RAREY THE HORSE-TAMER.
[To THE EDITOR Or THE " SPECTATOR.") SIR,—The account of the refractory elephant and the mahout at the Zoo, published in your issue of July 22nd, influences me in sending the following, quoted from a letter written on April 11th, 1858, by Mr. Wilson, Manager of Queen Victoria's Home Farm at Windsor :- " Mr. Rarey, the horse-tamer, communicated his secret to the Queen and Court lately, and I was asked to be present. He performed upon my chesnut filly, and in less than half an hour was lying in her bosom, standing on her, and riding and beating a drum over her, &c. We were all much pleased with the system, especially as it contains no humbug, but is simply the result of studying the temper of the animal. I mean to try it myself some day."
Mr. Wilson had an Evening Class for the workers on the Farm, in which Prince Albert took a great interest. He writes— Christmas, ISM:— " My Class is doing better than ever this year. Eighteen Is the usual attendance, and they nearly all write well and are getting on with arithmetic and reading. The Prince says we must have a Library for them. The Bothy is quite a model— with bath and bacons for washing and single sleeping apart- ments. I have got gas in all the buildings."
Surely far advanced for sixty-six years ago!
(Miss) H. J. 'WILSON.
Annieslea, Crieff, Scotland.
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