The Sun.
London, England, 1840-10-09 00:00:00

THE LEARNED HORSE.

Every body has heard of the " learned pig " which
delighted our grandfathers in the last century, although
at this time of day few of us are acquainted with the
wonderful tricks by which be acquired his reputation.
We now wish to introduce to the notice of the public a
"learned horse," which was exhibited last week at
Windsor, and which excited the astonishment of all
who witnessed his surprising performances. He is a
fine looking black beast, about fifteen hands high, and
rising years old. A half-crown, a shilling, a six-
pence, five
e, and a half-sovereign, were thrown down upon a
table, and ranged in any order that the spectator liked.
The spectator was requested to direct the horse to take
up in his mouth any one of these four coins in any order
that he pleased to name. The horse instantly obeyed
the direction, and brought to the spectator the half-
sovereign, the sixpence, the shilling, and the half-crown,
as those coins were severally named. A pack of cards
was produced and passed from hand to hand among the
company. The horse drew a card from the pack every
time the pack was passed into different hands, he then car-
ried it to his master ,who placed it for about half a minute
under his left eye, and this operation was repeated every
time the horse drew a card. After he had drawn as
many cards as there were spectators in the room, the
cards were all placed at some distance from each
other on the table, sad the horse on being directed by
the spectator to restore to each individual the card
which he had drawn out of his hand, restored them
correctly to all, without any regard to the order in
which he had drawn them. Th court cards were then
spread out indifferently on the table. The spectators
named any of them they pleased, and the card was im-
mediately selected by the horse and brought to them
in his mouth. A number of cards, with figures from
1 to 0 printed upon them in large characters, were
then thrown on the table. The horse being asked in
any order you pleased how many days there were in a
week, how many weeks in a month, and how many
months in a year, took up the figures 7,4, and 12 re-
spectively. Being asked how many days there were
in a year, he first picked out the number 3, then a 6,
mid then a 5, and placed the three numbers together,
making 365. The owner of the horse, who for his
station is a very intelligent man, requested a gen-
leman to lend him his watch. He placed it under
he horse's eye for about a minute, and then the

Following scene took place between the horse and

master :—" Tell me what o'clock struck last ?" The
horse fetched a card with the number 3 on it.

Tell me what hour will strike next?" The sagacious
animal brought a card with the number 4. " 'yell
me how many minutes it wants to four ?" The horse
brought a card marked 17, the exact time at which the
watch stood when it was placed under the steed's eye.
A gentleman was requested to drive a cork into a bottle
as fast as ever he could. The horse immediately drew
it out with his teeth. An egg was then put on the
ground, and afterwards an egg from which the inside
had been extracted. It was curious to observe the care
with which the animal took up each with his mouth in
order that he might avoid breaking them. It seemed
as if he was balancing in his mind the degree of force
which it war necessary for him to use to accomplish each
of the three last tricks with ssfety. A succession of
tricks was then performed to show that the animal was
equally remarkable for its flexibility of limb as for its
apparent powers of memory and ratiocination (if we
may be permitted to apply such terms to a brute
animal). It twisted its front leg round its own neck,
and subsequently interlaced its two hind lsgs toge-
ther in the most surprising complexity. It then dis-
entangled its twisted limbs, but not without some
pain and difficulty. Wu closely watched the master of
the horse and the horse itself during the performances
which we have described, but we could not detect any
signal, either of eye or whip, that passed betty:ien
them. That some signals must be used is quite evi-
dent. The cleverness of the trick is that the signals
escape detection. Mr. King (for such is the cogno,
men of the owner of this extraordinary animal) pro-
fesses that he can tame any wild animal at first sight,
but has hitherto tried his art en no other ;snit:lsis than
those of English growth. There is a horse in the
Queen's stables which will only allow one blacksmith
in Windsor to touch his feet, and kicks and planges in
the most desperate manner when any other person ap-
proaches , for that purpose. King went to his head,
opened the beast's mouth, inserted his hand for a short
time into it, and then went and put one of his feet into
his pocket.. A similar power of subduing unruly horses
is said to have been possessed by an Irish groom, who
from his knack of whispering into the horse's ear ob-
tained the nickname of " the whisperer." . King said
that he had been ^ acquainted•with this personage, but
admitted he did not know his secret,: .Without disclosing-
his own, he would say, that it depended on pressing'ii-
certain nerve in the horse's- mouth, which he called the
nerve Ot-susceptibility,-, and which,,,h& declared, whch
pressed, convinced 'the 'horse that it could be mas-
tered. Of course, there is a great deal of mystification
in such language ; but the consolation is that no man
is forced to believe it, unless he likes it. We do not
know whether Mr. King intends to surprise the world
with a "learned !ox" too ; but he has succeeded in the
very difficult task of rendering a young fox as tame as
a dog. Like Van Amburgh with his tigers, he twists
it like a boa round his neck, fielding his hands in its
mouth during the time. He has taught it to simulate
death ; and whilst it is lying on its back rah its legs
rigid and its eyes closed, he has taught it to submit to
bold a lighted candle in its mouth, and to have lighted
paper waved before its eyes, without flinching. We
understand that Mr. Ducrow has been to see these
animals, and that he intends to exhibit them to the
Ltindon public, as an extraordinaay attraction, on' the
night of his benefit. Mr. King intends to exhibit them
afterwards fa. his own benefit, and we can recommend
his exhibition as one worthy the support of every
clover
of natural history.—Times.

A CONFIRMED DRUNKARD.—There was lone
among them, however, a stranger apparently to hope or
fear of any sort—viz., the wild-looking Circassian, Whom
the reader may remember attracted my notice on my' first
visit to the ship. The extraordinary lustre of his eyes, I
afterwards discovered was produced by Rakee, for the
love of which Delg, or mad Mehemet, as they called him,
had sold and sacrificed not
only all his worldly posses-
sons to his very shirt, but even his flesh and blood, his
last offering at the shrine of the jelly god being his wife
and children, whom he had disposed of in like manner.
He was now working his Passage,
and returning, like
the prodigal son, to the coast of Abasia, which he de..
clared to be the only country in the world a man so totally
unprovided for could live in.--Longwortk's Year among
the Circassians.

foratrhecibeaesvti.ng
uSse.meTohfe
Extract of a private letter
3;—." —We English mail: from Paris, dated Oct.
aresome agitation' here—hop-
ing
tdhee
Rwi
voerisit, coming.iasnd the p
enadnodme are in a panic. They
beginning to think that
Rue de the Rue
Castilione, and your. friends
Place V.
will be put in the Gazette, should there be a war. But I
am more concerned about ourselves. Th
use that can will
go ; but you know the multitude,
whose going would be
destruction. . „ Every second
man you meet in Paris
is in
regimentals.
One would think the city was already
besieged. Every one curses the war and M Thiers—the
Turks and the Egyptians. I thought I bad located myself
comfortably enough for three or four years; but if the
sound of preparation continues I must pack up and b be off
whither? England, after all, is the only place of safety."
—Dublin Evening Pest.
The most ingenious invention of weaving l
g ass
with silk is proceeding with great success. The patterns
wove are beautiful in the extreme, and have induced many
the nobility to select them for curtains
co and other orna-
mental furniture.
The Earl of Fingall is so far recovered from the
effects of his recent severe accident on the Eastern Coun-
ties Railway
that he has taken two carriagede
park, andthe
lvea
be will leave town on Friday or Saturday
pevaesar afew days at Tunbridge Welk. The Earl is, lowto
, extremely lame, and unable to wear a boat or shoe.
NAPOLEON A SAILOR.--liavincr
, now made
all sail, and shaped for Elba, Napoleon
our course . became
very
impatient to see it, and asked if we had every sail set.
I told him we had all that could be of any use. He re-
marked, " Were you in chase of an enemy's frigate, should
you make more sail ?" I looked aloft, and seeing that the
starboard topgallant stern-sail was not set, I observed,
g That
if I were in chase of an enemy, I should certainly
carry it." " Tien, if it could be of use in that case,
might it not be so now ?" I mention this anecdote to
show what a close observer he was—that, in fact, nothing
escaped him —Fm Captain, Ussher's Narrative, in the
.—From 'n
United Service Journal.
A SMART pAcE._The North Britain and En-
gineer coaches, the latter of which has long been notorious
for the furious speed at which it is driven, on Tuesday last
to Kendal, 3
went from Carlisle distance of 44 miles, in
three hours and forty minutes, including stoppages.—Cum.
Berland Packet.
CIRCASSIAN HORSES.--The Cabardian race
is the most esteemed, and some of them would not disgrace
a field day in Leicestershire. Ten pounds is the price paid
here for a good horse, three to ells for an ordinary one.
Mares,. which are chiefly kept for breeding', a
e, ndetch whi
from
two to five pounds. The horses are on the whole, a hardy
and docile race, well adapted to the service in which they
arc employed, involving frequently, in forays and excur-
sions, great privation and fatigue. The Circassians treat
ction ; and though they
them with care, and even with r' the
they will kiss and
are never teen to caress their children.
fondle their horsei ; nor are thou lets solicitous4tbout th-ir
winter stock than that of their tatnilies. They have all, t )
distinguish their pedigree, some marks on the haunches, a
sabre, a horse-shoe, &c., and Inc proprietor of many a sorry
hack consoles
ual hy poinsine; to this evidence of
latent good ties.q—Longtverth's Year among the Cir.
=slots.
We understand that a Police Court is to be im-
mediately established for the populous dMristricts
Groves are of Green-
to
wich and Woolwich. Mr. Jeremy and .
be the Magistrates; and I‘,lef.sts. Finch and Nokts the
men were clerks to
first and second clerks. These gentle
the Magistrates in petty session ;
reven their
any claim for
appointment as
clerks to the Police Cour: will pt
compensation for the loss of their n. forincr situations.