident upon 
 having a headstrong King when the Govern- 
 ment is absolute, are increased in a mixed one, 
 • n account of the opposition which he meets
 
 52 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 with from the other parties ; and, hke a tiger, 
 he does more mischief from being wounded. 
 A Government composed of an equal mixture 
 of monarchial, aristocratic, and democratic prin- 
 ciples, is certainly the best ; but perfection 
 must not be looked forward to in this, no more 
 than in other things.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 REMORSE. 
 
 Remorse is that feeling of pain, which neces- 
 sarily takes its station in the human heart, after 
 the committal of evil. It is sorrow, horror, and 
 shame arising in a person's mind after evil has 
 been there. It is a dart arriving in the heart 
 with swift flight, sinking deep, and taking a 
 tenacious hold. It comes not the moment 
 after the deed is done, for then the heart 
 exults, and it is not till the heat of action is 
 passed away, that with a certain aim, Remorse 
 bears unrelentingly on the heart ; and as surely 
 as the crime is committed, does it stand there 
 like the fury of the infernal regions, carrying 
 the poison of Echidna, and the froth of Cer- 
 berus, and spreading its fiery influence in every 
 recess. Like a fire it burns, and like a fire it 
 purifies : it burns and scorches, but at the same 
 time it takes away the grosser matter, and 
 introduces repentance as it departs. It is a
 
 54 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 blessing then, but it is a fury too ; and well 
 might Napoleon rue the day of Austerlitz, and 
 he did rue it ; for though the forces of Russia 
 and Austria were destroyed, Napoleon yet suf- 
 fered remorse for that and his other victories ; 
 for though the posture of nations in Europe 
 obliged democratic France to throw hersei.' into 
 a military posture, and though the whole Revo- 
 lution would have come to nothing without such 
 
 o 
 
 a man as Napoleon, yet still that man did too 
 much, and by aggression, became odious, and 
 ambition draff^ed Remorse into his heart. 
 
 CO 
 
 " The Spanish ulcer has ruined me," he cried, 
 in a voice of anguish at Helena, and attested 
 that that plan of ambition brought its own 
 punishment: but, alas! even when surrounded 
 by the stormy waves, forgotten and alone, and 
 guarded in a hopeless exile by his most steadfast 
 enemies; even there, his proud spirit yearned 
 after dominion, and he yet dreamed of seeing 
 the world at his feet, struck down by the magic 
 of his name, and the power of his sword. 
 What were Scipio's sentiments, as he strode
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEA.F AND DUMB. 
 
 iver the ruins of Carthage ? What those of 
 Titus, when the Jewish temple was one burning 
 mass before his eyes? What those of Nero, 
 when he saw the blade about to enter his heart, 
 driven thither by despair and the enmity of his 
 justly incensed subjects? Look at Alexander, 
 
 " With ravished ears 
 
 The monarch hears. 
 
 Assumes the God, 
 
 Affects to nod, 
 
 And seems to shake the spheres. 
 
 ***** 
 
 With downcast looks, the joyless \ictor sate. 
 
 Revolving in his altered soul 
 
 The various tiu-ns of chance below. 
 
 And now and then a sigh he stole, 
 
 And tears began to flow." 
 
 Aye : Remorse was in the breast of the con- 
 queror of Greece, and vanquisher of Darius. 
 To descend to more modern times. Witness 
 Cranmer. The hand which in an unguarded 
 moment had signed the recantation of his behef, 
 vas held up to the hottest flames and there 
 onsumed, while these awful words, " This hand 
 hath offended, this unworthy right hand," rung 
 in the ears of those around him. " The agony 
 of his repentance had been seen by thousands,
 
 56 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 and tens of thousands had witnessed when that 
 agony was past he stood calm and immoveable 
 amid the flames triumphant, not over his per- 
 secutors, but over himself, over the mind as 
 well as the body, over fear, and weakness, and 
 death." The remorse which he felt for having 
 reconciled himself to the Church of Rome, 
 brought about all this fortitude. To these may 
 be added many more, which are to be found in 
 the records of crime. How many a man, who 
 has disdained the proferred comforts of religion, 
 laughed at justice, ridiculed the gallows, and 
 mocked all three, clergyman, judge, and hang- 
 man, has, when the last bolt is about to be 
 withdrawn, been seized with sudden remorse ; 
 when all hopes are past, his maddened soul 
 chngs to the life which he must leave, and 
 wishes for a moment's delay? Alas! it is too 
 late. Justice will have justice done ; and pur- 
 sued by remorse, terror, and shame, he launches 
 unprepared into Infinity.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 57 
 
 WHAT IS YOUR IDEA OF OLIVER 
 CROMWELL? 
 
 Subject proposed by Mrs. Abraham Welland, London. 
 
 He was a man raised more by the state of 
 the times than his own genius ; although, when 
 once in power, he shewed himself capable of 
 governing even the inflexible and self-willed 
 English. His refusal of the crown was more 
 a matter of pohcy than of inclination, and in 
 other circumstances he would readily have 
 accepted the glittering bauble. He was the 
 victim of party spirit in no little degree ; and 
 though his character was certainly much abused 
 and falsely represented by the Royalists, yet 
 still it certainly was not one of the best and 
 most refined. He carried the vices of the 
 public-house into the palace, and sat upon the 
 throne in the same manner as at the tapster's 
 bar. That he possessed Patriotism, there is no 
 doubt. " I hope to raise the Enghsh name 
 higher than ever the Roman reached," was an 
 
 c 2
 
 58 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 expression of his fraught with meaning. He 
 rewarded men of genius with a judicious hand, 
 and the circumstance of MiUon's being about 
 his court, is sufficient proof that he was not 
 guided by a desire to gain the applause of those 
 in the higher ranks of hfe (for which, indeed, 
 he was but ill fitted). Milton was left in 
 obscurity during the whole of the following 
 reign, and Charles well might blush for so 
 doing, seeing that his enemy set him a better 
 example. 
 
 Suspicious of others, and those most nearly 
 connected with himself, I doubt whether he 
 ever formed a single friendship, properly so 
 called, during his continuance in power. He 
 was easily irritated ; but decision marked all his 
 actions ; and, upon the whole, he was one 
 fitted both by his genius and original situation 
 to rule in the turbulent times which brought 
 him forth. He was a man with most of the 
 virtues of the Chevaliers, and all the vices of 
 the Roundheads.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 WHAT ARE THE DISTINGUISHING ATTRI- 
 BUTES OF GENIUS, AND THE MOST 
 REMARKABLE INSTANCES OF ITS 
 EARLY EVIDENCE ON RECORD? 
 
 Subject proposed by Miss Potts, Edgbaston. 
 
 Genius is not a creature of art. It is not 
 to be acquired by any course of education, but 
 is a gift of Nature, and, as such, must ever 
 remain. The chief attribute of Genius is an 
 originahty of thought, which soars above the 
 common sphere of knowledge, and plans out 
 schemes for itself, disregarding whether they be 
 according to rule or no. It will not make a 
 favourable decision on any subject, upon the 
 plea that every man has assented to it. All 
 men may be misled, and the concurrence of 
 the whole mass of mankind in favour of an 
 error, does not make that error true. A man 
 of genius will investigate the principles of every 
 thing, and not go in the steps of those who 
 learn the way to do a thing, but not the grand
 
 60 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 source of the operation. He does not question 
 axioms, but the arguments which are deduced 
 from them. Education can only heighten, and 
 bring to hght his hidden quahties. The whole 
 mass of mankind can be deceived, or why 
 were the maps of Ptolemy so long retained as 
 genuine, when their fallacy was being hourly 
 discovered ? They gained approbation from 
 their copiousness, and after generations stupidly 
 trod in the steps of their forefathers, without 
 ascertaining whether those steps were secure 
 or no, until the Zeni and Adam of Bremen 
 overturned the system of the Egyptians, and 
 substituted better ones in the place of his erro- 
 neous maps. 
 
 Who could think that there was any associa- 
 tion between the fall of an apple, and the 
 motion of the heavenly bodies? Yet still by 
 a chain of reasoning, enlightened at every step 
 by the bright flashes of genius, Newton arrived 
 at that conclusion, which created an entire 
 revolution in Science, and united more closely 
 than ever the disjointed enquiries of investiga-
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. Gl 
 
 tion. Newton might have discovered Gravity 
 without education, but could he have apphed it 
 a> he has done ? 
 
 The Science of War is an intricate art, and 
 ill which few have excelled, except so far as 
 regards the execution of orders ; and, therefore, 
 that bright but terrific meteor which arose from 
 the Revolution of France, and burst with such 
 mighty effect upon the combined nations of 
 Europe, must have possessed a mind above the 
 ')rdinary stamp. We see him adopting a new 
 -ystem of tactics, formed in his fertile mind 
 alone, and demonstrating their efficacy by a 
 series of triumphs enequalled in the annals of 
 history. Were it not that British soldiers pos- 
 sessed fortitude, that a man capable of leading 
 them arose at the moment, and that the snows 
 of Russia and crags of Spain opposed the march 
 of this great conqueror, Europe would have to 
 acknowledge no sovereign but Napoleon the 
 Corsican : no superior house than that of Buo- 
 aparte, the Lieutenant of Artillery. Surely he 
 as the greatest genius of modern days!
 
 62 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 WHAT IS CONVERSION? 
 
 Subject proposed by Mrs. Fisher, Sheffield. 
 
 Conversion is the act of changing one thing 
 into a better, and is what we do, and see done 
 around us, every day of our hves. Whether 
 we look to nature or art, it is there. In the 
 first, fulfilling the grand designs of Providence ; 
 in the second, administering to the comfort of 
 man : and there is a third quarter in which it is 
 employed, as the means of ascertaining the 
 pecuhar properties of all natural bodies, either 
 in a simple or compound state. 
 
 Every thing here below which is under the 
 dominion of the Supreme Will, is going onward 
 towards perfection, either directly or indirectly. 
 Geological researches have brought to light 
 facts which demonstrate that the earth has 
 been what it is not now ; that its temperature, 
 products, and means of supporting existence 
 have changed ; and that there have been
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. G3 
 
 animals which were adapted to those different 
 states of the earth, and by their mode of hving 
 prepared it for superior races of beings : and 
 may not we, who walk so proudly, be only ful- 
 filling our part in the great plan of our Creator, 
 and going away from the earth prepared by our 
 labour for another race of mortals ? In art, we 
 see the raw productions of nature undergoing a 
 progress from which they come out in a totally 
 different state, and fit for the various uses for 
 which they were designed. In chemistry, or 
 else by its aid, we separate the good from the 
 bad, by the introduction of agents, the qualities 
 of which have been previously ascertained. But 
 all things earthly die away when they have ful- 
 filled the work they were sent out to execute. 
 We may but be the agents of Providence, with 
 respect to this external world ; but there is a 
 principle within us which promises a time when, 
 at the summit of perfection, we shall change no 
 more.
 
 64 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 WHAT IS YOUR OPINION ON SLAVERY? 
 
 Subject proposed by W. R. Beck, Esq., London. 
 
 It is the curse of God upon the children of 
 Ham; the drag upon every half-civihzed nation; 
 the shame of enhghtened people; and the de- 
 stroyer of the happiness of every individual who 
 allows it to bind his mind and will. The word 
 is sometimes confined to the first signification ; 
 and, indeed, the least mention of it puts one in 
 mind of Africa, and the groan of woe comes 
 piercing to the ear. As Britons, we do not 
 think of the two next significations : but let 
 every man turn inward, and reflect upon the 
 evils attendant upon the third, which is the 
 worst of them all, inasmuch as it is not slavery 
 to another, or of the outward corporeal form, 
 but bondage of the free and heaven-born mind 
 to one's own earthly passions and desires. That 
 which no man can bind, we bind ourselves ; and
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 65 
 
 long and gloomy is the thraldom we endure 
 before we can possibly get free. 
 
 But to return to the most usual acceptation 
 in which the word is now received: The 
 slavery of Africa's sons. Surely it was a noble 
 triumph when Britain slew the demon of ava- 
 rice, and cast off her disgrace ; but the cry of 
 distress had long rung in her ear in vain, and 
 thousands had died with a curse for her upon 
 their lips, for she had put the wide rolling sea 
 between them and their home, and tried to 
 think they had no ambition. They had both ; 
 and for that the greater was their trial. It was 
 man whom they obeyed, and they knew not 
 why the white should domineer over the black : 
 but we know, and the curse poured down upon 
 Ham is before our eyes ; yet for years we took 
 a lead in the traffic, and instead of trying to 
 raise them up to civilization, rolled ourselves in 
 the gold of sin and avarice, sinking beneath the 
 weight into greater shame and ignominy than 
 ever negro suffered.
 
 66 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 John, xiv. 16. I WILL PRAY THE FATHER, 
 AND HE SHALL GIVE YOU ANOTHER 
 COMFORTER, AND HE SHALL ABIDE 
 WITH YOU FOR EVER. 
 
 Subject proposed by James Johnson, Esq. 
 
 It was not unknown to our great Lord and 
 Master when he formed the code of the gospel 
 that his sheep were weak, indined to evil, and 
 incapable of serving him without assistance ; 
 therefore, in the greatness of his love, which 
 made him desirous that all, without exception, 
 should be saved, he said, " I will pray to the 
 Father, and he shall send you another Com- 
 forter, and he shall abide with you for ever," 
 and what he then promised, he will continue to 
 perform to all who call upon his name, till the 
 dawn of eternity. No sooner had heaven 
 received the Prince of Peace than the Holy 
 Spirit descended on those he had left behind, 
 and fitted them for the duties of their caUing, 
 enlightening and strengthening their minds.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. G7 
 
 The gospel was to make its way through diffi- 
 cuhies and dangers, opposed by the powers of 
 darkness and princes of the world: therefore 
 supernatural strength was given to the first 
 preachers of the gospel, and through the Holy 
 Spirit they did wonders to turn men from error 
 to the light of the truth. But now the Church 
 "kings for its nursing fathers, and queens 
 for its nursing mothers," therefore it needs not 
 :uch powers for its further propagation ; but 
 :vory one who prays sincerely for this inestima- 
 jIo benefit, will receive it to purify his inward 
 lioughts, to preserve him from sin, and to be a 
 continual monitor for good and heaven. 
 
 Praise God, therefore, for this, all ye nations. 
 Give thanks unto the Lord Jesus, who has been 
 JO mindful of your welfare, and obey with 
 •everence all the dictates of the Holy Spirit 
 vhich dwelleth in you, and, " lo ! it will abide 
 vith you always, even unto the end of the 
 .vorld."
 
 68 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 Psalm lxxxii. 7. BUT YE SHALL DIE LIKE 
 MEN, AND FALL LIKE ONE OF THE 
 PRINCES. 
 
 Subject proposed by Mrs. Mason. 
 
 Is a prince to glory in himself because he 
 has power and dominion, and is exalted above 
 the rest of his fellow-men ? " Thus saith the 
 Lord God, because his heart is lifted up in his 
 height, I have delivered him into the hand of 
 the mighty one ; I have driven him out for his 
 wickedness ; I have cast him down to hell with 
 them that descend into the pit." It was only 
 from necessity that kings were created, and 
 though as being the ministers of God, and for 
 the general well-being of society, we give them 
 honour, yet they are but men : as men they 
 were born, as men they shall die. Death is the 
 separation from all things in this world; then 
 why fix the affections on the dazzle and splen- 
 dour of the moment? How much better to 
 hide the eyes, remembering they are but dust
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. G9 
 
 till time's career is over, and the soul casting 
 earth and care away, mounts into eternity. 
 
 And, moreover, there is a day of retribution, 
 \vhen kings and princes will be weighed in the 
 same scale with the rest, and woe to him upon 
 whom the words " Mene, mene, tekel," will be 
 pronounced. Princes are under the same dis- 
 pensation, and, therefore, under the same obh- 
 gation with others. Life is a fast fleeting 
 dream. Infancy, youth, and manhood rush 
 furiously on ; old age comes, the goal is won. 
 Well, then, it is man's interest to have one idea 
 in his mind over all the rest, viz., the greatness 
 of the concern in which he is enoraffed, and the 
 insignificance of things earthly. Then will he 
 learn to be holy, as God is holy; and, hereafter, 
 heaven's blest portals will close behind liim, 
 with the music of angels, as he throws down his 
 crown, and sings Hosanna to the Lamb.
 
 70 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 HALLOW-E'EN. 
 
 Subject proposed by the. Rev. J. Moultrie. Rugby. 
 
 Every nation has its own particular traditions 
 and superstitions, which, though they differ in 
 particulars in different countries, yet still are 
 uniformly the same in the fountain head: the 
 behef in the power of certain spirits over the 
 destinies of mankind. Whence the origin of 
 this is a subject for the theorist and antiqua- 
 rian ; but, in my opinion, the most probable 
 reason is, that the different nations of the world 
 having been descended from one common stock 
 when the true God was known, carried away 
 with them the proper idea of Omnipotence, 
 and kept it till it was corrupted by other in- 
 fluences. The frequent communion of God 
 with the patriarchs may have given them a 
 belief in the presence of ghosts, witches, &c., 
 and so on with the rest ; but whatever may 
 have been the origin of the superstitions so;
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 71 
 
 prevalent ; whatever may have brought into use 
 the ceremonies to be observed on particular 
 days ; if those ceremonies and superstitions go 
 towards the increase of merriment and social 
 feeling between man and man, it is enough, we 
 have them.
 
 72 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 ARE YOUNG CHILDREN CAPABLE OF 
 RECEIVING RELIGIOUS IMPRESSIONS? 
 
 Subject proposed by G. R. Collins, Esq., London. 
 
 From the first moment that the soul of man 
 comes into existence, it is capable of receiving 
 impressions of some sort or other. But what 
 are religious impressions? They are those by 
 which everything that is good is encouraged, 
 and the contrary depressed ; they are those by 
 which the whole mystery of Providence and 
 goodness of God is made to bear upon the 
 human heart, and to influence it. And are 
 little children capable of understanding this ? 
 Certainly : for it admits of every degree of 
 simplification ; and in their measure children 
 may be brought to know and understand the 1 
 nature of that faith in which they were bap- 
 tized. 
 
 The only thing to be regretted is, that it is 
 a "question" (in however small a degree) as 
 regards their capability. The name of London
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 73 
 
 is gone out afar, and even the long-secluded 
 Chinese may dream of the glories and wealth 
 of the mighty city, and form a picture of splen- 
 dour and briUiancy. Alas ! he little thinks that 
 his picture to be complete must be engirdled 
 with a mass of misery, and a body of some 
 thousands of human beings, weighed down by 
 a complication of moral and physical ills revolt- 
 ing to human nature. Alas ! that in the city 
 where sits that famous legislature, whose deci- 
 sions Europe awaits with respectful attention ; 
 nay, that even close to its very walls, there 
 should be found wanting that religious instruc- 
 tion by which the poor can make their homes 
 happy. There are six hundred thousand in- 
 dividuals given up to the grossest intempe- 
 rance in England; of these, six hundred perish 
 annually. How many of these would have 
 been saved from the ruinous path they are now 
 treading, if they had received the proper in- 
 struction in childhood and youth. They are 
 men, children of Adam, and with souls that 
 will endure while Eternity's revolving circle 
 
 D
 
 74 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 goes on in one continued round. Heaven or 
 hell is theirs. Great, then, is the responsibility 
 of those who, knowing these things to be so, 
 pass on through life with closed eyes, without 
 one effort for their recovery ; who have the 
 power, but not the will to work, and turn away 
 from the vineyard, choosing rather to remain in 
 selfish idleness. Verily they have their reward 
 in the praise and pomp of present days; but 
 mark, the horizon lowers darkly over their head, 
 and, ere long, the bolt will rush out and hurl 
 them into perdition.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN 
 WISDOM AND KNOWLEDGE? 
 
 Subject proposed by the Rev. R. Radclifke, 
 Skrjne, Ireland. 
 
 Wisdom is that by the attainment of which 
 we secure for ourselves an inheritance in the 
 world to come ; Knowledge that by which we 
 gain one here below; the first is prudence for 
 the future, the latter prudence upon the past. 
 Wisdom leads us to never fading and everlast- 
 ing glory and happiness ; Knowledge has the 
 chief hand in raising us in the ranks of life : 
 though a man possessed of wisdom always has 
 the respect of every one above the profligate 
 and vulgar. A man may be wise, but not 
 possess any great knowledge, and vice versa ; 
 but every one must have some of the latter, in 
 order to understand the former. A child must 
 go through the gradations of knowledge, which 
 teach the use of letters, &c. &c., before he can 
 understand wisdom. The onlv true wisdom in
 
 76 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 the world is the knowledge and service of God : 
 hut if a man did not know the use of letters, 
 if he could not freely communicate with his 
 fellow-creatures (and the means by which we 
 can do all these things is what we call know- 
 ledge), and if his thoughts were all kept to 
 himself, how could he be wise ? His ideas of a 
 Creator would be but faint, for we derive our 
 chief knowledge of him from revelation, and 
 unless we have knowledge, we can never esti- 
 mate the value of this revelation. Knowledge 
 may, therefore, simply be said to be that by 
 which we open the gates of Wisdom ; that 
 which gives us the most respect in this world, 
 but which does in no way promote our happi- 
 ness in the next, except by leading unto 
 Wisdom, which secures for us a place with 
 God, and without which we can have no lasting 
 happiness on earth.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 THE ADVANTAGES OF THE RAILWAY 
 SYSTEM VERSUS THE OLD SYSTEM 
 OF TRAVELLING. 
 
 Subject proposed by J. Lowe, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 To pass from London to Edinburgh in the 
 space of a week was considered marvellous by 
 our forefathers ; and to buy a horse at the first 
 city, and sell it at the second, after having 
 escaped all the breakneck hazards from bad 
 roads, highwaymen, &c., was the height of tra- 
 veUing policy. Then came the mighty stage 
 coach, with its sonorous guard and tipsy coach- 
 man. With a pile of boxes, and an undistin- 
 guishable mass of outsides, it rolled heavily 
 along, exhibiting no signs of conveying animate 
 beings ; only when it rattled through the last 
 town, did a yawn from outside, and a grumble 
 from inside, announce human beings. Then 
 suddenly the trumpet peals through the night 
 air ; one gallop more, and the coach stops, and 
 all the humbug of lost luggage, angry coach-
 
 78 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 man, guard, and porter ensues. But it is not 
 so now ; the old has become new, and Young 
 Eno-land has turned all such things into the 
 ditch. Merrily the steam engine cuts the air, 
 and vies with the wind in swiftness. Smoothly 
 roll the swift revolving wheels, no jolting or 
 jumbling is there ; and when you arrive at your 
 journey's end, a httle vigilance is all that is 
 required. Every one must be obliging, and 
 you do not get knocked about like a great 
 football, and after all be obliged to pay for 
 imaginary services. But we must not over- 
 praise our system now, for it is ten to one that 
 we will become the laughing stocks of a still 
 younger England. A murderer escaped by a 
 power going a mile a minute, but was appre- 
 hended by another going at the rate of ninety- 
 seven thousand miles a second. May not our 
 progeny one day make that power their means 
 of locomotion? and would not they laugh at 
 us if we boasted of our one mile a minute tra- 
 veUing ?
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 DEATH. 
 
 Subject proposed by H. B. Bingham. 
 
 " He who has bent him o'er the dead 
 
 Ere the first day of death is fled, 
 
 The first dark day of nothingness, 
 
 The last of danger and distress. 
 
 Before decay's effacing fingers 
 
 Have swept the lives where beautj' lingers, 
 
 And marked the mild angelic air, 
 
 The raptm-e of repose that's there. 
 
 And but for that sad shrouded eye, 
 
 That fires not, weeps not, wins not, now ; 
 
 And but for that chill changeless brow, 
 
 Yes ! but for these, and these alone. 
 
 Some moments, aye, one treacherous hour. 
 
 He still might doubt the tyrant's power." 
 
 BVROX. 
 
 That is beauty in death : but what is death ? 
 The sovereign of the world, wherever his father 
 rules. The servant of man, wherever virtue 
 gains a place. Yes ! the rude destroyer must 
 bow the stubborn knee, and acknowledge in 
 half-choked accents his fealty to his Sovereign 
 Lord. Then there is beauty in the triumph of 
 virtue, and the king of terrors assumes the 
 angel of hght. Avenging and terrible is his
 
 80 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 blast everywhere else ; man feels the shock, 
 and, with a reluctant sigh, gasps out his soul 
 for the whirlwind to convey to the reeking 
 jaws of overloaded hell. Amid the trumpet's 
 sound the shriek of death mounts triumphant 
 on the blast. The cannon's roar is drowned 
 in the groans of its hundred victims. The 
 dungeon's walls witness the last ebbing vital 
 drops of the captive. The loud shout of vic- 
 tory is replied to by the deep continued sighs 
 of those who have felt the sword. The hovel 
 lets out the remnant of a once mighty soul 
 sent to poverty for his pride. Pride itself 
 must yield. All must yield. Death never 
 saw his dart sent back by man. The warrior 
 has cursed heaven and earth when he received 
 his mortal wound. The despot has in vain 
 offered his empire for the delay of an hour. 
 The stern eye of the commander has wept 
 when the glaze of death came over it. The 
 miser has turned to phrenzy as his darling gold 
 vanished before his eyes; but what can equal 
 the pain of the sinner when he feels the dart
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 81 
 
 piercing his soul ? Whither is that soul to go ? 
 To the judgement of justice, to undergo the 
 ordeal of condemnation ; for what better can 
 he expect ? Death is under the power of 
 God, and come when it will, it was sent by 
 his Almighty hand. He numbers its victims 
 in a host going to battle ; and, therefore, it is 
 a gross assumption of power in man either to 
 take his own life or that of his fellow-creatures. 
 In both he equally ensures the damnation of 
 his own soul. Their own consciences tell the 
 murderers that their doom is fixed, unless the 
 mercy of God draws them back to repentance. 
 
 Death is terrible, yet still the bloody victor 
 stalks conqueringly through the world, taking 
 advantage of all evil passions which arise in the 
 breast of man. The course of blood must be 
 stopped, ere Peace can descend, and the King- 
 dom of Christ arise on earth. 
 
 d2
 
 82 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 ON EDUCATION. 
 
 Subject proposed by Mrs. Colonel Chambers, Rugby. 
 
 Greece and Rome have both turned their 
 thoughts to this subject, and the schools of the 
 former have long stood foremost in the world. 
 That care was taken of the education of youth 
 may be inferred from the death of Socrates. 
 He died upon the false charge of corrupting the 
 morals of his scholars; and though jealousy and 
 envy surely were the instruments that put this 
 great man to death, yet still the fact that justice 
 dared to impeach him upon such a charge, is 
 sufficient to shew that the Greeks knew the 
 value of Education. The same thing may be 
 inferred on the side of the Romans, from the 
 fact that Domitian became a schoolmaster, upon 
 being deposed ; and surely every one who has 
 any sense of patriotism, would look upon school- 
 masters as one of the nation's bulwarks. The 
 old man rests in peace, because his sons defend
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 83 
 
 the soil, and no anxiety disturbs his thoughts as 
 to the future state of his native land; for he 
 sees around him figures of strength and youthful 
 wisdom. His hand gladly yields up possession, 
 knowing that it falls into others as good as his 
 own ; but all this cannot be, unless Education is 
 upheld. In England, at least, it is ; but until 
 the collier can find consolation from the Word 
 of God, it is not enough.
 
 84 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 A NATIONAL SYSTEM OF EDUCATION. 
 
 Subject proposed by Mrs. Busby, Hagley-road, 
 near Birmingham. 
 
 The first care of a Government which is 
 based upon a real concern for the welfare of 
 the state, is the care of the rising generation, 
 and the proper developement of the minds of 
 those who are to succeed their fathers in that 
 situation of hfe, which every man must one day 
 fill. Education, therefore, is a thing of para- 
 mount importance; and that system, whatever 
 its means may be, whose end is good, is good ; 
 but it would not do for the mind of youth to 
 be instructed without any grand system of ac- 
 tion. It would be as bad as for a general to 
 begin a war with irregular forces only, which 
 can never act without the cooperation of a re- 
 gular army. A few schools here and there 
 would do nothing but produce a few great men 
 who perish into obscurity, from want of a halo 
 around them. The mass of the nation must be
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 85 
 
 educated, or those few great men are left naked, 
 and exposed to the blasts of envy, the prejudices 
 of custom, and the venom of malice — and who 
 can resist all this ? Even Socrates could not ; 
 justice and right are alike disregarded by the 
 wild tumults of a nation, brought into action 
 by passions which are the bane of every good 
 feehng. I say, that the more educated a nation 
 is, the higher will it rank in the scale of the 
 world ; in other words, the more a government 
 interests itself in the course of tuition employed 
 in the schools already established, the more will 
 the weight of that nation be felt in the cabinets 
 of other powers. May England, and England's 
 government, pursue this course, and thereby 
 mount the car of triumph with the laurel crown 
 of victory.
 
 86 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 ON THE NECESSITY OF SUBMITTING TO 
 WHAT CANNOT BE AVOIDED. 
 
 Subject proposed by Mrs. Colonel Chambers, Rugby. 
 
 Necessity has no law : God is bound by no 
 chains, and, therefore, what He wills must be. 
 Man is a noble being when regarded apart by 
 himself; but what is one of the miUions of in- 
 habitants of one of the specks of those milhons, 
 which crowd immeasurable space, before the 
 Great Lord of Infinity? The sun is to man 
 wholly bright, though there are really dark 
 places, many miles in diameter, on its disc. 
 Why then should not the world be merely 
 a black spot by reason of its wickedness to 
 Him who liveth high above in the heaven of 
 heavens? His eye is all-seeing; his wisdom 
 is infinite, and, therefore, it is not so. He 
 sees the bright spots upon the dark mass of 
 sin, and has mercy: and if he can see who 
 is righteous, cannot he see what his creatures 
 require? and, therefore, does not he send af-
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 87 
 
 flictions to those who require them? not out 
 of mere wantonness, to say it is, would be to 
 impeach his name. All is God's. " Thine is the 
 kingdom, the power, and the glory," said our 
 Saviour ; therefore, vvhatever afflictions cross 
 our path, we should not repine, for it is vain ; 
 nor complain, for it is a reproach to the Most 
 High, as if his judgement were faulty ; but we 
 should turn to him in humbleness, and say with 
 the shepherd King of Israel, " Thou Lord seest
 
 88 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DDMB. 
 
 BENEVOLENCE. 
 
 Subject proposed by R. S. Sowlkr, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 To be universally benevolent is a thing 
 impossible to man. The means even of the 
 greatest sovereign are but limited ; his views 
 would often be influenced by prejudice or 
 flattery ; objects which would disgust him are 
 removed out of his sight, and thus he is 
 prevented from being what he would by what 
 his elevation forces upon him. In private life 
 there are other, but not less surmountable 
 difficulties to contend with. Want of time, 
 opportunity, or means sufficient ; each raises 
 obstacles which no human foresight could see : 
 but, though it is impossible to be universally 
 benevolent, it is possible to be limitedly so ; 
 and, though we cannot, like Christ, exercise 
 that benevolence which reached to the remotest 
 corners of the earth, yet still we can exercise it
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 89 
 
 on a smaller scale among those around us, by 
 making them happy, and contributing to their 
 comfort. But a man should not be reckoned 
 more or less benevolent than another, merely 
 by the largeness or number of his benefactions, 
 or charitable actions. The widow gave more 
 in the shape of two mites than all the rich men 
 who poured their hundreds or thousands into 
 the Jewish treasury. 
 
 True benevolence springs from the heart, 
 and it is the feelings with which a benefac- 
 tion is conferred, that should determine the 
 respective claims of individuals to the title of 
 benevolent ; but man cannot do this ; he must 
 always, in a great measure, be guided by ap- 
 pearances. The Great Searcher of hearts alone 
 can settle it, and he will. When that great and 
 awful day of retributive justice comes, when 
 every man will be judged not according to his 
 actions, but his inward and secret thoughts, 
 then it will appear who have been really be- 
 nevolent. Then, even Howard the philan-
 
 90 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 thropist may appear a mere courter of the 
 applause of men ; and since one who has been 
 so well thought of and respected, may be found 
 out, does not it well become us to exert our- 
 selves, so that in the end we may not be found 
 wanting.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 91 
 
 iMETALS. 
 
 Subject proposed by J. T Collins, Esq., Edgbaston, 
 near Birmingham. 
 
 The waters of the globe, besides being useful 
 in their own way, furnish food for man. The 
 surface of the earth produces everything neces- 
 sary for his existence, and the firmament which 
 surrounds him is no less subservient to the lord 
 of the creation : but not content with all this, 
 the untiring activity of man has discovered that 
 in the bowels of the earth there are treasures 
 which invite him to the possession of those 
 dreary and gloomy caverns which he himself 
 has scooped out with unwearying toil and 
 labour, undismayed by the dangers and ob- 
 stacles which rose up before his sight at every 
 step of his progress. Man has penetrated 
 where the light of the sun never has shone, 
 and brought from thence things which awaken- 
 ed anew his cupidity, and rooted avarice, with 
 tenfold more strength in his heart, and so far
 
 92 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 changed the aspect of things as to force Ovid 
 to exclaim, 
 
 " EfFodiuntur opes irritamenta malorum." 
 
 But at the same time they gave new birth to 
 his ingenuity, enlarged the bounds of his en- 
 terprize, and made him more than ever lord 
 over the wliole creation. By them wars were 
 lengthened, and rendered more destructive, and 
 feelings of discord more strongly planted in the 
 heart of man; at the same time art and science 
 were benefitted by the discovery, and the com- 
 fort of man was augmented tenfold. Without 
 them where would those lofty edifices and 
 buildings which now shew the greatness of 
 man's genius be? Where would the various 
 machinery which we now see in full operation 
 be ? The plan and design of them would have 
 lain dormant in the mind of man, from want 
 of proper materials ; and I think it probable 
 that mankind would never have advanced in 
 civilization to any great degree beyond their 
 primeval state.
 
 I 
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 93 
 
 From the time when nature first revealed 
 these hidden treasures, we may date the 
 triumphs of art. By means of the gifts which 
 nature gave, and by using them with discre- 
 tion, she was enabled to overcome all diffi- 
 culties, and to go on her way rejoicing. But 
 while we enjoy the benefits which we derive 
 from this discovery, and roll in all the luxury 
 of civilized fife, we may well cast a look 
 upon that portion of our fellow-creatures 
 who are obliged to earn their livelihood, and 
 to support their short and miserable lives, by 
 labour, far excluded from the light of day. 
 And we shall do better, if. Instead of merely 
 giving them a look of sympathy, we, in good 
 earnest, stretch out our hands to help them. I 
 do not mean to speak of those who are to be 
 met with in England ; they have miseries of 
 their own to complain of, and those miseries 
 are shameful and disgracing to the land in 
 which they are found ; but still they are slight, 
 and the En^rlish miner will be the first to con-
 
 94 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 fess it, in comparison with what the man under 
 the curse of God for his father's iniquity suffers. 
 He bears all his ills without complaint, because 
 he can find no redress, being removed far away 
 from his native land, torn away from his home, 
 and with a wide ocean roUing between him and 
 those whom he holds most dear. He suffers 
 injustice, undergoes labour which breaks up his 
 strength, and brings him down an early victim 
 to the grave. For what ? injured Justice cries. 
 To satisfy what can never be satisfied, and to 
 fill up a measure which can never be filled. 
 What recompense does he receive for having 
 sacrificed his home, peace, strength, and life ? 
 A scanty daily meal, and a bed of straw is con- 
 sidered enough by those brutal and heartless 
 men who preside over them. We call them 
 heartless, and they are; but are not we who 
 enjoy the benefit of their labours, without 
 making any return, guilty of the same crime? 
 Day after day, the cries of the wretched slave 
 are heard ; but we civilized men, we English-
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 95 
 
 men, open to every other cry of distress, 
 remain deaf to this, and allow it to be heard 
 every moment without interfering between the 
 negro and his taskmaster. We ought to be 
 doing, and though nations can do more, what 
 individuals can do, is much.
 
 96 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 FIDELITY. 
 
 Subject proposed by Barixg Bingham, Esq.. France. 
 
 The allwise Creator, though he has deprived 
 the lower order of animals of the power of 
 speech, has, nevertheless, so formed them that 
 though dumb they speak, and though they have 
 no power to communicate with each other, they 
 still are living lessons to man, and are not only 
 records of the goodness and wisdom of their 
 Creator, but also instruct man by their example, 
 and give birth to more refined and elevated 
 feelings, by means of what is quite insignifi- 
 cant, in comparison ; and, among the number 
 of things which man has learnt from dumb 
 animals I rank Fidelity; not that I mean to 
 say that man was destitute of this feeling 
 before the dog displayed it to him. God 
 himself implanted Fidelity in the heart of 
 man ; but when we see a virtue possessed, 
 and exercised, by beings far below us in the
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 9/ 
 
 scale of creation, we feel a desire of emulation 
 rising in our breasts, and that desire will never 
 be satisfied unless our virtue excels that of the 
 inferior in as great a proportion as we are raised 
 above him ; and, therefore, it is no wonder that 
 the dog should give new zest to that virtue 
 in some minds, and create it in others : and I 
 can say with confidence that the narrative of 
 Ulysses' dog Argos has planted Fidelity in 
 many more minds than has been by any other 
 means. 
 
 Fidelity is a virtue of such high import, that 
 if its presence were taken from the world the 
 bands of society would be loosened, and distrust 
 and suspicion would be active every where in 
 promoting discord and disunion, by which to 
 ruin that noble structure which has been raised 
 by the united efforts of mankind. Though 
 Fidelity is clearly seen only when exerted to 
 its utmost stretch, and when it throws a gleam 
 of light across the page of the history of some 
 exiled or conquered prince ; yet still it is found 
 in every action and circumstance which takes
 
 98 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 place ; and as the blood pervades the whole 
 human frame, so it is to be found in whatever 
 direction we go, consolidating the disjointed 
 elements of a thousand plans into one whole 
 mass ; promoting union and good faith between 
 man and man ; keeping alive friendship ; sup- 
 porting the dying flame of love ; extending the 
 benefits of commerce, and, in conjunction with 
 truth, doing all that can be done to promote the 
 happiness of miserable mortals.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DE\F AND DUMB. 'J'J 
 
 TRINITY. 
 
 Subject proposed by the Rev. R. Lickorish. 
 Coventry'. 
 
 " This is the Catholick faith : which except 
 a man beheve faithfully, he cannot be saved," 
 says the creed of St. Athanasius ; yet these 
 awful words have been repeated a hundred 
 times without being once considered, and few 
 know what that doctrine is which must be 
 beheved. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost 
 are three distinct persons, "not in confusion 
 of substance, but in unity of person." How it 
 is, man will never learn till time is no more. 
 Yet we are to believe it, if we would bo saved, 
 and be numbered among the sound members of 
 the Church Cathohc. The faith in the Trinity 
 is the distinguishing mark of the Apostolic 
 Church, and, together with the other ordi- 
 nances, it has been handed down through light 
 and darkness to our own times. The hand of 
 the Almighty upheld the remnant of his true
 
 100 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 Church when in adversity, and brought it out at 
 the Reformation, purified from all dross and 
 evil, ready to run anew the race of righteous- 
 ness. It was in the days of EHzabeth that the 
 Church stood forth in her prime; now-a-days 
 we cannot say as much. There are divisions in 
 the body itself, and numbers fall off. The true 
 state of the case is, that after the Elizabethian 
 period, Churchmen gradually descended to a 
 low and insufficient system of devotion ; and 
 when the bold body of the Episcopahans and 
 others arose, the cry was that we were running 
 back to Popery, when, in truth, we were only 
 going back to that place where the Reformers 
 stood, and from which the tide had forced us. 
 But men took the motion in different lights. 
 Many remained idle who should have been 
 busy. Many were busybodies who would have 
 employed themselves better by remaining at 
 home. Divers opinions sprung up, and no one 
 would appeal to Scripture and the Ancient 
 Church. The way to settle everything is to see 
 how matters were conducted by the Apostles
 
 I 
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 10 1 
 
 and Fathers. Churchmen must be active, for 
 our enemies are many. The hand of God is 
 with us; but unless we take the moment of 
 action in time, the glory of the English Church 
 will depart for ever.
 
 102 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 HAS THE ARMY OR NAVY PRODUCED 
 THE GREATEST EFFECTS IN THE 
 HISTORY OF THE WORLD? 
 
 Subject proposed by Mrs. Blandford, Rugby. 
 
 The history of a particular state is not the 
 history of the world. Is Rome hke Britain ? or 
 Greece like Carthage ? In the one the army 
 was, in the other the navy is ; but weighing 
 the one against the other, and comparing the 
 results of ancient and modern times, the army 
 has done the most. Anciently, naval battles 
 were not frequent, and ships were used more 
 for the conveyance of troops than to fight in. 
 Look at the Greek expeditions to Troy and 
 Syracuse, and of the Romans to Carthage and 
 Britain. It was the tramp of the legions, and 
 the rattle of armour, that was heard upon the 
 approach of a battle in the olden time. It was 
 by armies that the huge bulks of Assyria, 
 Egypt, India, Macedon, and Rome were sup- 
 ported. By armies, too, that they were ruined.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 103 
 
 and latterly that the convulsions in the early 
 history of Europe were produced. Convul- 
 sions, wars, and revolutions are more frequent 
 during the infancy of a state than when it is 
 in its prime, and naval force is a thing never 
 thought of then. An army is the readiest 
 support they can find, and armies have been 
 used. Half the world is barbarian, and bar- 
 barians never dream of disturbing the calm sea 
 with their quarrels, or of increasing the tumult 
 of a storm. Because our own sea-girt isle owes 
 its chief glory to the navy, it may seem that 
 more laurels are due to it, but British history 
 is not the history of the world ; and even in 
 England, the soldier's spirit will claim, and will 
 deserve, a laurel crown. 
 

 
 104 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 WHAT IS A PHILOSOPHER? 
 
 Subject proposed by Mr. Sampson, Lecturer, &c., &c.. 
 London. 
 
 A Philosopher is one who investigates the 
 causes of things, and sees in theory what other 
 men find out in practice. He penetrates also 
 to where practice cannot follow, and forms 
 theories upon things which the hands of man 
 can never reach to. That blue vault, spangled 
 with diamonds, is the same with the immea- 
 surable region of air, with worlds and suns 
 rolUng in a regular course in it. The immense 
 undulating plain, supported upoa the shoulders 
 of Atlas, is the same with the oblate spheroid 
 hanging without support in infinity ; and the 
 systems of Aristotle and Plato have given w^ay 
 to those of Copernicus and Newton, without 
 man's once having practical intercourse with 
 that which, in theory, he has modelled into a 
 thousand forms. He sees the heavens spread
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 105 
 
 out above him, he watches the stars in their 
 slow revolutions, and the comets in their light- 
 ning course; but it is in theory that he com- 
 bines the elements together, and finds the cause 
 from the eflfect. Could Newton see gravity ? 
 He only saw its effects, and, in his mind, he 
 found out the cause. 
 
 In such things as these is the province of 
 Philosophy and Philosophers. Much has been 
 done by them, but more remains to do. Astro- 
 nomy has been brought out clear, but the field 
 is only open for further enquiry ; and is not 
 there Geology, Chemistry, Electricity, and all 
 those new sciences just sprung up, to solve? 
 Each must have its Newton ; and our know- 
 ledge of them all is only in the same stage 
 as when the Grecian philosophers profoundly 
 described the heavens as a blue sheet spangled 
 with diamonds! But this should not discourage 
 us. Astronomy was nothing once, and by the 
 grace of God man may bring the other sciences 
 to the same degree of perfection ; but a com- 
 
 E 2
 
 106 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 plete knowledge of them is for our enlighten- 
 ment hereafter ; and surely there are few 
 pursuits better than those by which we get 
 our minds ready for that which comes in 
 heaven.
 
 I 
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 1 07 
 
 THE CHURCH OF CHRIST. 
 
 Subject proposed by Mr. Hefford, Rugby. 
 
 That is the Church to which God wave his 
 
 o 
 
 promise of protection, and surrounded with all 
 the advantages pertaining to a Church, raised 
 and governed by the second person in the 
 Trinity. But what is the Church of Christ? 
 There are a hundred that go by that name. 
 Christ founded but one. Which is that one? 
 With the broad page of Scripture open before 
 my eyes, and the stately towers of the English 
 Church near me, can I deny that that same 
 Church is a branch of the Church of Christ? 
 Alas! if it were not for Scripture, who would 
 beheve it? It is not that firm and compact 
 body which our Saviour left it. It no longer 
 binds mankind together, soul and body, not 
 questioning how they differ in particulars. No. 
 Though the bells of each Sabbath Church toll 
 on the Sabbath morning and evening, with
 
 108 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 what different feelings does each minister of 
 the Church proceed to the instruction of his 
 flock. The fires of opposition burn in him, and 
 too often the sanctity of the House of God is 
 violated to give place to human passions and 
 earthly feelings. There is disunion among 
 brethren. The work that should be done is 
 left undone, and that which is done daily de- 
 creases in quantity. Popery is the cry on 
 every move towards the proper position, and 
 the number of Churchmen decrease daily. But 
 despite all this, it is the Church of Christ, and 
 such it ever must be. The Anghcan Church 
 may fall, and become a withered branch, but 
 the trunk and root never can, no more than 
 Eternity can die. But even now we may look 
 with the eye of hope. The horizon is not 
 dark. It may soon be light. Exertion is all 
 that is wanted ; and exert now for the English 
 Church, or never !
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. lOI^ 
 
 WHICH IS THE GREATEST LOSS, SIGHT 
 OR HEARING? 
 
 Subject proposed by John' Lout:, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 What the sounds are which cheer so many, 
 what that is which raised and calmed the fickle 
 waves of Alexander's breast, and what pro- 
 ceeded from the lyre of Timotheus, I know 
 not. I can speak of music, and sometimes 
 when I hear of what it does on others, I can 
 feel a thrill urging me on to the same ends 
 with them ; but still I know not what it is, nor 
 can I tell how the voice of joy or woe strikes 
 upon the ear ; therefore, " no man being satis- 
 fied with what he is," it is my nature to desire 
 to know what they are, and not knowing how 
 much they are worth, I cannot tell whether 
 they are such as would be worthily exchanged 
 for those advantages which I now possess 
 through the sense of seeing. But I can see 
 what others possess, and what they want ; and, 
 therefore, I know how much disadvantage the
 
 110 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 Blind are under. They are deprived of the 
 gratifications arising from the sight of the 
 world, and those who are near to them. They 
 cannot make their own way through life, and 
 half of the sources of knowledge are shut up. 
 Report is the chief fountain to which they go, 
 and what they learn from themselves is but 
 Httle. But the Deaf have the whole kingdom 
 of knowledge closed before them. They see 
 things done, but know not why they are done. 
 They have that tantahzing thirst, which in the 
 Bhnd is easily satisfied; all is "Why?" to 
 them, and there is no one to say " Because." 
 Time runs on, and if they know him, they only 
 gaze with a vacant stare. Both Blind and Deaf 
 can enjoy the pleasures of relationship and 
 love; but those superior joys which attend the 
 connexion, in which God himself is joined, are 
 unknown for ever to the Deaf. For ever! 
 Nay : heaven must come ; and I forget that 
 Blind and Deaf can be brought as high as 
 others here below. They can be educated, 
 and what are they then? The Blind are
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 1 1 1 
 
 sound in every respect, and ready for the 
 flight, but their wings are clipped ; the Deaf 
 have wings, and fly, but not straight. Which 
 state is the best? To have the mind stored 
 full, and impatiently gnawing at iron chains 
 fixed to a rock of adamant ? or with a mind as 
 good, perhaps more elevated and clearer sighted 
 to soar aloft, carrying indeed the chain, but 
 burst from the strong fixtures to the rock. 
 The Blind cannot see the world, so they must 
 remain. The Deaf can, so they may depart, 
 and prove the knowledge they have obtained. 
 And then the answer is, that according as the 
 Deaf be educated or not, they have more or 
 less advantages than the Blind; but taking 
 away education, as a power from without, and 
 viewing them as God has made them, it must 
 be said that the Deaf labour under the most 
 disadvantages. But what man here calls dis- 
 advantages, hereafter he may call advantages. 
 
 Man, proud man, how often has the voice of 
 flattery or soft allurements of vice betrayed 
 thee to Satan, and when thou comest forth
 
 112 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 again, how often have you to endure the calm 
 rebuke of Nature. Man, proud man, call not 
 that which may save thee many such evils as 
 these, a misfortune. Without hearing or sight 
 your mind is strong in temptation ; with them, 
 you might have to lament your weakness. 
 Man, proud man, curse not Omnipotence. 
 Bless him for what he has done. Bless him 
 that he has not united calamities on thy head, 
 and made thee both Blind and Deaf, so that 
 thou mightest learn in thy dark prison to answer 
 to the query of conscience. What is the pride 
 of Man?
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 113 
 
 NE MULTA LEGAS, SED MULTUM. 
 
 Subject proposed by the Rev. Albert Wratislaw, 
 Rugby. 
 
 There is much to be done by a man going 
 through the world, and much that of necessity 
 must be left undone when he goes away ; for 
 the field of man's intellect is so wide and 
 various that to pursue every idea, and to 
 bring every power to its utmost strength, would 
 require more years than there are stars, and 
 more centuries than there are worlds ; nay, 
 only in eternity could sufficient be found; for 
 as eternity is vsithout end, so are the powers of 
 the mind of man; but if his time is hmited 
 here below, it cannot be expected that he 
 should be able to pursue every subject deeply. 
 If he reads many things, he will read httle ; but 
 if he reads but one he will read much ; for he 
 will penetrate the superficial crust, and throw 
 the light upon the depths of one particular 
 science which will be deep and clearly laid
 
 114 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 out before him ; while, on the other hand, if 
 he reads many things, he will only be dibbling 
 holes on the exterior, and grow confounded 
 from the very number of his pursuits ; but, 
 though it is foolish to attempt the "many," 
 yet a man must know other things, if he 
 would go deep into one, and other arts and 
 sciences are necessary for him to be able to 
 attain his one grand object ; just as many books 
 are necessary to throw light upon one author. 
 The " many" being only superficial, will soon be 
 filled up and forgotten, while the "one" will 
 remain deep for ages ; and though it is impos- 
 sible for one man to learn everything, many 
 men can join their minds, each in his own par- 
 ticular pursuit, and then the many will be joined 
 with the much, and we can have the advantages 
 of both without their disadvantages.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 115 
 
 MESMERISM. 
 
 Subject proposed by Mrs. De Brett, Rugby. 
 
 Geology has not had its Newton, nor Na- 
 tural History its Copernicus, yet scarcely a year 
 has passed in which some new science has not 
 made its appearance, starthng every one by the 
 boldness of the propositions which it lays down, 
 yet followed by such a train of facts that though 
 it is long before prejudice is overcome; yet, 
 from the first assent is given. During the last 
 few years several new sciences have risen up in 
 such great variety, and with such rapidity, that 
 the first voice of one did not die away, before 
 another came in its turn and claimed attention; 
 and at the head of them all perhaps stands 
 Animal Magnetism. I do not understand the 
 nature of the science, or upon what laws it is 
 formed, still less by what induction it was first 
 brought out. That there is some connection 
 between bodies I can beheve, as well as part
 
 116 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 of the science of Phrenology ; but I cannot 
 credit it all. It is too absurd, and bears too 
 much the stamp of enthusiasm to be believed. 
 Thev have allowed themselves to be carried so 
 far, that a worthy man asserted before the 
 French Academy, that he could mesmerize 
 iron, and when he failed, excused himself upon 
 the plea that the increduHty of the members 
 had more influence on it than his mesmeric 
 power. Unless care is taken, the whole science 
 may run down till it becomes like one of the 
 gross productions of the middle ages, like Al- 
 chemy and Astrology. There is much that is 
 good in the science, and open facts demonstrate 
 that it riiay be applied in some cases with 
 success; but I know not how far it may be 
 capable of being applied; yet it were better 
 that the bubble should burst, if it is to be 
 handed down to make posterity beheve we 
 belong to the same age with those who have 
 long since mouldered in the grave.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 117 
 
 LIGHT. 
 
 Subject proposed by Miss Fisher, Rugby. 
 
 There are many stars whose light now ghm- 
 mers for the first time before our eyes, and 
 there may be many more whose hght has not 
 yet reached us. Is it, then, the slowness with 
 which light travels, or the immensity of space 
 over which it has to go, that is the occasion of 
 this ? Is not the sun millions of miles from us ? 
 yet its light reaches us the next moment after 
 that in which it has been calculated to appear 
 above the horizon. So we must revert to the 
 other supposition for an explanation. Light 
 goes at the rate of 197)916 miles in a second, 
 and how many miles must there be between us 
 and the stars, if their light only reaches us now, 
 after travelling since the creation ? But would 
 not the immense velocity with which it travels, 
 and the force which rapidity necessarily gives it, 
 overpower this poor sight of ours and send us
 
 118 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 to darkness? It would, were it not for a pro- 
 vision of our God. When he said the subhme 
 sentence, " Let there be hght," he saw the evil, 
 and determined what that light should be. It 
 is composed of an infinite number of small glo- 
 bules which give way to every obstruction, and 
 the gradual increase of their rays which we 
 always experience from light, coming in a na- 
 tural way, strengthens our eyes by degrees, till 
 they are capable of bearing it in its full power ; 
 and it is in this, as in all the other of Nature's 
 works, everything that is necessary is to be 
 found, and everything that is unnecessary is not 
 there. The manner in which Light originates 
 from the luminous bodies from which we know 
 it proceeds is a mystery to us ; it cannot be 
 solved by human minds ; we may reach the 
 surface, but no further can we go ; all is 
 mystery; we live, and move, and have our 
 being in mystery. From God to man, and 
 from man to the dust, all is mystery.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 119 
 
 MEMORY. 
 
 Subject propo-ed by John Holmes, Esq., Rathmines, 
 near Dublin. 
 
 It is all theory that can be advanced respect- 
 ing the means by which the signs of the outward 
 world are conveyed from the senses to the mind. 
 It is all supposition as to how the process is 
 carried on, after we lose sight of it, and how the 
 ideas are retained and improved upon by the 
 mind. Yet upon such precarious ground man 
 has ventured to build Babels, which he tries to 
 raise to the summit of truth ; but where facts 
 end he is in mystery. Among all the theories, 
 that is the most plausible which supposes, that 
 the nerves effect a communication between the 
 external organs of sense and the sensorium, and 
 the modifications experienced by the sensorium 
 are the objects of perception to the mind ; and 
 thus, through the nerves, the mind produces 
 the idea of that object which occasioned these 
 modifications of the sensorium. Impressions
 
 120 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 remain upon the brain after the acting force 
 has departed ; and thus the mind after a time, 
 as it were, can look again on them, and recall to 
 mind its former images, and thereby its former 
 ideas. According to the impression on the 
 senses is that on the nerves, and through them 
 on the sensorium ; what is strong on one is 
 strong on the rest, and the contrary ; therefore, 
 that which interests the senses strongly bears an 
 indehble impression on the sensorium, and that 
 which does not, passes over hke a breath of 
 summer wind: and the power by which the 
 sensorium retains these impressions is what 
 we call Memory. That modification of it by 
 which we recall past scenes is designated 
 Recollection. 
 
 What would all the pains we take avail ? of 
 what use would all our study and diligence be, 
 if what we learnt went away as it came ? We 
 should know nothing, save that which we thought 
 of at the present moment, and with the present 
 it departs for ever, giving place to a different 
 subject, to depart in its turn. We could have
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 121 
 
 no chains of thought, no associations, and the 
 world would be desolate, and man would be a 
 beast. How great, then, is that wisdom which 
 foresaw that necessity in the moment when he 
 called the soul of man into being, and when his 
 eye was upon every hving thing, in the millions 
 of worlds subject to his power.
 
 122 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 WHICH IS THE MOST FAVOURABLY 
 PLACED, AS REGARDS THE ATTAIN- 
 MENT OF EMINENCE IN LEARNING, 
 THE MAN WHO HAS ANY ADVANTAGE 
 OF INSTRUCTION, OR THE MAN WHO 
 HAS TO WORK ALL THE WAY BY 
 HIMSELF, SUPPOSING THE ABILITY 
 OF EACH TO BE EQUAL, AND THE 
 DESIRE OF IMPROVEMENT ALL THE 
 SAME? 
 
 Subject proposed by the Rev. W. Linwood, 
 Christ Church, Oxford. 
 
 The one is free ; the other is in an im- 
 proving bondage. The freedom of the one, 
 and the authority over the other, are each in 
 danger of being abused. The first question 
 is, which is preferable, entire freedom, or an 
 improving bondage ? Ad componere parvse 
 magna. Why did Pharnaces give up his em- 
 pire and person into the hands of the Romans, 
 with whom his father had maintained a struggle 
 of blood for twenty years or more ? Was it
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 123 
 
 not because he saw how preferable it was to 
 be under the secure shelter of the ease's 
 wings, than to lead a life of dissolute and 
 tumultuous freedom? But is the freedom of 
 man's mind dissolute? It is, unless it have 
 ties ; and how is it to have them, unless they 
 be received from his fellow-men ? But grant- 
 ing that in both states of the case the 
 hidividuals have such ties as spring from our 
 relation to God, which were received through 
 the instrument of their fellow-men ; granting 
 this, the question resolves itself into another 
 form, and becomes, What will be the respective 
 results of freedom, and bondage to a master ? 
 The minds in both cases are now no longer 
 like the broad bosom of the changeful deep ; 
 they are no longer to be burst asunder by the 
 pent fury of the fires that sleep within their 
 bosoms. They acknowledge the obhgations 
 they owe to God and their fellow-men, and it 
 is simply, what modifications of their minds 
 will result from freedom or bondage? The 
 one being free, will retain his energy, and he
 
 124 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 will pursue the bent of his inclination, which 
 certainly is the best plan, as regards the ac- 
 quirement of a thing, (though not as to the 
 excellence of the thing, for the mind must be 
 strong before it can choose properly, and how 
 is it to choose when yet weak ? ) for w here 
 there's a will, there's a way. The conscious- 
 ness that he owes his knowledge to no man 
 will support him in the difficulties which he 
 meets with; and if his mind be strong, the 
 same difficulties will only tell him of a greater 
 victory : he will find the principles of every- 
 thing, before he goes on to practice ; and so 
 his ideas of what he is doing will be better 
 defined : he will never allow a thing to pass on, 
 before he can settle it distinctly and satisfac- 
 torily in his mind : he views the whole field of 
 knowledge, and sees its hmits long before he 
 reaches them : he may be awed by the extent 
 and variety of the prospect, and his blood will 
 rise at the wish of being in every place ; but 
 the very earnestness he possesses will bring 
 him to look down, and ponder his steps as he
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. I'Jj 
 
 passes on to the end. But it does not follow 
 that the instructed man is the contrary of all 
 this : no, no, he can have it all, and much more 
 besides. 
 
 Is not it sublime to see the dark deep sea, 
 and the mountains of the ocean rising up to the 
 clouds, and sinking to impenetrable darkness ? 
 Connecting heaven and hell. Confident of 
 power and mighty in effect ; and, oh ! the 
 sweetness of the calm, when the fierce roars 
 are hushed, and the face of heaven is reflected 
 back with that pure serenity which reminds one 
 of the repose of the righteous. It is grand, 
 majestic, and sweet ; yet who would not rather 
 turn and view the solemn glory of the Alps, 
 pointing heavenward with their pure white peaks, 
 while their bases sink down to the bottom of 
 the earth, ever solid, ever sure ; though they 
 have felt the fury of the fire, yet they are 
 formed in strength, and hence with the man 
 who would call them like himself; and as the 
 one is to the other, so are the two states of the 
 case, they went out equal, they return different ;
 
 126 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 for the instructed man, though he may not be 
 so energetic or enthusiastic, yet will go on 
 solidly, and though the reins are tightly held, 
 he will have more time, from the slow progress 
 he makes, to examine things carefully; and 
 when once he sees the excellence of the thing, 
 the assistance he receives will enable him to go 
 on with as much speed as the other, and he will 
 more readily learn a thing from not seeing the 
 whole difficulties which are before him at once : 
 he learns practice first, but principle comes 
 afterwards; and after all there are, for aye, 
 thoughts originating in his own mind's " uncap- 
 tured citadel ;" and these are really his own, 
 and they may heighten his energy and send him 
 bounding over time and space, fired by his own 
 ideas and the impetuous stream of his thoughts. 
 But much depends upon the manner of educa- 
 tion. Education should not be the filling of the 
 mind with a certain quantity of ready-made stuff 
 at a certain time ; but the awakening of a desire 
 for knowledge, and the showing of the way by 
 which it is to be obtained, which will enable the
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. l27 
 
 mind to g-o on, when the assistance is witli- 
 drawn. How many souls who pass through life 
 with credit he ruined on death's threshhold, 
 because they were taught that which requires no 
 exertion on their parts, except that of memory ; 
 they he down to die, wrecks of human minds, 
 and curse the hour when they submitted to 
 another's governance
 
 128 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 COURAGE. 
 
 Subject proposed by Miss Sutton, Cottesmore House, 
 near Oakham. 
 
 " What can be more honourable than to 
 have courage enough to execute the commands 
 of reason and conscience?" Self is the greatest 
 enemy man has in the world ; — through self a 
 miUion of human beings are ruined daily, there- 
 fore it is well for that man who has sufficient 
 courage to obey the dictates of those two powers 
 which remain to man, of all that he possessed 
 before his fall from the image of God. Courage 
 comprehends the absence of all fear ; the disre- 
 gard of all personal convenience ; the spirit to 
 begin, and the determination to pursue what is 
 begun ; and one and all of these qualities of 
 courage are necessary, if we would obey that 
 master whom we hate, while we confess the 
 excellence of what it teaches. It is a foolish 
 idea to think that courage dwells only in the 
 breasts of those who draw the sword or stand
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 1 2*J 
 
 on danger's brink. As much want of courage 
 may be found under red coats as black or green 
 ones ; for the soldier owes much to the excite- 
 ment of the scene, the power of music, and 
 example, joined sometimes to desperation, and 
 after all his is more of bravery than of courage ; 
 for a man has courage in proportion as he rea- 
 sons or reflects ; and who thinks of reflection 
 when the iron bolts of death are rushing by, 
 when the pointed sword gleams in the light, 
 
 When destruction stands in his shroud of darkness. 
 
 And death unsheaths his blade 
 Between the mighty hosts, so powerless 
 When placed beneath his angry shade. 
 
 A man may have courage and want bravery. 
 Cicero fled dastardly before Catahne, yet turned 
 again, and in full senate charged him in his face 
 with the crimes of which he knew him to be 
 guilty. 
 
 Socrates, Regulus, and our own Alfred, have 
 got that honourable name ; the first, by his 
 calm defence and death; the second, by his 
 return to Carthage ; and the third, by his 
 disguised entrance into the Danish camp. But
 
 130 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 these are beacons in history, whose virtues are 
 made known by the height of their situation, 
 and the greatness of their opportunities of 
 display. There are many noble hearts who 
 pass through life unnoticed, and perhaps in 
 obscurity, who could give examples of a higher 
 courage, and more manly mind, than is to be 
 found in the whole list of kings, warriors, and 
 legislators. Nor should it be supposed that it 
 is only in man's heart that courage is to be 
 found; for, as Mutius Scsevola entered upon 
 the proper province of the woman (fortitude) 
 when he thrust his hand into the fire before 
 proud Porsenna, so there are not wanting 
 examples where females have displayed the 
 courage of men, and 
 
 " Their voices the patriot hearts have steeled, 
 Their spirits glowed on battle field." 
 
 If we judge of them by what they are in pros- 
 perity, we see but half the picture, and know 
 not the strength which lies beneath so much 
 softness. But, oh! for the man who can unite 
 courage and bravery ; who can mount the breach
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 131 
 
 rushing on before death's artillery, and then, 
 when there is no excitement near, turn a hold 
 front to the inhabitants of the jungle, and walk 
 with a firm step on the edge of precipices. 
 Such an union is rare. A man generally has 
 one virtue at the expense of another, and the 
 general imperfection of all things is stamped 
 likewise on creation's noblest work. Yet giving 
 allowance for national pride, I hope I may be 
 allowed to give my tribute to the British tars. 
 How came it that Acre was captured once, but 
 through the courage and bravery of Sydney 
 Smith's sailors? It may be an unjust partiality 
 not to look at those examples which other 
 nations, perhaps, may be able to offer; but 
 England is one and all to Englishmen, or why 
 do they cry " Britannia rules the waves!"
 
 132 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 WHAT ARE THE PECULIAR BEAUTIES 
 OF SHAKESPEARE? 
 
 Subject proposed by Edward Dickenson, Esq., 
 M.R.C.S., Rugby. 
 
 He knew the human heart, and described it 
 well. Each character in his plays acts with full 
 force, without interfering with another's pro- 
 vince. Othello's jealousy takes wide swings, 
 and seems to be everywhere, without inter- 
 fering with lago's cunning ; and how well does 
 he dehneate the changes in the passions ; each 
 particular whim and variation being in strict 
 accordance with human nature ; and then come 
 his plays from the History of England — 
 
 " In little space confining mighty men." 
 
 Verily, those particular kings whom he has 
 chosen, owe much of their safety from the rust 
 of decay to the pen of Shakespeare. 
 
 " Henry the Fifth, too famous to live long," 
 
 would be almost jumbled up with the rest of his
 
 I 
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 133 
 
 name, were it not that his bright sword point 
 gleams in the verse of Shakespeare. That a 
 book is excellent can be shewn by the length of 
 its existence. If it escape the pawing hands of 
 critics, and float smoothly down the river of the 
 world, then there is that in it which is enough 
 to save it from destruction. Shakespeare's works 
 are gone far and wide, and though he himself 
 has mouldered in the dust, his name is as familiar 
 as household words to us, because he took up 
 the pen of truth, and dipping it in genius, wrote 
 words which no oceans or blots can efface.
 
 134 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 PAINTING. 
 
 Subject proposed by Miss Fuller, London. 
 
 The origin of this art is to be found, I 
 suppose, in the drawings which unlettered 
 barbarians used, in order to convey their ideas 
 to one another. Among the North American 
 Indians there are still to be found examples of 
 this kind of communication, whence the num- 
 ber of months is expressed by a corresponding 
 number of moons ; the number of an army 
 by arrows drawn on the paper. Every art 
 and science is progressive, and from these rude 
 attempts may have been drawn forth the beau- 
 ties of that art by which nature is so copied 
 as to be distinguishable only by the absence 
 of life in the one. When written language 
 came into use, the drawings would be no longer 
 absolutely necessary ; but would not a repre- 
 sentation of a place or thing give a more forcible 
 idea of it than could all the powers of descrip-
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. l.S.'j 
 
 tion? Certainly; therefore the art would still 
 be pursued during a semi-barbarous stage, and 
 when the sun of civilization rises the track will 
 be pursued as one of the many through which 
 the mind of man expands itself, and as one of 
 those arts in which to seek refuge from that 
 growing eagerness which pushes man on, after 
 something or other, he knows not whither. 
 
 Painting, perhaps, saw its best days in Greece 
 and Rome, before the hand of the artist was 
 tied down by rules ; but surely the time is come 
 when it is to spring forth anew with fresh vigour, 
 under the second sun of civilization, which now 
 shines over Europe, and only waits for human 
 exertions to burst over the darkness of the 
 world.
 
 136 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 WHAT ARE SOME OF THE BENEFITS AND 
 EVILS OF RAILROADS? 
 
 Subject proposed by Miss Fanshawe, Harley-street, 
 London. 
 
 The benefits are, the facility it gives to com- 
 merce, and the expedition with which persons 
 and things can be conveyed from place to place; 
 and last, though not least, the employment which 
 it gives to the working classes, and the fair field 
 it opens for genius and ingenuity. But the 
 evils which may be expected, if the system is 
 pursued extensively, are no more or less than 
 the utter ruin of English manliness and English 
 pride. The nobles and gentry will seek in 
 other countries those sports and pastimes which 
 the steam of engines prevents them enjoying in 
 their own land; art will lose its patrons, and 
 science its supporters. Of town-bred person- 
 ages there may not be any lack ; but what are 
 their excellencies to the noble freedom of him
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 137 
 
 who lives in his own domain, among his own 
 tenants? England's Queen may soon expect to 
 rule over nothing but a mediocre population, 
 which will extend from the very bounds of her 
 coast to the utmost limits of the land. Agricul- 
 ture will not suffer much ; yet it will suffer from 
 the same second causes which depress art and 
 science. And when England's nobles are gone, 
 where will be English manliness ? It will be as 
 water spilt upon the ground. True, the yeo- 
 man will draw his sword, but who is to lead? 
 Who is to guard him from plunging the land 
 into destruction for the false ghtter of present 
 triumph ? He will want that courage and dis- 
 cretion which can only be found among those 
 who have refinement sufficient to keep the 
 flames unsullied. It may be chimerical to pro- 
 phecy the ruin of England because a hundred 
 locomotives have put her nobility to flight, as 
 much so, perhaps, as the danger anticipated 
 from the union of London and Westminster ; 
 vet slight causes often have an inherent power,
 
 138 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 or the introduction of Gauls into the Roman 
 army would not have brought the eternal city 
 so low. But it is to be trusted England will 
 not be abandoned in her hour of need ; and for 
 a little enjoyment Englishmen surely will not 
 let their country fall.
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 1 .i'j 
 
 DO YOU THINK A CHRISTIAN WOULD 
 TAKE UPON HIM THE PROFESSION 
 OF A SOLDIER? 
 
 Subject proposed by Thomas Sheffield, K-q., 
 Carlisle. 
 
 Why should he not ? If peace cannot be 
 kept up but by war, nor dissentions put down 
 but by force, every christian man is permitted 
 by God and his conscience to join the ranks of 
 the soldiery. For just look at the contrast 
 Europe would present to what it now is, if there 
 were none to assert the rights of their respec- 
 tive lands. Man, not being perfect, would soon 
 allow his defensive feelings to go to excess; 
 and what a wide field for the exercise of his 
 passions would be open for him, when all 
 around were slumbering in peace, trusting in 
 his good faith, and without one sentinel to 
 give the alarm ; would not he then rise, and 
 laughing at his strength, crush and break all 
 around him ? nav, would not nations rise upon
 
 140 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 nations (for all men are the same,) and no 
 one being ready, the whole course of things 
 would be ruined, and the world would roll 
 on with five times its weight of clamour, up- 
 roar, and sin. Where too would art and 
 science be ? gone for ever, and with them 
 every comfort and happiness. The temples 
 of our God? Forgotten, they would fall, and 
 woe to the man who should not be found 
 standing under their shadow, to have his soul 
 sent to heaven from their ruins. 
 
 To take away the military establishments of 
 the world is like taking away the barriers that 
 confine the ocean, and letting the broad flood 
 roll over all. Man must be perfect before war 
 descends to darkness ; and may not we pray 
 for that time, without bringing on confusion 
 and guilt, by unseasonable reforms ? Warriors 
 are the chains to bind down, by their presence, 
 the flood of angry desires which every nation 
 must have openly or in secret against others. 
 It is for naught but the preservation of right 
 that the sword still exists. For country, free-
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 141 
 
 dom, and his sovereign alone, will a Briton 
 draw his sword ; and may not men, professing 
 the religion of Christ, act upon these motives ? 
 Aye, he may wade through blood, provided he 
 stop when mercy asks him. Wars of aggression 
 and insolence certainly form an exception to 
 this rule. They originate in a wrong spirit, 
 and such as would drive all thoughts of God 
 clean from man's breast. When Napoleon ex- 
 pressed his contempt of all religion, it was but 
 what was to be expected from him. After 
 Jaffa and Moscow, who could expect religion 
 from his heart ? At the first named place the 
 bones of his countrymen, slain by his own hand, 
 whiten the sand ; and the ruined grandeur of 
 the second speaks but too well against that 
 insolence of power which made him trust in 
 a star which changes one day and dies away 
 another. And, surely, no Christian man would 
 follow such a leader, if he were candidly to 
 obey the dictates of his conscience. In wars of 
 right Christians can only be excused for buck- 
 ling on the sword, and such men as those surely
 
 142 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 will try to use it as little as possible. After 
 years of war, and long sojourn among scenes 
 which entwine themselves with man's nature, 
 from the interest they excite, the two oldest 
 warriors of the two most powerful nations of 
 Europe are bending their whole energies for 
 the preservation of peace ; and, if such an end 
 as this is arrived at, certainly it is not in 
 opposition to God or conscience to engage 
 as soldiers, when proper motives call us. It 
 is not contrary to the Gospel of Christ to 
 engage as a soldier. Because Christ did not 
 say anything for a limited monarchial form of 
 government, are we to say it is a sin to have 
 one ? No : and no more are we to say, it is 
 iniquity to be a soldier, because Christ said 
 nothing for it ; and we know there is nothing 
 in the gospel against it. It is not cruelty or 
 sanguinary ferocity which plunges civilized na- 
 tions into wars ; unless there be some evident 
 cause of right, it is the love of excitement 
 and action, the pleasure of surmounting dif- 
 ficulties, and the splendour of the triumph
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. lA'A 
 
 which follows. All these latter are but worldly 
 motives, and as such, do not come within the 
 province of that rule, where Christians may- 
 engage in wars. The upholding of principalities 
 and powers, is a thing enjoined in the New 
 Testament. Christ himself spake the words 
 " Blessed be the peace makers ;" and, if from 
 war alone we can expect peace, on account of 
 the ferocity of man's nature, then war is the 
 instrument by which we fulfil the command- 
 ments of the gospel. I do not touch upon 
 the wars which we read of, as undertaken by 
 God's express command ; for it may be ob- 
 jected, the constitution that then was is not in 
 existence now ; although I may safely answer 
 to all such, that God being the same "yes- 
 terday, to-day, and for ever,'"' there is no 
 supposing that what he once sanctions as 
 lawful and consonant to his commands, he 
 will at a future time condemn as sinful ; in 
 this, of course, I do not include mere rites 
 and ceremonies. 
 
 After reading the Prophecies of Daniel, may
 
 144 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 not we infer that those things which we now 
 look upon as merely human, are, in reality, 
 the means by which the Lord Almighty is 
 scourging from the earth the dross of iniquity, 
 and preparing it for the Kingdom of Christ ; 
 and, in such a cause, what Christian man 
 would hesitate to enlist himself?
 
 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 145 
 
 ON THE BEAUTY OF THE COUNTRY. 
 
 Subject proposed by the Marchioness Dowager of 
 QuBENSBERRY, Cotoii House, Rugby. 
 
 Nature's works shew Nature's God ; earth 
 points to heaven, and man, if he will, may see 
 the beauties of the celestial through the terres- 
 trial. Though all wither and decay to remind 
 man of his doom, yet there is enough remain- 
 ing to point out the glories of the eternal 
 heavens. I am greatly of opinion that nations 
 and individuals owe much of their character to 
 the nature of the country in which they are 
 placed. Why do we hear so much of the 
 patriotism of the Swiss and Tyrolese? Why 
 did the enlightened and polished Germans 
 submit so soon to Napoleon's rod of power, in 
 comparison to semibarbarous and misgoverned 
 Spain, which held out, though ineflfectually, till 
 the broad wave of British might drove Napo- 
 leon's marshals back ? Is it not because the 
 nations received from the rocks which sur- 
 
 G
 
 146 ESSAYS BY THE DEAF AND DUMB. 
 
 rounded them, ideas of strength and patriotism, 
 which pointing upwards, as do the peaks of the . 
 mountains, receive more strength from above 
 than human might can conquer? 
 
 To gaze for long on a dull monotony, with 
 nothing but hedgerows and smoke for the prin- 
 cipal objects, would go very far to quench the 
 fire of the most aspiring mind ; and the bold 
 rocks of a foreign clime would create greatness 
 in the most morbid breast, though nursed 
 among plains and sandy deserts: but every 
 variety of Nature has enough for anything in 
 it, if we do but study it ; though we may at 
 times want boldness to give us strength, cannot 
 we gain it by examining the slightest flower of 
 the field, which will no doubt exhibit concep- 
 tions bolder than those which ever graced the 
 temples of Art and Science. Let the Atheist 
 roam alone, and puzzle himself to find out how 
 affinity could bring such things to pass ; we, for 
 ourselves, will turn to our God, and prepare 
 ourselves by the contemplation of that which is 
 to come.
 
 INDEX. 
 
 SUBJECT. PROPOSED BY. PAGE. 
 
 Introduction v 
 
 Patriotism Captain Turner 1 
 
 Patriotism Lewis Weld, Esq 4 
 
 An Author Chas. Dickens, Esq. (Boz.) 6 
 
 Revolution Miss Linwood 11 
 
 Progress of Civilization. Arthur Hopper, Esq 14 
 
 Man Ebenezer Eobins, Esq 18 
 
 The Vastness of the 
 
 Ocean Rear-Admiral Mangin 20 
 
 Architecture Mrs. Woodward 22 
 
 Agriculture Mr. Fry 24 
 
 Railroads Rev. A. C Tait, D.C.L. ... 2b 
 
 Waterloo Lieut. R. P. Radcliffe, R.A. 28 
 
 Napoleon A. H. Bather, Esq 30 
 
 Industry Fowler, Esq 33 
 
 Duty to Mankind Samuel Kempsou, Esq 37 
 
 Religion J. Sheffield, Esq 39 
 
 Religion G.Blandford,Esq.,M.R.C.S. 41
 
 148 INDEX. 
 
 History G.Blandford,Esq., M.R.CS. 44 
 
 Moral Condition of tlie 
 
 Deaf and Dumb ...T. Turner, Esq., M.R.C.S. 46 
 
 Government H.B.Bingham 48 
 
 Remorse H. B. Bingham 53 
 
 Oliver Cromwell Mrs. Abraham Welland 57 
 
 Genius Miss Potts 59 
 
 Conversion Mrs. Fisher 62 
 
 Slavery W. R. Beck, Esq 64 
 
 John, chap. 14, v. J 6 ..James Johnson, Esq 66 
 
 Psalm 82, V. 7 Mrs, Mason 68 
 
 Hallow-e'en Rev. J. Moultrie, M.A. ... 70 
 
 Early Religious Impres- 
 sions R. G. Collins, Esq 72 
 
 Wisdom & Knowledge. Rev. R. Radcliffe 75 
 
 Railway versus Coach 
 
 Travelling John Lowe, Esq 77 
 
 Death H. B. Bingham 79 
 
 Education Mrs. Colonel Chambers 82 
 
 National Education.... Mrs. Busby 84 
 
 Necessity of Submis- 
 sion Mrs. Colonel Chambers 86 
 
 Benevolence R. S. Sowler, Esq 88 
 
 Metals J. T. Collins, Esq 91 
 
 Fidelity Baring Bingham, Esq 96 
 
 Trinity Rev. R. Lickorish, M.A. ... 99
 
 INDEX. 149 
 
 Army and Navy Mrs. Blandford 102 
 
 Philosopher Mr. Sampson 104 
 
 Church of Christ Mr. Hefford 107 
 
 Sight or Hearing John Lowe, Esq 109 
 
 Ne Multa Legas, sed 
 
 Multum Rev. Albert Wratislaw, B. A. 113 
 
 Mesmerism Mrs. De Brett llo 
 
 Light Miss Fisher 1 17 
 
 Memory John Holmes, Esq 119 
 
 Learning with and with- 
 out Instruction .,,.Rev. W. Linwood, M.A. ... 122 
 
 Courage Miss Sutton 128 
 
 Beauties of Shake- 
 speare E.Dickenson, Esq., M.R.C.S. 132 
 
 Painting Miss Fuller 134 
 
 Railroads Miss Fanshawe 136 
 
 Would a Christian be 
 
 a Soldier? Thomas Sheffield, Esq 139 
 
 Beauty of the Country. Marchioness Dowager of 
 
 Queensberry 145 
 
 G 2
 
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 Calthorpe The Right 
 
 Cooper Mrs. William Cooper, Tod- 
 dincton Park. (Ki copies.) 
 
 Carr Charles, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Catterall .lolin, Esq., I'rcston. 
 
 CattcniU Paul, Esq., ditto. 
 
 C'aw John Young, Esq., Manches- 
 ter. 
 
 Chadwick Elias, Esq., M.A., Swin- 
 ton Hall. 
 
 Chambers H., Esq., Liverpool. 
 
 Chambers Geo., Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Chcshyre John, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Chew W. C, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Church R. P., Esq., Liverpool. 
 
 (;iare Peter, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Clark James, Esq., Glasgow. 
 
 Hon. Lord. (4 copies.' 
 C'legg Thomas, Esq., Manchester. 
 Clowes J., Esq., Liverpool. 
 Coates Richard, Esq., Manchester. 
 Colton Mr., ditto. 
 
 Compton Joseph, Esq., ditto. (2 
 
 copies.) 
 Cooke John, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Cotton The Rev. G. E. L., M.A., 
 
 Rugby. 
 Crompton Samuel, Esq., M.R.C.S., 
 
 Manchester. 
 Cross W. v., Esq., ditto. 
 Crossley D., Esq., Greenheys. 
 Cunliffe T. P., Esq., Manchester. 
 
 (3 copies.) 
 Cminmgham Jas., Esq., Liverpool. 
 
 Devonshire His Grace the Duke of. 
 
 Davie Sir Humphrey P., Bai't., Creedy, Devon. (10 copies.) 
 
 Dalton R., Esq., Carlisle. (2 copies.) 
 Dean James, Esq., Manchester. 
 De Brett Mrs., Rugby. 
 Dewhurst Geo., Esq., Manchester. 
 Diethelm John, Esq., ditto. 
 Dixon John, Esq., ditto. 
 
 borrington Jas., Esq., Manchester. 
 Doveston George, Esq., ditto. 
 Downes W. P., Esq., ditto. 
 Dugdale John, Esq., ditto. 
 Dunn James, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Durning William, Esq., Liverpool. 
 
 Egerton The Right Hon. Lord Francis. 
 
 Egerton The Right Hon. Lady Francis. 
 Eccles Joseph, Esq., Liverpool. l Ellis Samuel, Esq., Manchester. 
 ElkinsMrs., Elkington. (2 copies.) (6 copies.) 
 
 I Ewart Joseph, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Fo^E V LadfEu^lly!"^"' } ^^oke Edith Park, Herefordshire. (4 copies.) 
 Foley John H. Hodgetts, Esq., Prestwood House, Stourbridge. (8 
 copies.) 
 
 Fairbairn Miss, Leeds. 
 
 Fairwoathcr Robert, Esq., Hulme. 
 
 I'anshawc ^liss, Richmond. 
 
 Fall^ll;l^\e Mrs., Axmmster. 
 
 I'anshawe Miss E. P. 
 
 J-'anshawe Miss Louisa. 
 
 Fernyhough Joseph, Esq., Man- 
 chester. 
 
 Findeisen Gustavus, Esq., ditto. 
 
 I-Msher T. M., Esq., ditto. 
 
 Fisher Mrs., Sheffield. 
 
 IMsher Miss, Rugby. (2 copies.) 
 
 Fleming Thomas, Esq., Broughton 
 View. 
 
 Fleming William, Esq., M.D., 
 Broughton View. 
 
 Fleming E. L., Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Fletcher Samuel, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Fletcher Mrs., ditto. 
 
 Flintoff Thomas, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Foster Mrs. J. F., Sale Priory. 
 
 Fothergill Thomas, Esq., Man- 
 chester. 
 
 Frerichs J. A., Esq., ditto. 
 
 Franklin Abraham, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Furst B., Esq., ditto.
 
 SUBSCRIBERS. 
 
 153 
 
 Gage The Right lion. Lord Viscount. 
 Gage Tlie Right Hon. Viscountess. 
 Gage The Hon. Mr. 
 Gage The Hon. A. M. 
 
 Ganden Henrj-, Esq., Dublin. 
 Garstang Jas., Esq., Manchester. 
 Gascoigne Thomas, Esq., ditto. 
 Gauntlett Miss Ann. 
 Gendall — , Esq., Exeter. 
 Gibson James, Esq., Liverpool. 
 Gibson Charles, Esq., Manchester. 
 Goppy Mrs., Rugby. 
 
 Howe Right Hon. the EarL 
 Hey^vood Sir Benjamin, Bart. (4 copies.) 
 Hacking Ed\vard, Esq., Manches- | Hilton .John, Esq., Manchester, 
 
 Grant Daniel, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 (2 copies.) 
 Cirant .John, Esq., Burv'. (2 copiea.) 
 GreenhowW.P., Esq., Mimches-ter. 
 Greenwood Mrs., Rugby. (2copies.) 
 Gruber George, Esq., Manchester. 
 Guest William, Rsq., ditto. 
 
 ter. 12 copies.) 
 
 Hahn Augustus, Esq. ditto. 
 
 Halstead Thomas, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Hancock James, Esq., M.R.C.S., 
 ditto. 
 
 Harper William, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Harris Mrs. William, Rugby. 
 
 Hartley Jlrs., Manchester. 
 
 Hartley Miss, ditto. 
 
 Harvey Alexander, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Hay Charles, Esq., ditto. 
 
 HajTies William, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Heeley Edmd., Esq., Birmingham. 
 
 Heeley Mr. John Theophilus, ditto. 
 
 Helsby Richd. , Esq. , Manchester. 
 
 Henderson C. P., Esq., ditto. 
 
 Hej-Avood Robei-t, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Higgin James, Esq., Mobile, U. S. 
 
 Hill Benjamin, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Hill W. Rowland, Esq., Birming- 
 ham. 
 
 Ireland A., Esq., Manchester. (2 
 
 copies.) 
 
 Jackson E. B., Esq., Manchester. 
 James Thomas, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Kay John, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Kelsall Strettel, Esq., ditto. (6 
 copies. ) 
 
 Kempson Samuel, Esq., Birming- 
 ham. (2 copies.) 
 
 Kennard Thomas W., Esq., Theo- 
 balds, Herts. 
 
 Hilton Thomas, Esq., ditto. 
 Hobday William, Esq., ditto. 
 Itobson John A., Esq., ditto. 
 Ilobson Richard, Esq., ditto. 
 HoUaday James, Esq., <ildham. 
 Holme "Wm., Esq., Manchester. 
 
 (2 copies.) 
 Holmes Mrs., Dublin. 
 Holt Joseph, Esq., Manchester. 
 Holt W. 1>., Esq., Liverpool. 
 Houghton W. J., Elsq., Manchester. 
 Hughes Robert. Esq., ditto. 
 IIu£(hes Wm., Esq., Old TraflFord. 
 Hulnie J. Devonport, Esq., M.D.. 
 
 Manchester. 
 Hulme Mrs., ditto. 
 
 Hulme Otho, Esq., ditto. 
 Hunt Richard T., Esq., M.R.C.S., 
 
 ditto. 
 Himtingdon The Rev. William, 
 
 M.A., ditto. 
 
 Inen Thomas, Esq., Liverpool. 
 Irven Mrs., ditto. 
 
 .Johnstone Robert, Esq., ditto. 
 Just M. Z., Esq., ditto. 
 
 Ken worthy Charles, Esq., 3Ian- 
 
 chester. 
 Kershaw Jimies, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Knight Miss, Old Trafford. 
 Knoop Lewis, Esq., Manchester.
 
 154 
 
 SUBSCRIBERS. 
 
 Lichfield The Right Reverend The Lord Bishop of. (8 copies.) 
 LoxsDALE Mrs. (8 copies.) 
 
 Lambert Lad^-^'"''^'' ^'^'^*' ' } ^^*^° ^°"^^' Oxfordshire. (8 copies. ) 
 
 Lambert Frank, Esq., London. 
 
 Lambert Mrs., ditto. 
 
 Ladj' A. (6 copies.) 
 Lane Richard, Esq., Manchester, 
 Lawe Robert, Esq., Preston. 
 La we Edward, Esq., Manchester. 
 LawTence James, Esq., Mayor of 
 
 Liverpool. 
 La^^Tence Mrs., ditto. 
 Lawrence Edward, Esq., ditto. 
 Leach Milliam, Esq., Manchester. 
 Lees John, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Lees George, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Leycester Miss, Brighton. 
 Liebert E,, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Liepman Julius, Esq., Manchester 
 Lin wood AVm., Esq., Handsworth. 
 Linwood Rev. William, M.A., Ch. 
 
 Ch., Oxford. 
 LiuAvood Miss Mary, Edgbaston. 
 Linwood Miss Sarah, ditto. 
 Lowe John, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 copies.) 
 Lowe Mrs., ditto. 
 
 Lowe Alfred, Esq., ditto. 
 Loyd Edwd., Esq., ditto. (4 copies.) 
 Lund George, Esq., Hey wood. 
 Lynch J. R., Esq., Manchester. 
 
 (20 
 
 Morpeth The Right Hon. Lord Viscount. (4 copies. 
 MuiRHEAD Tlie Right Hon. Lady Jane. (2 copies.) 
 
 Magnus Joseph, Esq., Manchester. 
 Magnus Louis, Esq., ditto. 
 Magson Mr. Saul, ditto. 
 
 Marsden Geo, Esq., ditto. (2 copies) 
 Marshall W., Esq„\rp^„„,„,.„„„ 
 Marshall Mrs. / Treworgay 
 
 Park, Liskeard. 
 Martin Captain J. M., London. (2 
 
 copies.) 
 Mason John, Esq., Manchester. 
 Mason Wm., Esq., ditto. 
 
 Matchett Henrv, Esq., ditto. 
 Mc. Call Wm., Esq., ditto. 
 
 McCartney W., Esq., Manchester. 
 Mc. Pherson Mr., ditto. 
 
 Meyer A. S., Esq., ditto. 
 
 Miles W., Esq., Exeter. (4 copies.) 
 Milev Miles, Esq., London. 
 Mitchell Mr., Old Trafford. 
 Mort William, Esq., Manchester. 
 Mothersill William, Esq., ditto. 
 Moultrie Rev. J., M.A., Rugby. (2 
 
 copies.) 
 Murray W. W., Esq., Hulme. 
 Murton James, Esq., Bolton. 
 
 Napier Major General W. F. P., \ n,,^^c.^.r i i ^^tm-oc \ 
 Napier Mj4., ') Guernsey. (4 copies.) 
 
 Nicholson W., Esq., Manchester. 
 Nicholson James, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Newberrv W. B., Esq., Manchester 
 Nicholls H., Esq., ditto 
 
 Ogden Tliomas, Esq., Manchester- 
 Ollivant John, Esq., ditto. 
 Ollivant G. B., Esq., ditto. 
 
 O'Neil John, Esq., Manchester. 
 Owen John, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Philips Mark, Esq., M.P., The Park. (8 copies.) 
 Parkixson The Rev. Richard, B.D., Manchester. 
 
 Parkinson C, Esq., Liverpool. I Patterson Matthew, Esq., Goole. 
 
 Patterson Andrew, Esq., Old Traf- (2 copies.) 
 ford. (6 copies.) | Paxton James, Esq., M.D., Rugby,
 
 SUBSCRIBERS. 
 
 15.3 
 
 Peacock H. B., Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Peel the Rev. Frederick, M,A., \ 
 
 Peel Mrs. / 
 
 WiUingham Rectory, Lincoln- 
 shire. 1 4 copies. I 
 
 PeelJoseph, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Pender John, Esq., ditto. 
 
 PhillipiE., Esq., ditto. 
 
 Plant James, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Postlethwaite John, Esq. 
 
 Postlethwaite Mrs. 
 
 Postlethwaite TheRev. Jno. .Caton. 
 
 Postlethwaite Tlios., E.sq., Liver- 
 pool. (li» copies.) 
 
 Postlethwaite George, Elsq., Liver- 
 pool. 
 
 Postlethwaite Mis'?, ditto. 
 
 Potter Edward, E.s<^i., Manchester. 
 
 Prescott Wm., Esq., 1 j..» 
 
 Prescott Mrs, / °'""- 
 
 (8 copies.) 
 
 Prescott John C, Esq.. 
 
 Preyer Thiery, llsq., Manchester. 
 
 Prowse Mr. Charles, Old Trafford. 
 
 QuEENSBERRY The Most Noble The Marchioness Dowager of. (4 copies.) 
 
 RoLLE The Right Hon. Lady, 
 
 Reed Alderman, Sunderland. 
 
 Reed George, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Reed George, Mrs., ditto. 
 
 Reed William, Esq., London. 
 
 Reed Ths., Jun., Esq., Sunderland. 
 
 Reuss Ernest, Esq., Mimchester. 
 
 Richards Bingham, Esq., Broom- 
 lands. 
 
 Richards Mrs., Birmingham. (12 
 copies.) 
 
 Sale John, Esq., Rugby. 
 
 Salter J., Esq., West Bromwich 
 
 Sanderson .Jabez, Esq., Manchester 
 
 Samuels Charles, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Scholefield Wm., Esq., Birming- 
 ham. (4 copies.) 
 
 Schimck Martin, Esq., Manchester 
 
 Scott Dr., Exeter. 
 
 Searle James, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Seddon Robert, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Seebohn Wm. F., Esq., ditto. 
 
 Shawcross John, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Shawcross Edward, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Shawcross W., Jim., Esq., ditto. 
 
 Sheffield Thomas, Esq., Exeter. (2 
 copies. ) 
 
 Shelmerdine Nathl., Esq., Salford. 
 
 Sherratt Tliomas, E:^q., Broughton 
 View. 
 
 SichelGusta\-us, Esq., Manchester 
 
 Simister James, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Simmons Isaac, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Slade WiUiam, Esq., Bolton. 
 
 Slagg John, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Slater Samuel, Esq., ditto. 
 
 (4 copies.) 
 
 Rickards F. P., Esq., Manchester. 
 Rickards Cliarles, Es^j., ditto. 
 
 Roblev The Rev. Isaac, M.A., ditto. 
 
 Royle .Jeremiah, Esq. 
 
 Rovle Peter, Esq., 
 ; Rovle E., Esq., 
 
 Ross Malcobn, Esq., 
 I R utter W. S., Esq., 
 I Ryley Samuel, Esq., 
 
 ditto, 
 ditto, 
 ditto, 
 ditto, 
 ditto, 
 ditto. 
 
 Souchay Chas., Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Souchay John, Esq., ditto. 
 
 So wler Robert Scarr, Esq., Pendle- 
 ton. (4 copies. I 
 
 Spaford Edwd., Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Speakman Wm., Esq., ditto. [2 
 copies.) 
 
 Speakman Edward, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Spencer Joseph, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Standring John, Esq., ditto. r2 
 copies.) 
 
 Stan way W., Esq., ditto. ( 2 copies, i 
 
 Steinthal Henry, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Staples Thomas, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Strauss Henry S., Esq., ditto. 
 
 Stubbs John S., Esq., ditto. 
 
 Sumner William, Mr. ditto. 
 
 Sutclifte John, Esq., Todmorden. 
 
 Sutton Miss, Cottesmore House, 
 Rutland. 
 
 Swanwick John, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Swete Henry, Esq., \cf„„i„i.„ 
 
 SweteMrs. jStaplake, 
 
 Devon.
 
 156 
 
 SUBSCRIBERS. 
 
 Trafford Lady de, Trafford Park. (4 copies.) 
 
 Tait Rev. A. C, D.C.L., Head Master of Rugby School. (4 copies.l 
 
 ThomeleyF., Esq., Liverpool. 
 Thompsoii Alex., Esq., Manchester 
 Thompson Walter, Esq., Liverpool 
 Thompstone Samuel, Jun., Esq., 
 
 Manchester. (2 copies.) 
 Thompstone James, Esq., ditto. 
 Tliorp J. B.,Esq., ditto. 
 
 Thorpe W. H., Esq., ditto. 
 
 Thorpe Mrs., Ardwick Green. 
 
 Titherington W., Esq., Liverpool. 
 
 (4 copies.) 
 Turner Thomas, Esq., M.R.C.S., 
 
 Manchester. (6 copies.) 
 Turner J. A., Esq., ditto. 
 Twigg Mrs., Kingsto^ATi, Dublin. 
 
 (8 copies.) 
 Tysoe John, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Vernon Miss, Mayfield Hall, Derbyshire. 
 
 M'ailes W., Esq., Newcastle-on- 
 Tjnie. 
 
 WaLsh Richard, Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Walsh Miss, ditto. 
 
 Walthew J. M., Esq., Liverpool. 
 
 AN'aterhouse John, Esq., Manches- 
 ter. 
 
 Welland Mrs., Brighton. 
 
 Wells J. M., Esq., Manchester, 
 
 ^^'eston John, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Whitaker Joseph, Esq., Liverpool. 
 
 WTiitehouse Miss, Brighton. 
 
 Whitfield Ed., Esq., Manchester. 
 
 Whitmore Samuel, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Willert Alderman, Manchester. 
 
 Wood Barton, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Woodhouse Henry, Esq., ditto. 
 
 Woodhouse Mrs., Exeter. 
 
 Wootton Chas., Esq., Naval Yard. 
 Deal. 
 
 Worthington William, Esq., Man- 
 chester. 
 
 Wright Joseph, Esq., Caton, near 
 Lancaster.
 
 This book is DUE on the last 
 date stamped below. 
 
 WV'W Lli 
 
 MAR i 0h977' 
 
 t0M-11-50(2555)470 
 
 REMINGTON RAND - 20
 
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