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Thus it appears that, like other human beings, she has that instinctive attachment to life which is necessary to its preservation, and which makes her shrink from any thing that reminds her of its possible extinction, without, nevertheless, its being so strong as seriously to mar her enjoyment of existence.

I mentioned some circumstances in my last report which made me infer her native modesty; and although such a supposition seems to some unphilosophical, I can only say that careful observation during the past year corroborates the opinion then advanced. Nor have I any difficulty in supposing that there is this innate tendency to purity; but on the contrary, I think it forms an important and beautiful element of humanity, the natural course of which is towards that state of refinement, in which, while the animal appetites shall work out their own ends, they shall all of them be stripped of their grossness, and, clad in garments of purity, contribute to the perfection of a race made in God's own image.

Laura is still so young, and her physical development is yet so imperfect, -- she is so childlike in appearance and action, that it is impossible to suppose she has as yet any idea of sex; nevertheless, no young lady can be more modest and proper in dress and demeanor than she is. It has been suggested, that as her father was obliged, when she was young, to coerce her to many things which she was disinclined to do, she may have conceived a fear of every one in man's dress. But on that other hand, she was much accustomed, from childhood, to the society of a simple, kind-hearted man, who loved her tenderly, and with whom she was perfectly familiar; it was not, therefore, the dress which affected her.

I may add, moreover, that from the time she came here, she has never been accustomed to be in company with any man but myself; and that I have, in view of the future, very carefully refrained from even those endearing caresses which are naturally bestowed upon a child of eight years old, to whom one is tenderly attached. But this will not account for such facts as the following. During the last year, she received from a lady a present of a beautifully-dressed doll, with a bed, bed-clothes, and chamber furniture of all kinds. Never was a child happier than she was; and a long time passed in examining and admiring the wardrobe and furniture. The washstand was arranged, towels were folded, the bureau was put in place, the linen was deposited in the tiny drawers; at last the bed was nicely made, the pillows smoothed, the top sheet turned trimly over, and the bed half opened, as if coquettishly inviting Miss Dolly to come in; but here Laura began to hesitate, and kept coming to my chair to see if I was still in the room, and going away again, laughing, when she found me. At last I went out, and as soon as she perceived the jar of the shutting door, she commenced undressing the doll, and putting it to bed, eagerly desiring her teacher, (a lady,) to admire the operation.

She, as I said, is not familiarly acquainted with any man but myself. When she meets with one, she shrinks back coyly; though if it be a lady, she is familiar, and will receive and return caresses; nevertheless, she has no manner of fear or awe of me. She plays with me as she would with a girl. Hardly a day passes without a game at romps between us; yet never, even by inadvertence, does she transgress the most scrupulous propriety and would as instinctively and promptly correct any derangement of her dress, as a girl of fourteen, trained to the strictest decorum. Perceiving, one day, that I kissed a little girl much younger than herself, she noticed it and stood thinking a moment, and then asked me gravely, "Why did you kiss Rebecca? " and some hours after, she asked the same question again.

She had heard much about little Oliver Caswell, the deaf and blind boy, before he came, and was very desirous to know him. During their first interview, after she became a little familiar and playful, she suddenly snatched a kiss, -- but drew back as quick as lightning, and by the expression of her countenance, and a little confusion of manner, showed that by a hasty impulse she had done something of the propriety of which she was doubtful. This is the only instance in which I have known her to show the sense of shame, or to have any occasion to show it, even if this can be considered as one.

The development of her moral nature during the past year has been such as her previous sweetness of temper, and truthfulness, led me to expect. The different traits of character have unfolded themselves successively, as pure and spotless as the petals of a rose; and in every action unbiassed by extraneous influence, she "gravitates towards the right" as naturally as a stone falls to the ground. Two or three instances are recorded in her teacher's journal of apparent unkindness on Laura's part to other children, and one instance of some ill temper to a grown person; but so contradictory are they to the whole tenor of her character and conduct, that I must infer either a misunderstanding of her motives by others, or ill-judged conduct on their part, For instance, her teacher says, July 2d, "A complaint was entered against Laura that she pinched Lucy and made her cry. I talked with Laura about it. I told her "Lurena told Doctor, you pinched Lucy's nose and made her cry:" before I had finished the sentence she smiled, and seemed by the expression of her face, to think that it was ridiculous to pinch her nose, but when she was told that Lucy cried, she changed countenance, and was immediately sad. She said "when did I pinch Lucy's nose?" I said, "Lurena said yesterday." "After how many schools? " I told her I did not know. She thought a moment, and then said eagerly, "I pinched Lucy's nose after one (7) school, to play. I did not mean to make her cry, because I played. Did Lucy know I was wrong?" I told her Lucy did not know when she played, and she must play softly. I asked her if she loved Lucy, she replied "Yes, but Lucy does not hug me." Why does she not? -- "because she is very deaf and blind and does not know how to love me, she is very weak to hug."