pride, alas! of very many; and it is mentioned here in order to show that this, amongst other causes, makes the census returns of the 'deaf and dumb' below the real number. As soon as our child's loss of hearing was beyond question, we brought her here to London for the best medical, surgical, and educational advice. We hoped, indeed we never doubted, that we should have received the best advice about the education of our child from those of the medical profession whom we consulted. But such was not the case. Sad and disappointed, we turned to those who had devoted their lives to the education of the deaf. Here at least we expected to be assured beyond doubt of the best method on which to instruct her; but again we were doomed to utter disappointment. We found different systems at work, and the advocates of each said very hard and bitter things of one another. Here it will be well to explain the technical terms that will be used in this paper. For want of this it is sometimes difficult to understand the meaning of much that is written and spoken on this subject, as different terms are used by various writers and speakers to express the same things, and the same terms to express different things.
'Deaf and Dumb.' Those wholly uneducated, or who cannot hear or speak, though educated or partially so.
'Deaf.' Those who cannot hear or speak before they have been educated; or who, having been educated, are still without hearing, but can speak.
'German' System. That which is based on articulation and lip-reading.
'French' System. That which is based on a system of signs.
