Humanity Against Cruelty to Animals in Historical Literature, Timeline of Animal Rights History

Animal Rights History »» Joseph Addison

1711 | The Spectator, No. 120

Joseph Addison in his discourse on the reason and instinct in animals quotes "a very barbarous Experiment," seeking "pardon in mentioning such an instance of Cruelty," in order to "shew the Strength of that Principle in Animal of which I am here speaking…this natural Love in Brutes."

There is not, in my Opinion, any thing more mysterious in Nature than this Instinct in Animals, which thus rises above Reason, and falls infinitely short of it. (Joseph Addison, The Spectator No 120)

And although Addison suggests that "one cannot think it is the Faculty of an intellectual Being" he does add in conclusion with "the best Notions of the greatest Philosophers" that this instinct is perhaps "Divine Energy acting in the Creatures." (Joseph Addison, The Spectator No 120)

Continuing his discourse the following day, Addison concludes—

From the Consideration of such Animals as lie within the Compass of our Knowledge, we might easily form a Conclusion of the rest, that the same Variety of Wisdom and Goodness runs through the whole Creation. (Joseph Addison, The Spectator No 120)

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1711 | Joseph Addison, "No. 120. Wednesday, July 18, 1711" and "No. 121. Thursday, July 19, 1711," The Spectator [London:1711-1714] (London: George Routledge and Sons, 1891; Spectator Project, 2002).