THE FORCE OF KINDNESS.

Western Star, Issue 950, 23 May 1885, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE FORCE OF KINDNESS.

Probably, piost of our hivye he&& ‘ bf ‘the horse Blondin, ,whoi fwipe a day* in Covent Carden Theatre, goes through the performance of walking tip something'more steep jhan a . staircase, and less'kbrupt than'a and, reaching the top, crosses the vast area on what is . called i a. tjghfc*op.e, stretched iome twenty, feet .from the. ground. Pog#ly many bf'tihem "have also. heard, that ,tfie Society MM Prevention k Cruelty Ariihiais ‘applied to a ! London magistrate for a summons, to enable them to stop this proceeding, i.e., to punish and stigma* ti*®; the, men .'who permit this feat and hayp prade it .possible. : In oommop with most men. ss) agriciilture ,we are fdnd of animals j esgecially of thp larger of‘'those by which agncmture is mqdp possible. 1 In common with' most who are really conversant with them and their ways, we know that they always require to be mastered in order to be safe to themselves and to others,; and we have a strong conviction that, this mastery is won by the animal getting to recognise the man as the superior' infelhgehce aha as a, beneficent inrelllgende. So we, have btjen to’ see Blondih and bis Italian teacher; whom the agents' of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals think a . suitable object for i them to hold up to the hatred and scorn of Englishmen. As one anticipated, the deepest impression produced'by the performance is not thit this' 1 Italian is more cruei’than the ordinary English groom, but' that he is much more intelligent and sympathetic. Signor Corradihi has penetrated into the secret motives of his horse; and not only sees how and what is feels, but has taught it* tp substitiite for its natural, Ipelipgs a more potent force. Confidence in a mp,n has’ taken' the place of all fear- of the startling and the’ unknown. Blpndin does all'that he is asked to do, however, at variance ■ with his own natural preferences ; simply , because he is convinced that his master knows. more than himself, and is. sure that What he is, invited to dams' master can bring him, safe out of. A more powerful illustration of the fqrpe of kindness cannot he conceived. Every one familiar with bulls and entire horses knows that the surest, way to make them yicwuß is to pet them. To teach them

ihat-mau’s-brain is-Btronger-tlmu -their strength is comparatively easy; but it is very, difficult to.implant in beasts-the idea that this greater..stren£rlh will only be exerted, for their, go od. ; , Signor Co'Tad ini has succeeded in doing this ; so hi?,horse crosses the rope in safety, or tumbles off into the net prepared to receive it, with equal equanimity. . He steps ,off the narrow; footing or on it with equal .readiness, because he is’sure that, whichever order may,.be given hq jvill be “ held safe ” from any bad consequence. The most curious feature in a performance which is not, in the ordinary sense of the. words, graceful or exciting, is its deliberateness. > Signor Qoriradini never gives an order in a hurry. 1 His pupil has time enough for his slower intelligence to receivetbe intimation of yvhatlie has to do next, before any, new step is. expected of him. Now this is exactly where grooms and bull-tenders generally.oome, to ( grief. They taketheir, charges .by, eqrpri/se, and theq finj, astonished, that .the,.horse kicks and bites, or the,,bull resents,: an order which he has not had the training or time to enable him to comprehend. Never should.the man forget' that the beast’s mind moves, his does ; and that, except he can implant the idea in the beast that it is,,better for a beast not to think, ,l?ut to,, let tbe .man think for him, r |hh,man is never against a kuddeh resistance, which ,may. be fatal. Signor is sitaplyi.as if without eyes. ears. Nothing, seems orsoundsdangerous to,him, so that the man gives him his approval of-what was done last, and his order what to do next. The beast’s faculties are subordinated to his faith. . '

Most -of our readers kn,ow„, ( that occupations which in the south are filled by males only,are .often discharged by women in the northern counties. The' following story may, perhaps, be a means ;of getting v stopk r oymers \to see! that 1 what is wanted to make,, big brutes docile is not physical force -or agility in, the keepers, but a power of inspiring cpnfir dance. When the late; Mr Mason of Chilton’s herd was in its prime, he had, of necessity, many adult bulls in confinement. Now, the task of entering a bull’s bp? orleadingfiim out is safq or’dangerous, entirely according, as,the,a,tteudant;js,;or is not, in the bull’s, cpnfifience. Mr Mason was. asked where he cpiild get men fit for such a task, he would answer ■that,he didn’t know, for a woman always did it, at Chilton. This was one Betty. .Burdon, a diminutive old woman above, three score. If .Betty-was - asked what ;sfre took-intq,the box to 1 govern -the, bulls' with, she wpuld.$ay, “Oh,sa bit ofi;a band.” Efp r weapons were. a magnified cap-string, 1 just long enough, when pjasped through the bull’s 5 ring, 1 to communicate to his nostril the intimation which >yay he wasitoi,turn-next: and; when he-Anew .what-his cyders .were, -he obeyed implicitly. But then j Betty :Burdon, like Signor Corradinni, began by-winning the animal’s, confidence. W® may not all be able to be pupils of Signor . but we surely may of Betty Burdon.