AN EXTRAORDINARY GENIUS.

Westport Times, Volume III, Issue 359, 24 September 1868, Page 3

AN EXTRAORDINARY GENIUS.

The productions of an extraordinary artist, John Carter, who painted his pictures without the use of his hands, have lately attracted much attention in England and America. His productions are few in number, but their excellence is equal to their rarity. The most remarkable thing about them is of course that they are the pro ductionof a poor self-taught man, who was totally deprived of the use of his limbs, and who painted them by holding his pencil or brush in his mouth. His story is a most remarkable one. Attention was drawn to his pictures by the spirited and striking execution before anything was known of the singular way in which they were produced. His most celebrated picture —" Th e Rat-Catcher and his Dogs," is executed in Indian ink. The difficulties he was obliged to overcome in executing such work with the point of a hair pencil which was held between his teeth, were so many and so great, that it will surprise no one to be told that he produced very few drawings. Five only are known to exist, of which " The Rat-Catcher and his Dogs " is said to be by far the finest. Of the remaining four, one is in the possession of the Queen, another belonged

to the late Queen Dowager of England, and Osgood Hanburv, Esq., of Hold field Grange, and Eichard Meredith White, Esq., of Highfiolds, near Cogges hall, Essex, two gentlemen who greatly befriended Carter, each own one. " The Eat-Cateher and his doge "ia the property of E. J. Mills, Esq., to whom it was presented by Mr White on the occasion of i u.a'rriage between the families. When we consider tlio extraordinary character of this little picture, the el enco o its composition, telling the story at once, its truth to nature, and the combined vigour and delicacy of the drawing, such that, whilst it loscb nothing by beng seen at a distance, it w li bear and repay the closest inspection, it is not surprising that many personshave been uuwillinu;, perhaps unable to believe that it was made bv a poor unlettered peasant working under the painful condition we have described.