52 
Kaspar Hauser. 
his fellow mortals, he began to partake of their infirmities, 
especially as regards telling the truth, Professor Daumer was 
disposed to lay the blame of this deterioration to the change in 
Kaspar’s diet; for in November, 1828, six months after his 
arrival in Nuremberg, he began to eat meat, and about that time 
his physical sensitiveness commenced abating, while his intel- 
lectual energy slackened, and his moral nature displayed many 
weaknesses hitherto unperceived. The change in diet was made 
from the best of motives, and it is doubtful whether it had 
so much influence as Professor Daumer was inclined to be- 
lieve. Certain it is, that Kaspar became stronger and grew 
rapidly, while he suffered much less from morbid excitement of 
‘he nerves. Later discoveries proved that under no circum- 
stances could he have retained the physical sensitiveness and 
mental quickness which made him so phenomenal at first. The 
inactivity of his brain during the normal period of growth forbade 
a later development, and the comparative dullness which suc- 
ceeded his early brilliancy was only the natural reaction from 
annatural excitement ; while his senses, superhumanly acute be- 
cause so long deprived of exercise, would inevitably become 
hardened through constant use. Also, the dimming of his moral 
zloty is not to be wondered at. After learning to jest it was not 
difficult to learn to deceive ; especially as he saw continually that 
other people told lies by word and deed. He found that be 
~ould sometimes hide a fault and save himself from blame by 
sacrificing the truth, and so he did it. But his faults were those 
of a child, and his deceits were childish ; he never showed malice, 
aor perpetrated any gross wrong, and his innocence, as: regards 
sexual relations, remained intact. 
Professor Daumer took a reasonable and charitable view of the 
apparent change for the worse in his pupil. He realised that it 
was impossible for any human being to live in this world of false- 
hood without contamination, and while he did all in his power, by 
srecept and example, to check Kaspar’s dawning tendency to 
evil, he did not condemn him too severely for yielding to in- 
fluences from which he could not be entirely protected. At the