The translator of De l'Epee's Method, mentions a treatise as having been published by Dr John Bulwer, an English physician, in 1643, entitled, Philocophus, or the Deaf and Dumb Man's Friend. We have not seen this work either; but we believe we can form some idea of its value, from two other short publications by the same author, which appeared in 1644, the one enti tled Chirologia, or the Natural Language of the Hand, and the other Chiranomia, or the Art of Manual Rheto rigue ; in neither of which are there even absurdities suf ficient to reward their perusal. We presume it is the same Bulwer who wrote a curious book, entitled, An thropomorphosis ; in which he treats of the various shapes and dresses, which men have assumed in the dif ferent ages of the world.
In 1653, a work of great labour appeared by Dr Wallis, entitled Granimatica Lingua ?nglicana; and to this was prefixed, by the same author, a treatise of con siderable acuteness and originality, De Loquela, sive de Sonorum omnium, loguetarium formatione. In conse quence of these investigations, his attention seems to have been directed to the subject of the education of the Deaf and Dumb. A very interesting letter of his to Mr Boyle, dated from Oxford, March 1662, is in serted in the Philosophical Transactions for July 1670; wherein he informs Mr Boyle of his having just entered on the task of endeavouring to teach a person to speak and to understand a language, who had lost his hearing, and consequently his speech, when about five years old. He states the considerations which induced him to at tempt this work, and the manner in which he proposes to conduct it ; and nothing can be more sound or judi cious than all his remarks on this subject. zz The task itself," says he, " consists of two very different parts ; each of which Both render the other more difficult : for, beside that which appears upon the first view, to teach a person who cannot hear, to pronounce the sound of worda, there is that other, of teaching him to under stand a language, and know the signification of those words, whether spoken or written, whereby he may both express his own sense, and understand the thoughts of others; without which latter, that former were only to speak like a parrot, or to write like a scrivener, who, understanding no language but English, transcribes a piece of Latin, Welch, or Irish ; or like a printer of Greek or Arabic, who knows neither the sound nor sig nification of what he printeth."
At the conclusion of the letter, lie mentions the pro gress he had already made, which he pronounces to have exceeded his expectations. His pupil had been with him only about two months; and yet in that short time he had got over the greatest difficulties of both de partments; there was hardly any word which (with deliberation) he could not pronounce ; and he had al ready learned the meaning of a considerable part of those English words which are in most frequent use.
About thirty-six years after this, a letter of Dr Wal lis's was printed in the Philosophical Transactions, (Phil. Trans. 1698, p. 353.) in reply to one from Mr Thomas Beverly, in which that gentleman had request ed his advice, relative to the education of five Deaf and Pumb children. In this letter Dr Wallis mentions, that, four or five-and-thirty years before, he had taught Mr Alexander Popham, who had been born Deaf, to speak distinctly, and to understand a Language so as to express his mind tolerably well by writing, and to understand what was written to him by others. Prior to this, too, he states his having taught Mr Daniel Whaley; the same gentleman, we presume, whose edu cation he had just entered upon, when he wrote to Mr Boyle in 1662. "Some other Deaf persons, «he also adds, I have not attempted teaching them to speak ; but only so as (in good measure) to understand a lan guage, and to express their mind (tolerably well) in writing. Who have thereby attained a much greater measure of knowledge in many things, than was thought attainable to persons in their circumstances; and be come capable (upon further'improvement) of such fur ther knowledge as is attainable by reading." After stating shortly the mode of proceeding in teaching the Dumb to speak, and referring to his Trea tise de Loquela, with that view, he observes: " This is, indeed, the shorter work of the two, (however looked upon as the more stupendous.) But this, without the other, would be of little use. For, to pronounce words only as a parrot, without knowing what they signify, would do us but little service. The other part of the work (to teach a Language) is what you now enquire about." He then goes on to detail the method he had followed in this department with success, and which reflects equal credit on his acuteness and good sense.