The Talking Deaf Man Part 1

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t.i.tle: The Talking Deaf Man A Method Proposed, Whereby He Who is Born Deaf, May Learn to Speak, 1692

Author: John Conrade Amman

Release Date: July 24, 2004 [EBook #13014]

Language: English

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THE TALKING DEAF MAN:

or,

A Method Proposed, Whereby He Who is Born Deaf, May Learn to Speak.

By the Studious Invention and Industry of _John Conrade Amman_, an _Helvetian_ of _Shashuis_, Dr. of Physick.

Imprinted at _Amsterdam_, by _Henry Westein_, 1692. And now done out of Latin into English, by _D.F.M.D._ 1693.

_London_, Printed for Tho. Hawkins, in _George-yard, Lumbard street_, 1694.

Price bound One Shilling.

_To his most Approved Good Friend Mr. PETER KOLARD, the Author, with all Submission, Dedicateth this his Treatise of the Talking Deaf Man._

_My much honoured Friend_,

This little endeavour, how small soever it be, is upon many Accounts due to you; For besides that, the Truth of the matter here exposed, is to no one, (except my Self) more apparent, you did heap on me so many Favours, whilst I abode in your House, upon account of teaching your Daughter, and rendred me to be so much Yours, as no less could be sufficient, than to erect a publick, and as much as in me lay, an eternal Monument of Grat.i.tude to you. How great the Incredulity of this Age is, no Man almost knows better than your self; there have been, and still are, such as boldly deny, that it is possible to bring the _Deaf_ to speak; others, though they should be admitted to be Eye-Witnesses, yet would not stick to doubt still of the matter: Wherefore, what-ever it was that I performed to your Daughter, and to some others, and by what Artifice I did it, I now ingenuously expose to the Eyes of all the World. I heartily wish that they may so make use of this my labour, as that for the future, no more _Dumb_ Persons may be found.

In the number of these doubting Persons, you have confessed to me, that you your self had formerly been, until you had heard a certain Maiden, who before had been _Dumb_, talking with me at _Amsterdam_; perhaps I should have been so my self, if, when I was ignorant in the thing, I had received narratively only, that some such thing was performed by another; wherefore I resolved rather to convince the Incredulity of Men (which now is accounted Prudence amongst most Men) of an Error, than to reprove them for their Rashness.

It is now three Years since I first thought to make this my Method publick; but had I then done it, I should now have repented it, because in this Interval I have much more polished it; and rendered it more easie by far; and as to what belongs to the practise thereof, more certain, yea, and all to that degree, as I dare confidently a.s.sert, that henceforth there shall be no _Deaf_ Person, (provided he be of a sound Mind, and be not Tongue-tied, nor of an immature Age) who by my Instruction shall not in the s.p.a.ce of two Months speak readily enough. Perhaps also I shall hereafter repent, that I have published this small Treatise, as yet too immature; yet I had rather confess an Error, if I shall any where commit one, or in any future Edition augment it, than wholly to pa.s.s it over in Silence; for if I should be s.n.a.t.c.ht away by a hasty Death, (even as a tender state of Health doth threaten me) I should not know how to render to G.o.d an Account of the Talent committed to me, as he may require it of me.

Nothing therefore remained, most Worthy Sir, than that I should beg your Pardon, that I have made bold thus to interrupt you in the midst of Affairs, which almost swallow you wholly up; but I believe you will the more readily give it me, because this little Script may make my Absence less troublesome to you, because, according to the precepts here given, you yourself will be able to take care that your Daughter shall not only not forget all what she already knows, but more and more accomplish them. However, I humbly beseech you, that him whom you have begun to love, yea, though he be removed far from you, that you will persist still therein, and to take upon your self as need shall require it, the Patronage of the Truth it self. Farewel, and be well.

_J. Conrade Amman._

_Dated from my Study_, Aug. 10th, 1692.

_To his Learned friends_ Richard Waller, _and_ Alexander Pittfield, _Esquires, of the_ Royal Society.

_Gentlemen_,

The holding of a Candle to the Sun is not more absurd, than thus to present you with an _English_ Version of a _Latin_ Treatise. All who know you, know you to be Masters of not only most of the _European_, but also of the Learned Languages. But my excuse is, that what I have done for the sake of English Readers, I expose under your learned Names; the Subject-matter of which may be useful, and therefore acceptable to your selves and others. However, I am willing to discover my Ambitious aim herein, which is to let the World know who are my Friends, and what Names may give Honour to mine. I know, that several very considerable Members of that great Society, to which you so nearly relate, have already, both in Theory and Practise, acquainted the World with very remarkable things of this nature; and whether what is here published, will in the least, either elucidate or add to those already taught, and done by those very knowing persons, I neither dare nor will determine; but if neither one nor the other be here found, yet it is sometimes grateful to us, to see how good and great wits do jump, and in such Circ.u.mstances as these no Man can account Store to be a Soare. _I_ have only this to further mention, that the _Author_ chose the _High-German_ Tongue to become his exemplar, rather than any other Modern or Antique; it therefore is necessary, that he who would put his Rules in practice in any other Language, must observe a due a.n.a.logy in _mutatis mutandis_. Thus (my Friends) I have exposed both you and my self, if any blame happen, let that be all mine, who (without your Knowledge and Concession) did this Indignity to you, and to aggravate it, thus publickly to stile my self,

Gentlemen,

Your Cordial Friend and Servant,

_Dan. Foot._

TO THE READER.

Candid Reader,

_In these few Pages, I expose to thee openly and ingenuously, by what means I can learn the Deaf, (and because they were born so) the Dumb to speak articulately_, and easily to understand others also when they are speaking, so as they may be able both to read, and to understand a Book, or Letter, and to discover their own Minds, either by Speach or Writing.

How important a Benefit is this? How advantageous is the not hearing supplied by this Art? If Envy, or the detestable greedy Desire of Gain_ _could have prevailed with me, I had retained this Art, as lockt up in my own Breast. But ala.s.s! How miserable is the condition of the Deaf? How lame and defective is that Speach, which is performed by Signs and Gestures? How little are they capable to receive of those things which concern their eternal Salvation? Who doth not commiserate_ _this sort of Persons? Who can refuse to help them by all means which are possible? For my part, I, by the help of G.o.d's Grace, will not only help them, but will make publick and vulgar what is best to be done therein, yea, and have done so already, that they can understand others speaking, even with the softest_ Voice, _or rather whispering_.

_This Doctrin will seem new and incredible to most Men, yet is not plainly altogether unheard of; for, as I heard, there have been some, who engaged themselves in this cure; but what they effected therein, I must acknowledge is unknown to me; yea, I Religiously attest, that before I did excogitate this Matter, I met not with the least_ _foot-step thereof in any Author. Notwithstanding, some there be, who reject at first sight this Doctrin as fabulous; others, and those perhaps the same also; who when I shall have discovered to them the manner thereof, will cry, that they could do the same thing: I, for my part; am not concerned at either of them, well knowing, that those who are just in their_ _Estimation of things, will judge otherwise.

When thou, by reading shalt arrive thus far (good_ Reader) _stop a little (I pray thee) and use the liberty granted to every one, and attentively revolve in thy Mind, what thou thy self would'st do, if such a case as this was committed to thy care. If so be thou shaltst find out the right way, give G.o.d_ _thanks, and let it suffice, that I have admonished thee; if not, go on to read what follows, where thou wilt find it, with very little trouble. This very way is that, by which I taught_ Ehster Kolard, (_a young Virgin of great Hopes, the only Daughter of Mr_ Peter Kolard, _who was born Deaf) not only to read, but also to speak readily, yea, and to_ _hold Discourse with others and in a short time she profited so much, as to remember a many Questions and Answers in the Catechism, yea, and as far as her young Years were capable, she understood the Sense of them also: She rejoyced greatly when I told her, that I was willing to make this Method, by which she learned to speak, common_ to all. Friendly_ Reader, _use and accept well these things; and if thou knowest any things better, Candidly impart them, and make not thy self Ungrateful.

Farewell._

An Advertis.e.m.e.nt to the _English Reader_.