202 APID.E — BEES. 



hiving a nest of hornets which hung at the top of the inside 

 of a high barn. He, however, was stung twice in this under- 

 taking. 



Mr. Wildman frequently exhibited himself with his head 

 and face almost covered with Bees, and with such a swarm 

 of them hanging down from his chin as to resemble a vener- 

 able beard. In this extraordinary dress he was once brought 

 through the City of London sitting in a chair. Before Earl 

 Spencer, Mr. Wildman also made many wonderful perform- 

 ances.^ 



Says Dr. Evans : 



Such was the spell, which round a Wildman's ai-ni 

 Twined in dark wreatlis the fascinated swarm, 

 Bright o'er his breast the glittering legions led, 

 Or with a living garland bound his head. 

 His dexterous hand, with firm but hurtless hold, 

 Could seize the chief, known by her scales of gold, 

 Prune, 'mid the wondering throng, her filmy wing, 

 Or o'er her folds the silken fetter fling.^ 



"Long experience has taught me," says Mr. Wildman 

 himself, "that as soon as I turn up a hive, and give some 

 taps on the sides and bottom, the queen immediately appears. 

 Being accustomed to see her, I readily perceive her at the 

 first glance; and long practice has enabled me to seize her 

 instantly, with a tenderness that does not in the least endan- 

 ger her person. Being possessed of her, I can, without 

 exciting any resentment, slip her into my other hand, and 

 returning the hive to its place, hold her, till the Bees, missing 

 her, are all on the wing and in the utmost confusion." It 

 was then, by placing the queen in view, he could make them 

 light wherever he pleased, from their great attachment to 

 her, and sometimes using a word of command to mystify the 

 spectators, he would cause them to settle on his head, and to 

 hang to his chin like a beard, from which he would order 

 them to his hand, or to an adjacent window. But, however 

 easy such feats may appear in theory, Mr. Wildman cautious 

 (probably with a view to deter rivals) those who are inex- 

 perienced not to put themselves in danger of attempting to 

 imitate him. A liberated Roman slave, C. F. Cnesinus, 

 being accused before the tribunals of witchcraft, because his 



1 Scot's Mag., Nov. 1766. Chamb. Journ , 1st S. xi. 184. 



2 The Bees. 



