amount of open-air exercise is of the highest import

ance.

The blind youth should early be encouraged to detect the footfall and other movements, and to tell whether the person approaching him is a man or woman, a boy or girl, and to distinguish, as far as may be, the age of different persons by their firm or faltering steps, etc. Also to know, by the cultivated or awkward tread, the social condition of a person, viz. whether he is a labourer, or a member of the more cultivated classes. In the further pursuit of these studies, the sense of smell will be found a valuable auxiliary to that of hearing, but for further remarks on this sense, we must refer our readers to another page. To dine in public, without attracting the attention of the company, is a most difficult accomplishment for any one without sight, and it is especially so for those who have been blind from infancy. We even find that a lady so well educated as Miss Anna Williams, the blind authoress, and friend of Dr. Johnson, failed in this respect, for Boswell remarks, in his life of Dr. Johnson (fourth edition, vol. iii. page 26), that he (Johnson) "sometimes incommoded many of his friends by carrying her with him to their houses, where, from her manner of eating in consequence of her blindness, she could not but offend the delicacy of persons of nice sensations.' In our own day, examples of the same kind are not rare; and it is said, on the best authority, that one who occupies a most exalted station is so much at a loss at table, that he has a servant behind his chair, who puts a long fork under his arm to place the food, so that he may be guided to it. Attention, however, to a few simple rules, with a little perseverance, will soon enable a blind person, of average ability, to dine in public without attracting particular remark.

Our student should sit at table exactly like other persons. When a plate is put before him, he should ascertain, by aid of his knife and fork, the relative

positions of the meat and vegetables; he should then turn the plate, so that the meat may be towards the lefthand; the outer edge of the meat should be felt by the knife and fork, and the fork should be put into the meat about half an inch from the edge, the distance being measured by feeling delicately with the knife, which, at the same time, should keep the meat steady while the fork is entering it. The diner is then enabled to cut the meat close to the fork, and thus to tell the size of the piece before removing it from the plate. To guard against anything being left hanging to the piece which is being taken from the plate, the knife should be passed gently round the piece when it has been raised an inch or two, and if anything is found adhering to it, it should be entirely separated before the piece is taken from the plate. The same observations apply to vegetables, but in general, that kind of food is more easily managed than meat or poultry. Salt, etc., should be put on the left of the plate. Whenever it can be done, only those parts of a joint should be given to the blind person which he really likes; if he cannot take fat, there should be none put on his plate. Fish, and some other kinds of food, are difficult to manage gracefully, but the number of dishes of which our student may partake in public must be left to his own discretion; we think, however, that enough has been said to point out the way in which this matter may be successfully carried out by any one who really means to overcome the difficulties connected with it. The pupil should be taught to move his hands with precision, so as to place them at once, and without hesitation, on whatever article he may require. The importance of this cannot be overestimated, as it is a matter which affects almost every action of life, and one, moreover, in which the blind are very liable to fall short. "A place for everything, and everything in its place," should be his motto, and care should be taken to foster this habit in youth -as much as possible.

The pupil should early be instructed in the method of telling the time by touch on a watch or clock. For this purpose, a card or wooden dial-plate, with movable hands and raised figures, would be found useful; but if this is not at hand, the face of an old clock or watch may be employed. The first thing the student requires to know is the part of the timepiece at which the figure 12 is placed; he should then be told to put the timepiece so that the figure 12 is from him, which would cause the 6 to be nearest to him, the 3 on his right-hand, and the 9 on his left. The figure 1 would be the first to the right of the 12, the 2 to the right of the 3, the 4 to the left of the 3, the 5 to the right of the 6, the 7 to the left of the 6, the 8 to the right of the 9, the 10 to the left of the 9, and the 11 to the left of the 12. The distance these figures are from each other will depend on the circumference of the face of the timepiece employed, but a little practice will soon accustom the pupil to the space occupied by each of the twelve divisions of the circle, and he will soon perceive when the short hand points to a given figure, and will thereby be informed of the hours. He will also, with equal ease, detect the indications of the long hand, by remembering that, when it is at 12, the hour is finished; when at I it is 5 minutes past, at 2, 10 minutes, and when at 3 that it is a quarter-past; when at 4, 20 minutes past, at 5, 25 minutes past, at 6, half-past, at 7, 25 minutes to, at 8, 20 minutes to, at 9, a quarter to, at 10, 10 minutes to, and at 11, 5 minutes to the hour. By increased practice, the divisions between the figures will be accurately determined, so that the time may frequently be told even to a minute. Of course, the use of a repeating watch would dispense with the necessity of feeling the hands, but it occupies a great deal of time, and is never preferred by any one who has once adopted the common mode.

The remarks that have been made on education in this work, apply equally to the blind of every class of

society under the age of fourteen, and are only limited in their application by the means possessed of carrying them out. It will now, however, be desirable to make a few observations on matters which affect only some one particular body of persons. As by far the greater number of the blind belong to the poorer classes of society, we shall proceed, in the first place, to make some suggestions on the treatment of blind children whose parents are poor, and we shall then offer a few observations on the training of children belonging to the upper classes.

ON THE BLIND CHILDREN OF THE POOR.

What the feelings of a parent in the humble walks of life must be on finding his child hopelessly blind may more readily be imagined than described. His child for ever helpless, dependent on others for the common necessaries of life, cut off from the enjoyment of every blessing this world can give and for ever dependent on his father and mother who can barely by dint of the 'most arduous labour procure daily bread; and even when the warmth of parental affection nerves the father and mother to the firm resolve that their poor sightless child shall never want a home while. they have hands to work, even then comes the crushing thought of "Oh! when we are dead what will our poor boy do?" "What will become of our poor blind child?" Yes! these are thoughts which must convulse the heart of every parent worthy of the name on finding himself in such a painful position, and when two or more children in the same family are without vision (which is more frequently the case than is generally supposed), how crushing must be the calamity ! How overwhelming the situation! But the position, distressing as it is, is not as dark as it appears.

The above reflections, though true, are only so

to a limited extent, for, by the blessing of God on man's efforts, these calamities may be almost entirely averted.

Courage, then, afflicted father! Courage, then, desponding mother! Your heavenly Father has not left you without cause for hope. If your child is not blessed with sight, yet God has given him faculties which may be cultivated so that the evils you dread may be altogether averted. How then, it may naturally be asked, is this to be done? The answer is briefly this:-Do what you can for your child during the years that he is with you at home, and seek the aid of the benevolent institutions that exist for the assistance of the blind.

While the child is at home, the suggestions made in the previous article under the head of "The Training of Blind Children" should be carried out as far as possible, and the blind boy or girl should be made useful in household matters, by being employed in cleaning knives and forks, candlesticks, fire-irons, and other articles of furniture; and here we may insert a remark which may be found useful, viz. that when a blind person stoops to pick up anything, he should not put his head forward, as persons generally do, but should bend his knees as females do in making a curtsey, this will prevent him striking his head against anything that may be in the way.

The child should be allowed to make himself of use by going alone short distances on errands. Every advantage should be taken of parochial day and Sunday schools, as much oral information may be acquired in them, especially if the teachers are kindly disposed and take an interest in their blind pupils. Books in raised letters may be procured from the "British and Foreign Bible Society," London; or from "The Association for Promoting the General Welfare of the Blind," 210, Oxford Street, near Portman Square, W., and 125 and 127, Euston Road, London, N.W.