i8 THE HORSE OF MR. VON OSTEN 



psychology. The one seeks to remove the animal psyche 

 farther away from the human, the other tries to bring 

 the two closer together. It is undoubtedly true that many 

 acts of the lower forms reveal nothing of the nature of 

 conceptual thinking. But that others might thus be 

 interpreted cannot be denied. But need they be thus in- 

 terpreted ? — There lies the dispute. A single incontrovert- 

 ible fact which would fulfil this demand, [i.e., proof of 

 conceptual thinking] , would, at a stroke, decide the ques- 

 tion in favor of those who ascribe the power of thought 

 to the lower forms. 



At last the thing so long sought for, was apparently 

 found : A horse that could solve arithmetical problems — 

 an animal which, thanks to long training, mastered not 

 merely rudiments, but seemingly arrived at a power of 

 abstract thought and which surpassed, by far, the highest 

 expectations of th* greatest enthusiast. 



And now what was it that this wonderful horse could 

 do? The reader may accompany us to an exhibition 

 which was given daily before a select company at about 

 the noon hour in a paved courtyard surrounded by high 

 apartment houses in the northern part of Berlin. No 

 fee was ever taken. The visitor might walk about freely 

 and if he wished, might closely approach the horse and 

 its master, a man between sixty and seventy years of age. 

 His white head was covered with a black, slouch hat. 

 To his left the stately animal, a Russian trotting horse, 

 stood like a docile pupil, managed not by means of the 

 whip, but by gentle encouragement and frequent reward 

 of bread or carrots. He would answer correctly, nearly 

 all of the questions which were put to him in German. 

 If he understood a question, he immediately indicated 

 this by a nod of the head; if he failed to grasp its im- 



