uired to fit into corresponding
holes cut out in a board. All this is for the least advanced pupils.
They learn afterwards to read and write, and some of the very little
ones traced lines upon a board as well as most children could do with
all their senses about them. The elder ones could write short words and
read easy books; they are taught to read by having short words like cow,
dog, ox, printed on cards, and are then shown by a picture what the
words represent, and they are not taught their letters or to spell words
till they begin to learn to write; the elementary books therefore
consist chiefly of words representing ideas quite independently of the
letters of which the words are formed. Many, however, can never fully
obtain the power of speech, and that without any physical defect in
their organs, and without the accompaniment of deafness, for they hear
perfectly. In these instances to teach them to speak is very difficult,
and sometimes hopeless. The poor little boy whom we saw sorting his
cards, was one of those cases in which no articulate sound had ever been
uttered, or could be produced by any teaching. At the same time the
development of his head, and that of many others, was almost perfect
and quite a beau ideal of what a head should be.

I forgot in speaking of the deaf and dumb to mention that their crying
and laughter were quite like those of other children, and it appears to
be the same with the idiots, even though they cannot speak. There was
among the idiots one boy in irons to support his legs, which were
otherwise quite without power, and he seemed under this treatment to be
rapidly improving. They all have meat twice a day, and great care is
taken to feed them generously. The only other sight in Columbus is the
Medical College, which, however, we had no time to go over. We must,
however, except the Governor's house, not forgetting its inmates,
Governor Chase himself, and his interesting daughter. We had been
introduced to the Governor by Mr. Dennison, after missing him on
Saturday at the Capitol, and he most kindly asked us to drink tea and
spend the evening with him, apologising for time not permitting his
daughter to call upon us. He is Governor of the State of Ohio, an office
that is held for two years. He is a first-rate man in talent and
character,--a strong abolitionist, and a thorough gentleman in his
appearance--showing that the active and adventurous habits of his
nation are quite consiste