Note a — BOOK IV.

I presume it will not be ungrateful to take notice here of the admirable, as well as useful Sagacity of some deaf Persons, that have learnt to supply their want of Hearing by understanding what is said by the Motion of the Lips. My very ingenious Friend Mr. Waller, R. S. Secr. gives this Account, There live now and have from their Birth, in our Town, a Man and his Sister, each about fifty Years old, neither of which have the least Sense of Hearing,——yet both of these know, by the Motion of the Lips only, whatever is said to them, and will answer pertinently to the Question proposed to them——The Mother told me they could hear very well, and speak when they were Children, but both lost that Sense afterwards, which makes them retain their Speech; though that, to Persons not used to them, is a little uncouth and odd, but intelligible enough. Phil. Trans. No. 312.

Such another Instance is that of Mr. Goddy, Minister of St. Gervais in Geneva, his Daughter. She is now about sixteen Years old. Her Nurse had an extraordinary Thickness of Hearing; at a Year old, the Child spake all those little Words that Children begin to speak at that Age.——At two Years old, they perceived she had lost her Hearing, and was so Deaf, that ever since, though she hears great Noises, yet she hears nothing that one can speak to her.——But by observing the Motions of the Mouth and Lips of others, she hath acquired so many Words, that out of these she hath formed a sort of Jargon, in which she can hold Conversation whole Days with those that can speak her own Language. I could understand some of her Words, but could not comprehend a Period, for it seemed to be but a confused Noise. She knows nothing that is said to her, unless she seeth the Motion of their Mouths that speak to her; so that in the Night, when it is necessary to speak to her, they must light a Candle. Only one thing appeared the strangest part of the whole Narration: She hath a Sister, with whom she hath practised her Language more than with any other: And in the Night, by laying her Hand on her Sister’s Mouth, she can perceive by that what she saith, and so can discourse with her in the Night. Bishop Burnet’s Let. 4. p. 248.