In  February,  1785,  the  commission  of  the  Royal  Aca-
demy made  its  report,  and  while  pointing  out  the  fea-
tures which  the  system  of  Haiiy  had  in  common  with
the  agencies  previously  employed  by  individual  blind
persons,  declared  that  to  him  alone  were  due  their  per-
fection,  extension,   and    arrangement   into   a  veritable


1881.]  PUBLIC  DOCUMENT  — No.  27.  67

method.  They  concluded  by  saying  that  "  if  the  suc-
cess which  we  have  witnessed  does  honor  td  the  intel-
ligence of  the  pupils,  it  is  no  less  satisfactory  and
creditable  to  their  instructor,  whose  beneficent  labors
merit  the  public  gratitude."

This  report  had  a  marvellous  effect  upon  the  com-
munity. The  school  for  the  blind  became  one  of  the
lions  of  Paris,  and  was  for  some  time  absolutely  the
rage.  All  classes  of  society  were  interested  in  the  es-
tablishment, and  each  one  strove  to  out-do  the  other.
Eminent  musicians  and  actors  gave  performances  for  its
benefit.  The  Lyceum,  the  Museum,  the  Salon  de  Corres-
pondence soon  vied  with  one  another  for  the  privilege  of
having  the  young  sightless  pupils  stammer  (to  borrow
the  expression  of  their  instructor)  the  first  elements  of
reading,  arithmetic,  history,  geography,  and  music  at
their  sessions  ;  and  these  exercises  were  always  concluded
by  collections  for  their  benefit.  Donations  poured  in
from  all  sides,  and  the  funds  were  placed  in  the  treasury
of  the  Philanthropic  Society  (still  charged,  at  that  time,
with  providing  the  expenses  of  the  establishment),  which
had  been  removed  to  the  rue  Notre  Dame  des  Victoires^
No.  18.
