DALGAI1NO, GEORGE. The following short notice of this original but neglected author is in Anthony-li.Wood's Athenae Oxonienses.' vol. ii., p. 506. "The reader may be pleased to know, that one George Dalgarno, a Scot, wrote a book entitled 'Am Sisnorurn, Vulgo Character Universalia et Lingua Philosophica,' Loudon, 1661. This book before it went to prose the author communicated to Dr. Wilkins, who, from thence taking a hint of greater matter, carried it on, and brought it up to that which you see extant. This Dalgarno was born at Old Aberdeeu, and bred in the university of New Aberdeen; taught. a private grammar-school with good success for about thirty years together in the parishes of St. Michael and St. Mary Magdalen in Oxford ; wrote also Didascalocophus, or the Deaf and Dumb Man's Tutor ;' and dying of a fever on the 28th of August 1687, aged sixty, or more, was buried in the north body of the church of St. Mary Magdalen." According to the above account, Dalgarno was born in or before the year 1627, and he must have been residing at Oxford in the year 1657; whether previous to that Limo, it does not appear, but it may not be erroneous to conclude that he went. to Oxford to avail himself of the advantages of that eeat of learning. Front the works which Dalgarno left behind him, it may be concluded that lie was a man of original talent, and of great acquirements ; his specu lations concerning a universal language, a favourite subject with the learned men of his time, undoubtedly preceded those of Bishop Wilkins, at that time dean of Ripon, and he received the testimony of Dr. Seth Ward, the bishop of Salisbury, Dr. John Wallis, and others, that he had discovered a secret "which by the learned men of former ages had been reckoned among the desiderata of learning." Wo have carefully eonght for some acknowledgment of the merits of Dalgarno in the Essay towards a Real Character' of Bishop but his name is not onco mentioned, though as,istance from Dr. Want and others is noticed. Wilkins's work was published in 16G8. Its appeamuco lied been delayed for two years in consequence of tho whole impression, when nearly printed, with the exception of two copies. haviug been destroyed iu the great fire of London. Allowing for this delay, Dalgarno's work had the priority by several years, and Dr. Wilkins had the advantage of seeing it " before it went to press." This treatise, 'Ara Siguerum; &c., exhibits a classification of ideas, and a series of arbitrary signs or characters adapted to the classifies• tiou, eo as to represent each idea by a specific character, without reference to any language of words. All those persons who are
acquainted with the ' Essay' of Wilkins will see the germ of it iu this design of Dalgarno's. The ' Didaecalocophus ' develops views on the instruction of the deaf and dumb, both comprehensive and practical. It. is a truly philosophical guide, by which the writer shows how capable the deaf autl dumb are of uuderstaudiug and applying a written language, and of their capacity to speak and to understand the speech of other pereoma lie shows that the art of teaching this class of persons requires the exercise of common sense, perseverance, and ordinary patience, under a teacher, fertile in expedieute, and one who is able to turn even disadvantages and difficulties to a good account. Dalgarno's style is quaint and pedantic, and rather abounds with long and technological words, which servo to exhibit the learning of the author more than to increase the perspicuity of his work. But this was the garb which learning too often assumed in his day. To Dalgarno is due the credit of inventing what is perhaps the first niaunal alphabet for the use of the deaf and dumb, and the one from which the two.banded finger-alphabet now in use has probably been derived. As few copies of his work are now to be met with, we shall give his hand-alphabet, and accompany it by as much of his own explanation as seems necessary for understanding his views on dactyl. olo4y. "After much search and many changes, I have at la.t fist upon a finger or hand alphabet according to my mind ; for I think it cannot be considerably mended, either by myself or any other (without making tinker's work), for the purposes of which I have intended it ; that Is, a distinct placing of and easy pointing to the single tatters; with the like distinct and easy abbreviation of double and triple consonants.
"The scheme (I think) is so distinct end plain in itself, that it needs not much explication, at least for the single letters, which are as distinct by their places as the middle and two extremes of a right line can make them. The rules of practice are two:-1. Touch the places of the vowels with a cross touch with any finger of the right hand. 2. Punt to the consonants with the thumb of the right hand. This is all that I think to be needful for explaining the scheme, so far as concerns the single letters " Dalgarno's works were privately reprinted by Lord Cockburn and Mr. Thomas Maitland, and presented to the Maitland Club of Glasgow.