Some remarkable instances of his immediate ascendency over the fiercest animals are on record. When Lucas, the lion-tamer, was killed by his own lions, he left a wife and child with no other resource than the ownership of the fierce brutes. M. Arnauld, manager of the hippodrome where the tragedy took place, gave a benefit performance for the widow, and Cooper volunteered to enter the cage of the lions, whom he had never before seen, and who had never before seen him, and to perform with them, a task which he accomplished to the astonishment of all beholders. Victor Emmanuel of Italy--one who, like Cooper, never quailed before danger--found a kindred spirit in the lion-tamer, and has honoured him with special marks of approbation; one of his presents being two splendid lions, which form part of the _troupe_ with which Cooper performs. Four camels and an elephant are also gifts of the soldier-king. John Cooper has trained, while with Mr. Myers, 42 lions, 16 elephants, 25 camels, besides monkeys, bears, hyænas, and other animals. It is a popular fallacy that trainers of such animals begin their task while their pupils are in infancy. Cooper does not commence with lions till they are five years old; only in one case, that of the King of Italy’s lions, did he begin at four-and-a-half years. Whatever and however fierce the animals presented, he enters their cage without hesitation and without emotion, at the first interview. In the presence of his ferocious _protégés_ a remarkable change takes place in the demeanour of Cooper, and it is difficult to realise that the quiet, mild, and gentle individual with whom one has been recently conversing is the same person with the stern, energetic, and commanding figure, with the bright and penetrating eyes, before which quail the fiercest of the beasts, and whose iron will renders them compliant with his every nod and beck.