BEHAVIOUR TOWARDS THE DEAF.
(To THE EDITOR or vu. " SPECTATOR."]
Sia,—Mr. Robert Holmes in writing of Walter Greenway sham- ming deafness at the police station remarks that he appeared "surprisingly intelligent, to my mind, for a mute." Why should it be taken for granted that because a man cannot hear it follows that he is also stupid? The stupidity is more likely to be shown by people who can themselves hear, but who have no patience with those from whom the gift hes been taken away. Most people will not take the trouble to talk to the deaf either by means of writing, or, still better, the hand alphabet. Yet who refuses to speak to the blind? People are moot willing to do anything for is man who cannot see, while one who cannot hear is sometimes treated as though it were his own fault. In his Life of Satin- burns, Mr. Gosee, writing of the poet's "growing deafness," seems to suggest, no doubt unintentionally, that the desertion of Swin- burns by his former friends was natural. As a matter of fact, it was cruel eelfishnees on their part. All honour to Sir Richard Burton and one or two others who did not forget their friend! It is scarcely too much to say that the usual treatment meted out to those who are deaf is a disgrace to our civilization. The deaf are shut out from much by nature of their deprivation, awl further loss is added by the selfishness of human nature. The
Pain Of Silence is very real.—I am, Sir, Ac., C. M. PAINE.
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