Deafness in Disguise

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Fontispiece of John Bulwer's 'Philocophus: or, The Deafe and Dumbe Mans Friend'

Courtesy of Washington University Libraries, Department of Special Collections

Frontispiece of John Bulwer’s Philocophus: or, The Deafe and Dumbe Mans Friend. Exhibiting the philosophicall verity of that subtile art, which may inable one with an observant eie, to heare what any man speaks by the moving of his lips . . . London : Printed for Humphrey Moseley, 1648. Note the kneeling man who is “hearing” music through his teeth via bone conduction. Also of interest are the four head images at the bottom of the frontispiece. The fourth head image represents the lip-reader who is “hearing” with his eye.