upon the spoon.  She was encouraged here by the natural sign of approbation—­patting on the head.  The same process was then repeated with all the articles she could handle, and she very easily learned to place the proper labels upon them.  It was evident, however, that the only intellectual exercise was that of imitation and memory.  She recollected that the label book was placed upon a book; and she repeated the process first from imitation, next from memory, with only the motive of love of approbation, but apparently without the intellectual perception of any relation between the things.  After a while, instead of labels, the individual letters were given to her on detached bits of paper:  they were arranged, side by side so as to spell book, key, &c.; then they were mixed up in a heap, and a sign was made for her to arrange them herself, so as to express the words book, key, &c., and she did so.  Hitherto the process had been mechanical, and the success about as great as teaching a very knowing dog a variety of tricks.  The poor child had sat in mute amazement, and patiently imitated everything her teacher did; but now the truth began to flash upon her—­her intellect began to work.  She perceived that here was a way by which she could herself make up a sign of anything that was in her own mind, and show it to another mind; and at once her countenance lighted up with a human expression:  it was no longer a dog or parrot:  it was an immortal spirit eagerly seizing upon a new link of union with other spirits!  I could almost fix upon the moment when this truth dawned upon her mind.  I saw that the great obstacle was overcome, and that henceforward nothing but plain and straightforward efforts were to be used.  The next step was to procure a set of metal types, with the different letters of the alphabet cast upon their ends:  also a board in which were square holes, into which holes she could set the types, so that the letters on their ends could alone be felt above the surface.  She was exercised for several weeks in this way; and then the important step was taken of teaching her how to represent the different letters by the position of her fingers, instead of the cumbrous apparatus of the board and types.  This was the period, about three months after she had commenced, that the first report of her case was made, in which it is stated “that she has just learned the manual alphabet as used by the deaf mutes; and it is a subject of delight and wonder to see how rapidly, correctly, and eagerly she goes on her with labours.”  At the end of the year a second report of her case was made, from which the following is an extract:—­“It has been ascertained, beyond the possibility of doubt, that she cannot see a ray of light—­cannot hear the least sound—­and never exercises her sense of smell, if she have any.  Of beautiful sights, and sweet sounds, and pleasant odours she has no conception:  nevertheless, she seems as happy and as playful as a bird or a lamb; and the employment of her intellectual faculties, or the acquirement of a new idea, gives her a vivid pleasure, which is plainly marked in her expressive features.”