408 Notices. 



shed of some hundreds of fellow-beings, and call the perpetrator a hero; and 

 yet the man who, from a love of, and earnest wish to improve, science, kills 

 a few insects, is only known by the undeserving epithets of a brute, monster, 

 or cruel wretch ! With every wish that you may conquer your present 

 fastidiousness, I have the honour to be. Madam, yours — A Follower of 

 JEsculapiiis. Jug. 8. 1828." 



In reading this letter, it is very easy to perceive that the writer is one of, 

 what he himself considers, the higher class of animals ; and so far, perhaps, 

 we may agree with him, whatever may be the opinion of what we term the 

 lojver class, on this subject. The wasp, when it stings us, may choose to 

 believe that we are not susceptible of pain ; it might be convenient to him 

 to think so, if he desired to repeat the sting; and I know not that we have 

 any better reason for arrogating all the pain to ourselves, than the insect 

 would have for denying that we felt ani/. A man may have his nails or his 

 hair cut, without experiencing any pain from the operation, but does it fol- 

 low thence that he is insensible to pain ? Even allowing that the head or 

 tail of an animal may be removed, without depriving it of the powers of 

 motion, &c., can we, therefore, affirm that it is done without pain ? Or 

 supposing the seat of sensation, in insects, not to be in the head, can we 

 then say, that it does not exist at all ? Even admitting the fact, that the 

 head be removed without pain, is it nothing to deprive the poor insect 

 of sight, and of the means of supporting its life ? Is it nothing to leave it 

 to die of hunger ? Whatever may be our theories on such subjects, what- 

 ever the analogies, or arguments upon which we found them, it is dangerous 

 to act upon opinions that we cannot prove ; and surely it is better even to 

 run into a little excess on the humane side of the question, than to run the 

 risk of inflicting unnecessary pain. 



I agree with the writer that " she who can read the account of a cool and 

 deliberate bloodshed of some hundreds of fellow-creatures, and call the 

 perpetrator a hero," yet calls him a brute, and a monster, who, for useful 

 purposes, " kills a few insects" is merely squeamish ; and perhaps a little af- 

 fected ; but let us hope that women will ever jireserve that " fastidiousness," 

 if fastidiousness it be, which shrinks from inflicting pain on any Hving crea- 

 ture. If an animal must suffer death, let it be given without torture ; and, 

 above all, let us not make the sufferings of any creature, however low its 

 rank in the creation, a source of heartless sport. I suspect this disciple of 

 iEsculapius is far from being heartless, and that his quickness to correct me 

 in this matter, proceeds from a tenderness of conscience, awakened to a 

 doubt he does not fully acknowledge to himself. In return for his anxiety 

 for my own improvement, I sincerely hope that he will listen to his feelings 

 as well as to his wishes, and not suffer his convictions to depend upon his 

 will. —Yours, &c. E.Kent. Aug.\5.\S2S. 



Art. IX. Notices, 



Dinner in Commemoration of Ray. — Naturalists of every class are deeply 

 indebted to the labours of this great philosopher, rather, perhaps, in the 

 assistance they have afforded to Linnaeus, Buftbn, Daubenton, and Cuvier, 

 than by the knowledge generally possessed of the originals ; and naturalists 

 of every class will,' of course, join in celebrating the two hundredth anni- 

 versary of the birth of the most distinguished student of nature in general 

 who has yet run his course in this country. The arrangements in progress 

 contemplate such a union as almost certain, and the cooperation of the 

 various Natural History Societies of London is anticipated, by the consent 

 of the secretaries to act as stewards. We look forward, in fact, to a 

 National Natural History Fete. 



