JB/015/144/001

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13

It were indeed greatly to be desired that some benevolent moralist
should take the animal creation under his patronage & establish
their claims to the protection of Legislation, and to the sympathies
of deontology the virtuous principle. Perhaps this event is hardly to be anticipated while
so large a portion of the human race itself are excluded from the
influences of beneficence – & treated like the inferior animals – not as
persons or but as things. True – the animal tribes have little power
to act upon human sensibilities – few means of inflicting
misery as a punishment for injustice & cruelty, – & fewer still
of recompensing humanity & beneficence by the
the communication of pleasure to man. We deprive them of
life, – & this is justifiable – their pains do not equal our enjoyments –
there is a balance of good. But why do we torment, – why
do we torture them? It would be difficult to find a reason
why law should deny to them its interference. The real question
is – Are they susceptible of pain? Can pleasure be communicated
to them? Who shall draw the line, – & where is it to be drawn
between the gradations of animal life, beginning with man
& descending to the meanest creature that has any aptitude
any power of distinguishing between suffering & enjoyment. Is the
faculty of reason, – or that of discourse to determine? "But a
"full grown horse or dog, is beyond comparison a more
"rational as well as a more conversible animal than an infant
"of a day, _ or a week or even a month old. And suppose
"the case were otherwise, what would it avail? The question
"is not Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can
"they suffer?" Introduction to the Principles of Morals &c. Chap xvii p309.

Identifier: | JB/015/144/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 15.
Date_1		Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	015	Main Headings	deontology
Folio number	144	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	linking material	Number of Pages	1
Recto/Verso	recto	Page Numbering	f13
Penner	sir john bowring	Watermarks	[[watermarks::propatria [lion and britannia moti]]]
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number	5360
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