is due to justice likewise to say, that building upon the same foundation, the American Asylum has followed the inflections of language with corresponding symbolic modifications. It is only elaimed for the instructors in New-York, that the method which they have pursued in developing the system is philosophic. Any set of characters may be arbitrarily devised, to serve in registering results, or to stand as the conventional representatives of ideas in any branch of human knowledge. In arithmetic for example, abandoning the beautiful simplicity and system of the decimal scheme, or of any other subject to similar laws, we might establish a substitute as destitute of method as the tables of weights, measures and currencies. Or we might even, disregarding all method, contrive new characters for new numbers as they increase ad infinitum. But in so doing we should overthrow the whole science of arithmetic, and, so far from deriving any assistance in calculation from our notation, we should make the notation itself an intolerable burthen to the memory. Governed by considerations of this nature, the New-York school of instructors has aimed to make the symbols of grammar a means of positive aid in the task of instruction, and not a mere set of mnemonic figures.

It is believed indeed, that these symbols might prove a valuable auxiliary in other schools than those for the deaf and dumb. The utility of visible illustration is, at the present day, universally acknowledged, in whatever department of education, and to whatever subject applied. Hitherto, in our ordinary schools, grammar has been taught entirely through the ear. The practicability of depicting its principles so that the eye may in any degree facilitate their acquisition, is not even suspected. That which we do with profit for the deaf and dumb, may certainty be done with a much higher degree of advantage for those who hear. But as the interests of this latter, and most numerous class of learners, are not committed to the keeping of this Board, it would constitute a departure from the purpose of the present report, to pursue the inquiry how far the instruments of instruction, especially devised for the one, might be useful to the other.

Another, and an important change, which has been gradually introduced within the past few years, may at length be announced as having been finally consummated. In order that it may be understood, it is necessary to premise a few observations respecting the nature of that language, which may be called vernacular to

deaf mutes. It is a remarkable fact, that, in a state of ignorance, this unprivileged portion of the human family themselves, create the means of communicating with the world around them. Each individual presents the phenomenon of an immortal and thinking spirit, pent up within, what is, without a metaphor, to him a prisonhouse of clay. The imprisoned spirit seeks to effect its excape. It longs to break down the blank wall of separation which divides it from its fellows; it longs to experience the joy of mingling its feelings with those of a kindred spirit, and blending its essence with one of like passions and emotions as itself. It feels, as none else can feel, the truth of that aphorism, put forth by the Creator, while the earth was yet desolate-" it is not good for man to be alone."

In endeavoring to communicate with his fellow, the deaf mute is compelled, in the absence of words, to resort to the indication of present objects, and to the delineation, by motion and jesture, of those which are absent. Ideas, belonging to the world of intellect solely, he must call up strictly by metaphoric representation; since he presents a material emblem of that which is truly ideal. As the facility, however, with which he finds it possible to make himself understood, increases, his language extends itself until it becomes as copious as the circumstances of his situation will allow. This language he brings to the institution, in which he is to receive his education. He meets with many, who, in like manner, have constituted their individual languages; but who, by common consent, abandon them for the more copious dialect, which results from the combination of the whole. This dialect constitutes, in every institution, the medium of familiar intercourse. As a means, therefore, of communication, it is available to the teacher. It is, indeed, a most valuable means. It constitutes the basis of almost every other, and, if the language of action were entirely excluded from every system of instruction, the education of the deaf and dumb would be a hopeless task.

This language, like every other, so far as the dictionary of its signs extends, admits of direct translation. The palpable sign fixed on to represent a given idea, is, in itself, of little moment; provided the idea is distinct, and the sign conventionally determined. No special labor, therefore, is necessary, in leading the deaf mute to recognize words as the signs of those ideas, for which, he has himself, instituted signs of action. Accordingly, were the language of action as copious as that of speech, and were the signs of the one parallel to those of the other, representing, in short, absolutely the same ideas, then the tabular view which we have presented in a preceding page would be rapidly reduced in its compass, and the task of instructing the deaf would exact no processes unknown in ordinary education. Translation would constitute the sole means necessary, and the art, as an art, would no longer possess any distinctive characteristic. But the language of action is not what this hypothesis assumes it. In the first moment of its conception, therefore, it was a beautiful and a plausible project, so to develope this language, that the dictionary of its signs might perfectly correspond with that which embraces the words of written language. Such a development being achieved, the gordian knot is loosened; and the labor deemed for centuries impracticable, and, in our own time, toilsomely and tardily effected, is reduced to the mere exchange of one set of signs for another. This was the fond project of the excellent De l'Epée, and this was the aim of all the exertions put forth by his distinguished successor. But as the project was itself chimerical in the beginning, so the labor and the talent spent in carrying it in execution were spent in vain.

It is possible, indeed, and this possibility is fundamental in our art, to develope ideas without the aid of sound, and to give them artificial signs. But it is as easy to make these signs alphabetic, as to render them signs of action. How this proposition, as undeniable as it is simple, should have escaped the observation of so acute a mind as that of Sicard, it is difficult to understand. Such, however, was the truth; and the consequence resulting from it was, that the system of signs, denominated methodical, constituted with him the study and labor of his life.

But the plausibility of the fundamental notion, since it was sufficient to deceive that great philanthropist, with not a few besides, who have subsequently adopted his views, may perhaps, render some further examination proper in order to show the impracticability of reducing the education of the deaf and dumb to mere translation. Were the phenomenon to exist, of a whole nation without hearing, they would probably establish to themselves a language, not dissimilar in its elements from the system of methodical signs. For this language would be made up of gestures, as brief, as numerous, and possibly as arbitrary, as words. But this language would very essentially differ from the other, in the fact that, being colloquial, it would be constantly presented to the eyes of children; it would be caught by them in infancy, and become the means of giving to their ideas the same expansion, which speech effects in the case of others.

Methodical signs, however, do not constitute the language of those who surround the infant deaf mute. They are presented to him only after his arrival at the institution. They are established only to record the results at which the teacher and pupil arrive together. They are made the representatives only of those ideas, which, in the process of instruction, become the common property of both. And they are made the representatives of these ideas only in an isolated form. They do not, in fact, become colloquial.

Methodical signs, therefore, can never partake in essence, however they may seem to do so in form, with a visible language, constituting de facto the medium of communication between man and man.

Yet, from the fact that they are artificially constructed, to correspond to the vocabularies of written languages, they may afford the means of dictating verbatim, any combination of words; whether its value as a proposition or as a portion of connected discourse be understood or not, or whether it has, in fact, any meaning at all, or on the other hand, consists merely of unintelligible gibberish. The name of a language is, therefore, inapplicable to them; since they do not possess the character of a medium of communication; since in combination they never serve to enunciate a judgment; since, like grains of sand, they are without cohesion; and, however closely they may imitate the grammatical forms of written languages, they present these forms in a garb no more intelligible to the learner, than alphabetic characters themselves.

To say, therefore, that methodical signs admit of translation, is a perversion of terms; if translation be understood in its widest and most important meaning; in fact, the only meaning of consequence to the present argument. To translate really, is to enunciate the complete sense contained under a given combination of signs, by means of another combination, made up of signs entirely different. When a school boy, by help of his dictionary, renders for each word of a Latin sentence, a corresponding English word, without regard to the signification of his author, we do not think of digni

fying his performance with the title of translation. And, in like manner strictly, when, for each of a succession of methodical signs, a corresponding word is elicited from the pupil; to apply to this automatic process the name translation, is to give to that term a signification entirely new, or at least, aside from the purpose of the present argument.

The method of Sicard in constructing his system of methodical signs, was, first, to define or illustrate each new word, by means of a group of colloquial or natural signs, (as they are, not very properly, called,) constituting something like a circumlocution in speech; and from a consideration of this group, to devise some brief sign, named a sign of reduction, to stand as the representative of the whole. His published dictionary, denominated by him the "theory of signs," is composed wholly of such definitions, unaccompanied however, by corresponding signs of reduction; and is, therefore, as we are informed by M. Degerando, far from conveying a correct idea of his practice.

Our American schools have hitherto pursued the system of Sicard, making methodical signs the great dependence in instruction. But it has been only for words of most frequent occurrence, that signs, strictly methodical, have been instituted. Beyond this limit the complex sign, the circumlocution has been retained without reduction, while the plan of verbatim translation or dictation having been still pursued, the system has failed of that lightness, simplicity, and that adaptation to the purposes of rapid execution, which its theory presumes: it has become unwieldy in its material, and burdensome in its use; retarding the labors of the instructor, and seriously impeding the progress of the pupil.

As an instrument of instruction, therefore, methodical signs have been abandoned in the New-York Institution. The means, on which the principal reliance is now placed, are the language of action, so far as it is in familiar use, writing, symbolic grammar, design, and the manual alphabet. The employment of words themselves, is considered preferable to that of signs, instituted for the sole purpose of recalling the same words.

Having now terminated the review of the past year, the Board proceed to consider the second general topic proposed, to wit: those measures of improvement, which they deem it desirable to introduce, at as early a period as possible. There exists at present, ac