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That policy has always been perfectly liberal, and, as it seems to me, very just and proper.

We have Catholics and Protestants, and members of every sect of Protestants, among our pupils, and we carefully abstain from using any influence that may affect the mere doctrinal belief of any of them. Our religious exercises consist simply of reading the Bible without note or comment, singing, and repeating the Lord's Prayer. The Bible is one of our schoolbooks, and is always placed within the reach of every pupil. The only other books of a religious character that have been printed in raised letters are the Pilgrim's Progress, and some small works selected from among the publications of the American Tract Society, the Prayer Book of the Episcopal Church, and the Guide to Devotion, by the Presbyterian Board of Philadelphia. These books may be considered of a sectarian character, but they were paid for by Orthodox societies or individuals who had a right to choose; and I was too desirous of increasing the library of the blind, and too fearless of the effect of such books on the minds of my pupils, to object to the selection. I shall be most happy to receive contributions from any persons of Orthodox faith for printing books of their selection, and I will do all in my power to cause the blind throughout the country to read them. We have printed a great many other books besides those above mentioned, and the selection of which was left to me; but although the money to pay for them had been raised by contribution among Unitarians, not one of them expressed any wish to have books printed which taught their particular sectarian views, nor have I ever selected such.

The press of our Institution exercises a considerable influence over the blind; a large part of all the matter printed in raised letters has issued from it; its books are used all over this country; none of its expenses are paid by the State, but by individuals; and yet, notwithstanding those who pay for it and those who direct it are all of one sect, they have never in any instance used it to put forth or to uphold the views of that sect. If we were to look for similar instances of liberality, we should find many that fall short of, before we found one that came up to it; and yet that liberality is manifest in other proceedings of the Institution, -- I hope in all.

We abstain from any sectarian teaching; but we require the pupils to attend public worship every Sabbath, each one in the place selected by himself or his parents. Many of them attend Sabbath school in their respective places of worship, and thus all the religious doctrinal instruction that they receive is given to them by pastors and teachers of their own faith.

But Laura Bridgman cannot hear preaching, nor learn in Sunday schools; and those religious persons who would have her taught their form of faith, because they think it is the very best form, should not blame me, if I do just as they would do in my place, and teach her the form of faith which I think is the very best form.

However, her friends, and to the credit of humanity be it said they are a multitude, need not be alarmed; the form of faith which I shall try to give her will be catholic and charitable; it will be charity and good-will to men, -- love and obedience to God. I shall explain to her the Bible as I understand it; I shall try to make her believe, as I do, that it contains a revelation of God's attributes, and that it points out to us all the way to happiness through the path of duty. It is already something more to her than a cold and barren abstraction. If she does not understand its doctrines, she begins to feel its spirit. On the last occasion of her manifesting any impatience, she said to Miss Wight, "I felt cross, but in a minute I thought of Christ, how good and gentle he was, and my bad feelings went away." For some months, she has been in the habit of asking her teacher every Sunday about the sermon she heard.

The mode of teaching her has been detailed in former Reports, and as she has not entered upon any new course of study during the past year, I shall not now occupy your time with any details respecting her instruction. A general review of her character and deportment during the past year gives rise to some agreeable reflections. In former years, though she presented an extraordinary example of gentleness, truthfulness, and affection, she showed, like most children, occasional excesses of feeling, which required her conduct to be under the regulation of others; so that she was not entirely a free moral agent. During the last year, the reins of authority have been slackened; she has been allowed to follow more freely her own inclinations; and though her teacher has been, as in former years, her constant companion, and doubtless exercised great influence over her, yet her society and companionship have been rather sought by Laura than imposed upon her. Opportunity has thus been given her to develop her individuality of character, and to exercise her moral powers by self-guidance.