approbation--patting on the head. The same process was then repeated
with all the articles she could handle, and she very easily learned to
place the proper labels upon them. It was evident, however, that the
only intellectual exercise was that of imitation and memory. She
recollected that the label _book_ was placed upon a book; and she
repeated the process first from imitation, next from memory, with only
the motive of love of approbation, but apparently without the
intellectual perception of any relation between the things. After a
while, instead of labels, the individual letters were given to her on
detached bits of paper: they were arranged, side by side so as to spell
_book, key_, &c.; then they were mixed up in a heap, and a sign was made
for her to arrange them herself, so as to express the words _book, key_,
&c., and she did so. Hitherto the process had been mechanical, and the
success about as great as teaching a very knowing dog a variety of
tricks. The poor child had sat in mute amazement, and patiently imitated
everything her teacher did; but now the truth began to flash upon
her--her intellect began to work. She perceived that here was a way by
which she could herself make up a sign of anything that was in her own
mind, and show it to another mind; and at once her countenance lighted
up with a human expression: it was no longer a dog or parrot: it was an
immortal spirit eagerly seizing upon a new link of union with other
spirits! I could almost fix upon the moment when this truth dawned upon
her mind. I saw that the great obstacle was overcome, and that
henceforward nothing but plain and straightforward efforts were to be
used. The next step was to procure a set of metal types, with the
different letters of the alphabet cast upon their ends: also a board in
which were square holes, into which holes she could set the types, so
that the letters on their ends could alone be felt above the surface.
She was exercised for several weeks in this way; and then the important
step was taken of teaching her how to represent the different letters by