THE RIGHTS OF ANIMALS 



Recent Understanding as to the Rights of Animals ; Nature of these Rights ; their Origin 

 in Sympathy.— Early State of Sympathetic Emotions.— Place of Statutes concern- 

 ing Animal Rights.— Present and Euture of Animal Rights.— Question of Vivisec- 

 tion.— Rights of Domesticated Animals to Proper Care ; to Enjoyment.— Ends of the 

 Breeder's Art.— Moral Position of the Hunter.— Probable Development of the Pro- 

 tecting Motive as applied to Animals. 



It is well to note the fact that, in considering the 

 rights of the creatures below the level of man, we are deal- 

 ino- with a question which does not seem to have entered 

 into the minds of the ancients. Such old phrases as " the 

 merciful man is merciful to his beast " indicate that cruelty 

 to the domesticated creatures was, in a way, reprobated by 

 the ancients ; but not until well on in the present century 

 do we find any indication that reason had come to the help 

 of' pity in an effort to frame rules having the weight of 

 law and the support of sanctions, either those of public 

 opinion or the more direct penalties of the courts, to limit 

 the conduct of men towards the lower animals. The great 

 tide of mercy and justice which marks our modern civilization 

 had first to break down the grievous and strongly founded 

 evils of human slavery. Having effected that great work, 

 the sympathetic motives are moving on to a similar conflict 

 with the moral ills which arise from an improper treatment 

 of those slaves of a lower estate, the domesticated animals. 

 It is impossible to see our position in relation to the 

 matter of the rights of animals without looking somewhat 



