DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70302#0413
MEN FOUND IN A SAVAGE STATE. 371
on his hands and feet, climbing tress like a squirrel, and
feeding on grass and moss. He could not speak. This
singular creature was presented to king George I. then at
Hanover, while at dinner. The king caused him to taste
of all the dishes at the table ; and in order to bring him
by degrees to relish human diet, he directed that he
should have such provision as he seemed best to like, and
such instruction as might best fit him for human society.
Soon after this, the boy made his escape into the same
wood, where he concealed himself among the branches
of a tree, which was sawed down to recover him. He was
brought over to England at the beginning of 1726, and
exhibited to the king and many of the nobility. In this
country he was distinguished by the appellation of Peter
the Wild Boy, which he ever after retained.
He appeared to have scarcely any ideas, was uneasy
at being obliged to wear clothes, and could not be in-
duced to lie on a bed, but sat and slept in a corner of the
room, whence it was conjectured that he used to sleep
on a tree for security against wild beasts. He was com-
mitted to the care of Dr. Arbuthnot, at whose bouse he
either was, or was to have been baptized; but notwith.
standing all the doctor’s pains, he never could bring the
wild youth to the use of speech, or the pronunciation of
words. As every effort of this kind was found to be in
vain, he was placed with a farmer at a small distance from
town, and a pension was allowed him by the king, which
he enjoyed till his death.
The ill success of these efforts seems to have laid curi-
osity asleep, till Lord Monboddo again called the pub-
lic attention to this phenomenon. That nobleman had
been collecting all the particulars he could meet with
concerning Peter, in order to establish a favourite hy-
pothesis, and went himself to see him, and the follow-
3 b 2 ine;
on his hands and feet, climbing tress like a squirrel, and
feeding on grass and moss. He could not speak. This
singular creature was presented to king George I. then at
Hanover, while at dinner. The king caused him to taste
of all the dishes at the table ; and in order to bring him
by degrees to relish human diet, he directed that he
should have such provision as he seemed best to like, and
such instruction as might best fit him for human society.
Soon after this, the boy made his escape into the same
wood, where he concealed himself among the branches
of a tree, which was sawed down to recover him. He was
brought over to England at the beginning of 1726, and
exhibited to the king and many of the nobility. In this
country he was distinguished by the appellation of Peter
the Wild Boy, which he ever after retained.
He appeared to have scarcely any ideas, was uneasy
at being obliged to wear clothes, and could not be in-
duced to lie on a bed, but sat and slept in a corner of the
room, whence it was conjectured that he used to sleep
on a tree for security against wild beasts. He was com-
mitted to the care of Dr. Arbuthnot, at whose bouse he
either was, or was to have been baptized; but notwith.
standing all the doctor’s pains, he never could bring the
wild youth to the use of speech, or the pronunciation of
words. As every effort of this kind was found to be in
vain, he was placed with a farmer at a small distance from
town, and a pension was allowed him by the king, which
he enjoyed till his death.
The ill success of these efforts seems to have laid curi-
osity asleep, till Lord Monboddo again called the pub-
lic attention to this phenomenon. That nobleman had
been collecting all the particulars he could meet with
concerning Peter, in order to establish a favourite hy-
pothesis, and went himself to see him, and the follow-
3 b 2 ine;