The World I Live In

THE WORLD I LIVE IN

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HELEN KELLER


   "The autobiography of Helen Keller is
   unquestionably one of the most remarkable records
   ever published."--_British Weekly._

   "This book is a human document of intense
   interest, and without a parallel, we suppose, in
   the history of literature."--_Yorkshire Post._

   "Miss Keller's autobiography, well written and
   full of practical interest in all sides of life,
   literary, artistic and social, records an
   extraordinary victory over physical
   disabilities."--_Times._

   "This book is a record of the miraculous. No one
   can read it without being profoundly touched by
   the patience and devotion which brought the blind,
   deaf-mute child into touch with human life,
   without being filled with wonder at the quick
   intelligence which made such communication with
   the outside world possible."--_Queen._

   _Illustrated, price 7s. 6d._

   POPULAR EDITION, _net, 1s._


   The Story of My Life

   By HELEN KELLER

        *       *       *       *       *

   The Practice of Optimism

   _Cloth, net, 1s. 6d.; paper, net, 1s._

        *       *       *       *       *

   LONDON: HODDER & STOUGHTON, E.C.

       *       *       *       *       *


[Illustration: Copyright, 1907, by The Whitman Studio

Helen Keller in Her Study]

THE WORLD I LIVE IN

by

HELEN KELLER

Author of "The Story of My Life," Etc.

Illustrated







Hodder and Stoughton
London New York Toronto

Copyright 1904, 1908, by The Century Co.




                TO

           HENRY H. ROGERS

          MY DEAR FRIEND OF

             MANY YEARS




PREFACE


The essays and the poem in this book appeared originally in the "Century
Magazine," the essays under the titles "A Chat About the Hand," "Sense
and Sensibility," and "My Dreams." Mr. Gilder suggested the articles,
and I thank him for his kind interest and encouragement. But he must
also accept the responsibility which goes with my gratitude. For it is
owing to his wish and that of other editors that I talk so much about
myself.

Every book is in a sense autobiographical. But while other
self-recording creatures are permitted at least to seem to change the
subject, apparently nobody cares what I think of the tariff, the
conservation of our natural resources, or the conflicts which revolve
about the name of Dreyfus. If I offer to reform the education system of
the world, my editorial friends say, "That is interesting. But will you
please tell us what idea you had of goodness and beauty when you were
six years old?" First they ask me to tell the life of the child who is
mother to the woman. Then they make me my own daughter and ask for an
account of grown-up sensations. Finally I am requested to write about my
dreams, and thus I become an anachronical grandmother; for it is the
special privilege of old age to relate dreams. The editors are so kind
that they are no doubt right in thinking that nothing I have to say
about the affairs of the universe would be interesting. But until they
give me opportunity to write about matters that are not-me, the world
must go on uninstructed and unreformed, and I can only do my best with
the one small subject upon which I am allowed to discourse.

In "The Chant of Darkness" I did not intend to set up as a poet. I
thought I was writing prose, except for the magnificent passage from Job
which I was paraphrasing. But this part seemed to my friends to separate
itself from the exposition, and I made it into a kind of poem.

                                                               H. K.




CONTENTS


          CHAPTER I
                                            PAGE
          THE SEEING HAND                      3

          CHAPTER II
          THE HANDS OF OTHERS                 19

          CHAPTER III
          THE HAND OF THE RACE                33

          CHAPTER IV
          THE POWER OF TOUCH                  45

          CHAPTER V
          THE FINER VIBRATIONS                63

          CHAPTER VI
          SMELL, THE FALLEN ANGEL             77

          CHAPTER VII
          RELATIVE VALUES OF THE SENSES       95

          CHAPTER VIII
          THE FIVE-SENSED WORLD              103

          CHAPTER IX
          INWARD VISIONS                     115

          CHAPTER X
          ANALOGIES IN SENSE PERCEPTION      129

          CHAPTER XI
          BEFORE THE SOUL DAWN               141

          CHAPTER XII
          THE LARGER SANCTIONS               153

          CHAPTER XIII
          THE DREAM WORLD                    169

          CHAPTER XIV
          DREAMS AND REALITY                 195

          CHAPTER XV
          A WAKING DREAM                     209

          A CHANT OF DARKNESS                229




ILLUSTRATIONS


          HELEN KELLER IN HER STUDY              _Frontispiece_

          THE MEDALLION                       _Facing page_ 22

          "LISTENING" TO THE TREES                "    "    70

          THE LITTLE BOY NEXT DOOR                "    "   120




THE SEEING HAND




I

THE SEEING HAND


I HAVE just touched my dog.