to the fact that this gentleman was the same who was present at the first Convention of American Instructors of the Deaf and Dumb held in New York. The Committee on Invitations introduced Dr. Butler, Superintendent of the Retreat for the Insane, at Hartford. On motion of Mr. WELD, The Convention took a recess till half past two o'clock, P. M. AFTERNOON SESSION. The Convention reassembled at half past two o'clock, the PRESIDENT in the chair. The Committee on Invitations introduced Mr. Henry W. Terry. Dr. PEET read a paper on the "Elements of the Language of Signs." ELEMENTS OF THE LANGUAGE OF SIGNS. BY HARVEY P. PEET, LL. D. THE language of signs is, in its elements, strictly a natural language. It is the native language of man, for it is the language to which all men instinctively have recourse, when they cannot avail themselves of words. To those unpracticed in communicating ideas without the assistance of words, or of characters directly representing words, any particular dialect of the language of pantomime, especially when employed with the ordinary rapidity of colloquial intercourse, would be, at first sight, quite as unintelligible as any other foreign language. But two persons accustomed to communicate ideas in pantomime, though perhaps natives of opposite sides of the globe, and with sign dialects the most diverse, will readily exchange all familiar ideas at their first meeting. Thus it has been found that savages from the banks of the Missouri, and even natives of China, could converse to some extent in pantomime, with pupils of our institutions. There are certain elements common to the pantomime everywhere, as the expression of the countenance, such gestures as are naturally prompted by strong emotion, and the imitation, or delineation of the actions, motions and outlines of objects. These elements constitute a truly natural and universal language, and by recurring to these, the less natural signs adopted in a particular dialect for convenience, or expedition of intercourse, can, with more or less circumlocution, be explained. This power of interpreting itself, is a peculiar advantage of the language of signs;-for spoken languages, unless interpreted by gestures, or by pointing to the objects, qualities or actions spoken of, can only be interpreted by means of some other spoken language. Most of you will probably recollect reading in the narratives of travelers and navigators, and especially of men unfortunately shipwrecked and thrown among savages, interviews between parties, neither of whom knew a word of the other's spoken language, yet who were able to discuss, by such signs as nature prompted, or as were invented on the spur of the moment, subjects of the very highest importance, involving peace or war, plenty or famine, liberty or slavery, even life or death. To cite the first example that occurs to me, I would refer you to the interviews of Captain James Riley with the Arabs of the great desert, soon after his shipwreck. In such cases we see the value of some previous skill in pantomime. Persons accustomed to this mode of communication, will make signs with a degree of significance as astonishing to the unpracticed, as the rapidity and correctness with which an experienced draughtsman will delineate objects by a few strokes of the pen. To give you some idea of the language of signs, it will be best first to describe the different elements from which it is formed. The simplest class of signs are those denominated signs of indication. They consist merely in pointing to the object concerning which we wish to give direction, or ask a question. This mode of communication admits of more extensive use than you would, at its first mention, suspect. What is more common than to ask for any article in view by simply pointing to it, and holding out the hand to receive it? Who would be at a loss to require, from a domestic, any ordinary service, by pointing to the instruments to be employed, and the objects to be operated on? If you were to hire a workman entirely ignorant of the English language, you would still find no difficulty in directing him to cut down a certain tree, or to mow a certain meadow, by simply pointing to the tree or the meadow, and if he is not at the mo ment provided with the tools, giving them to him, or point. ing to them, or to the place where they are deposited. A man who should ride up to a blacksmith's shop and point to a shoe loose on one of his horse's feet, would need no words to explain that he wanted it fastened. As little would words be necessary to express the meaning of one who should point me to a broken tire on one of my wagon wheels, or other dangerous and obvious defect. By the aid of a suitable expression of countenance, denoting questioning, certainty, or doubt, many questions can be asked and answered with as little difficulty. For instance, you may ask the price of any article, by pointing to it, and then showing several pieces of money, or counting on your fingers. You may ask the way a person intends to take, by pointing to himself, and then in different directions. With a little more contrivance, you may ask whence he came, by bringing the finger back from different points. Similar signs will satisfactorily answer such questions, only changing the expression of the countenance. Of course the same signs thus used in answering questions, may also be used in volunteering information. If with the inquisitive expression which denotes a question, you should point to a scar, a bandaged wound, a torn garment, or the like, you will be universally understood to ask how the accident happened, and you may also ask who did it, by pointing to different persons. You can readily ask for any absent person by pointtng to his accustomed seat. Other modes used by deaf mutes to recall absent persons, are, indicating their size and height, pointing to the place of a scar, a peculiarity of dress, or the like. Such signs, however, are often entirely arbitrary. Not to multiply instances of the use of these signs of indication, the ownership of any piece of property may be asked and told, by showing it and presenting the hand toward different persons. Finally a great variety of questions asked either in words or any other way, are, in thousands of instances, answered by persons who have no idea of the language of signs, simply by signs of indication, and often too, by those motions of the head which are universally understood to signify assent or dissent. Not inferior to the former in universal intelligibility, though more difficult for the unpracticed to imitate correctly, are those classes of signs which consist in the natural expression of the emotions, and in the imitation of human actions. Though comparatively few can call up the exact expression of the passions at will, yet none can mistake them when skillfully represented. Who, for instance, ever failed to understand the gesture of invitation, or its opposite; of menace or of aversion; the impassioned gaze of the lover; the firmness of courage; the shrinking of apprehension; the swell of pride, &c. The imitation of actions, is as you will perceive, equally intelligible, and thus nearly all things belonging to the outward life and daily avocations of men, can be correctly imaged. Even when the tools and materials are wanting to complete the picture, very few will fail to understand a skillful representation of a shoe-maker, tailor, blacksmith, weaver, mower, raker, ploughman, sower, swimmer, &c. So of washing, shaving, dressing, combing, churning, milking, kneading bread, spinning, knitting, writing, reading, walking, driving, praying, shooting with a gun or bow, fishing with a line or net, rowing a boat, sawing, planing and boring, climbing, whetting a knife, razor or scythe, and in short, the list might be extended ad infinitum. The imitations of the motions of animals will of course be less exact than that of human actions, but will be sufficiently intelligible in most cases, and sometimes strikingly characteristic. A fourth class of strictly natural signs consists in delineating the outlines of objects. This, if done with some skill upon paper, or even upon sand or snow, would of course be universally intelligible; but the deaf and dumb are accustomed to do it in the air. Where the outline is irregular or complicated, considerable practice is necessary both to trace it properly, and to retain in the mind the different lines as they are traced, till the figure is completed. But in some cases of |