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In several countries of Europe, the census gives accurately the number of the blind. In the centre of Europe, it is about one to eight hundred; in Austria, one to eight hundred forty-five; in Switzerland, one to seven hundred forty-seven. Further north the proportion is less: in Denmark, it is one to a thousand; in Prussia, one to nine hundred; in France, one to a thousand and fifty; in England a very little less. Now there seems no sufficient reason why this country should be exempt from the laws which operate upon others under the same latitude, and with the same climate; and since we have shown how incorrect, and obviously low is the calculation by the census, which makes the number five thousand, it may safely be calculated that there are more than seven thousand blind persons in these United States. This may seem incredible, and so did the number of the deaf when it was first told; but the blind, from their very misfortune, are hidden from the world; they sit sad and secluded by the firesides of their relatives; the dawn of day does not call them into the haunts of men, and they vegetate through life and sink into the grave, unknown even to their neighbors.

But to be entirely within bounds, let us put the number even lower than the absolute return by the census makes it, and call it five thousand; here are five thousand of our fellow-beings, with the same faculties, feelings, and wants, the same pride, the same ambition as ourselves, who are thrown entirely upon our charity arid humanity; who are utterly unable of themselves to provide for the wants of the body, or the mind, and who appeal to that sacred and fundamental law of society, by which we are bound to provide for the wants of those, whom nature or accident has made dependent upon us. And how, we ask, has that appeal been answered? Have we not heard unheeded the cry of the blind for assistance, and for light? Have we not stopped our ears to their cry, and thrust them into the almshouse, instead of taking them into the bosom of society? Have we not shunned an examination of their situation and wants, and hurried by them, after bowing them still lower by the weight of alms? With the sun of science high in the ascendant, and the broad blaze of education pouring upon every class of men, have any of its rays been directed upon those who are sitting in physical and intellectual darkness, -- who of all others have the strongest claim for assistance, and who, without instruction, are worse than idiots, because more miserable? We regret to say that till within a very short time, we have done nothing at all; with a population ten times greater than that of some of the European States, which have Institutions for the blind, there has not been a single school in the United States, where a blind youth could go to receive proper instruction~ But public attention has lately been aroused to the importance of the subject; one Institution has been put into efficient operation in Boston, a second has been organized, and is about commencing its operations in New York; and a third is in a state of forwardness in Philadelphia. We shall conclude this article with a brief notice of the present state of the first of these institutions, which is called the New-England Institution for the Education of the Blind.

The first idea of this Institution was conceived by Dr. J. D. Fisher, in 1829, Several meetings of philanthropic individuals were held, and an act of incorporation was obtained the same year. The result of the investigations made at that time showed that there were more than 400 blind persons in the State of Massachusetts alone; and about 1500 in New England. But notwithstanding the publication of the melancholy truth, that so many of our fellow-citizens were left in degradation and ignorance, while the means existed of elevating their moral nature and enlightening their intellect, no effectual steps were taken towards establishing a school for them until 1831. It was no want of zeal or industry on the part of the gentlemen concerned that occasioned this delay, but the want of funds. The State now granted the unexpended balance of the fund for the deaf and dumb, amounting to fifteen hundred dollars, and about two thousand dollars were raised by subscription. Resolved to make an effectual effort, the trustees engaged Dr. S. G. Howe to organize the institution, and put it into operation. A few days after his appointment, that gentleman sailed for Europe, visited all the Institutions for the blind there, engaged an intelligent blind teacher from the School at Paris, and another from that at Edinburgh, and returned in August, 1831. Although the funds of the Institution were almost exhausted, it was resolved not to make any public appeal until some of the blind could be qualified to plead their own cause: six children were accordingly selected, and the school was commenced privately in September, 1832. In January, 1833, the Treasury was empty, and the Institution in debt. An exhibition of the pupils was then given before the General Court, which afforded such complete and striking proof of the capacity of the blind for receiving an intellectual education, that the Legislature, as it were by acclamation, voted that $6000 per annum should be appropriated to the Institution, for the support of twenty poor blind persons belonging to the State.