THE RIGHTS OF ANIMALS 211 



where we shall demand that these animals shall be lodged 

 in a wholesome manner and so fed that they may be fit for 

 their tasks. We may, in a word, consider their well being so 

 far as it is consistent with the well being of mankind, and in 

 so doing we shall demand some personal sacrifice from the 

 owner where such is clearly demanded to maintain the prin- 

 ciple of the law. 



As in all other great sympathetic movements, the leaders of 

 the advance in the matter of the humane treatment of animals 

 are occasionally unreasonable in their demands — it may well 

 be held that the prophet has to be unreasonable in order 

 to attain his goal ; hence it has come about that the demands 

 of these admirable people are often beyond the bounds of 

 things that are practicable. Fire-horses, however ill, should 

 be made to do their duty, even if it costs them any amount 

 of suffering ; even as the artillerymen should, if the occasion 

 calls for it, rush their teams, though they know that the poor 

 beasts are to die at the goal. In a word, the only and 

 supreme test of our relations to these subjects is the well 

 being of man considered from the higher point of view. 

 This principle we apply to our own kind ; we are justified 

 in like action in case of the brutes. In this consideration, 

 the offence to the feelings of man which is caused by any 

 act of cruelty, however necessary, deserves its due weight. 



The most serious matter connected with the question of 

 the riehts of animals which is now under discussion relates 

 to the use of these creatures in the investigative work of the 

 naturalist, or in the repetition of the processes and results 

 of those inquiries before students. Although all judicious 

 people are likely to welcome the exceeding reprobation with 

 which many philanthropists visit the vivisectionists, and this 



