What a tremendous stir-up your excellent article on prayer has made in
England and America! (474/2. The article entitled "Statistical Inquiries
into the Efficacy of Prayer" appeared in the "Fortnightly Review," 1872.
In Mr. Francis Galton's book on "Enquiries into Human Faculty and its
Development," London, 1883, a section (pages 277-94) is devoted to a
discussion on the "Objective Efficacy of Prayer.")


LETTER 475. TO F.C. DONDERS.

(475/1. We have no means of knowing whether the observations suggested in
the following letter were made--if not, the suggestion is worthy of
record.)

Down, December 21st, 1872.

You will have received some little time ago my book on Expression, in
writing which I was so deeply indebted to your kindness. I want now to beg
a favour of you, if you have the means to grant it. A clergyman, the head
of an institution for the blind in England (475/2. The Rev. R.H. Blair,
Principal of the Worcester College: "Expression of the Emotions," Edition
II., page 237.), has been observing the expression of those born blind, and
he informs me that they never or very rarely frown. He kept a record of
several cases, but at last observed a frown on two of the children who he
thought never frowned; and then in a foolish manner tore up his notes, and
did not write to me until my book was published. He may be a bad observer
and altogether mistaken, but I think it would be worth while to ascertain
whether those born blind, when young, and whilst screaming violently,
contract the muscles round the eyes like ordinary infants. And secondly,