A50202:303
An essay for the recording of illustrious providences
An essay for the recording of illustrious providences wherein an account is given of many remarkable and very memorable events which have happened this last age, especially in New-England / by Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England.An essay for the recording of illustrious providences wherein an account is given of many remarkable and very memorable events which have hapned this last age, especially in New-England / by Increase Mather, teacher of a church at Boston in New-England.
printed by Samuel Green for Joseph Browning, 1684
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
I have the rather mentioned these things; for that there are several others in this Country who are Deaf and Dumb; whenas if they had an ingenious Instructor; I am abundantly satisfied that they might be taught to speak, their Deafness notwithstanding. Nor is this more difficult than it is to learn those that are blind to write; which though some may think it impossible and incredible, there ⟨p. 302⟩is (or at least three years ago there was) a living Instance to convince them. For in the Weekly Memorials for the Ingenious, lately published at London (in Page 80.) I find an observable passage which I shall here cause to be transcribed and inserted. From the Journal des Scavans, set forth March 25. 1680.
I have the rather mentioned these things; for that there are several others in this Countrey who are Deaf and Dumb; whenas if they had an ingenious Instructor; I am abundantly satisfied that they might be taught to speak, their Deafness notwithstanding. Nor is this more difficult than it is to learn those that are blind to write; which though some may think it impossible and incredible, there ⟨p. 302⟩is (or at least three years ago there was) a living Instance to convince them. For in the Weekly Memorials for the Ingenious, lately published at London (in Page 80.) I find an observable passage which I shall here cause to be transc•ibed and inserted. From the Journal des Scavans, set forth March 25. 1680.
An Extract of a Letter written from Lyons, by M. Spon. M. D. &c. concerning a Remarkable Particular. Esther Elizabeth van Waldkirk, Daughter of a Merchant of Schaffhausen, residing at Geneva, aged at present nineteen years, having been blind from two Months old, by a Distemper falling on her Eyes, nevertheless hath been put on to the study of Learning by her Father, so that she understands perfectly French, High-Dutch and Latin; she speaks ordinarily Latin with her Father, French with her Mother, and High Dutch with the People of that Nation; she hath almost the whole Bible by heart; is well skilled in Philosophy; plays on the Organs and Violin; and which is wonderful in this condition, she hath learned to write, by an invention of her Fathers, after this manner: