The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-05-30
JOHN CARTER.
BY II. CARTER.

BY II. CARTER.
One of the most wonderful instances OF
the power of the mind over the body, and
of long persistent efforts overcoming bod
lily injury. is afforded by the case of John
Carter of England. This case is not only
one of great interest for the reasons above
indicated, but is also full of instruction as
showing how much can be done by deter
mined effort under difficulties that would
appear almost insuperable. John Carter
was Of " humble birth;' that is, he was
born as every body else is, but his parents
were very poor and in humble life. In
early life he gave no indication of that tai
ent which afterward so distinguished him,
unless that sometimes he would be found
scribbling rude figures of men or horses Oh
his desk at school, nor was he considered
at all bright, but only noticed for activity
and a spirit of mischief. He was born in
the year 1915 in a small town in England
where the principal industry was silk weav-
ing and at that trade he was put to work
when quite young. In his 21st year he got
married to young woman in his own rank
in life and was following his trade with
success, when in about year afterwards
he met with the terrible accident, which
was the turning point of his life. One
Saturday night he went with some young
companions to rob for the fun of the
thing a Roobery near by, and being a
leader was the first to mount a very tall
tree in search of the birds when from some
cause he fell upon his back from height
of 40 feet to the ground. He was taken
up senseless and from that hour nerer moced
hand or foot. The injury to the spine was
so great as to deprive him of all voluntary
motion below the neck. OF the neck and
some slight control over the left shoulder
was all that this poor unfortunate was ever
to have; all else was forever to be dead to
him, yet his mental faculties were not at
all affected, and thus did he live for IA
years, yet dcticely and usefully employed
until his death in 1850.
Being fond of reading, his neighbors
would send him books, and meeting in one
of them. an account of young woman
who could not use her hands, having learn
ed to draw or write with her mouth on a
slate he resolved to try himself to do the
same. He first used a slate and pencil or
a paper pinned to the pillow and then he
used water colors. The first picture pre-
served was of a bottle fly caught in the
room, which he drew and then sent for a
siXpenny box of paints to color. Then
rose bush with buds, and leaves, and birds,
were soon drawn and painted with won
derful accuracy and taste even for person
who might have had the use of his hands,
he, poor fellow, had only the use of his
lips and tongue. 1t soon became evident
that he possessed natural genius as an art
list of very high rank, not only to execute,
but to conceive, as shown in his picture of
a sick horse, and the expression of various
animals. In line drawing he became an
adept, copying with astonishing accuracy
some of the works of the great masters,
and one in particular of the Virgin and
Child,' which must have been exceedingly
difficult.
A figure of Christ sitting on block
with the head encircled with thorns, the
forehead supported by his hand, was first
traced on wood from which it was carved
ont. 1t is very astonishing, certainly, that
under the circumstances person could
paint even a tolerably good picture, but
how much more SO, when we are assured
by competent judges and some cotempor-
airy painters of the first class, that they
were of the highest place in the ranks of
art. They were some of them exhibited
in this country, and the most celebrated,
called the Rat catcher and his dogs
were highly praised by the artists.
1t is said that the Queen has some of his
pictures in her possession, and being scarce,
they and his autographs done with the
brush are highly priced. He never, it will
be remembered, recovered or had any use
of any of his limbs, using only his tongue
and lips and the muscles of t he neck
His faithful wife or sister would fill his
brush with Indian ink from the palette
and place it between his teeth, when, with
a most singular muscular movement of the
Nth great celociy, throwing off the super
tluous ink and bringing the brush to q uery
fine point. And thus for period of near
10 years did this man with only the head
ali tn nd lob fpr
his own maintenance and in the full pos,
session of all his mental faculties to the
last, when death came when about 80 years
of age.
What a lesson for self help, and what
showing of what determined self reliant
will can effect, does this most singular his
tory afford. And is 1t not singular that in
a purely physical point of view that by use
the muscles of the lips and tongue could
be developed to such extent in abnormal
directions.
There are, as we all know, many instances
of perfection attained to an extent almost
incredible, by some of the senses or organs
in case of deprivation of others, as seen in
the deaf or blind, but know of none so
interesting as that of John Carter the
English laborer.
These facts which trust will be found
interesting, were CLEANED from lives Of him
published in England in 1850 and also one
in this country a few years since by Fred
crick Mills, in New York.
Orford Republican.
-<zer . . c.
A STRONG OwL.-James Warner has
been doing a considerable amount of trap
ping for the last few months, a Bath, Ky,
paper says. While setting his trap, some
time ago, he concluded that he won ID bait
for large bird which he believed had been
bothering his chicken roost. He accord
ingly did so, and the morning after, on
visiting his traps, was much surprised at