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as v. it'n it. The characters used to write on this machine arc pins;some with two, three, or more heads ; others beet i: differentforms—some, the heads taken oil’ ami the top b atsome 01these are split; others the heads taken off, and placed near themiddle. The bars are pieces of wire crooked at each end ; adouble bar is made by placing two single ones dose together; adouble sharp and double flat m the same manner. The charactersare kept in a box, in the same style as a printer keeps his type-;;each different compartment of which must be marked with a cha-racter in writing, signifying what each, contained in the severalcompartments, is intended to represent. That the master may heacquainted with them, the student must be taught to distinguisheach of the characters contained in the box by the feel, as well asthe names of each line and space upon the cushion. When hecan do this readily, some music should be read to him, which itvill be well for him to copy on the cushion: and when that istilled, let it be laid on the desk of the harpsichord before him ;and then by feeling over a passage or sentence at a time, and after-wards playing it, his playing always commencing with the begin-ning ot tiie piece, or at some particular part of it, this will soonenable him to recollect the whole, when the hands are taken offtire cushion, to play what has been last felt. -One of those cha-racters, called a direct, must be placed against the note tobe next fell: this will enable the student to goon again, afterplaying, without any difficulty. The person who reads themusic, must be instructed not io call the lines or spaces by theletters which distinguish them, lest confusion may ensue, everyeighth being the same ; but must read in the following manner:first the name of the character must be mentioned, whetherminim, crotchet, or qiraver, &c. then the line or space; as forexample, minim on the first line, crotchet on the first space,quaver on the second, &c. &c. When the music exceeds thecompass of (lie stave, it must be particularly mentioned whetherabove or below, first calling the character, then the leger line orspace. The technical term at the beginning of each piece, isbetter remembered than wrote down on the machine: Theaccidental terms, which are best marked by placing some cha-racter, not much use.d, either above or below the note on whichit happens, the ingenious mind will find out a method of doingfor itself. This machine will not only teach music ; but, callingthe characters letters, any one w ill be enabled to spell, read, orwrite down his sentiments on any subject, and even convey themto his friend without the assistance of a secretary. Arithmeticmay be also taught upon this machine; as by calling the dot 1,and the pause 10, a complete set of figures will be formed. — Ex-planation of the figures : A, B, C, D, the form of the cushion,which in its full size is about 3 feet long, and inches wide,having thereon a representation of musical notes, shewn by dif-ferent pins stuck on it. The lines a, b, c, d, e, are of largepackthread ; and the lines, f, g, h, are of small twine. Pins,1. A semibreve. 2. A semibreve rest. 3. A minim. 4. Aminim rest. 5. Dots. 6. A crotchet. 7. A crotchet rest. 8.A quaver. 9. A quaver rest. 10. A sharp. 11. A semiquaver.12. A semiquaver rest. 13. A demiquaver. 14. A demiquaver-rest. 15. A ilat. lb. A demhemiquaver. 17. A demisemi-quaver rest. 18. A semidemiquaver. )9. A semidemiqnavvrrest. 20. A natural. 21. Bars. 22. A direct. 23. A tyc.-’4. Bass. 25. Tenor cliff. 26. Treble cliff. 27. A repeat.2S. Pause. 29. This character placed on any line or space, sig-nifies as many notes on that line or space as there are doubles onthe pins ; if turned upwards, it implies the same number as-cending; if downward, that number descending. 30. A beat orinverted shake. 31. A -hake; and where there is a dot placedover it, signifies a turned shake. Two dots placed over eachother, above the notes, without this character, signify a turnonly. 32. This character is used over the note to signify forte ;and'if a dot is placed above it, fortissimo: if the dot is -.lacedabove the note and nelow the character, it implies crescendo ; ifthe character is placet: be'.ow the note, it signifies piano; and ifa dot is placed under it, pianissimo ; but if the cot is above thecharacter, and below .he note, it signifies diniinuendo. In con-certo';, the inventor uses the same character p'.ac. d above the notem the same manner, with two dots over it to sigmq toote ; andbelow the note's, with tw o dots under it to signify solo : in vocalmusic, the same character above the notes, with three dots overit, signifies symphony; and below the notes, with three dotsvon. 1.—tio. 29,
I under it, signifies srnir.” When playing concertos, or perform-I ine in e ve, the blind must depend upon memory, and upohmemo—•• alone; but happily their retentive powers are remarka-bly strong; and there are few pieces in music which will i>«found either too intricate to be acquired, or too long to be re-membered, by a person deprived of sight, Mr. Stanley per-forms what is still move astonishing: He accompanies any lessonwith a thorough b:; -, though he never has heard it before. Wehave never yet r<i of any person, though blessed with ihe full
use of sight, who could thus ant'eipate harmonv before the chordswere sounded.aim accompany it in a manner suitable toils nature,
A work tia- been lately published at Paris which supersedesevery former attempt to promote or facilitate the improvement ofthe blind. The invention of a j kin so arduous in its appearance,and so practicable in its execution, demanded tiie highest exer-tions of the nohl-st genius to prouuce it, and the most strenuous•■flints of indefatigable humanity to render it effectual. It is in-titled, “ An Essay on the Education of the Blind.” Bs obje-ct isto teach them, by palpable characters impressed on paper, notonly the liberal arts and sciences, but likew ise the principles ofmechanical operation, in such a manner, that those v.ho have nogenius for literary improvement may yet become respectable,useful, and independent members of society, in the capacity ofcommon artisans. By these tangible signatures they are taughtto read, to write, and to print ; they are likewise instructed in.geometry, in algebra, geography, and, in short, in every branchof natural philosophy. Nor are their efforts circumscribed bvmere utility ; a taste for the fine arts has likew ise been cultivatedamong them. They have been taught to read music, with theirfingers, as others do with their eyes; and though they cannot atonce feel the notes and perform them upon an instrument, yet theyare capable of acquiring any lesson with as much exactness andrapidity, as those who enjoy all the advantages of sight. In thefirst chapter of this work, the author points out the end proposedby that culture which he offers to the blind ; it is to enlargetheir sphere of knowledge, to increase their capacities and im-prove their pow ers of action, so that they may become happyand independent in themselves, and useful and agreeable toothers. The 2d chapter contains an answer to the objectionsagainst the general utility of this institution. The 3rd treats ofreading as adapted to the practice of the blind. The 4th consistsof answers to various objections against the method of readingproposed. In the 5th is shewn the art of printing, as practised bythe blind, for their peculiar use. In tiie 6th is described themaimer of teaching the blind the art of printing for those thatsee. In the 7th is represented the manner of teaching the blindto write. The Sth explains the method of teaching the blindarithmetic; the 9th, geography; the 10th, music. The 11thcontains an account of the mechanic arts in which the blind areemploved, and of the way by which they are formed for suchoccupations. The 12th shews in general the proper manner ofinstructing the blind, and draws a parallel between their educationand that of the deaf and dumb. The 13th treats of the method ofinstructing them in the languages, mathematics, history, At.The book next contains notes illustrating each chapter; an ac-count of the rise, progress, and present stale, of the academy forthe information of the blind; anode on tiie cultivation of theblind, bv one labouring under that affliction ; an extract from-the register of the royal academy of sciences; opinion of theprinters; models of the various pieces which blind children arecapable of printing; and an account of the exercises performed byblind children, in the presence of the late unfortunate king, queen,and roval family, during the Christinas solemnities in 1786. '1 liemanner in w hich the blind print is thus described : r l he blindcompositor has a box for every alphabetical character in use ; onthe outside of these boxes are palpably marked the peculiar cha-racter belonging to each; they are filled with types, which he.chooses and sets as they are called for, inverted. He then takesa piece of the strongest paper that can be lound, which lie gentlymoistens in a degree sufficient to render, it more easily suscepti-ble of impressions, without being dilacernted or worn by theshock which it must undergo. lie then lays ,t upon the types;and by the cautious operation ot the piess, or bv the easy •strokes’ of a little hammer which are frequently repeated overthe whole expanse, he causes the impression of the (vpe to riseon the opposite side ol the paper, where, when dry, it continues■(> B Uul: