in the diffusion of knowledge; and I trust that its
advantages will soon be felt by those who were once consigned by
barbarous laws, or by dark superstition, to destruction or to
neglect, but who now are re-elevated to their own station through
the light of a milder and nobler humanity.

At the close of this year, 1832, a Mrs. Wingfield sent to Mrs. Gilbert a
newspaper paragraph giving an account of a meeting of the Managers of
the Blind Asylum, Edinburgh. After some routine business these managers
had proceeded to examine the "nature and efficiency" of the books lately
printed for the use of the blind. Some of the blind boys in the Asylum,
who had been using the books for "only a few weeks," picked out words
and letters and read "slowly but correctly." By repeated trials, and by
varying the exercises, the directors were of opinion that the art
promised to be of "the greatest practical utility to the blind." Mr.
Gall also stated that the apparatus for writing to and by the blind was
in a state of considerable forwardness. This paragraph Mrs. Gilbert
copied and sent, on the 10th of January 1833, to her father's cousin,
Mr. J. Wintle of Lincoln's Inn Fields, who had, as she learnt, a friend
in Edinburgh. To this friend, Mr. Ellis, application was duly made, and
he set about instituting inquiries which resulted, on the 13th of April
1833, in the despatch of a portentous epistle, such a letter as at that
time was considered worthy of heavy postage. He had obtained for Mr.
Wintle every possible scrap of information on the subject in question.
Letters follow from him direct to Mrs. Gilbert, and on the 2d of
November 1833 Mr. Ellis "presents his compliments, and, after many
delays, is happy in being able at last to forward the articles he was
commissioned to procure for Mrs. Gilbert's little girl."

The following list shows how much had been done in two years:--

1. Gall's First Book. Three other Lesson Books and the Gospel of St.
John.

2. Hay's Alphabet and Lessons (Mr. Lang's friend), with outline sketch
of Map.

3. The string alphabet, with a printed statement of its invention and
use.

4. Seven brass types constructed on the principles of the string
alphabet.

5. Several packets of metallic pieces representing the notes in music.

Another letter preserved by Mrs. Gilbert was from a Mr. Richardson, of
11 Lothian Street, Edinburgh, to her uncle, Mr. Morrell, at that time
staying in Edinburgh,