第9部分(第2/7 頁)

wakening　of　my

soul　that　first　rendered　my　senses　their　value；　their　cognizance　of

objects；　names；　qualities；　and　properties。　Thought　made　me　conscious　of

love；　joy；　and　all　the　emotions。　I　was　eager　to　know；　then　to

understand；　afterward　to　reflect　on　what　I　knew　and　understood；　and　the

blind　impetus；　which　had　before　driven　me　hither　and　thither　at　the

dictates　of　my　sensations；　vanished　forever。

I　cannot　represent　more　clearly　than　any　one　else　the　gradual　and　subtle

changes　from　first　impressions　to　abstract　ideas。　But　I　know　that　my

physical　ideas；　that　is；　ideas　derived　from　material　objects；　appear　to

me　first　an　idea　similar　to　those　of　touch。　Instantly　they　pass　into

intellectual　meanings。　Afterward　the　meaning　finds　expression　in　what　is

called　〃inner　speech。〃　When　I　was　a　child；　my　inner　speech　was　inner

spelling。　Although　I　am　even　now　frequently　caught　spelling　to　myself　on

my　fingers；　yet　I　talk　to　myself；　too；　with　my　lips；　and　it　is　true　that

when　I　first　learned　to　speak；　my　mind　discarded　the　finger…symbols　and

began　to　articulate。　However；　when　I　try　to　recall　what　some　one　has

said　to　me；　I　am　conscious　of　a　hand　spelling　into　mine。

It　has　often　been　asked　what　were　my　earliest　impressions　of　the　world

in　which　I　found　myself。　But　one　who　thinks　at　all　of　his　first

impressions　knows　what　a　riddle　this　is。　Our　impressions　grow　and　change

unnoticed；　so　that　what　we　suppose　we　thought　as　children　may　be　quite

different　from　what　we　actually　experienced　in　our　childhood。　I　only

know　that　after　my　education　began　the　world　which　came　within　my　reach

was　all　alive。　I　spelled　to　my　blocks　and