Library Collections: Document: Full Text

But even when his digestion is good, and his physical system is in its best condition, he is habitually quiet and sedate. He is always mild and kind; and though he does not, like Laura, lavish caresses, kisses, and other demonstrations of affection upon those about him, he has always a smile for every one who greets him, and receives any marks of kindness with evident feeling of gratitude.

He is not so fond of any intellectual exercise which taxes severely his thinking faculties, as Laura is, nor indeed as the blind generally are; nevertheless he has gone on during the past year slowly adding to his knowledge of the qualities and relations of things, and increasing the store of words by which he expresses his thoughts, and learns the thoughts of others.

If he were naturally talkative, he would doubtless make more rapid progress in knowledge of all kinds. He is quite unlike Laura in this respect; she loves talk, and if she comes in frequent relation with any person, as a seamstress who may be about the house, a new domestic, or a lady visitor, she contrives to teach them her manner of making the letters of the alphabet with the fingers; and if the person be at all clever, in a few hours the way is open between their minds, and the exchange of thought is thenceforward rapid and constant. Oliver, on the other hand, cares little about talk; there are persons employed about the house whom he has known for three years, of whom he is very fond, and near whom he will sit or walk quietly and happily for hours; and although they cannot say a word to him, he never attempts to teach them his alphabet, nor does he seem to care for other intercourse than the simple one by which he ascertains that they are well, in good spirits, and fond of him. This he does in a way which seems magical to those who do not reflect, that every state of the feelings has its natural language, and manifests itself not only upon the countenance in visible signs, and through the voice by audible sounds, but also by certain motions of the body and limbs, and by peculiarities of deportment which are easily recognised by the sharpened sense of touch, and instinctively understood as the natural language of certain mental qualities. This has been remarked upon in Laura's case; and it is so strong in Oliver's that it may furnish a hint to those who are curious about the moral effect of the solitary and the social system of prisons.

There is one of the household of whom Oliver is very fond, and though he cannot talk with him, he loves to be near him, and will sit quietly for hours within the circle of his physical influence. Now although this man is affectionate in his temper, he is quick in his movements, and rather abrupt in his deportment, so that it cannot be the gentleness of motion which constitutes the attraction; yet Oliver is always happy to be with him, and strives to do things pleasing to him. This man exercises a good influence over him without speaking a word; and merely by the gratification of his social nature.

Now suppose Oliver to be surrounded with persons whose moral tendencies were bad, whom he knew were disposed to do things contrary to the rules of the house, and contrary to his natural sense of what is right, would they not have a great influence over him for evil, even though they spoke not to him; and would not all his tendencies to wrong, provided he had any, be strengthened and confirmed by the consciousness that those about him had the same tendencies, without the power of gratifying them? Would not his desire for their sympathy make him conform his own feelings as nearly as possible to what he supposed to be theirs?

Oliver is remarked by every one as having a countenance remarkably indicative of amiability and sweetness of temper; and his face is but the mirror in which his mind is truly reflected. There have been no instances during the past year of any bad temper, or even of ill-will to any one. This is somewhat remarkable, for he is thrown much in contact with boys, some of whom are rude and ill mannered; and one or two who are so mischievous that they sometimes try to annoy him with the petty tricks of boyhood; hut he is always as calm as the sunshine.

It was observed in a former Report, that Oliver was always very honest, and that we did not know of any special instruction having been given to him on the subject; but now that he can talk about his former condition, he sometimes shows that at heart he knew how other children were treated when they took things without leave. On one occasion, his teacher says:

"I took a book, and read a simple story about a little boy named William Morton, who took some sugar from the sugar-bowl without permission. Oliver wished to know if he was 'little way from my mother's house. Man did ride far off how many miles to see Wil1iam Morton?' When I had finished, he said, 'He wrong, mother strike him, make noise, cry.' I asked if his (Oliver's) mother did so. 'Yes, little,' was the reply."