READING IN GERMANY, AND SOME OTHER
COUNTRIES.

The common alphabet is used in Prussia and the other German States; also in Austria, Russia, and Denmark. Relief print was introduced into Vienna by Klein, in 1804, and was adopted at St. Petersburg, and Berlin, 1806, at the instance of Haüy.

The form of the common alphabet generally used in these countries is that of the Roman capital letters, and in the books published by the Bible Society at Stuttgart, the letters are roughened after the manner employed by Mr. Gall. Some use of Moon's alphabet is made at Berlin and Rotterdam, and it is employed at Stockholm with modifications, but the common letter is also used in Sweden, as well as in Norway.

In all these countries, however, reading by the blind exists more in name than in reality.

Before quitting this branch of the subject we must not omit to mention the praiseworthy labours of M. Koechlin, the Blind Director of the Institution at Illzach, near Mulhausen, or Mulhouse.

In 1857 he began to print the Bible in German, and by the generous aid of the Bible Societies of Stuttgart, Mulhouse, Strasburg, and Colmar, he was enabled to complete it in 1863.

The type employed is that used by the Bible Society of Stuttgart, a description of which has been already given. This great work, which was the first German Bible for the Blind, was completed in sixty-two volumes, and sold for £8. 8s. 4d. Owing, however, to a generous gift from Russia, the Stuttgart Society has since reduced the price one-half, so that a German Bible may now be bought in relief print for four guineas.

AN ANALYSIS OF VARIOUS SYSTEMS OF

READING.

In considering the means best adapted for enabling the blind to read, it is not only desirable to understand the nature of the sense of feeling as it exists generally in the human race, but it is also necessary fully to comprehend the powers of touch, as enjoyed by the persons for whom the means of reading are especially intended. It is generally supposed that to be blind necessarily involves the possession of superior powers of touch. This is incorrect, for the tactual power of many blind persons is inferior to that enjoyed by the average sighted man.

This deficiency is no doubt principally caused by the existence of defects other than blindness, but as the individuals possessing such defects form no inconsiderable proportion of those for whom tangible print is required, the consideration of their circumstances cannot be overlooked. Considering the state in which the sense of touch exists among the blind, we think the examination of the subject may be divided into three heads, namely, “The Keen Touch,” “the Medium Touch," and "the Dull, or Obtuse Touch." And a full investigation of the subject will indicate that greater extremes could scarcely be shown than those existing in the powers of touch, as possessed by different blind persons. Those having keen touch can perceive the smallest inequalities in highly polished and very level surfaces, whereas those in whom the sense is dull can scarcely feel, so as to appreciate the commonest objects. The great error that has prevailed ever since the invention of raised letters is the supposition that the sense of touch exists with equal intensity in all blind persons, and that to render this apparent the due cultivation of the sense of feeling is

all that is required. This erroneous conception has been fruitful in mischief, and it is strange that its fallacy has not appeared to some of those who have laboured in this department of science. In considering then that embossed books have to be provided for those who possess the sense of touch in three different degrees, which degrees by no conceivable effort can ever be made identical in power, the question naturally suggests itself, "Is it possible to contrive a mode of reading available alike for the three different classes above-named without placing a burden on the persons belonging to either class, which in fairness they ought not to bear? In other words, can books be printed so as to give all the advantages that are desirable to those whose touch is keen, to those who have it in a medium degree, and to those in whom the sense is very dull ?"

Now we think it must be admitted that to oblige the dull to use no other books than those employed by the keen would be utterly absurd, seeing that they could not even perceive one letter from another; and yet absurd as this seems, it has actually been acted on, and that very widely, for the books printed on the alphabetical systems used in America, Germany, and this country are utterly useless to nine-tenths of the blind. They can be read only by a very few; and it may be affirmed that they have not enabled one single person to read with that degree of ease and fluency which is desirable. If then it is unjust to say to those whose sense is dull, "If you cannot read the books which are deciphered by those with keen touch you shall not have any at all," is it on the other hand right to oblige the keen to read books found necessary for the dull, and to compel them to endure the impediments arising from peculiarities in the form and size of the letters, and thus oblige their fingers to pass over a very large amount of unnecessary space, and so to interfere with the comfort and speed of reading, and also to

compel them to pay enormous sums for volumes, for which on account of their bulk they can scarcely find house-room?

It may however be said that there is still the case of those having a medium touch, that we have not yet considered, and it is probable that the type which would be found suitable for persons in this middle condition, might also be used without inconvenience by those included in the extreme classes. This, however, cannot be done, for if those with keen touch would consent to the necessary sacrifice, the great majority of those with the dull perception would be unable to avail themselves of it, however willing they might be to do So. Under these circumstances it becomes an object of great importance to discover how many systems of embossed print are really necessary to provide for the wants of the different classes of the blind, and also to ascertain if any of the systems now in use possess the qualities requisite to enable them to provide efficiently for the necessities of finger-readers. And here we think it advisable to define what experience has shown to be absolutely necessary in this case, and also to proceed to ascertain how far the various modes of tangible print now in use efficiently fulfil these conditions. We know that some persons maintain that the books used by the blind should be such as can be read by the sighted, in order that the latter may be enabled to teach the former; but if the blind are not able to learn what the sighted wish to teach them, or if the learning of it is to stand in the way of the acquisition of something which would bring them far greater advantage, the communicating of such unprofitable instruction would be far from desirable.

The books of the blind being printed so as to be read by the sighted is not of the slightest importance, for it must be admitted that whatever is intended to be perceived by a given sense should be suited to the peculiar requirements of that sense.

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If the letters which are supposed to be best adapted to the sense of sight, be found on examination to be also best adapted to the sense of touch,-good! But if not, then the blind, for the purpose of acquiring knowledge by reading, want nothing to do with the sighted alphabet. It is also said that the mode of reading should be capable of being easily written. Well! if the best mode of reading should also prove the best mode of writing, we should deem it an advantage. But in dealing with reading, we must keep that subject alone in view, to the rejection of all extraneous

matter near or remote.

READING WITH CERTAINTY.

We think it must be generally admitted that the best system of tangible print is that which enables the largest number of blind persons to read with the greatest amount of certainty, ease, and fluency, and which also includes the advantages of cheapness and smallness of bulk. And now we will endeavour to ascertain how far the various systems at present in use fulfil the requirements of this definition. To obtain certainty it is obvious that no character should represent more than one thing,—that the same word should always be spelt in the same way, that when part of a word is in one line, and part in another, the circumstance should be sufficiently shown in order that neither part may be taken to indicate an independent word, and that the characteristics of each letter should be so clear and well developed that there should be no reasonable ground for it being mistaken for any other letter. In the systems known as Alston's, the German, and the Philadelphian, the characteristics of the letters are so ill developed that the B, D, and S, the H and the N, are often mistaken for each other. In the Boston or Howe's type the A, G, and O, and the I, L,