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

Animal Rights History »» Samuel Jackson Pratt

1810 | The Lower World; A Poem, in Four Books, with Notes

Book 1. Argument. Apostrophe to the Proposer of the Bill that Suggested the Subject.—Poer of the exciting LAWS for the Protection of Man against the Assaults of Man.—Dreadful State of Human Society undefended by LAWS.—The LOWER WORLD a frequent Subject of POETRY and PAINTING.—Their repective Power in a Variety of Instances described; but neither the Pen or Pencil embrace the present Subject.—Still less do the LAWS extend to the Protection of the Animal World.—The RIGHTS of the LOWER WORLD examined.—Common-place Arguments of Pride and Interest against the Admission of such RIGHTS.—Apostrophe to false Reasoners on the Subject.

Book 2. Argument. Summons to the Cruel to appear before their Accusers.— The Author's Reluctance to go into the Evidence of Crimes; and his regret at the Consciousness of the Necessity. Accusations of —The Dog— The BULL—The HORSE—The Ox—the Ass—and a Variety of other abused Animals, confided to the Protection and appointed to the Service of Man. The diversified Cruelties exercised upon each.—The high Claims of the respective Sufferers to such Protection.—Specific Qualities and Character of the different Animals.—Remarks on the Rigour of their Condition.—General and particular Reasonings and Reproofs.—Facts on which they are founded.—Acts of Torment, and Excesses of Tyranny practised by the Brute-demon.—The Claims of Man and Brute stated and examined.— Pretensions on both Sides investigated.— Deductions. —The Economy, Sagacity, and Bounty of Nature.—Observations on the Condition of Brute unassisted by Man, and of Man unassisted by Brute.— Inferences. —The Moral Sense.

Book 3. Argument. Vindications of general Nature from the Charge of Cruelty to the LOWER WORLD.—Rejection of those Arguments of Philosophers and Poets that have painted a World of Monsters.— The indiscriminate Eulogist and Libeller equally remote from Truth.—A Sentiment of general Compassion and Sensibility in the public Mind. —Illustrations. — Increased Happiness of Animals derived from this Source. —Example of the good Effect of kind Usage to be drawn from the Treatment of the Arabians to their Horses. —EXCESS of Attachment to favourite Animals, in some Individuals, sacred from the Motive.—Some of the Causes of this Excess accounted for in particular Cases.—Cruelty of Children to Animals considered —Traced in a Variety of afflicting and disgraceful Incidents.—Appeal to Parents.

Book 4. Argument. Second Address to the Poets of Britain.— The Author's Apology. —Difficulty of the Subject. — Appeal of the respective injured Animals to Man.— Apostrophe to the Society at Liverpool, associated for the Purpose of ameliorating the Condition of the Animal World.—Address to the Lords and Commons of Great Britain in their august Characters as Senators, and important Situation as distinguished Members of Society.—Supposed Personification of the Sufferers, advancing to the Houses of Parliament as to the Seats of Judgment and Mercy.—The Boon of the Petitioners stated.—Summary of the Subject.—Conclusion.—Apostrophe to the known Humanity of the Country in its Resistance of every Species of Oppression, whether practised against Man or Brute, when left to the Guidance of the Moral Sense.

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For the express purpose of preventing cruelty to Brute Creatures,… several valuable works have been published on the subject: amongst which must be mentioned Mr. Young's Essay on Humanity to Animals, published in 1798; several of the Sermons [by the Rev. Charles Daubeny, the Rev. Leigh Richmond, and the Rev. Richard Mant.]; and, also, one preached by Dr. Barry, at Reading; and, though last, not least, Mr. Pratt's Poem of the Lower World. (Rev. James Plumptre, Three Discourses on the Case of the Animal Creation [1816], "Preface")

For the protection of these helpless creatures, several valuable works have also been published in their defence, and among these are Mr. Young's Essay on Humanity to Animals, and Mr. Pratts poem of the Lower World. ("Review of Three Discourses on the Ease of Animal Creation, by the Rev. James Plumptre" The Critical Review, July 1816).

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1810 | Mr. Pratt [Samuel Jackson], The Lower World; A Poem in Four Books, with Notes (London, 1810).

1816 | Rev. James Plumptre, Three Discources on the Case of The Animal Creation, and The Duties of Man to Them (London, 1816).

1816-Jul | Review of "Three Discources on the Ease of the Animal Creation, and the Duties of Man to Them, By the Rev. James Plumptre (London, 1816)," The Critical Review: Or, Annals of Literature 4 (1816-Jul): 99.

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