After the s Polar has acquired the power of pronoun dug the sounds in their separate state, he is next to be instructed in the mode of combining them together into syllables and words. This. upon trial, will be found to be easier than might ha, e beet' expi (Act).
Ilut the rapidity of the pupil's progress in speaking, and t.,e u,tiniatt proficiency at which he arrives, twill be f to 41 to vat% exceedingly in different cases. There are very few tt ho can be taught to piTmounce distinctly all tht. Laryngeal sounds; tele or two of these being almost :u way s tioattainable. lint it is not always the same sound that p:t.sehts this difficulty to the learner ; in one pupil it is the IA, in another the 5d, in another the 4th, and so on. Nor is it easy to instruct the Deaf and Dumb in that gentle running of syllables into each other, that modula tion of the voice, and that variety of accent and of pause, which are observed in the articulation of perfect and har monious Speech. On these accounts, their pronunciation is, in general, accompanied with a kind of monotony and broken aspiration, if we may use this expression, which renders it somewhat unpleasing. In some instance s, how ever, these defects exist in a surprisingly small degree ; and we have ourselves seen boys who had only begun to articulate about three years before, whose softness and distinctness of utterance were altogether wonderful. At all events, it is gratilying to know, that, however imper fect their speech may be, when compared with that of others, it is. in most instances, sufficiently distinct to be quite intelligible to their friends, and even to strangers, after a little time; and consequently thus answers the leading purpose for which it is intended.
The same lessons by which the Deaf and Dumb are taught to articulate, and the same experience which gives them facility of Speech, instructs and improves them, also, in the power of interpreting by the eye the words of others. The quickness with which they come at last to exercise this faculty, is quite remarkable. "It is truly astonishing," says Dr Watson, " and would hard ly- be credited by any one who had not seen it, how readily deaf persons, who have themselves been taught to speak, catch words, and even long sentences, from the mouths of those who address them. Yet, in this sort of conver
sation, it is indispensible that the speech should be im mediately directed to the spectator, (we must not call him auditor,) who must have an opportunity of observing every motion of the muscles, (as far as these can be seen externally,) and countenance, in order to make out the discourse. On this account, it is impossible for a deaf person to understand the conversation of a mixed com pany, a discourse from the pulpit, or a harangue to an assembly, where the speaker does not immediately ad dress him." (Work quoted at p. 180.p. 121.) We might add sonic very good observations, to the same purport, from the writings of Dc L'Eper; but we shall content ourselves, at present, with quoting only a few sentences, in which the Abbit, with characteristic benevolence, pleads for the observation of proper indul gences towards the Dcaf and Dumb, from all those who wish to address them in Vocal Speech. After stating the precautions to be observed in speaking to them, and remarking, what indeed often surprises the bystanders, that there is no necessity, in doing so, for the least emis sion of the voice, he observes, II est vrai que tons ceux qui patient vis-a-vis des sounds et muets. YU' prennent pas touter Ice precautions que nous venom d'expliquer, et c'est cc qui fait qu'ils 71 e sow pas ousel clairentent enten dus.—Si les counts et ntuets n'entendent hat outwit qu'ils le pourroient, cc n'est pas lour !awe, mais cellee des per aennes qui parlent devant eux, et qui ne prennent pas les precautions neeessaires pour se faire entendre.
En vain repondroit on que ces personnes ne savant pas les dispositions qu'elles doivent mettre dans /curs organes, our rendrc sensibles aux sourds et muets les paroles qu'elles prononeent: sans douse elles ne le savant limy, et c'est pour elles une espeee de mystere; mais elles les met tent inachina le I n( nt (ces dispositions) dans /curs organes, sans quoi elles nr pourroient parler, et les sourds et ?meets (instruik) les apercevront toujours, tant qu'on ouvrira, 1,2 bouche autaizt veil sera neeessaire. et qu'on parlera tentement en appuyant separentent sur chaque syllabe.