The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-06-11 00:00:00

ZOOLOGICAL GARDENS

This most delightful place of public resort, adapted se
admirably for amusement to the old and instruction to the
young, is now in a most charming state of perfection. Al-
though Pope has sung that
" The groves of Eden, vanish'd now so long,
Live in description, and look green in song ;"

yet any one who visits here, on a fine, bright, warm, sun-
shiny, summer day, will admit that " Eden" does not live
only "in song." In its way, this garden is a little Paradise.
Art has done much for it, and Nature has thrown her foster-
ing care upon the things that the hand of man hath planted.
" The flowers shed their fragrant breaths,
The bee goes rev'lling round."
The trees and shrubs bear their leaves in all the freshness
and luxuriance of spring,
" While all around they grow,
♦nd various shades their various kinds bestow."

Every succeeding year adds additional charms to them. The
green lawns look right smilingly and pleasant in the sun-
shine, and seem like an oasis indeed to the eye of the in.
dweller of the town, accustomed to look day by day upon
the dull pavement, the glaring white wall, or the dull heaps
of brick that rise continually before him. The green lawn
brings back in the memory of the old man recollections of
the young days of his life, when he could sport on its soft
surface with his careless playmates uncontrolled, or of that
happy season when he could recline upon it beneath the
shade, reading some favourite book. Those were times
" When life itself was new,
And the heart promised what the fancy drew."

Every spot in the gardens appears in' the most flourishing

condition

The animals—and a fine collection they are—seem in excel-
lent health. Many of them are " increasing and multiply-
ing." Every week some addition is made to this large fa-
mily by the proprietor : during the past the following have
been added :—A pair of splendid American red deer, a pair
of guans, and an Oronooko goose, from Matthew Steele,
Esq., of Demerara; a curassow and guan, by Capt. Riezen,
of the ship Parker. And we may here take occasion to re-
mark, that commanders of vessels trading with foreign parts,
who " hail " from this port, might frequently, if they carried
a thought of " home " with them, bring some " curious
beast " to add to the collection, which would redound greatly
to their credit, be gratifying to Mr. Atkins, and highly pleas-
ing to the public, the real benefiters by the gift.

Many of the creatures—" the denizens of the forest"—
have become tame while others appear to retain their sa-
vage, intractable natures. The elephant—" that biggest
horn of earth"—has been taught by his keeper some most
amusing tricks : positively many a shilling has been spent by
thousands, to see one perform half as well. He is told to lie
down, to kneel, to take his keeper up with his trunk, and seat
him on his bask ; to whirl him round and place him on his
tusks, and to make an obeisance to the company. All this the
mighty beast does with such a readiness, gentleness, and
docility, that it really is a creditable effort of the keeper to
have so well taught his unwieldy pupil. The rhinoceros is in
a most healthy state, as are also the lions, tigers, leo-
pards, and lynxes. In one cage we noticed three hyenas,
which have been brought up by a terrier. She seems fat and
in good condition, and attached to her " foster" cubs. The
monkeys are very lively, and amused every one—even the
most stoical—by their laughable antics and " manual
witticisms." The bird house is well stocked. The singing
birds are beautiful, as are also many of the parrot and parro.
quet kind. In the lake for the aquatic birds are some fine
specimens of the swan, which

" With arched neck
Between her white wings mantling, proudly rows
Her state, with oary feet."
We noticed in a cage some Persian cats, one with kittens—a
Chinese dog. The Bratnin bull (a holy bull, though he does
not perform on the fiddle), a cow and calf, are all looking
well. There are some very beautiful specimens of the Ante-
lope and kangaroo. The peacocks are in fine feather; and
when we were present one of them entertained us with a rich
melody—" a regular screamer." In fact every thing in the

gardens appeared contented and happy, except a noisy cat or
two, and a fine dog mounted up in a little cage, who gave us
his opinion upon things in general.
" From Nature's works we turn to art ;"
and art is working wonders. Before us, at the extremity
of the garden, rises a mimic representation of the mighty
fortress of St. Jean D'Acre."

" There stood a tower, amazing to the sight,
Built up of beams, and of stupendous height."

On the lake are vessels of war, of no small magnitude, rigged
"scion lea regles," steam-boats, barks, schooners, &c., arm-
ed with bristling cannon—the grim fortress apparently defy-
ing their strength and might.
The fortress is admirably depicted, the town appearing
within its walls, with its minarets, towers, and house tops.
At the back, most wonderfully painted, and cleverly mana-
ged for effect, are the hills round St. Jean. The lights and
shadows are inimitably thrown upon the acclivities. The
artist is Mr. Danson, so long and so favourably known for
similar works here, in London, and elsewhere. It does him
infinite credit as an effort of deceptive art. We recommend
a frequent visit to the gardens by those who are " native
here : to strangers they will, no doubt, prove very attractive,
and form a pleasant excursion.
This evening the representation of the " Taking of St.
Jean D'Acre, which we briefly noticed on Tuesday last, will
be repeated. This exhibition is one of the most extraordi-
nary ever witnessed. At the moment that the explosion takes
place, the coup d'wil is very grand and imposing. A very
capital band enlivens the gardens with its stirring music.