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I should fill a volume were I to enlarge upon this subject, and I must only allude to some of the most striking causes which operate as disturbing forces in the development of her character. There is great fear that so much attention as she receives, and which we cannot prevent her perceiving without constant management and concealment, must have a bad effect upon her. And yet the attempt to conceal it might have an effect which would be hardly less bad than would be her knowledge of the truth.

I am afraid that she may be made vain and presumptuous by being so much caressed; and it would be as little consolation to reflect that it was done by the kind and well meant indiscretion of others, as it would be to a father to know that his child had been spoiled by the over fondness of its mother.

I am still more afraid that her peculiar situation may have a hardening effect upon her affections. I believe I have alluded to this before, but it cannot be too much considered by those who would carefully scrutinize her character. Every body can be useful or agreeable to her in some way or other, and every body tries to be so; but she can be of little use to them. All exercise kindly offices to her, and are themselves made better by the practice of the kindly feelings; she is merely the recipient, and kind offices long received are apt to be considered at last as something due to one's merit, and to be claimed as a right. It is difficult to find ways in which she may have the satisfaction of being useful to others, and thus train her to habits of kindness until they shall become wants, without some contrivance which she would be sure to perceive, and which would spoil the effect. Those who have looked upon her case as an interesting experiment for ascertaining the natural character and tendencies of the human heart, must take all these things into consideration. They must consider too that the case was novel, that she was the first deaf and blind mute who had been taught arbitrary language; that it has not been possible to conduct the experiment of her education in an entirely satisfactory manner; that it has not been practicable to cut her off from communication with ignorant and selfish persons, as it would have been had she been secluded in the bosom of a private family. And, after making all these allowances, they will, I trust, believe that there is much which is beautiful and good in her imperfect nature.

It is true that such cases present a rare opportunity of watching the developement of some of the feelings in comparative freedom from external influences; but it is equally true that other influences, both of a positive and negative kind, may be exerted so as to disturb the natural growth of the mind. If in common cases the twig be bent one way, in these uncommon cases it may be bent another, and the distortion of the tree be equally great.

Lastly, the character and disposition may be partially modified by the wonderful law of hereditary transmission of peculiar tendencies. A man often transmits to a son, born after his own death, such a peculiarity of physical organization as causes that son, when grown to manhood, to startle others by a hitch of the shoulder, a twist of the features, or even an "ahem!" so like his father's, that the dead seems to be alive again. By the operation of a law, no more mysterious, and no less certain, a man may reap the reward, or pay the penalty, as the case may be, for the habitual exercise of any sentiment, or any propensity, by transmitting to his offspring a strong disposition for the exercise of a similar feeling.

How much Laura Bridgman, or any body else, may be influenced by such causes, no one can tell; but they deserve to be taken into consideration by all who would ascertain precisely the effect of the privation of any of the senses, or the results of particular modes of training.

The experiment in the case of Oliver Caswell I consider to be much more satisfactory, as far as all the moral developements are concerned, than in Laura's case. He is less communicative, and has had less untoward influence exercised upon him. Though surrounded by boys, some of whom are rude and ill disposed, he has nevertheless been much under the influence of his teachers; and a more gentle, honest, true-hearted boy exists not within my knowledge. May the maturity of both of them yield the fair fruit which the blossom of their youth now promises.

S.G. HOWE.

APPENDIX B. OLIVER CASWELL.

TO THE TRUSTEES.

GENTLEMEN:

I have the honor to submit the following Report upon the case of the Deaf and Blind Mute, Oliver Caswell.

He has made very slow progress in knowledge during the past year, in comparison with Laura Bridgman. He has a much smaller brain, and is decidedly of a lymphatic temperament. But besides this, he has been slightly ailing most of the time, and has never had that exuberance of health, and consequent flow of animal spirits which force her to mental activity.

He seems to be troubled by some disorder in the glandular system, or in the primae viae, which causes frequent indigestion, slow circulation of the blood, and consequent depression of spirits. When he is indisposed he loses his interest in his studies, and common occupations; and his usual sedateness becomes melancholy. He seems to be aware of the cause of this, and says he must go home, and that his native air will make him well; or if he be at home in vacation, he says, he must go back to the Institution, and his walks and gymnastic exercises will restore him. He never becomes peevish, however, but endures with uncomplaining fortitude.