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Animal Rights History Timeline » [1785-1837] Romantic Age » Percival Stockdale

Percival Stockdale

A Remonstrance Against Inhumanity to Animals, and Particularly Against the Savage Practice of Bull-Baiting

[1802] Percival Stockdale, A Remonstrance Against Inhumanity to Animals; and Particularly Against the Savage Practice of Bull Baiting (Alnwick, 1802).

Percival Stockdale: "The very christian, but inauspicious sermon, on humanity to animals, I wrote at Benhamplace; the seat of my lord Craven, near Newbury, in Berkshire.…In 1802, Mr. Graham, another bookseller in Alnwick, printed, and published for me, 'A remonstrance against inhumanity to animals; and particularly, against the savage practice of bull-baiting. Soon after…it wa honoured with a public tribute of warm approbation. The writing of this little treatise was principally occasioned by the unfortunate fate of a humane bill which was brought into the house of commons by some worthy gentlemen, with credit both to their hearts and heads, for the abolition of an old, stupid and infamous act of parliament, which instituted bull-bating.…The bill was thrown out, greatly to the discredit of our legislature. Worse consequences were produced by the rejection of this bill than the mere defeat of those who introduced it.…Their sport, as they are pleased to call it; for it can only be a sport to diabolical souls, was now more frequent, more barbarous, and more triumphant." Percival Stockdale, Memoirs (1809) 2:220, 318, 326.

Edward Jerningham:"In a sermon on the kind treatment of animals, by the Rev. Percival Stockdale, I meet with the following passage, which would do honour to the descriptive powers of Pliny the naturalist:

One strong inducement to treat animals well and kindly, is the returns they make for that treatment. When we show them that mildness, that care, that tenderness they deserve for their own sakes, and from a proper reverence of the Being by whom they were created, how amiably do they exhibit their natures, I had almost said virtues! The behaviour of the dog alone, the most grateful, the most affectionate and constant friend—he will not desert his master in the worst of emergencies, in the meanest and most mortifying circumstance. Though he is pleased with splendour, he will follow his benefactor from a palace to a dungeon. Cold and famine will not cool his attention. His attitudes, his caresses, and his eye, you may infallibly interpret into the following language: 'Though you are forsaken by the world, you shall never be forsaken by me: to tear you from me would be tearing me from myself. By having my poor society, you will at least not be in a total solitude. I will participate all your woes, and, if I survive you, I will hide upon your grave.'—This picture is not drawn by romantic imagination; all its essential strokes are well-known truths of natural history.

It would not be unworthy of the rural Pastor to endeavour to eradicate the erroneous opinions and the false estimates that favour the destruction of the aerial race."—Edward Jerningham, An Essay on the Eloquence of the Pulpit in England (1800).

Critical Review: "This remonstrance is rather declamatory; but the practice which the author inveighs, cannot perhaps be combated by too many weapons. His appeals to the feelings are sometimes very forcible; and the instances the give of some late bull-baitings are too atrocious not to aid his humane efforts with great effect.—This pamphlet is dedicated to the electors of Norwich; and it perhaps needless to add, that the character of their late representative is deeply involved in the discussion."—Critical Review 37 (1803 May): 358.

British Critic: "This writer observes, that since the Bill against Bull Baiting was thrown out of the House of Commons, the practice has become more frequent, and attended with more offensive circumstances of barbarity. We are heartily sorry for it; and in all that he says on this subject we coincide with Mr. Stockdale."—British Critic 21 (1803-Jun): 692.