A NEW EDITION 
OF 
VOX OCULIS SUBJECTA 
PART I. 
A DISSERTATION ON THE MOST CURIOUS AND IMPORTANT 
ART OF IMPARTING SPEECH AND THE KNOWLEDGE 
OF LANGUAGE TO THE NATURALLY DEAF 
AND (CONSEQUENTLY) DUMB 
By FRANCIS GREEN 
[London, 1783] 
PUBLISHED BY 
THE BOSTON PARENTS' EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 
FOR DEAF CHILDREN 
1897 A NEW EDITION 
OF 
VOX OCULIS SUBJECTA 
PART I. 
A DISSERTATION ON THE MOST CURIOUS AND IMPORTANT 
ART OF IMPARTING SPEECH AND THE KNOWLEDGE 
OF LANGUAGE TO THE NATURALLY DEAF 
AND (CONSEQUENTLY) DUMB 
By FRANCIS GREEN 
[London, 1783] 
PUBLISHED BY 
THE BOSTON PARENTS' EDUCATION ASSOCIATION 
FOR DEAF CHILDREN 
1897 PRESS OF C. W. CALKIN'S & CO., 
No. 52 Purchase Street, 
Boston, Mass. PREFACE. 
"Vox Oculis Subjecta" was the motto of Messrs. Braid- 
wood, at whose school, in Edinburgh, Mr. Francis Green's 
son received his education, and was adopted as the title of his 
book on the education of the deaf. 
The original work was in three parts, viz.: 
"A dissertation on the most curious and important art of 
imparting Speech and the Knowledge of Language to the nat- 
urally Deaf and (consequently) Dumb." 
"A particular account of the Academy of Messrs. Braid- 
wood of Edinburgh," and 
"A proposal to perpetuate and extend the benefits thereof." 
Three copies of Vox Oculis Subjecta are still known to be 
in existence. Harvard College has one; one is in the Boston 
Public Library, and the Volta Bureau at Washington, D. C., 
has the third. 
The Dissertation contains so much of real value that it has 
been deemed worthy of rescue from oblivion; although written 
more than one hundred years ago, it is just as useful now as 
then, and it is again sent forth on its mission. 
This little pamphlet containing the substance of Mr. Green's 
essay has been prepared especially for circulation among 
parents of deaf children, and his thoughts alone are presented; 
numerous quotations contained in the original work being 
entirely omitted. Slight changes only have been made in the 
style and phraseology of the essay, it being thought best to 
make these extracts from the writings of this remarkable man 
as nearly like the original work as possible. 
E. W. E. TOMPSON. 
Boston, November 10th, 1897. FRANCIS GREEN. 
The following sketch of the life of Francis Green, author of 
"Vox Oculis Subjecta," is taken from an article published by 
Dr. Samuel A. Green, and used with his kind permission. 
Francis Green was the earliest American to call public at- 
tention in this country to the importance of educating the 
Deaf and Dumb. 
He was born in Boston, August 21st, 1742, and was the son 
of Benjamin and Margaret (Pierce) Green. He received his 
early education partly in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and partly 
at Mr. Lovell's school in Boston, from which he was admitted 
into Harvard College in the summer of 1756. His collegiate 
course was only a partial one, as circumstances beyond his 
control compelled him to take leave at the expiration of his 
Freshman year. He was allowed, however, to take the bache- 
lor's degree with his class, a favor extended only in extraor- 
dinary cases. 
The year preceding his entrance into college his father had 
procured for him an ensign's commission in the 40th Regi- 
ment, with the understanding that he should have leave of 
absence until he should have completed his studies. 
In 1757 orders came from the commander-in-chief of the 
King's forces, that all officers, without regard to rank, should 
join their respective corps, on account of the war with France. 
On the reception of this news, he repaired immediately to his 
regiment at Halifax, with the expectation that his leave of 
absence would be renewed; but in this he was disappointed. 
He now determined to connect his future with that of the 
army. 
In 1765 he went to England, and the next year sold his com- 
mission in the army, having honorably served his country nine 
years. 6 
October 18, 1769, he married his cousin, Susannah, daugh- 
ter of Joseph and Anna (Pierce) Green. 
They had five children, of whom three died in early child- 
hood. 
After leaving the army he engaged in mercantile pursuits 
in his native town. 
During the impending revolutionary struggle his sympa- 
thies were with the mother country, and he deemed it expe- 
dient to quit Boston, which he did, at its evacuation by the 
British, in March, 1776. He went to Halifax and thence the 
next year to New York, where he remained till 1780, when he 
departed for England. 
While residing in New York one of his boys was shockingly 
burned and died in a few hours. Charles and Susannah were 
the names of his remaining children, and the former was the 
immediate occasion of his interest in the education of the 
Deaf and Dumb. 
At an early age the child was discovered to be a deaf mute; 
and in 1780-at that time eight years old-he was placed at 
the Academy of the Braidwoods in Edinburgh, which had 
acquired a high reputation as an establishment for instructing 
such children; and he remained nearly six years. The boy 
when he was placed there, could not articulate a syllable, nor 
had he an idea of the signification of a word. With his im- 
provement the father was particularly pleased, and the im- 
portance of educating the deaf and dumb made a deep 
impression on his mind. 
In 1783 while residing in London, and while his son was yet 
at school in Edinburgh, he published a volume entitled: "Vox 
Oculis Subjecta: A Dissertation on the most curious and im- 
portant Art of Imparting Speech and the Knowledge of Lan- 
guage to the naturally Deaf and (consequently) Dumb. With 
a particular Account of the Academy of Messrs. Braidwood, 
of Edinburgh; and a proposal to perpetuate and extend the 
Benefits thereof. Written by a Parent. London, 1783." 8vo. 
Leaving England in 1784, Mr. Green took up his residence 
in Halifax, where he lived, filling several important offices; 
among them that of high sheriff for the county, till 1797. 
We next find him at Medford, Massachusetts, where he 7 
appears to have devoted his leisure hours to advocating in 
journals the importance of educating the deaf and dumb, and 
endeavoring to enlist public sympathy in their behalf. Some 
of his articles may be found in the Boston papers, particularly 
the New England Palladium for the year 1803. 
He "translated," as he states in a journal and autobiograph- 
ical sketch which he left, "the whole of the Abbe de 1'Epee's 
work on the manner of his instructing the deaf and dumb, en- 
titled 'Institution des Sonds et Muets.' " The degree A. M. 
was conferred upon him in 1790 by Harvard College. 
He died at Medford, Massachusetts, April 21st, 1809. PREFACE TO VOX OCULIS SUBJECTA. 
Politics and party views which, at this day, occupy and 
engross the minds of so many, have no place or share in this 
unambitious publication; of course, prejudices and resent- 
ments on that ground cannot be provoked. 
A great part of this essay being obviously either compila- 
tion and quotation, or narrative; it must necessarily be appar- 
ent that literary fame cannot be its object. 
It is neither an attempt at composition, nor at criticism; but 
without ostentation, hath its origin in the simple principles of 
sympathy and philanthropy. 
The primary motive is an ardent solicitude that the benefits 
of an ingenious method, new in extensive practice if not new 
in theory, of infinite importance to many individuals, may be 
universally realized. 
Having myself collaterally experienced the ineffable satis- 
faction consequent on its practicability, I am urged by an 
impatience kindled by social affection, to communicate the 
consolation to all others who may ever be in the same predic- 
ament. 
This although a secondary is not a small inducement. 
The editor is not unapprised that several treatises have been 
published on this art, in the last century, by men of distinc- 
tion in the literary world, viz.: Dr. Amman of Amsterdam, Dr. 
John Wallis, and Dr. William Holder (by the two former in 
; and also \yy Bulwerin English. They are all now be- 
come rare books, and hardly to be met with, as he hath ex- 
perienced. The subject is also touched upon in a late essay, 
entitled, "Elements of Speech," by J. Herries A. M., 1773. 
Extracts from, or translations of, particular parts of each 
are inserted in the body of this; but neither of them had alto- 9 
gether the same grounds nor the same points in view with 
this. Nor did they flow from the feelings of a parent. 
That an art tending effectually to rescue a certain propor- 
tion of the human species in every age, and in every country, 
from idleness, ignorance, and wretchedness may be perpetu- 
ated, and its benefits happily extended to every possible sub- 
ject, is, it is conceived, of no trifling consequence to society 
collectively. To those who are or may be born deaf especially, 
and their immediate connections, it must be deemed inval- 
uable. 
If the cultivation of the human mind be the pursuit and end 
of philosophy; if the salvation of the soul be the use, object 
and glory of theology, divines and philosophers will at least 
give credit for the intention, which is always the best apology 
for the most indifferent performance. 
To convince the world of the practicability of this extraor- 
dinary art incredible to many, and to endeavor to prevent its 
being lost, like many other arts, after having been brought 
to perfection; to excite the attention of the public to a plan 
which if the rational nature is superior to the animal, hath 
objects the most interesting and affecting, is the ultimate de- 
sign of this publication. 
Should this prove the means of one only of the human 
race, in whom4 ' the particle of the divinity" is inherent, being 
raised from an humiliating, most melancholy state by nature, 
and added to the number of conversible and happy intellectual 
beings, not only the application it hath cost will be abundantly 
compensated for, but the hours expended herein will ever be 
considered amongst the most usefully employed, as well as the 
most important and valuable of those bestowed by Providence 
upon 
THE AUTHOR. 
March, 1783. INTRODUCTION TO VOX OCULIS SUBJECTA. 
Man as a social being has an irresistible propensity to com- 
municate with his species, to receive the ideas of others, and 
to impart his own conceptions; this natural disposition for 
society and conversation is very early apparent in infancy, and 
as "Nature never gravitates to nought" it hath universally pro- 
vided the means of fulfilling its dictates (except, perhaps, in 
the comparatively few instances of idiots); that is, it hath be- 
stowed capacities for gradually acquiring all such habits and 
faculties as are requisite and convenient to us, or conducive 
to its own purposes. In some, those natural capacities or ca- 
pabilities are complete, in others partial; but, in all, they re- 
quire, like every species of soil, cultivation and improvement. 
That mankind are designed for a state of active intercourse 
seems evident from this consideration alone, that every ac- 
quisition is progressive and very little of our knowledge is 
from intuition. Even our most common faculties, although 
acquired by insensible degrees, are the effect of habit. Every 
great and valuable end is attainable only by slow degrees; no 
art or science was ever brought to perfection on a sudden. 
Nothing exemplifies this position more incontestibly than lan- 
guage, emphatically and elegantly defined "The joint energy 
of our best and noblest faculties, reason and social affection." 
The seeds or elements of reason and social affection are 
connate with us, and inseparable from our constitution as intel- 
lectual beings; they spring up, bud, blossom, and bear fruit in 
due season, in proportion to the culture and manure they 
receive; they manifest themselves, even in those who have 
never enjoyed the means and advantages of attaining speech, 
as absolutely, though not so copiously, as in other men:-the 
operations of their minds in many instances are demonstrated 11 
beyond the possibility of a doubt-although inexpressible by 
them in words;-but as the pathetic poet, in painting the bless- 
ings of language, and the reciprocal enjoyments of conversa- 
tion and friendship says, 
" 'Tis speech that ventilates our intellectual fires . . ." 
The use, advantage, and necessity of speech, or articulate 
language to every individual in a state of society, are so 
exceedingly obvious and striking that any farther attempt 
to illustrate them cannot but be superfluous. 
In every station and condition of life, transactions must 
arise, even from our natural wants, to which without this 
faculty we should in a great degree be incompetent. • 
What purpose, then, more worthy of humanity than that of 
providing a remedy for a defect in many of our own species, 
which is so essential an obstruction to their happiness? DISSERTATION ON THE CURIOUS AND IMPORT- 
ANT ART OF IMPARTING LANGUAGE 
TO THE DEAF. 
The catalogue of infirmities and calamities to which human 
nature is subject, exhibits, perhaps, no case of our fellow- 
creatures (insanity of mind excepted) that more forcibly, or 
more justly, excites our commiseration than that of the deaf 
and dumb. 
"No corporeal defect" says a late author on the elements 
of speech, "renders an individual so uncomfortable to himself 
and others as that of deafness." 
The principal channel through which instruction and knowl- 
edge-the sources of infinite pleasure-are usually conveyed 
to the mind, is the ear. This, by some internal, unaccounta- 
ble misformation or derangement (of their organs of hearing) 
is blocked up forever! to them all nature wears a solemn si- 
lence; the consequence is that speech, that mark of humanity 
that peculiar ornament and dignity which chiefly distin- 
guishes man from the brute creation, is unattainable in the 
common way, it being evidently, by the imitation of the 
sounds which we hear, that mankind ordinarily acquire the 
art, or the faculty of speech. In the midst of multitudes, they 
may be said to be in solitude. 
Whenever we meet a person-although an entire stranger- 
in this unhappy predicament, or reflect on the melancholy sit- 
uation of such as were born deaf, and remain consequently 
dumb, does not our sensibility receive a shock which is too 
violent and complicated to admit of description? Excluded 
from the knowledge of everything, except the immediate ob- 
jects of sense, apparently doomed to ignorance, idleness, and 
uselessness, a burden to their friends, and to society, incapa- 
ble in such a state, of that social intercourse and communica- 13 
tion of mind which constitute the most pleasing and rational 
enjoyment of intellectual beings, without distinct ideas of 
moral obligation, of their duty to God, or the nature and end 
of their existence; what pitiable animals are men in such 
circumstances, and how little superior to the brutes! The 
mind flies off with pain, if not with horror, from the affecting 
idea. 
After the consideration of their deplorable case, what pleas- 
ure must the benevolent heart receive from the information 
that whatever may have been the former fate of such persons, 
all such may now be rescued from their miserable condition, 
and enabled to become not only happy and useful, but even 
learned members of society; for Providence, in infinite mercy, 
hath been pleased to point out a method, by which they may 
be taught, in effect to hear, and in reality to speak and read; 
to attain such a perfect knowledge of language, as, by observ- 
ing the motion of the mouth in others, to converse intelli- 
gibly viva voce; to express their own sentiments not only 
distinctly, but elegantly in writing, and even in process of 
time, to translate one language into another; consequently to 
learn arithmetic, geography, mathematics and any other art 
or science (practical music excepted); but above all, to have a 
thorough knowledge of the dignifying principles of morality 
and vital religion. 
It is remarkable, notwithstanding all that had been written 
by Plato, Aristotle, Dionisius the Halicarnassian, Quinctilian, 
and others of the ancients, who have investigated the 
principles of language and the formation of the vocal and 
articulate sounds, that until about the middle of the last cen- 
tury we know of no attempts having been made in this ex- 
traordinary art, and at that time only in a few instances; it 
existed then indeed chiefly in theory. There were, however, 
some instances of successful practice.. 
Let us consider the cause of the want of speech in those who 
are deaf and dumb, and also their natural capacities compared 
with man's capacity in general; persuaded that a little reflec- 
tion on those points will be sufficient to convince the most 
incredulous that there is not, in the nature of things, any physi- 
cal impossibility in teaching such to converse intelligibly, as 14 
many, who have not thought upon the subject, are apt to 
imagine. 
The dumb (in general), are not so from a deficiency in the 
organs of speech; the sole cause of their misfortune is a devia- 
tion of nature, in the construction of that intricate and most 
unintelligible part of the human frame, the organs of hearing. 
This part is acknowledged by all anatomists to be so com- 
plicated, so prodigiously nice in its formation, that their knowl- 
edge of its nature, of the peculiar uses of the respective com- 
ponent particles, and of the operations of sound, are very 
imperfect compared with their knowledge of the other parts 
of our wonderful machine. 
The results of all their dissections and their researches into 
the principles of this sense, and its organs, amounts to little 
more than ascertaining the positions of the various internal 
parts, without being able to agree in accounting for the con- 
veyance of the impressions of sound: the auditory nerve is 
doubtless the most immediate, essential instrument of the 
sense of hearing, but the various avenues to it are so marvel- 
lously intricate, that the most minute impediment in either 
may render it inaccessible to sound. 
The tympanum, or cover to the whole of the interior ear, is 
the first portal of admission,-if I may so express it-on the 
due tension and condition of which any further entrance 
greatly depends; the use of this is principally to guard the 
auditory nerve, brain and inward parts of the ear, from 
outward injury by cold, dust, etc., and hath been, not unaptly 
compared by some to glass windows, being pervious to sound, 
as those to light; that this is its principle use, hath been 
proved by experiment upon animals, who after the tym- 
panum was broken, did not hear the worse for some con- 
siderable time, that is, until some other causes, such 
as cold, impaired the parts within; but for passage 
of sound to the auditory nerve, by which the sense 
is conveyed to the brain, it is requisite that this mem- 
brane be hard stretched, otherwise the laxness will deaden 
or damp the sound; to preserve this due tension is the 
use of the malleus particularly, which being fixed to a disten- 
sible muscle, stretches the surface of the tympanum in the 15 
centre, and by drawing it inward, transforms it from a plane 
to a conoid, within the same circumference; and so keeps it 
in due order. The want of this tension, from the misforma- 
tion, or straining of those extremely delicate parts-often 
times, no doubt, by the convulsive motions before birth-is, 
perhaps, the most frequent cause of want of hearing, although 
many causes are assignable, and it is for this reason that some 
deaf persons hear speech a little, when a drum beats near 
them, or when in a carriage running on pavement, that do not 
hear at all at other times; because the violent percussion of 
the air beats in the tympanum to a suitable degree, as wind 
fills and expands the sails of a ship, which otherwise hang 
loose and flaccid. 
The causes, however, of deafness, both natural and adven- 
titious, may be as various as the numerous respective minute 
parts on which hearing depends, and being internal, and not 
to be investigated by sight, it is not always possible to deter- 
mine precisely where the defect lies, nor indeed, if it were, by 
reason of its inaccessibleness, to remedy it. 
Neither is it within the compass of the present design to 
treat fully on the sense of hearing; but only to touch upon the 
subject so far as might be necessary for some to understand 
how easily that part of the bodily system is disordered, and 
in order to lead the mind to attend to the important conse- 
quences thereof. 
Be the cause of want of hearing natural, or by subsequent 
accident, what it may, the certain effect is destitution or priva- 
tion of the common faculty of speech. Being dumb is only 
the consequence of being deaf, not an independent defect, nor 
owing to any infallible sympathy of the nerves of hearing and 
those of the tongue, as Montaigne and many of the ancients 
supposed. Many have remained dumb who were not born 
deaf, but who have lost their hearing in infancy, before they 
had acquired speech, for indeed we are all born dumb, that is, 
speechless, for a time. The loss of hearing also at any age will 
in time incur the loss of speech, either totally or partially. 
The capacities for attaining oral, or spoken language, be- 
sides the sense of hearing, are competent powers of mind, the 
voice, and the common organs of speech. Now in healthy per- 16 
sons usually called dumb, there is no defect in either of these 
capacities, but the difficulty hath always been to invent or cre- 
ate a substitute for that sense (hearing) by which others are en- 
abled to imitate sounds made significant by compact, or words. 
This difficulty hath been, until lately-for so I call the last 
century-deemed insuperable, but experience hath at last 
evinced the contrary. Let us take a summary view of those 
capacities just mentioned, in their order. First the powers of 
the mind, or soul. These are all comprised in the ability to 
perceive, and to will: and of perception and volition all lan- 
guage is only a representation. 
The other senses of seeing, feeling, tasting, and smelling 
enable men to perceive and distinguish space, solidity, figure, 
extension, motion, duration, succession, color, etc., as well as 
all substances, and their qualities, although they know not 
their articulate forms or names, if naturally without hearing. 
It follows then, that, when reason "that Heaven-lighted lamp" 
is given, the power to compare, compound, enlarge, and ab- 
stract, consequently the inclination to examine, measure, com- 
pute, choose or refuse, approve or disapprove, must be the 
necessary effect. Who will not allow, that naturally deaf per- 
sons are curiously inquisitive and observant; and as capable 
as any others of distinguishing hardness from softness, mo- 
tion from rest, unity from numbers, order from irregularity, 
beauty from deformity, smiles from frowns, grief from joy, 
sweetness from bitterness, and in short (excepting those of 
sounds) all painful sensations from pleasurable? Who will 
deny, when they invariably, from the dictates of their own 
minds, or from the example and representation of others, 
avoid or decline whatever is or may be hurtful, disgustful, or 
ugly and unpleasing; and cheerfully seek, embrace and prefer 
what hath a rational probability of being innocent, agreeable 
and eligible; that they manifest, as clearly as hearing men, the 
powers of perception, both by sensation and reflection, and of 
volition; which comprehend all the leading powers of the 
soul. 
The generality of the world are apt suddenly, but mistakenly 
to combine the idea of idiotism with that of the state of the 
deaf and dumb, whereas no greater error can subsist, as may 17 
plainly appear by the instances of perfection to which many 
have arrived in language, and other arts, as well as in the 
sciences. The truth is, that the scale of intellectual compre- 
hensions, or understandings, in them, is as variously gradu- 
ated as in other persons; many of them indeed possess a quick- 
ness of apprehension, a scope of imagination and sagacity, 
above the common standard among those who are not natur- 
ally deaf. 
The voice is the next requisite; the source and fountain 
of this are the lungs, which it is well known, are the primary 
efficient cause of respiration or breathing; voice is only breath 
made sonorous in its passage through the wind-pipe, by the 
contraction of that interior part of the larynx called the glottis, 
which is a small chink of a gristly tremulous substance, pecu- 
liarly fitted for the production of sound by the vibration of 
air upon its sides, and through its orifice, which are capable 
of such extension and contraction, firmness or relaxation, as 
may be necessary for effecting the different vocal sounds. 
None of these parts on which the voice depends have nec- 
essarily any immediate connection with the organs of hearing, 
consequently, they may be perfect, while those are imperfect, 
and dumb men may have as good voices, naturally, as any 
other persons; the fact is, that they not only have, but that 
they use them also; although very uncouthly and without ar- 
ticulation until instructed. Such children also cry and laugh, 
exactly as all other children do. 
The organs of speech are the only remaining necessary 
qualifications. 
It is by the various positions and actions of these that articu- 
lation is effected; therefore they are all essentially requisite in 
oral language; every impulse of voice receiving its particular 
modification, or alteration, from those different positions. 
They are too well known to need description; every one 
having these organs in proper proportion, viz: tongue, lips, 
lower jaw, teeth, gums, palate, uvula and nostrils, is capable 
of effecting all the configurations that produce the elementary 
sounds; which any one may very easily convince himself of, 
only by running over with the voice, the alphabet, and observ- 
ing the different action of these organs respectively. 18 
A complete set of these instruments, in perfect symmetry, is 
generally found to be possessed by the dumb:-for their want 
of speech, as hath been before asserted, doth not proceed from 
any impediment herein, but merely from want of hearing. 
And here it is impossible in reflecting upon the infinite wis- 
dom and contrivance manifested in the construction of these 
organs of speech, and those of hearing, not to be struck with 
astonishment and realize that "The hand that made us is di- 
vine, so fearfully and wonderfully are we made." 
Having now as proposed, cursorily considered the powers of 
the mind, the voice and the organs of speech, and observed 
that the predicament in which the dumb in general are, doth 
not result from any deficiency in either of those capacities, it 
may clearly be inferred that where that is the case if any substi- 
tute for the sense of hearing can be adopted, the faculty or 
art of communication by speech may be acquired by them, al- 
though with greater application and difficulty, and longer per- 
severance than by those who, their ears being perfect, are 
enabled to regulate and modulate their voices, by imitation, 
according to their perception of sounds. 
It is by the respective nerves of each sense that the several 
perceptions of all their objects are conducted to the brain; 
hearing by the auditory nerve, seeing by the optic, tasting by 
those of the tongue and palate, smelling by the olfactory and 
feeling by the genus nervosum or nervous system, which per- 
vades and overspreads the whole structure of the body. If 
by the optic nerve, a perception can be conveyed to the brain, 
which shall virtually excite the same idea in the soul 
as that excited by the conveyance of the auditory nerve, 
the first and principal step is gained; which is to under- 
stand the meaning of a word or words, by the form, instead 
of the sound. 
The signification of words in general is merely arbitrary, 
there being no analogy or natural resemblance of the sounds 
to the thing signified, for instance, horse, man, ball, bat, cow, 
etc. It is by repeating the sounds, and pointing out the object 
to children universally, that they come by degrees to under- 
stand what those sounds signify. By the same method, mutatis 
mutandis, changing sounds for forms, may children without 19 
hearing, be taught to know the names and qualities of every- 
thing animate and inanimate, and understand them when ut- 
tered or written, which is the foundation of all language what- 
ever. * It is true that the forms of words, even in writing or 
print, are not likenesses of the things they are made to rep- 
resent, any more than sounds are, but they are as much so; 
and are found more completely convenient for the purposes of 
language, than absolute pictures, or hieroglyphics; but this re- 
lates only to written not oral language. Words, however, have 
a form in utterance, as well as in characters, and this form is, 
by habit, discernible to the eye. Of some words much more so 
undoubtedly than others; for example, how easily may the 
form of the word "paw" be perceived; that is, the position and 
action of the organs in forming it. It is the effect of only 
compressing the lips very closely, then letting fall the lower 
jaw and lip, at the same time breathing strongly (so strongly 
as to make the vocal sound). 
Thus far respects only the means of knowing what may be 
uttered by others without hearing them, but how shall a deaf 
person himself pronounce or express these sounds which he 
hath never heard? Here the assistance of another sense be- 
sides that of sight offers itself, and is greatly conducive to this 
happy effect. I mean feeling, which is said to be the universal 
sense, the most necessary and to which all the others indeed, 
may be reduced, because by the tact the impressions of all 
objects are made on their respective organs. Of the use of 
feeling in this case some farther description shall be given in 
the course of this attempt. 
Wherever nature has denied or withheld one of the five 
senses, she has kindly compensated by an uncommon degree 
of perfection in the others. The extraordinary vigilance of 
those senses in possession is very obvious in all such instances. 
Thus the blind are good musicians and mathematicians, and 
as such are capable of forming just ideas, by sound and 
touch of the motion, figure, size, and distance of objects, their 
numbers, and relative proportions. Now may it not easily be 
credited, that such blind persons have a perfect notion of many 
machines; such as wheel-carriages, by feeling and handling 
the different parts? Can they not also determine by the 20 
sounds they make when passing over a hard surface, not 
only the distance, but the course and velocity of such passing 
carriages, although this be the proper province of vision? 
This faculty, however, it must be noticed, is the result of habit 
and repeated observation. 
As thus we find the sense of hearing, aided by the touch, or 
sense of feeling, can in some instances do the duty of the 
eye, so we shall be convinced that the sense of seeing, with 
the same assistance, can do as much for the ear. 
From the supposed universality of speech and the seeming 
facility with which it is gradually acquired in childhood, even 
by the most ignorant and uninstructed in society, we are apt 
to consider language as born with us, like the senses, or rather 
not to consider it at all. The organs of speech are as neces- 
sary for choosing, preparing and conducting animal susten- 
ance to the stomach, as for articulation, and those are the first 
and indeed only natural uses of them, strictly speaking; the 
latter is artificial. By articulation I do not mean the utterance 
or production of the mere vocal sounds; but the expression of 
syllables, or words composed of consonants and vowels. 
Speech is with every individual of the human race a gradual 
acquisition; we are all mute at first, or when nature pushes us 
upon this theatre of life, although endowed with capacities and 
dispositions for learning this and other arts. At our birth, and 
for a long time after, have we any more language than any 
irrational animal? Are we not, as we come from the hands of 
nature, a "mutum pecus" ; a mute herd, as Horace truly calls 
us? As no man, whatever might be his genius, was ever an 
artist at once, or complete master of any art or faculty by in- 
tuition, or nature-that is, without instruction, or imitation of 
others, who had by a long succession of experiments and prac- 
tice, begun and completed the system; so, neither was ever a 
child born with the faculty of speech. 
Articulation, or sounds formed into words of meaning is 
therefore certainly not natural to mankind, but entirely the 
effect of art; this art hath been from rude beginnings brought 
to its present degree of perfection, in a succession of ages in 
proportion to the multiplication of arts, and always keeping 
pace with the progress of refinements in society. 21 
There is no such thing as an universal language, unless we 
allow inarticulate cries (or sounds), and gestures (or signs) to 
be language; and in that sense, the brutes may be said to have 
a language as well as mankind. 
If articulate language were natural to man, must it not fol- 
low that the same would be common to every nation, and 
spoken spontaneously by all of the same species, having the 
organs of pronunciation; and of course, that persons born 
deaf would have it as perfectly as any?-for they have all fac- 
ulties that others enjoy from nature, and what in that case 
should hinder their possession of this? 
It is intellect or abilities of reasoning and imitation, with 
the powers of imagination, which form the exalted and distin- 
guishing prerogative of human nature, and these, as was be- 
fore observed, are not wanting in persons born deaf, although 
language always is,-that is without peculiar instruction-a 
capacity also of acquiring every faculty or art except music 
and oratory-which is a species of music-with all the neces- 
sary means of pronunciation nature hath absolutely, although 
under great disadvantages indeed, bestowed on them; but, by 
want of the perception of sounds, they are exactly in the same 
state, with respect to speech, which we may suppose any per- 
sons would be in, who were shut up, and bred together, from 
earliest infancy in a place and manner which should render it 
impossible for them to hear any language spoken; that is, with- 
out speech. 
Was Adam speechless? Had he any example by the imita- 
tion of which he acquired language, to enable him to give 
names to every living creature or to answer the voice of the 
Lord in the garden of Eden? If Adam had this faculty by 
nature, why not his heirs and successors when they arrive at 
the state of maturity? 
To this it is replied, that many learned and pious divines 
have agreed, that the metaphorical style so much in use in the 
East, and with which the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament 
abound, may account for this: they have accordingly been of 
opinion that it is figurative expression not strictly historical, 
in the same manner as in the same chapter, the Immaterial 
Omniscient Spirit or First Cause, is said to have brought 22 
every living creature unto Adam to see what he would call 
them; and as the serpent's language to Eve, together with 
many other similar instances, more especially the following: 
"And it repented the Lord that he had made man on the earth; 
and it grieved him at the heart," which they think, strictly 
speaking-and so do I-cannot be possible. Allowing, how- 
ever, the former, respecting Adam's giving names to the ani- 
mals, to be strictly historical, the objection is removable in 
another way; for we may well suppose and believe, that the 
Infinite Wisdom and Goodness might by a miraculous exer- 
tion of the same Almighty Power, which gave the first man 
existence, also qualify him for the state he was in, by impart- 
ing to him intuitively such a degree of language as was neces- 
sary to his unprecedented artless and innocent condition; as 
the Apostles were instantaneously inspired for a particular oc- 
casion, with the gift of "Tongues"-or languages;-but that 
necessity ceasing, with respect to his posterity, the miraculous 
gift of speech, without example, might cease also, as it cer- 
tainly did to the immediate descendants of the Apostles. 
But, be these reasonings just or erroneous, whatever might 
have been Adam's faculties, we know that his offspring do not 
inherit any such, not only for the reasons already given, re- 
specting infants,-who, let them be born of what parents they 
may, learn only the language of the people with whom they 
are brought up-but, because all the wild men who have been 
found without society, have been found also without speech, 
of which there are sundry instances; and because we know 
also, that many savage tribes, who are not absolutely without 
society-although possessed of very few arts-have at this day 
such an imperfect system as plainly proves it a progressive 
acquisition; therefore, it matters not whether Adam had a par- 
ticular language of articulation, or not ab initio; it being evi- 
dent that the human race have not uniformly and inevitably re- 
ceived this legacy from him. 
Having, it is hoped, obviated this scruple, let us proceed, 
"Say first, of God above, or man below 
What can we reason, but from what we know." 
-Pope. 23 
How manifest a truth is it "that man differs more from man, 
than man from beast?" because by that cultivation of his ca- 
pacities, which is called education, he is, in a manner, meta- 
morphosed into almost another and superior species! 
It is supposed by the author of the "Origin and Progress 
of Language" (a very learned, curious and philosophical work) 
and the supposition supported with great ingenuity and prob- 
ability, that mankind have been gradually emerging from a 
state of barbarism; that they have from being originally wild, 
savage creatures, been tamed and humanized; and improved 
by cultivation, and the introduction -of the various arts found 
by experience necessary to society; but that society may have 
existed for ages before a system of articulate language was 
invented. In this there is certainly no impossibility, as he says, 
inasmuch as persons remaining absolutely dumb are known 
to be capable of living together in society, of communicating 
in some degree the knowledge of their wants, of carrying on 
conjointly any sort of business, and of governing and 
directing. 
It, however, doth not appear to me romantic to suppose, 
with him, that at first, in a state of nature, the substitutes for 
language were murmuring, inarticulate sounds; that barbar- 
ous nations could only express their different passions by dif- 
ferent cries, similar to the instances we are acquainted with in 
the ivar-whoop, the cry of success, and others in practice 
among the American Indians; that articulation or the dividing 
by consonants, the continuity of the vocal sounds, was at first 
very simple. 
The vowels which are the first of the elemental sounds, are 
always uttered with little or no action of the mouth, being 
nothing else but breath vocalized, by the vibration of the in- 
terior parts of the throat, and passing through the organs of 
the mouth in certain peculiar positions; thus A is only breath 
blown hard, with an open mouth; 0 is sounded in like man- 
ner, only by forming the lips into a circle; the other vowels, 
with little variation are upon the same easy principle. The 
junction of consonants to these vowels, by a further modi- 
fication of the several positions and actions of the tongue, 
teeth, palate, and lips, assisted by the nose and throat more 24 
or less, forms those alterations of the voice, or division of 
the continuity of vocal sounds, which is properly articulation; 
without this speech would only be a cluster of vocal cries, with 
little distinction. 
The vowels being the foundation of speech and uttered with 
so little art, or action of the mouth, is doubtless the reason that 
among savages, language (if it deserves to be so called) chiefly 
consists of vowels, for they have not advanced the art to any 
great degree; they use words like young children who are 
beginning to speak, without any connectives; they have no 
syntax, but in lieu thereof a vast variety of tones, and abund- 
ance of action. This perhaps hath been, at one time or an- 
other, the state of language in all those nations or tribes of 
mankind, from which the present proud nations of the earth 
have proceeded. That these uncultivated tribes, and all others, 
are the offspring of Adam, those who make the before men- 
tioned objection must consequently allow. 
The history of man in various ages and countries, and the 
nature of things, sufficiently prove that the only natural lan- 
guage of our species is a variety of vocal sounds and tones, 
significant of our wants or desires, accompanied by signs with 
the head, hand, etc., and the management of the countenance, 
so as (imperfectly) to express the disposition of mind, and 
the will. In process of time, those muttering noises have been 
articulated to such a number as the sensible objects then exist- 
ing required names for, which names were, it is probable, sim- 
ply descriptive, at first, of their most striking qualities, or 
appearances: as children are observed to distinguish animals 
by their different noises, roarings, or bleatings, before they 
know the arbitrary appellations of such animals: For instance, 
bow wow, for dog; baa, for lamb; moo, for cow, and such like. 
Thus language grew by degrees, on which alterations were 
grafted, and in proportion to the necessity, variety of words en- 
sued, until by an infinite multiplication of such articulate 
sounds, method became indispensibly necessary to avoid con- 
fusion, to denote qualities, action, time, quantity, connection, 
and, by "substance, energy and subject" to convey ideas in- 
telligibly. 
The method used in teaching those, who are, by nature, 25 
without hearing, to speak, and the progress observable in 
them, may serve in some measure to confirm this:-they at 
first use cries, only, or uncouth irregular exertions of voice, 
with signs, until art, in other words, precept, and exam- 
ple, regulate these sounds:-the first advance is made by an 
ingenious method of sounding the vowels, as the notes of 
the gamut are commonly at first learned, without any connec- 
tion with time, or that arrangement which is called tune. 
When the five vowels can be distinctly sounded and discrim- 
inated, then an easy monosyllable is learned, as ba, be, etc. ; for, 
besides the distinct sound of the vowel, it is only the compres- 
sion of the lips, before utterance of the vowel, that mqkes the 
syllable, ba and so on. 
Having acquired syllables, of the combination of which the 
longest word or pollysyllable is made, all words, of course, 
may be pronounced:-for example, taking first a word of one 
syllable. Suppose the learner to be perfect in pronouncing ba "•> 
then by placing the tongue in such a position as to add t- 
which is no more than pressing the top of the tongue close 
against the upper gum-the word bat is formed; thus articu- 
lation of one word is learned, in which two out of three letters 
are consonants. Being perfect in the pronunciation, he next 
attains the idea, which this form of articulated breath conveys, 
by having the object or thing itself placed before his eyes, and 
pointed at; thus he knows the name of bat, and when he sees 
it again, or when the idea of the thing so called occurs to his 
mind, he knows how to utter its name. He soon easily learns 
to distinguish persons, as Charles, William, John, by the pre- 
positive pronouns singular, I, you, he, also the words signify- 
ing the most common and familiar actions, as eat, drink, walk ; 
next the connection of substantive and attributive or noun and 
verb, asZ, ( Charles} eat,you( William} drink, he (John} walks ; 
then, supposing him first to have learned the form, in writing 
and speech, and the meaning of bread, he composes a com- 
plete sentence, as I eat bread, and afterwards sentences less 
simple. This is the natural progress of the art of speech, and 
whoever will take the pains to attend to the gradual advances 
therein made, by children in general, cannot fail to observe it. 26 
The chief difference is, that such as hear, make a variety of 
experiments with their organs of speech, to imitate the sounds 
they hear before they hit upon the right position to effect it; 
but, at length, by perseverance, and repeatedly comparing by 
their ear their own production of sounds with that of others, 
they arrive at just articulation, generally, however, long before 
they know the nature of many things whose names they pro- 
nounce; beginning usually with those easy words in which 
the consonants are labials, or formed wholly by the lips, as 
Pa pa, Ma ma, etc., whereas those who are void of hearing, 
learn, or are taught to vocalize and articulate their breath by 
feeling and seeing instead of by the other sense, and arrive at 
the knowledge of the connection and import of words and 
sentences, by inculcation and study of their forms, in charac- 
ters, and in enunciation, in lieu of the more easy mode, which 
hearing persons enjoy. The former may be compared to per- 
sons who acquire the art of music by rote, or merely by their 
own imitative powers and endeavors, the latter of those who 
are taught it by instructors, systematically. 
What is the inference from the preceding propositions? The 
inference intended is, that the only natural language, already 
described, may be methodized and formed into a practicable, 
intelligible system, by all possessed of understanding and of 
the instruments of voice and articulation. 
Taking for granted, that it will be allowed, with respect to 
those who are blessed with the usual important sense of hear- 
ing, it remains only to be proved that it is practicable and in- 
telligible likewise by the deaf. Is it incredible that, a person 
void of hearing, may by feeling the vibration, or efficient cause 
of vocal sounds in the throat, inwardly and by application of 
the touch outwardly, in contradistinction to the mere impulses 
of breath, learn by perseverance and assistance to know 
when he gives the different tremulous motions of the air, 
which we distinguish by the vocal sounds a, e, i, o, u? Is it 
incredible that such a person afterwards by attentively look- 
ing at others when speaking, and by seeing how they place 
their lips and transpose their tongue, occasionally to the teeth, 
gums, and palate, for the combination of consonants and vow- 
els, should learn in time to imitate the pronunciation of all the 27 
various syllables which immediately compose words, and 
eventually language? 
All words are modified undulations of air, made significant 
to the mind, by social compact, or consent. The first step to 
language is to form them, the next to comprehend their mean- 
ing. 
It hath been already premised that vowels are the funda- 
mentals, and expressed with little or no action of the loquelary 
organs, like separate simple notes in a flute, independent of 
time, flats, sharps, rests, etc. That when these are learned, by 
the method just hinted at, articulation of the most easy sylla- 
bles is next to be inculcated, showing the form in writing, as 
well as in utterance at the same time; thus bringing the pupil 
gradually on from syllables to words; from words to sentences, 
first simple, then compound, until he becomes capable of 
every kind of composition. 
It may well be supposed, that the method of instructing such 
deaf persons must be extremely tedious and laborious to the 
teacher, and the greatest-possible trial of his patience; but it 
is the purpose of this essay to prove that it hath been reduced 
to practice, and that it is practised with great success at pres- 
ent, rather than to attempt to describe particularly the ingen- 
ious mode in use. 
If a person can be brought to speak at all, and is not defi- 
cient in intellect, application and perseverance in a judicious 
method may enable him, most undoubtedly, to make vast im- 
provements in the faculty of speech: this is demonstrated in 
the removal of the most violent impediments of stammerers. 
The greatest orator of Greece was at first almost an unintelli- 
gible stutterer; by long labor, and indefatigable perseverance, 
he overcame all difficulties, and in spite of nature became the 
paragon of eloquence. His soliloquizing on the sea-coast, near 
the roaring surges, with pebbles in his mouth (if true) strongly 
supports the argument that the use of articulate language is 
not only not natural, but slowly progressive, and of difficult 
acquisition, although it may be attained, by right application 
and long practice, even under the greatest disadvantages. 
" Labor omnia vincit." THE BOSTON PARENTS' EDUCATION 
ASSOCIATION 
will present to the City of Boston a Tablet 
in memory of FRANCIS GREEN, the first to 
advocate the education of the deaf in this 
country, on the afternoon of Wednesday, 
November 10th, at the Horace Mann School 
Building, at three o'clock. 
Dr. Alexander Graham Bell will make an 
address on that occasion. 
You are cordially invited to be present. 
In behalf of the Association, 
E. W. E. TOMPSON, 
President.