or,
A Method Proposed, Whereby He Who is Born Deaf, May Learn to Speak.
By the Studious Invention and Industry of _John Conrade Amman_, an
_Helvetian_ of _Shashuis_, Dr. of Physick.
Imprinted at _Amsterdam_, by _Henry Westein_, 1692. And now done
out of Latin into English, by _D.F.M.D._ 1693.
_London_, Printed for Tho. Hawkins, in _George-yard, Lumbard street_,
1694.
Price bound One Shilling.
_To his most Approved Good Friend Mr. PETER KOLARD, the Author, with
all Submission, Dedicateth this his Treatise of the Talking Deaf Man._
_My much honoured Friend_,
This little endeavour, how small soever it be, is upon many Accounts
due to you; For besides that, the Truth of the matter here exposed, is
to no one, (except my Self) more apparent, you did heap on me so many
Favours, whilst I abode in your House, upon account of teaching your
Daughter, and rendred me to be so much Yours, as no less could be
sufficient, than to erect a publick, and as much as in me lay, an
eternal Monument of Gratitude to you. How great the Incredulity of
this Age is, no Man almost knows better than your self; there have
been, and still are, such as boldly deny, that it is possible to bring
the _Deaf_ to speak; others, though they should be admitted to be
Eye-Witnesses, yet would not stick to doubt still of the matter:
Wherefore, what-ever it was that I performed to your Daughter, and to
some others, and by what Artifice I did it, I now ingenuously expose
to the Eyes of all the World. I heartily wish that they may so make
use of this my labour, as that for the future, no more _Dumb_ Persons
may be found.
In the number of these doubting Persons, you have confessed to me,
that you your self had formerly been, until you had heard a certain
Maiden, who before had been _Dumb_, talking with me at _Amsterdam_;
perhaps I should have been so my self, if, when I was ignorant in the
thing, I had received narratively only, that some such thing was
performed by another; wherefore I resolved rather to convince the
Incredulity of Men (which now is accounted Prudence amongst most Men)
of an Error, than to reprove them for their Rashness.
It is now three Years since I first thought to make this my Method
publick; but had I then done it, I should now have repented it,
because in this Interval I have much more polished it; and rendered it
more easie by far; and as to what belongs to the practise thereof,
more certain, yea, and all to that degree, as I dare confidently
assert, that henceforth there shall be no _Deaf_ Person, (provided he
be of a sound Mind, and be not Tongue-tied, nor of an immature Age)
who by my Instruction shall not in the space of two Months speak
readily enough. Perhaps also I shall hereafter repent, that I have
published this small Treatise, as yet too immature; yet I had rather
confess an Error, if I shall any where commit one, or in any future
Edition augment it, than wholly to pass it over in Silence; for if I
should be snatcht away by a hasty Death, (even as a tender state of
Health doth threaten me) I should not know how to render to God an
Account of the Talent committed to me, as he may require it of me.
Nothing therefore remained, most Worthy Sir, than that I should beg
your Pardon, that I have made bold thus to interrupt you in the midst
of Affairs, which almost swallow you wholly up; but I believe you will
the more readily give it me, because this little Script may make my
Absence less troublesome to you, because, according to the precepts
here given, you yourself will be able to take care that your Daughter
shall not only not forget all what she already knows, but more and
more accomplish them. However, I humbly beseech you, that him whom you
have begun to love, yea, though he be removed far from you, that you
will persist still therein, and to take upon your self as need shall
require it, the Patronage of the Truth it self. Farewel, and be well.
_J. Conrade Amman._
_Dated from my Study_, Aug. 10th, 1692.
* * * * *
_To his Learned friends_ Richard Waller, _and_ Alexander Pittfield,
_Esquires, of the_ Royal Society.
_Gentlemen_,
The holding of a Candle to the Sun is not more absurd, than thus to
present you with an _English_ Version of a _Latin_ Treatise. All who
know you, know you to be Masters of not only most of the _European_,
but also of the Learned Languages. But my excuse is, that what I have
done for the sake of English Readers, I expose under your learned
Names; the Subject-matter of which may be useful, and therefore
acceptable to your selves and others. However, I am willing to
discover my Ambitious aim herein, which is to let the World know who
are my Friends, and what Names may give Honour to mine. I know, that
several very considerable Members of that great Society, to which you
so nearly relate, have already, both in Theory and Practise,
acquainted the World with very remarkable things of this nature; and
whether what is here published, will in the least, either elucidate or
add to those already taught, and done by those very knowing persons, I
neither dare nor will determine; but if neither one nor the other be
here found, yet it is sometimes grateful to us, to see how good and
great wits do jump, and in such Circumstances as these no Man can
account Store to be a Soare. _I_ have only this to further mention,
that the _Author_ chose the _High-German_ Tongue to become his
exemplar, rather than any other Modern or Antique; it therefore is
necessary, that he who would put his Rules in practice in any other
Language, must observe a due Analogy in _mutatis mutandis_. Thus (my
Friends) I have exposed both you and my self, if any blame happen, let
that be all mine, who (without your Knowledge and Concession) did this
Indignity to you, and to aggravate it, thus publickly to stile my
self,
Gentlemen,
Your Cordial Friend and Servant,
_Dan. Foot._
* * * * *