that all living things, whatever their Species, would appear to me as Wonders of Ordinary Nature.
I pinned the Mouse Belly up on my Dissecting Board, opened mine Etui and took out my sharpest Scalpel. Then I paused, for I was not atall sure how to continue. I wanted to explore the Body, but I also wanted to preserve the Skeleton as the first of what I intended to become a varied Collection. The Neck of the Creature having been crushed by the Trap, I pondered whether to conduct mine Investigation from the Chest downward, and open the Body at the Throat, but at last I gave up this Idea as too likely to damage the Ribcage, and instead my first Incision into animal Matter was made at the Anus.
Immediately, Blood spurted out, along with a small Quantity of faecal Material. Caught by Surprize, I looked around for a Rag, but had none, and in the Event was forced to mop up the Mess with my Sleeve, which Act I found so repulsive that I almost abandoned my Dissection then and there. My Curiosity, however, soon reasserted itself, and I continued to cut more carefully, my Sleeve always at the ready in Case of a Recurrence. I worked on the little Corpse all Afternoon, taking detailed Notes as I progressed, and tho’ I made something of a pig’s Ear of the Dissection, I was pleased with it none the less, and attempted to clean the bloody Bones in a Cup filled with Vinegar.
To my great Astonishment, when I returned to this four Nights later, I discovered that the tiny Skeleton had turned as pliable as Glue. I could do nothing with the Bones in that State, so I disposed of them in a flower Bed. I repeated this unintentional Experiment on Purpose with different Kinds and Sizes of Bone, and always achieved a similar Result, but I never discovered precisely what it is about Vinegar and Bone that causeth the one to undergo so peculiar an Alteration in the Presence of the other.
From then on, I took Care to clean all skeletal Remains with a small Brush, and a Solution of white Salt in clear Water. I kept my finished Skeletons on Top of my Bookcase, until after a Twelvemonth the Collection grew too numerous, and I was forced to move it.
CHAPTER FIVE
April, 1750, had proved a dismal Month beset by steady Clouds and Showers of heavy Rain. But it had not been a freezing Dampe. The Thermometer upon the window-Sill of my Bedchamber told me daily that at last the Temperature had begun to rise; the long cruel Winter that had stoppt the Clocks and frozen the River had ended. Now the Effects of this new Mildness were becoming visible in the budding, twittering Hedgerows all around Shirelands Hall. In my Study, I had kept the Fire piled high and fiercely hot, and I had stood within my Walls and watched the Rain pour out across the Valley of the Horse.
My Laboratory had developed somewhat since its firstEstablishment. My long Table sate yet before the south Window, but it was flanked now by two large wire fronted Cages, in which I kept my living Specimens until I could make Use of them. Each of these Cages being sub-divided, I had thereby Housing for forty small Animals, and consequently the Room had often the Smell of an Aviary or a game-Keeper’s Hut. This Arrangement taking up the whole Length of that Wall, I had been forced to move my Desk into the Centre, for I had had more Bookcases and Cabinets built upon the other Walls from Floor to Ceiling, and there was not a spare Inch of Space anywhere. From behind Glass peered down the Skulls of Foxes, Otters, Badgers, and a Roebuck, and the mounted Skeletons of Cats and Mice danced along the Shelves in between Jars housing their pickled Viscera. For my Comfort when Reading, I had installed a small Sofa before the Fire, and I had spent a Deal of Time upon it over the preceding Months, wrappt in a Blanket.
I had turned nineteen in January, and I wanted to go up to the University in Oxford, but that was impossible. My Father, when presst, gave the poor Excuse of my still fragile Mind. This appeared
I pinned the Mouse Belly up on my Dissecting Board, opened mine Etui and took out my sharpest Scalpel. Then I paused, for I was not atall sure how to continue. I wanted to explore the Body, but I also wanted to preserve the Skeleton as the first of what I intended to become a varied Collection. The Neck of the Creature having been crushed by the Trap, I pondered whether to conduct mine Investigation from the Chest downward, and open the Body at the Throat, but at last I gave up this Idea as too likely to damage the Ribcage, and instead my first Incision into animal Matter was made at the Anus.
Immediately, Blood spurted out, along with a small Quantity of faecal Material. Caught by Surprize, I looked around for a Rag, but had none, and in the Event was forced to mop up the Mess with my Sleeve, which Act I found so repulsive that I almost abandoned my Dissection then and there. My Curiosity, however, soon reasserted itself, and I continued to cut more carefully, my Sleeve always at the ready in Case of a Recurrence. I worked on the little Corpse all Afternoon, taking detailed Notes as I progressed, and tho’ I made something of a pig’s Ear of the Dissection, I was pleased with it none the less, and attempted to clean the bloody Bones in a Cup filled with Vinegar.
To my great Astonishment, when I returned to this four Nights later, I discovered that the tiny Skeleton had turned as pliable as Glue. I could do nothing with the Bones in that State, so I disposed of them in a flower Bed. I repeated this unintentional Experiment on Purpose with different Kinds and Sizes of Bone, and always achieved a similar Result, but I never discovered precisely what it is about Vinegar and Bone that causeth the one to undergo so peculiar an Alteration in the Presence of the other.
From then on, I took Care to clean all skeletal Remains with a small Brush, and a Solution of white Salt in clear Water. I kept my finished Skeletons on Top of my Bookcase, until after a Twelvemonth the Collection grew too numerous, and I was forced to move it.
CHAPTER FIVE
April, 1750, had proved a dismal Month beset by steady Clouds and Showers of heavy Rain. But it had not been a freezing Dampe. The Thermometer upon the window-Sill of my Bedchamber told me daily that at last the Temperature had begun to rise; the long cruel Winter that had stoppt the Clocks and frozen the River had ended. Now the Effects of this new Mildness were becoming visible in the budding, twittering Hedgerows all around Shirelands Hall. In my Study, I had kept the Fire piled high and fiercely hot, and I had stood within my Walls and watched the Rain pour out across the Valley of the Horse.
My Laboratory had developed somewhat since its firstEstablishment. My long Table sate yet before the south Window, but it was flanked now by two large wire fronted Cages, in which I kept my living Specimens until I could make Use of them. Each of these Cages being sub-divided, I had thereby Housing for forty small Animals, and consequently the Room had often the Smell of an Aviary or a game-Keeper’s Hut. This Arrangement taking up the whole Length of that Wall, I had been forced to move my Desk into the Centre, for I had had more Bookcases and Cabinets built upon the other Walls from Floor to Ceiling, and there was not a spare Inch of Space anywhere. From behind Glass peered down the Skulls of Foxes, Otters, Badgers, and a Roebuck, and the mounted Skeletons of Cats and Mice danced along the Shelves in between Jars housing their pickled Viscera. For my Comfort when Reading, I had installed a small Sofa before the Fire, and I had spent a Deal of Time upon it over the preceding Months, wrappt in a Blanket.
I had turned nineteen in January, and I wanted to go up to the University in Oxford, but that was impossible. My Father, when presst, gave the poor Excuse of my still fragile Mind. This appeared
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