_Teacheth the Method its self, by which such as are Deaf, and
consequently Dumb, may learn to Speak._
What hath been hitherto said may enough suffice to observant
_Readers_, inasmuch as the Fundamentals of the whole Artifice, are
therein contained; but least the curious should complain, that I have
only made their Mouth water, I shall ingeniously discover to them what
in four Years time, wherein I have endeavoured to instruct some Deaf
Persons, I have observed what is worthy, and most necessary to be
known.
Now what I have effected by this my Method, especially to the Daughter
of Mr. _Kolard_, a Merchant of _Harlem_, I can appeal to a great part
of _Holland_, and universally almost to the whole City of _Harlem_,
and to innumerable other Witnesses, of all Ranks and Conditions.
The first thing which I require in the Person I am to teach, is, that
he be of a docible Wit, and not too young of age; than that the
_Organs of Speech_ be rightly constituted in him; for stupid Persons
are capable of no Teaching, whose Age is yet too tender; nor do they
mind enough, nor know how Teaching will be for their Use and Benefit;
but those whose _Organs of Speech_ are altogether unfit, they may
learn indeed to understand others when they speak, and discover their
own Mind by Writing; but they will never learn to speak.
Having therefore a fit subject, my first Care is to make him to sound
forth a _Voice_, without which, almost all labour is lost, but that
one point, whereby Deaf Persons do discern a _Voice_ from a _Mute
Breath_, is a great Mystery of Art; and if I may have leave to say so,
it is the _Hearing of Deaf Persons_, or at least equivolent thereunto,
_viz._ that trembling Motion and Titillation, which they perceive in
their own _Throat_, whilst they of their own accord do give forth a
_Voice_; that therefore the Deaf may know, that I open my Mouth _to
emitt a Voice_; not simply to yawn, or to draw forth a _Mute Breath_,
I put their Hand to my _Throat_ that they may be made sensible of that
tremulous Motion, when I utter my _Voice;_ then I put the same Hand of
theirs to their own _Throat_, and command them to imitate me; nor am I
discouraged, if at the beginning their _Voice_ is harsh and difficult;
for in time it becomes more and more polite.
If I gain their _Voice_, which for the most part I do at the first
time, I soon learn them to pronounce _Vowels_, _viz._ I bid them so to
moderate the _opening of their Mouth_, whilst they do form a _Voice_
in their _Throat_, as I have said above, concerning the Formation of
the _Vowels_; but that they may do that the more easily, I hold a
_Looking-Glass_ to them, because they cannot from Sight alone imitate
those diverse Motions of the _Jaws_, of the _Tongue_, and of the
_Lips_, unless they had oftentimes tried it before a Looking-Glass.
Thence I learned, that that common belief, (that so soon as Hearing is
restored to Deaf Persons, they will speak) to be false, for it seems
not to me, that there is so great a consent betwixt the Organs of
_Voice_, and of Hearing, that at the first blush they can imitate a
_Voice_ that is heard; but by often imitating a _Voice_ or _Breath_
received from another, and also by hearing their own at the same time,
we find at length a likeness between both, and after this manner we
all learn to speak; for he who learns to speak, it is all one, as if
he did learn some other Art; for by a long accustoming, the Organs are
rendered apt and pliable: Hence it is, that sometimes we come not to
pronounce aright Foreign Letters but after a long time. Now, it would
be well observed or considered, that I presently prescribe all the
Letters to Deaf Persons, or else they could not fix in their Minds
their _Idea's_ of them, and I seldom teach more than two or three
Letters in one day, least the _Idea's_ be confounded; but I bid them
very often to repeat them, and to write them down as they are
pronounced by me.
But if by chance, as it sometimes happeneth, that they should
pronounce one Letter for another; I blame them not, but rather commend
them, and grant with a nodd that they have satisfied me, and forthwith
I write down the Character of that Letter upon Paper, that they may
knit together the _Idea_ thereof with its figure. In the interim,
whilst they learn the _Vowels_, I very often put their Hand to my
_Throat_, that they may be accustomed to give forth a Sound.
When the _Vowels_ are become familiar to them, I go next to the
_Semi-vowels_, which sometimes are more difficult, especially the
_Nasals_; for Deaf Persons, unless they be taught, never give forth
the _Voice_ by the _Nose_, thereupon I begin with [_m._] as that which
is most plain, and easier learnt than the rest, so that they thereby
may be accustomed to give a Sound at least thro' the _Nose_; therefore
I bid them shut together their _Lips_, and putting their Hand to their
_Throat_, to give forth a _Voice_, and by that means they necessarily
pronounce [_m._] and not [_em._] as it's vulgarly pronounced.
The Daughter of Mr. _Kolard_, before she was committed to my Care,
could indeed say _Pappa_; for indeed it is a little word, which is
almost born with us; but her Father did confess, that he had more than
1000 times tried in vain to make her say _Mamma_, which yet I I
brought her to in a small time.
And now, _Reader_, I commit to thee another Secret, _viz._ that if a
Deaf Person be committed to thee to teach, beware that you do not
teach him to pronounce together _Semi-vowels_ and _Consonants_,
together with their annexed _Vowels_; as for example, _em. en. ka. ef.
te, &c._
For thus they would learn neither to read, nor rightly to pronounce
any word. The power and force of _Semi-vowels_ and _Consonants_
consists not in the adjoyned _Vowels_, but in a peculiar _Voice_ or
_Breath_; and when you would have a Deaf Person to say _Tafel_ or
_Swartz_, you shall hear from him nothing else but _Te. a. ef. e. el._
or _Es. we. a. er. te. zet._ which is very uncouth, nor can you easily
mend it: But by this Method, so soon as ever they know their Letters,
they begin to read; for _to read is only to pronounce the Letters
successively_.
Here note well, that in the Schools this very thing would be of great
use, chiefly when they are taught Languages, whose Letters are
expressed by whole words, as _Alpha, Omega, Gimel, double u, zet, &c._
For more time is lost, and the desire of Learning taken away from
Children, before they are able to abstract the Letters of these
Sounds, and to connect them together in _Reading_; so that it is very
much to be wonder'd at, that this most eminent short way of reading
hath hitherto lain hid in the dark.
The other _Nasalls_ [_u_] and [_ng_] have nothing peculiar, unless it
be that I shew the Deaf the posture of the _Tongue_ in a
Looking-Glass, and put their Hand to my _Nose_, whereby they may be
sensible, that there comes forth thorough the _Nostrils_ a _Sounding
Breath_. When I teach them [_l._] I bid them to apply the _Tongue_ to
the _upper Teeth_; but to the _Cutters_, and to the _Dog-Teeth_ only,
that then they may emit a _Voice_ thro' the Mouth I make a Sign with
my Hand; but least, instead of [_l._] they should pronounce [_n._]
which comes to pass when the _Tongue_ doth so hinder the coming forth
of the _Voice_, that it returns to get out by the _Nostrils_;
therefore, till they are better accustomed, I gently compress the
_Nostrils_ with my Fingers.
The Letter [_r_] is the most difficult of all the rest, yet amongst
six Deaf Persons, which I have hitherto instructed, four of them
pronounce it with the greatest easiness; the other two cannot form it,
but in their Jaws; but I teach them, by moving the Hand one while to
the _Throat_, and another while to the _Mouth_, whereby they may, as
it were, feel the subsulting and interrupted Expulsion of the _Voice_;
also I bid them to look often in the Glass, to observe the tremulous
and fluctuating Motion of the _Tongue_; but no one can expect at the
first trial, the genuin Pronounciation of this Letter.
When the _Vowels_ and _Semi-vowels_ are well inculcated into them,
_the Consonants_ are learnt without any trouble almost, for they are a
_Simple and Mute Breath_, coming forth, either successively, or
suddenly, according to the various _Openings of the Mouth_, and only
with putting the Hand to the Mouth almost, they may all easily be
learned.
[_h_] is the most simple of all, nor is it any thing else but Air,
which is breathed out thicker, and more swiftly.
[_g_] or _ch._ is sharper than [_h_] which I teach thus, when I shew
to my Deaf Patients the posture of the _Tongue_ in a Looking-Glass,
and give them to feel the expiring _Breath_; it is so in like manner
with [_s_] and [_f_] insomuch, as nothing is more easie than they, and
which may most easily be learned by the fore-going Description.
I can teach a Deaf Man, (though he were blind) the _Explosive
Consonants_; for if I cause him to feel the _Breath_ discharged upon
him, he would necessarily pronounce one of the three; for I bid him to
look simply on my _Mouth_ and _Tongue_, and then having put his Hand
to my _Mouth_, I pronounce either [_k._] or [_b._] [_p._] or [_d._]
[_t._] and command him to do the like.
(_x._) and (_z._) are pronounced no otherwise than is (_ks._) or
(_gs._) (when (_g_) is an _Explosive Consonant_) and (_ts._) wherefore
I shall add nothing concerning them.
Deaf Persons are to be diligently accustomed to pronounce these
_Semi-vowels_, _n. ng. l. r._ also the following _Consonants_; _h. g.
k. t._ with some kind of opening the _Mouth_, else they may joyn them
sometimes with certain _Vowels_, not without a notable yawning, & a
discordant noise. Now in general, Winter-time is fitter almost for to
instruct the Deaf, because then they see the _Breath_ coming forth
from the _Mouth_, whilst Pronounciation is in doing.
When therefore I taught any Deaf Person to pronounce the Letters
hitherto enumerated, and that one by one, I taught him so to utter two
or three of the easiest, that there should be interstice between them;
as for example, _ab. am. da. fa. ef. &c._ so that they might be
accustomed to pronounce the Letters successively; then by degrees I
use them to the more difficult Combinations, mutually mixing _Vowels_,
_Semi-vowels_ and _Consonants_, and thus with little trouble they
learn to read; but if when they have read any thing, I bid them look
upon my _Mouth_, and to repeat the same after it hath been pronounced
by me; for thus they become by degrees to be accustomed to imitate the
humane _Voice_, only by looking on; but I am unwilling to tire them
out with this labour, troublesome enough, until they have profited
much, because they may be frighted with it.
In the mean time we must endeavour diligently; that when one
_Consonant_ follows another _Consonant_, as _ps. kt. ks. sch. &c._ or
a _Semi-vowel_, as _ls. lk. md. &c._ that they do immediately joyn
them in Pronounciation, least some (_i_) or (_e_) be heard between
them, which unless it be cautiously avoided, often happens.
When they can read, and in a manner understand others when they speak,
I treat them like new-born Babes; first, I teach them _Nouns_, which
are obvious, as well _Substantives_ as _Adjectives_, so also the most
necessary _Verbs_ and _Adverbs_, than _Declinations_ and
_Conjugations_; but here that five-fold turning Orb was of most
excellent use to me, it being a rich Treasury of the whole _German_
Tongue, which I found in the Mathematical Delights of _Swenter_, I
augmented it, and applied it also to the _Dutch_ Idiome; out of it may
they quickly, and with pleasure learn all possible _Combinations_ of
_Vowels_, _Semi-vowels_, and _Consonants_, also all terminations of
_German_ words, and that as well Derivatives as Compounds. The first
Orb contains _Prepositions_ and small _Mono-Syllables_, with which
_Nouns_ and _Verbs_ are compounded; the second, the _Initial Letters_;
the third, _Vowels_ and _Diphthongs_; the fourth, the _Final Letters_;
lastly, all the _German Terminations_.
But there seems to be a great difficulty, that some Letters, as _e._
and _i. a._ and _u._ are uttered by the same opening of the Mouth, and
consequently they must needs be confounded; but in good truth, it's of
small moment, because for the most part the difference is not heeded,
and the Letters, which according to their nature, are by far, more
different, are written almost after the same manner, chiefly when they
are pronounced hastily, as _m._ and _n. r._ and _n. a._ and _o. &c._
which yet puts no stop to an exercised _Reader_.
Others object, that the _Deaf_ thus taught, will, it may be,
understand no Body but my self: Indeed, this difficulty Teems to have
something of weight in it; but we must know, that Menst Men pronounce
most Letters badly alike, and write their Characters negligently; but
with such a one who learns to speak, it is all one as it is with him,
who is taught to read other Men's Writings: For first, he can scarce
read any thing but what is written by his Master, and then the
Writings of his School-fellows; and lastly, there is nothing which he
cannot read, tho' very badly written, it is therefore not to be
wondred at, if those I teach to speak, do at the beginning more easily
understand me, than others; (for I pronounce the Letters in their full
_extension_) and not _lamely_ (as many are wont to do) and after that
they come to understand their Domesticks and Familiars, and at last,
any Body.
Here in the end I add, that most of the Letters may be formed, as well
by inspiring as by expiring, which thing I have very much wondred at
in some Persons, who _speak out of the Belly_: And once at _Amsterdam_
I heard an old Woman speaking both ways, and made answers to her self,
as to questions, so as I would have sworn that she talked with her
Husband two or three Paces distant from her; for the _Voice_ being
swallowed up in her in Breathing, would seem to come from far.
Behold, _Reader_, a small Tract of three days; if thou wilt offer any
thing more, right and true, I will receive it with thank: There are
yet some other things, _viz._ how a deaf Person may be made, so as to
be able to discern from one the other, some Letters pronounced by
another, as _m._ from _b. n._ from _d. ng._ from _k. &c._ or how the
quantity of Syllables is to be govern'd. But these, and the like, can
scarce be learnt, but by teaching.
_A word is enough to the Wise._