The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1852-06-26

10 court all in areen,to the great astonishmrnt /
Of the quality and gentry" From the droli
character of the dean. he may be suspected
Of having overdrawn his account of the wild /
boy; but We have carefully compared it with .
the current newspapers Of the time, and find ,
that in the main particulars he is correct. /
II appears that, after residing MANY months /
within the pale of civilization, the boy was !
unable 10 articulate words He expressed ;
pleasure by neghing like horse. and imita- !
ted other animal sounds. The king placed
him under the tuition Of the celebrated phv-
sician Of that dav. Dr. Arbuthnot. by whose
instructions, it was hoped, the hov would, af
ter a time. be enabled TO express himself in
words. On tho 5th July, 7o6. he was bap-
tiscd, at the doctors house in Burlington
Gardens, by the name of Peter"
All attempts TO teach this boy TO speak were
unavailing; and ii was several wears before
his habits were at all conformable 10 civilized
society. Finding this impracticatle, the king
caused contract 70 he made with farmer IN
IIerttor,l>hire, with whom he was sent to re-
side and who put him 10 school; but without
any visible Improvement Instead of eating
the food provided at the farm table, he prs-
i'rred raw vegetables. particularly cahhare
leaves: though he was not long in acquiring
a taste for wine and spirits. His habi.s wee
far from steady: he was constantly running
away from home, and cost his protector some
trouble IN Teclaimng him. On one of these
excursions he WAS arrested on suspicion OF
Icing a srv from the Scottish Preten,lcr.
whose army was then invading England. 4.
lie was unable TO >l,cak. the proplc supposed
. him obstinate. and threatened him with pun
. i<hmeu, for his contumarv: but lady whc
had seen him in London acquainted then
with the character Of their prisoner. ami III
, rcctrd them where to send him. In these ex
cur>ions he used 10 live on raw heritage. h,.r
, rcs and vonng tender rco'S of trees He tool
great delight in climbing trees and in brin
I in the open air when fl,. weather was fine
1 but iii winter. seldom stirred from before II.
"A fire.
!. After twelve wears residence In IIcri.ort
shire Peter was removed 10 the care of al
: other farmer in Norfolk. where he reside
|. during the res: of his life. In the beginnir
ofJnnc. 1882. Lord Monhoddo. the au'ho
of"Anrirut Mcraphysi' Ni~,:'; The hall
reclaimed ..io,'' Cor l,v tat ..-'y l- wa> -
, i,nated even in hi. Old are Ile'a"n res J"
at a farmhouse calic'! Brcaiv-av. v.wi'.;n ahc':
mile OF Errkhcna>+ead Th" icasion whi~'
, George l. had granted him WAS continued 10
, his successors. Gco~gr H. and Gcnrge Ill
! lie is" saws hi lnrl,hip. low Of sta;
, are. not exceeding five feet three inches: an
though he must now be about seventy wear
. Of age. he has fresh healthy look. He wear
:, his beard His face is not at all ugly or III.
t.. agreeable; and he has look tha, NAV h
i called sensible or sagacious for 4 savage
= About twenty wears AGO he used 10 eiof'
ard once, as was told. he wandered as far d
Norfolk: Lrt Of late he has become quit
tame and either keeps the honSe. or sauntcr
,hont the farm. He was never mis- hicvou
; but had that gentlencsS Of manners which
\ characteristic Of our nature, AT least till "
NJ. Lccome carniycrors and hunters or warrior
!. Peter had alwavs neen remarkable for l.
personal strength: and even in his old az
=. the stoutrSt Young countrvmen were afraid
contend with him in athletic exercises.
~. the last his passion for iinerv continued: Al
: ANYTHING smooth or shining in the dress of
visitor instantly attracted his attention. Il
is" remarked correspondent Of Lord No
- toido. Every fond of fire, and often brings
fuel. which he would heap MP rs high as I
fire place would contain it, were he not 2,
vented hv his master H.. will sit in the chi
ncv corner. even in summer. while they a
=, brewing with a very large fire, sufficient
make another person faint who sits the
lnu- He will often anu-e himself hr sciti
five or six chairs before the fire. and seati
, himself on each Of them by turns, as the lC
of variety prompts him to change his place
He is extrcmcl good tempered cxcerilnr
-Ce
-, cold or gloomy Weather: for he Is very sell
:. Die of the change of the atmosphere. He
not easily provoked; but when macis am
49,, at any person, making a strange noise, ="
his teeth fixed into the back OF his hand
conld not find that he ever did anv ,iulel
=, in the house, excepting when he first "a
:, over he would sometimes tear his bed clot
TO which it was long before he was recon
ed He has never. al least since his pres
master has known him. shown anv attcnl
10 women,a and am informed that he ne
did OF the people who are about him,
is particularly attached to his master
will often 90 out into the field with him
his men, and seems pleased 20 be emplo
4, in anything that can assist them: but he n
G a
/. . as YOU NAV judg ge from the following circ,
% stance: Peter was one day engaged with
, no 'l'''' - -
occasion to 90 into the house, and left II
-. to finish the work, which he soon accompl
ed But as Peter must be employed, he
-, no reason why he should not be as usef
,b. occupied in emptying the cart as he had
- for. h.ou In Ellinn II I,, Liz InnSt.r,. ret