Richard Dean
An Essay on the Future Life of Brute Creatures
「1768」Richard Dean, An Essay on the Future Life of Brute Creatures, Introduced with Observation Upon Evil, Its Nature and Origin 「Google Books」(London, 1768).
The Scriptures plainly intimate, that Brute Animals will have a Being in future, and partake in some Degree of those Benefits which shall be conferred after the universal Change.
Hence, since the several Objections against the future Life of Brutes, considered as the Sentiments of Man, are as week and impertinent as the pretended Objections of Scripture, all the Arguments therefore advanced in Favour of it, stand unimpeached. We do not presume to say, that these Arguments demonstrate the Point, but we cannot help flattering ourselves with the Notion, that they render it extremely possible.
I suppose by this Time, he is sufficiently convinced, that Brute Animals are something more than mere Machines, having an intelligent Principle residing within them.…
He will moveover consider, that as Brutes have Sensibility, they are capable of Pain, feel every Bang, and Cut, and Stab, as much as he himself does, some of them perhaps more, and therefore he must not treat them as Stocks, or Stones, or Things that cannot feel. It is lamentable to think, that any Occasion should be given for Remarks of this Sort, at a time when the World is possessed of so many superior Advantages, when Mankind so far exceed the Pitch of former Ages in the Attainments of Science, and when Heaven itself has interposed to teach them so many tender Lessons of Pity, and Compassion. But the Fact is notorious, maugre all the Privileges we enjoy under the Improvements of natural Reason, and the gracious Dispensations of religious Light, Cruelty is exercised in all its hideous Forms and Varieties. Brutes are every Day perishing under the Hands of Barbarity, without Notice, without Mercy; famished as if Hunger was no Evil, mauled as if they had no Sense of Pain, and hurried about incessantly from Day to Day, as if excessive Toil was no Plague, or extreme Weariness was no Degree of Suffering. Surely this Principle of Sensibility in Brutes, intitles them to a milder Treatment than they usually meet with from hard and unthinking Wretches, as the Miseries it makes them liable to, give them a Claim to some Returns from a just and benevolent Being, in another State.
Furthermore, a Man will consider that as Brutes are made subject to him by the Appointments of Heaven, he ought to look upon them as Creatures under his Government to be protected, and not as put into his Power to be plagued and tormented. Very few of them know how to defend themselves against him, as well as he does to attack them, and therefore it is only on particular Occasion that he can be justified in falling upon them. For Man to torture a Brute, whose Life God has put into his Hands, is a a disgraceful Thing, such as meanness of Spirit as his honour requires of him to shun. If he does it out of Wantonness, he is a Fool, and a Coward; if for Pleasure, he is a Monster. Such a Mortal is a Scandal to his Species, and ought to have no Place in human Societies but as a Hangman, or a Butcher.
Lastly, since from the Nature and Exigencies of the Times, it is expedient that Brutes should be killed, their Lives therefore ought to be taken from them in the easiest, and shortest Manner possible. Humanity feels this Truth, and Men of the cruellest Dispositions will some Time or another be forced to confess it. They will no doubt be called upon to Account for every Act of Barbarity committed upon Brutes, in the Day when God shall Judge the World by Jesus Christ.
