Another ingenious mode of conveying instruction,
is by engaging the pupils in playing at
shop-keeping. A counter is set out with various
articles in daily use, at which a boy presides as
shopkeeper, while the others come forward in
turn and act as buyers. "It is most curious,"
says Mr. Sidney, "to see what a puzzle it often
is to find the correct weight; when it is found,
the class is well questioned upon it, and, indeed,
on every other weight the shopman touches,
before it is put into the scale. Then there is
further perplexity in getting the correct quantity
of the required substance, as, for instance, sugar,
into the scale. When the quantity is large,
they will often begin with little spoonfuls, and
when, at last, the balance approaches, it is
sometimes a thorough poser whether they are to
remove some of the commodity or to add to it.
All this causes a regular excitement till the due
proportions are achieved; and then comes the
moment of pay, which is one of great excitement,
the whole class trying to check every step
in the reckoning. Combinations of pence and
halfpence are trying things to get over; and
sometimes the purchaser who cannot calculate
them uses cunning, and tries to pay with a silver
coin, and asks for change, thus throwing his
perplexities on the shopman."

The Asylum is at once a hospital, a school,
and a workshop within; without, a gymnasium,
a garden, and a farm. In the workshops
the inmates practise tailoring, shoemaking,
carpentering, mat-making, and the like. The
clothes of the inmates and the attendants are
nearly all made by imbeciles, who have learned
their trades in the Asylum. They all take a
great interest in their work, and are very proud
of the results. Some of the lads act as cooks.
On a visit to the kitchen, Mr. Sidney found
twelve of the pupils, not one of whom, a year
previously, could have been trusted near an
oven or a fire, neatly dressed in white, helping
the regular officials of the kitchen with the
greatest order and zeal. One poor fellow acted
as scullery-boy, and to show how completely
his heart was in his humble occupation, on being
asked which he liked best, Earlswood or the
establishment where he had previously been, he
answered, "O Earlswood great deal;" and
on being further questioned "Why?" added,
"Because we have a bigger sink." It should be
observed, that the pupils are not forced to engage
in occupations which they do not like. Each
one is allowed to choose the employment for
which he has a fancy. Some of them occupy
themselves in drawing, and in making models
and toys, simply for their own amusement. One
of these, a youth of sixteen, has completed a most
beautiful model of a frigate fully equipped and
rigged with every rope, sail, and spar. The
model is of considerable size, and is executed with
marvellous neatness and skill. I was informed
that the constructor had never seen a ship, and
took his first notion from a picture on a pocket-
handkerchief, being afterwards assisted by drawings
in the Illustrated London News. In the
progress of his work, he made a great
discovery, namely, that boiling wood rendered it
capable of being easily bent. He had never
heard of this process, so that the discovery
was really his own. With the permission of
Dr. Down, this pupil took me to his room to
show me the model. His articulation was
so imperfect, and his vocabulary so limited,
that I could scarcely understand a word he
said. He was, I was assured, a true idiot,
who could scarcely read or write; yet he could
draw admirably, and had made this wonderful
ship. Though he could measure well, as his
work testified, he had no idea of figures, or
of money. I asked him how much the ship
had cost him. He said, "Three thousand
pounds."

The girls' side of the Asylum comprises,
besides the dining-hall and dormitories, a sewing
school, and a play-room. In the school the girls
are taught to read by the aid of large letters
chalked on black boards; they are also employed
in useful work; in the afternoon they are allowed
to make the fancy articles which may be seen
exhibited in the reception-room. In another
apartment there is a baby class taught entirely
by pictures. In these rooms are stands
of flowers and ferns prettily arranged, rendering
the place cheerful and attractive. Some
of the girls have learned to read and write very
well.

The farm, situated at the end of the garden,
gives regular employment to twelve of the
inmates, and in hay and harvest time brings others
from the workshops, who profit greatly by the
change. Strolling into the yard, I met one of
the idiot farmers dressed in a smock-frock and
a wideawake hat. He certainly did not look
more idiotic than some farm servants, not
supposed to be deficient in mental capacity, whom
I had seen outside the Asylum gates. He took
me to the cow-house and showed me the cows.
There were twenty of them, all in good condition
and well provided with straw, and over each
stall their attendant had placed a label bearing
the cow's name in highly ornamental text. The
lad who accompanied me was a good farmer;
but a perfect idiot. He could not count the
pigs in a sty, though there were barely a dozen
of them; but he was a most useful member of
the establishment for all that. He spoke very
imperfectly. I asked him if he were happy there.
He said, "Yes, very happy, but no money." I
asked him what he would do with money if he
had any. He said, "Buy sweetstuff." A friend
came to see him, and he gave the friend
particular instructions to send him a seed cake.
The farm supplies the establishment with the
whole of the milk and butter consumed by the
inmates of the Asylum.

Amusement enters largely into the system
pursued by Dr. Down. Besides the daily sports
on the lawn and in the gymnasium, a theatrical
performance is given at Christmas, and a fête at
Midsummer. The charade performances have
proved highly successful in stimulating into
lasting vigour several whom it had been
previously impossible to rouse from idiotic