Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-10-20
ANECDOTES OF SIR EDWIN LAND
SEER

English aud Encric.u journals since his death,
there seems 10 dlminulon OF interest in the
details OF the artistic career of this wonderful
painter OF animals. j lengthy article which
recently appeared ln the Cornhill Magazine
gives fresh Insight into his early life, and a
clearer idea of his characteristic traits, than
can be obtained by most Of the formal biogra
phles which have been written. lu our brief
space we cau only abrldge few isolated facts
or Incidents.
When baby boy Edwin Laudseer delighted
to draw from copies set hin by mother and sis
ters, only he complained then Of their same
ness, and his wise father bid him take Nature
as his copy. In the South kensigton Museum
Is little picture OF a donkey, marked ,"E
l.aDdseer, five years DID," Another drawing
OF pointer curling his tail was sketched at the
aye Of SIX. line developed the fairy gift with
which young Edwin was born; at eight he was
always drawing animals, although when mere
lad he painted In oil the portrait of his baby
sister, toddng about 10 big bonnet. He was
pretty little curly headed boy when he enter
Cd the Royal Academy as student, and there
attracted Fusell's attention by his talents and
gentle mauners Fuseli would look around for
HIM and say, "Wherc is my little dog boy ?'
Perhaps the secret OF the little dog boys"
success lay partially in his love for animals.
Ceraiay he understood how to deal with
Them, aud his wonderful power over them is
well known. An lustrious lady once asked
him how II was he gained this influence. by
peeping into their hearts, a'am,' was his
answer. \ large party of his trieuds we're with
HIM at lis house 10 St. Johns Wood on one
occasion; his servant opened the door, three or
tour dogs rushed 10, one very 6erce.lookirg
masuh The ladies recoed, but the creature
bounded up to Landseer, treating him like an
OLD Trend, with most expressive demonstrations
Of delight. Some Que remarkng how tond
the dogs seemed OF him, he said, 81 never saw
1t before 10 my life. !" On another occasion he
came 10 from his meadow, somewhat disheve-
cd aud tired, wv hat have you been doingY'
asked friend. "Ooly teaching some horses
tricks Tor Astey's; and here is my whip" be
said, showing piece Of sugar in his hand.
lie sad that breaking 10 houses meant
more, often breaking their hearts, and rot
bug them OF all their spirit Laudseer's
studio was charming place, and much
ircqneutcd by the elite of London society.
NO one was more often there than Dor
say, with his good humored face, ready
VII, aDd delicate fattery Ian dseer," he
would call out, at his entrance, keep the
dogs oh referring 10 the painted ones;
II want to come 10, and some Of them will
B
growing furiousiy." The same visitor one day
graveiy asked for pin, and when it was CIV
en- HIM, with the Inquiry what he wanted it
Tor he replied "To take the thorn out of that
dog loot; do You not see what pain he is in p
Ia that same studio, so dear to him, Landseer
wished to die. 10 the very end be did not
give up his work. When be was almost at
his worst they gave hin bis easel and canvass
aud left him 10 his studio, hoping that work
might help him forget his suffering When
his attendants came back they found that he
had painted the picture of little lamb lying
beside lion. This aud 'rhe Font" were
Land>eer's last pictures. THE Font is an
aicgory OF all creeds and all lcreated things COM
ing together in the light Of truth. 1t is now
owned by the Queen. She wrote to her old
friend and expressed her admiration for it, and
asked to become the possessor. Her interest
and sympathy frightened the sadness of the
last days cf Edwin Landseer.
ARSENIC EATERS.-At meeting of Ger
man natural phiosophersin Vienna, Dr. Knapp
introduced two arsenic eaters from Syria; the
one ate 80 grammes of yellow sulphuret of
ars"nlc, the other .. 40 grammes of arsenic acid,
III sight OF the Assembly. 10 his lecture on
the arsenic eaters Dr. Knapp said among other
things: 1T is difficult to give any certain
particulars as to the increase in number of
arsenic eaters. have convinced myself that
there exist many Of them in Upper Syria,
and also lu Middle Syria; very many stable
boys. oslers, woodcutters and foresters are
known to me as arsenic eaters. even the
female sex is addicted to the practice.
Many begao already at seventeen or eigh
teen years of age to take arsenic, and con
tnued it to great age. Most arsenic caters
kpp fbn nor 90 hnt N 10 Ia
To give accurate statistics. They all assign az
their motives for ndulging in the habit that it
prevents illness; further, their wish to look
rosy and healthy; that it is remedy against
dthculty of breathing, and assists the diges
ton of ludigestible food. A poacher in Upper
Syria, who made experiments n my presence
OF eating arsenic, told me he had ACQUIRED
courage by the habit. The appearance of the
ar>cuc-eaters in all cases known to me is
healthy and robust. | think only robust per-
s'os can become accustomed to the pratice.
Some of them attain great age. Thus 10
Lslrlng | saw charcoal burner, upward oi
seventy, still strong and hearty, who. was
toId had taken arsenic for more than forty
Years. heard. too, of chamois hunter of
erhty-one, who had long been used to eat ar
senic. | never observed 40 arsenic cacheZy in
those addicted to the habit. 1t certainly hap
rened once that such au arsenic eater, Ia leather
dresser 5 apprentice in L1gist, 1862 while in
ttox'cated too too much, thereby poisoning
hluSeIt severely. According to his owo account
ne had taken piece as large as bean.-
lie entirely recovered, however, and ate ar
Senlc atterward, but more carefully. As
iaT as my observations extend, white arsenic
\aiso called flowers of arsenic,) and the yellow
arsenic, (orpiment,) are taken, and that 10 6
Wy state, alone mr. nn bread Tho dose 10 al
coufse cn very small at first, and is gradually in
creased, the largest quantity eaten 10 my pres
eucc by the poacher 10 Zsiring being fourteen
Nammes. a certain Mathew Scober, 10 Liglst
sIc s, seven and ne.half grammes before me OF
lit, .lic th OF April, 1865. The intervals. too. a
which arseuc is taken vary--every fortnight
'HHe!y week, twice or three times week. Bu
'ouot as 10 the existence of arsenic eaters is
>"ed hY the nrasant nxnor;,nnn.a