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The
Story of My Life, by Helen Keller Part
I:
Chapter XVI
Before
October, 1893, I had studied various subjects by myself in a more or less
desultory manner. I read the histories of Greece, Rome and the United
States. I had a French grammar in raised print, and as I already knew some
French, I often amused myself by composing in my head short exercises,
using the new words as I came across them, and ignoring rules and other
technicalities as much as possible. I even tried, without aid, to master
the French pronunciation, as I found all the letters and sounds described
in the book. Of course this was tasking slender powers for great ends; but
it gave me something to do on a rainy day, and I acquired a sufficient
knowledge of French to read with pleasure La Fontaine's
"Fables," "Le Medecin Malgre Lui" and passages from
"Athalie." I
also gave considerable time to the improvement of my speech. I read aloud
to Miss Sullivan and recited passages from my favourite poets, which I had
committed to memory; she corrected my pronunciation and helped me to
phrase and inflect. It was not, however, until October, 1893, after I had
recovered from the fatigue and excitement of my visit to the World's Fair,
that I began to have lessons in special subjects at fixed hours. Miss
Sullivan and I were at that time in Hulton, Pennsylvania, visiting the
family of Mr. William Wade. Mr. Irons, a neighbour of theirs, was a good
Latin scholar; it was arranged that I should study under him. I remember
him as a man of rare, sweet nature and of wide experience. He taught me
Latin grammar principally; but he often helped me in arithmetic, which I
found as troublesome as it was uninteresting. Mr. Irons also read with me
Tennyson's "In Memoriam." I had read many books before, but
never from a critical point of view. I learned for the first time to know
an author, to recognize his style as I recognize the clasp of a friend's
hand. At
first I was rather unwilling to study Latin grammar. It seemed absurd to
waste time analyzing, every word I came across--noun, genitive, singular,
feminine--when its meaning was quite plain. I thought I might just as well
describe my pet in order to know it--order, vertebrate; division,
quadruped; class, mammalia; genus, felinus; species, cat; individual,
Tabby. But as I got deeper into the subject, I became more interested, and
the beauty of the language delighted me. I often amused myself by reading
Latin passages, picking up words I understood and trying to make sense. I
have never ceased to enjoy this pastime. There
is nothing more beautiful, I think, than the evanescent fleeting images
and sentiments presented by a language one is just becoming familiar
with--ideas that flit across the mental sky, shaped and tinted by
capricious fancy. Miss Sullivan sat beside me at my lessons, spelling into
my hand whatever Mr. Irons said, and looking up new words for me. I was
just beginning to read Caesar's "Gallic War" when I went to my
home in Alabama.
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