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My attention was now directed to a youth in whom the greatest difficulty had been, and was still experienced, in preventing a wandering and irregular action of the mind. Ideas of numbers, and a capability of counting, had been imparted to him; but unless his attention could be fixed by a simultaneous exercise of some of his senses, or by muscular movements, it was found difficult to induce him to advance from one number to another. Thus, when he was desired to count 1, 2, 3, &c., his eyes were bandaged, a triangle was held before him, and struck at regular intervals of time, so as to lead him on from one number to the next at each beat of the triangle. A ladder being placed against the wall, he was desired to mount it and count at the same time: this he did regularly and slowly, naming an advancing number at each step he took. Other gymnastic exercises, I was told, had been employed with a view of fixing attention, and producing a more regular succession of ideas. The ingenuity and aptness of the means used in this particular case speak eloquently of the spirit in which the work of regenerating these all but mindless fellow-creatures is undertaken.

The series of exercises in the schoolroom was terminated by the construction of words, and the addition of figures, by means of letters and figures cut out and fixed on small portions of wood. A word or a number being given by the master, the pupil proceeded to select the letters or figures, and placed them in the order indicative of the word or number. This lesson was executed with the same accuracy which had characterized the various proceedings which it was my good fortune to witness in this schoolroom at Bicêtre , and which served to excite within me a deep feeling of thankfulness for the opportunity I had enjoyed of becoming practically acquainted with the system in operation. As each successive and advancing demonstration was made before me of the extent to which the senses and faculties of these idiots had been educated, I could not avoid feeling a corresponding increase of the delight I at the first moment experienced in witnessing a sight so intensely interesting and important.