Edition |
1st ed. |
Description |
x, 352 p. : ill. ; 25 cm. |
Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (p. 317-332) and index. |
Contents |
Introduction : Saved -- Of duchesses and ducks -- Rude and nasty pleasures -- Pets and the city -- Dancing dogs and horses of knowledge -- Animal crimes -- Parliaments of monsters -- Stages of cruelty -- The meanest worm is our sister -- Throw down the butcher's knife -- Hair-trigger Martin and the wolfhound -- Taking the bull by the horns -- The unfortunate tourist's dog -- Humanity Dick -- For the love of animals -- Conclusion : The legacy of animal protection. |
Summary |
In eighteenth-century England--where cockfighting and bullbaiting drew large crowds, and the abuse of animals was routine--the idea of animal protection was dismissed as laughably radical. But as pets became more common, human attitudes toward animals evolved. An unconventional duchess defended their intellect in her writings; a gentleman scientist believed that animals should be treated with compassion; and with the concentrated efforts of an eccentric Scots barrister and a flamboyant Irishman, the lives of beasts--and, correspondingly, men and women--began to change. Kathryn Shevelow, a scholar of the eighteenth century, gives us the dramatic story of the bold reformers who braved attacks because they sympathized with the plight of creatures everywhere. More than just a history, this cultural narrative is an exploration into how our feelings toward animals reveal our ideas about ourselves, God, mercy, and nature.--From publisher description. |
Subject |
Animal welfare -- Great Britain -- History -- 18th century.
|
ISBN |
9780805080902 |
|
0805080902 |
|
9780805090246 |
Standard No. |
NZ1 12235636 |
|
AU@ 000043172955 |
|