DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70302#0318
282
HISTORY OF THE SAVAGE OF AVEYNON.
the testimony of the country people who lived near the
woods in which he was found, he must have passed in ab-
solute solitude seven years out of the twelve which
was supposed to be his age when caught in the woods of
Caune.
When he was first taken into society he lived on acorns,
potatoes, and raw chesnuts, eating husks and all. In
spite of the utmost vigilance, he was frequently near
escaping, and at first exhibited great unwillingness to lie
in a bed. His eyes were without steadiness and expres-
sion, wandering from one object to another, and never
fixing on any. The organ of hearing was equally insen-
sible to the loudest noises and the most harmonious music :
that of voice was still more imperfect, for he could utter
only a guttural and monotonous sound. He seemed to be
alike indifferent to the smell of the most delicious per-
fumes, and the most fetid exhalations, and his sense of
feeling was limited to those mechanical functions occa-
sioned by the dread of objects that might be in his
way.
The young Savage was by no means destitute of intelli-
gence. During an intercourse of six weeks with society,
he had learned to prepare his food with a great degree of
care and attention. M. Bonaterre informs us, that,
during his stay at Rhodez, his employment was shelling
kidney-beans, and that greater discernment could not
have been shewn by the person the most accustomed to
the employment. As soon as the pods were brought him,
he fetched a kettle, and arranged his materials in the
middle of the apartment, in the most commodious man-
ner possible, placing the kettle on his right hand, and
the beans on his left. The shells be opened one after the
other with admirable dexterity, putting the good grains
into the kettle, and throwing away the bad; and if any
grain happened to escape him, he took it up and placed it
with
HISTORY OF THE SAVAGE OF AVEYNON.
the testimony of the country people who lived near the
woods in which he was found, he must have passed in ab-
solute solitude seven years out of the twelve which
was supposed to be his age when caught in the woods of
Caune.
When he was first taken into society he lived on acorns,
potatoes, and raw chesnuts, eating husks and all. In
spite of the utmost vigilance, he was frequently near
escaping, and at first exhibited great unwillingness to lie
in a bed. His eyes were without steadiness and expres-
sion, wandering from one object to another, and never
fixing on any. The organ of hearing was equally insen-
sible to the loudest noises and the most harmonious music :
that of voice was still more imperfect, for he could utter
only a guttural and monotonous sound. He seemed to be
alike indifferent to the smell of the most delicious per-
fumes, and the most fetid exhalations, and his sense of
feeling was limited to those mechanical functions occa-
sioned by the dread of objects that might be in his
way.
The young Savage was by no means destitute of intelli-
gence. During an intercourse of six weeks with society,
he had learned to prepare his food with a great degree of
care and attention. M. Bonaterre informs us, that,
during his stay at Rhodez, his employment was shelling
kidney-beans, and that greater discernment could not
have been shewn by the person the most accustomed to
the employment. As soon as the pods were brought him,
he fetched a kettle, and arranged his materials in the
middle of the apartment, in the most commodious man-
ner possible, placing the kettle on his right hand, and
the beans on his left. The shells be opened one after the
other with admirable dexterity, putting the good grains
into the kettle, and throwing away the bad; and if any
grain happened to escape him, he took it up and placed it
with