CARLYLE "VIVISECTED."
The 'New York World ' publishes the following : — The inconsistencies of great men are often absurd. Thomas Carlyle has recently dictated a letter to a public meeting in London, denouncing the practice of vivisection as useless and brutal, and thus the apostle of force appears as a sort of puling philanthropist. We quote the curious document : "Mr. Carlyle bids me say that ever since he was a boy, when he read the accounts of Majendie's atrocities, he has never thought of the practice of vivisecting animals but with horror. He believes the reports about the good results said to be obtained from the practice of vivisection to be immensely exaggerated. Even supposing the good results to be much greater than Mr. Carlyle beeves they are, and apart, too, from the shocking pain inflicted dyfp elplesa animals, he would still think the practice so brutalising to^he operator that he would earnestly wish the law on the subject to be altered so as to make vivisection, when practised by private individuals, an indictable offence." The gentleman who is so squeamish about the sacrifice of some of the lower animals in the interest of science, has more than once gloried in the slaughter of human beings destroyed to less purpose than any of the dogs or pigs tortured to a miserable death by inquiring medical students. Let us select one instance out of his works by way of contrast to the above letter. In the following strain, continued, however, at too great length for quotation, Carlyle introduces an account of Cromwell's slaughters in Ireland. . . V Oliver ' 8 proceedings here have been the theme of much loud criticism and Sibyline execration, into which it is not our plan to enter at present. We shall give these fifteen letters of his in a mass and without any commentary whatever. To those who think that a land overrun with sanguinary quacks can be*, healed by sprinkling it with rosewater, these letters must be very horrible. Terrible Surgery this, but is it Surgery and Judgment or atrocious Murder merely ? Oliver Cromwell did believe in God's judgments and did not believe in the rosewater plan of surgery— which, in'fact, is] this editor's case, too.', So it seems that rosewater Burgery is only good for puppy-dogs and pigeons, and that brutal slaughter is perfectly proper treatment for defenceless men, women and children. Verily, Carlyle must be classed with some of his heroes of the French Eevolution, who shuddered to think of killing a mouse, yet waded ankle deep in the blood of their fellow-citizens. Is he seeking to rival his own " sea-green inincorruptible " — Robespierre P Of an equally ruddy— though not rosewater— hue was Carlyle's remedy for Irish grievances when he said — " Ireland is like a starved rat that crosses the path of the British elephant. What is the elephant to do ? Squelch it, by Heaven ! Yet this rabid brute is to-day the guide, philosopher, and exemplar of people who pride themselves on their liberality and love of justice !
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New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 173, 21 July 1876, Page 13
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501CARLYLE "VIVISECTED." New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 173, 21 July 1876, Page 13
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