DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70302#0325
HISTORY OF ffHE SAVAGE OF AVEYNON.
289
with the same facility as the chesnuts, and these trials
were found to excite the exercise of his judgment, and to
produce a habit of fixed attention.
Convinced of the powerful influence of the sports of
infancy, and the various little pleasures of the palate, on
the first developements of the mind, M. Hard neglected
no method of awakening those inclinations. He offered
him those dainties, which are most coveted by children,
hoping to derive from them new means of reward, encou-
ragement and instruction. But the aversion he expressed
for sweet-meats and delicacies of every kind, was in-
surmountable. He then tried liquors and highly-stimu-
lating food, but with no better success; so that despairing
of being able to inspire his pupil with any new taste, he
was obliged to make the most of the small number of
those, to which his appetite was confined, by endeavour-
ing, as much as possible, to increase the pleasure he re-
ceived from their indulgence. With this view he fre-
quently took him to dine with him, having previously
directed a complete collection of his favourite dishes to
be provided. The first time he was at a feast of this kind,
his joy rose almost to frenzy, and on leaving the house,
he even carried away with him a plate of lentiles which
he had stolen from the kitchen. By repeating this plea-
sure, it was soon converted into a want, the gratification
of which produced uncommon satisfaction and delight.
When M. Itard took the youth out with him, he found
it impossible to keep him in proper order in the streets;
he was either obliged to go on the full trot with him, or
to employ the utmost violence to make him walk at a
moderate pace. He was therefore under the necessity of
taking a coach when he went out, and this was another
new pleasure, which attached the young savage still more
to his frequent excursions, so that in a short time they
became real wants, and if he was deprived of the gratifi-
Eccentric, No. VII. p p cation
289
with the same facility as the chesnuts, and these trials
were found to excite the exercise of his judgment, and to
produce a habit of fixed attention.
Convinced of the powerful influence of the sports of
infancy, and the various little pleasures of the palate, on
the first developements of the mind, M. Hard neglected
no method of awakening those inclinations. He offered
him those dainties, which are most coveted by children,
hoping to derive from them new means of reward, encou-
ragement and instruction. But the aversion he expressed
for sweet-meats and delicacies of every kind, was in-
surmountable. He then tried liquors and highly-stimu-
lating food, but with no better success; so that despairing
of being able to inspire his pupil with any new taste, he
was obliged to make the most of the small number of
those, to which his appetite was confined, by endeavour-
ing, as much as possible, to increase the pleasure he re-
ceived from their indulgence. With this view he fre-
quently took him to dine with him, having previously
directed a complete collection of his favourite dishes to
be provided. The first time he was at a feast of this kind,
his joy rose almost to frenzy, and on leaving the house,
he even carried away with him a plate of lentiles which
he had stolen from the kitchen. By repeating this plea-
sure, it was soon converted into a want, the gratification
of which produced uncommon satisfaction and delight.
When M. Itard took the youth out with him, he found
it impossible to keep him in proper order in the streets;
he was either obliged to go on the full trot with him, or
to employ the utmost violence to make him walk at a
moderate pace. He was therefore under the necessity of
taking a coach when he went out, and this was another
new pleasure, which attached the young savage still more
to his frequent excursions, so that in a short time they
became real wants, and if he was deprived of the gratifi-
Eccentric, No. VII. p p cation