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'In the Berlin Institution, though the pupils are taught to read and write, they have very few printed books; and the information is given orally. This arises however from the expense of books, and not from any doubt of their utility; in fact Professor Zeune exerts himself to the utmost to increase his library for the blind.

'He prints with types filled with pin points. The pupils are taught also geography, history, languages, and the mathematical as well as lighter sciences. The time is partly occupied in learning different trades; and on the whole the pupils are as well, if not better qualified to make their way in the world, as those from the Paris Institution. There are four similar institutions in Germany, the best of which seems that of Vienna; there is also an excellent one in Zurich, which I did not visit.

'The Institution for Indigent Blind in London, is an excellent and most charitable establishment, and productive of great good.

'It is indeed a most delightful sight to see so many blind youth assembled in the work-shops, all neatly clad, and with smiling faces, busily employed at their different trades; and all earning a large part of their livelihood, by their own labor. Instead of the solitary, helpless beings which we so often see, the blind here presents us the spectacle of an active, industrious and happy youth, who, finding constant occupation in the exercise of his physical powers, and being buoyed by the hope of rendering himself independent of charity, has no time and no inclination for repining at his lot, or for drawing unpleasant comparisons between himself and those about him.

'The Institution in London is intended merely for indigent blind, and their intellectual education is not at all attended to; nor do they occupy themselves about anything but their trades, with the exception of a little music. There seems to be a doubt in the minds of the persons who direct the institution, of the utility of teaching the youths to read themselves, by means of raised letters; which is singular enough to one accustomed to see the immense usefulness and pleasure afforded to the blind by the use of these books.

'The doubt is apt to be raised however only by good men who question the utility of knowledge in any person beyond the strict demands of his calling. It is said, that they can always have the assistance of a seeing person to read to them; but besides that the blind cannot always have such a person at their elbow, there is infinitely more pleasure and advantage to be derived from feeling out the letters themselves. They can stop, and go back, or read over a passage a dozen times, reflect upon it as long as they choose, and refer to it, on any occasion.

'In mathematical studies particularly, where only a few brief problems and rules are given, books printed with raised letters for the use of the blind are almost indispensably necessary. The advantage, nay! the necessity, of printing the Gospel in raised letters for the use of the blind will be apparent to every thinking Christian. Here is a large number of our fellow creatures within our reach, who might be supplied with the New Testament at small expense, compared with that laid out in sending it among distant heathen.

'It may be said indeed, that the blind can hear the Bible read by their friends, while the heathen cannot; but on the other hand let one consider what a precious treasure a copy of the Testament in raised letters would be to a blind man; he would pore over it, read and reread it, until every word became familiar; and how much greater probability there would be of its producing a good effect than in the hands of those who have a thousand other things to occupy their thoughts. Then too, let one consider the all-important nature of the study; and how jealous one should be of trusting to aught but the cool decision of his own reason.

'In fine, let any pious Christian put the case to himself and say, whether he would be content with having the scriptures read by another; whether he could abstain from feasting his eyes on God's sacred pages; or refrain from shutting himself up in his closet with his Maker, and his revealed Word.

'What his eyes are to him, the fingers are to the man deprived of sight, and to the one equally as to the other, is solitary reading and reflection a useful and healthful exercise.

'Nor to the blind alone would the scriptures printed in raised letters be a precious treasure; there are many people who from weakness or temporary derangement of the organs of sight, would be happy to spare their eyes and read with their fingers. The acquisition of this faculty is not at all difficult, any person may in three or four days enable himself to feel out very easily the raised letters, and read pretty fast.'

'I mentioned in a letter from Europe to your sub-committee a plan which I had conceived of publishing one of the Evangelists in raised characters; without now detailing on all the methods which I would substitute for those hitherto used, I may say, that it is founded upon the only principle which can possibly obviate the immense inconvenience of bulk and expense, viz. that of contraction or stenography; a principle which if acted up to, may I am convinced, render books for the blind as cheap and as compact as those printed for our use. Whether this system shall substitute tangible for the visible forms of letters, or whether the symbols shall represent sounds, is a secondary question.'