A. Blair, had been very attentive to,--she, being in other respects
endowed with an excellent capacity, paid great attention to what was
going forward, and with promptness executed, or rather anticipated,
the wishes of her instructors, which proved a very animating and
affecting spectacle. This circumstance gave rise to _A General
Institution for the Instruction of Deaf and_ _Dumb Children._
A few days after this girl had been brought forward, a private meeting
took place, when it was determined to establish an institution, under
the above title.
On the 4th of December, 1812, a general meeting was held, and a
committee appointed, who, after making numerous enquiries to find a
person properly qualified to superintend the concern, did at length
fix upon Mr. Thomas Braidwood, who at that time conducted a private
school of the same description, at Hackney; he being initiated in the
mystery by his father and grandfather.
When the plan of this institution was made known to the grand jury at
the summer assizes for the county of Warwick, in the year 1813, it was
universally patronized by them; and when the magistrates, and other
leading characters in the county of Stafford, were apprised of it,
they, with the greatest liberality, gave it their support, as did
the Earl of Plymouth, and other persons of high consideration in the
counties of Worcester, Salop, and Derby.
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