ey the advisability of giving all possible
consideration to the Memorial presented by Miss Gilbert in the previous
July, praying that a large number of Her Majesty's subjects who, at
birth or afterwards, were deprived of sight, should have a fair share of
protection and interest in any measure of general education which might
be designed by the Government. It was most desirable that a class which
was so helpless should receive the best consideration which could be
given to their condition.

Dean Hook spoke in support of the object of the Deputation, and many of
the members of Parliament and others who were present gave information
as to the condition of the blind in different parts of the country.

Lord de Grey asked several questions as to the instruction which the
blind received, and said he would carefully consider the representations
made to him by so important and influential a Deputation. He said there
were many points connected with institutions for the blind which placed
them in a different category from the elementary schools which it was
the object of the parliamentary grant to aid. Other questions were
involved, and other institutions might put forth claims, as, for
example, those for the deaf and dumb. It would be the duty of the
Council to weigh most seriously the practicability of the Memorial, and
he assured the Deputation that they had the utmost sympathy of Mr.
Forster and himself.

Upon this Lord Houghton thanked Lord de Grey for his courtesy, and the
Deputation withdrew.

There was no immediate action as the result of the labour of a whole
year, and probably no special action on behalf of a class, however
afflicted, can be expected from the Government of a country. But
Bessie's work was not unproductive. She tried to show, and succeeded in
showing, that the blind need not be separated and isolated. Her own
example and her own life demonstrated this, and pleaded more powerfully
than words could do. If the time ever comes when blind children are duly
provided for in our schools, and blind men and women in our workshops,
it will be chiefly owing to the lifelong endeavours of Bessie Gilbert,
and to her unfaltering and earnest devotion to a cause that she thought
worthy of living for and, if need be, of dying for.

The condition of her own health had now become very serious. After the
Memorial had been sent in and before the Deputation was received Bessie
was so exhausted, and movement had become so d