Library Collections: Document: Full Text

When he was tired with play I took him back to the table, and he was quite ready to begin again his process of imitation. He soon learned to make the letters for key, pen, pin; and by having the object repeatedly placed in his hand, he at last perceived the relation I wished to establish between them. This was evident because, when I made the letters p i n, or p e n, or c u p, he would select the article.

The perception of this relation was not accompanied by that radiant flush of intelligence, and that glow of joy which marked the delightful moment when Laura first perceived it. I then placed all the articles on the table, and going away a little distance with the children placed Oliver's fingers in the positions to spell key, on which Laura went and brought the article: the little fellow seemed to be much amused by this, and looked very attentive and smiling. I then caused him to make the letters b r e a d, and in an instant Laura went and brought him a piece; he smelled at it -- put it to his lips -- cocked up his head with a most knowing look -- seemed to reflect a moment -- and then laughed outright, as much as to say, "aha! I understand now how something may be made out of this."

It was now clear that he had the capacity and inclination to learn, that he was a proper subject for instruction, and needed only persevering attention. I therefore put him in the hands of an intelligent teacher, nothing doubting of his rapid progress.

I will not now go much into detail of the process of teaching him words, as it is similar to that given in the case of Laura; suffice it to say, he has learned about a hundred nouns, and some adjectives, which he uses with the nouns, making a sort of compound substantive. Sometimes he uses a noun in a verbal sense, in short, uses language much as a child who is just beginning to talk.

One or two examples will show his manner of using the few words which he has learned. Coming up to his teacher he spelled upon his fingers, F r e d, meaning that he wanted Frederick; she went with him to the room where Frederick usually sits, but he was not to be found, when Oliver spelt Fr e d -- S m i t h, meaning that Fred was in Smith's room, and went there to find him. Having no explicative terms, he of course must turn his few words to every possible use, and make a down serve for adjective, verb, adverb, preposition and conjunction.

At another time, wishing to say that he had cut his finger with a plane he said, cut -- plane. Of course this often causes great ambiguity, as in the following case: the carpenter had been to repair the boat, and Oliver accompanied him; returning, he said Bradford -- break -- boat; doubtless, meaning Bradford mended a break in the boat, but he did not know the word mend. On another occasion, learning that Frederick had broken a pane of glass, he said, Fred -- window -- break -- glass.

A little reflection will show any one that he can eke out his meaning just as other children do, by signs. When it was attempted to give him a name expressive of the quality of objects, a difficulty occurred immediately: he knew the names of key, door, watch, and when his teacher spelled either word, he would go to the table and select it; he knew too the nature of each, showing by signs that a door-key was to lock a door, a watch-key to wind a watch, yet the compound word, watch-key, gave hint no idea of the thing. Nonetheless, as I said, he uses verbs and adjectives, that is, he uses signs significative of actions and qualities, he holds up a key and makes the letters k-e-y, that is the noun; he then makes a sign for turning the key, which sign is the verb.

We see the same process in little children, they first learn the name of an object, and for a long time use the name to express whatever idea they may have of the thing: a child will say Mamma! Mamma! to express the perception or knowledge of its mother, using only a noun; but if it wants its mother it says, Mamma, (a noun,) and stretches out its arms, which motion is a verb, or a sign significative of its desire. When its vocabulary is increased, it substitutes a vocal for the natural sign, and it says, want Mamma, still stretching out its arms, because the original sign is still suggested by the thought; until by long use the word want becomes the most familiar sign of the idea, and then it says, I want Mamma, and drops the original sign of stretching out its arms. Still it is curious to observe how long the original sign will linger in the memory. On all ordinary occasions, the child uses the word want as a substitute for the original sign of stretching out the hands, but when it is frightened or much agitated, when its little soul yearns strongly for instant contact with its mother, it resorts immediately and spontaneously to its first sign, it stretches out its arms, and without saying I want, cries Mamma!

Now it will not be until Oliver has become accustomed to use words freely as substitutes for his signs of things, that he can be expected to resort to adjectives, verbs, &c.; in this respect, I fear he will never equal Laura, because he has not her quickness of thought, and delicacy of organization. Nevertheless, I consider his progress to the acquisition of a considerable familiarity with arbitrary language as certain, provided he can have patient and long continued instruction.