that the use of signs is known in England, but he believes is
never practised to any extent, and certainly not in giving religious
instruction. No attempt is made here, as in England, to teach them to
articulate, as he considered the attempt to do this to be a great
mistake, it being a painful effort to the child, which never leads to
any good practical result. In some cases where deafness has been
accidentally brought on after children have learned to speak, it is then
as far as possible kept up; but even then the effort, as we saw, was
very painful.

Our next visit was to the Blind Institution, but here there was nothing
very remarkable, though owing to the children not being in school we saw
the Institution very imperfectly. Raised characters are used here, as I
believe everywhere else; one little girl who was called up read and
pronounced very well; we also heard some of them sing and play for a
considerable time. The bulk of the children, or rather young people, for
they keep them here till they are one or two and twenty, were walking
about the gardens invariably in pairs, which seems an excellent
preservative against accidents: this they do of their own accord.

We next went to the Idiot Asylum, but the children being, as usual on
Saturday, out of doors, we merely took a general look at the place, and
returned there this morning to see the system pursued for them more in
detail. Dr. Patterson, the superintendent, is a man of wonderful energy;
and two young women and a matron, the two young teachers especially,
must be exemplary characters, for they appear to devote themselves to
their work with an energy and kindness which is perfectly marvellous,
considering the apparently hopeless task they are engaged in. However,
when taken young, from six to seven years of age, the capabilities of
these poor children for improvement seem in general great, unless the
infirmity is occasioned by epileptic fits, when the cure is considered
almost hopeless. We were entertained by a story told by Dr. Patterson of
a boy brought to him by the Mayor of C., who told him it was a bad case,
but that he would be satisfied if he could fit him to be a missionary.
Dr. P. replied that he could not answer for that, but that he could at
all events fit him to be Mayor of C.

The great means resorted to for improvement is constant occupation,
changed every quarter of an hour through out the day. By this means
their physical power at night is ne