The Royal Commission of Vivisection / evidence by the Honble. Stephen Coleridge.

  • Coleridge, Stephen, 1835-1925.
Date:
1907
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: The Royal Commission of Vivisection / evidence by the Honble. Stephen Coleridge. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    [COPY.]* 4, Marlborough Place, Oct. 30, 1875. My dear Darwin, . . . The inclosed tells its own story. I have done my best to prevent your being bothered, but for various reasons which will occur to you I did not like to appear too obstructive, and I was asked to write to you. The strong feeling of my colleagues (and my own I must say also) is that we ought to have your opinions in our minutes. At the same time there is a no less strong desire to trouble you as little as possible, and under the circumstances to cause you any risk of injury to health. What with occupation of time, worry, and vexation, this horrid Commission is playing the deuce with me. I have felt it my duty to act as Counsel for Science, and was well satisfied with the way things were going. But on Thursday when I was absent at the Council of the Royal Society was examined, and if what I hear is a correct account of the evidence he gave I may as well throw up my brief. I am told that he openly professed the most entire indifference to animal suffering, and said he only gave anaesthetics to keep animals quiet! I declare to you I did not believe the man lived who was such an unmitigated cynical brute as to profess and act upon such principles, and I would willingly agree to any law which would send him to the treadmill. The impression his evidence made on Cardwell and Forster is profound, and I am powerless (even if I had the desire, which I have not) to combat it. He has done more mischief than all the fanatics put together. I am utterly disgusted with the whole business. Ever yours, T. H. HUXLEY. • This is Ae letter which Mr. Stephen Coleridge continually requested to be allowed to read to the Commissioners (see Q. 10657, 10658, 10659, 10660, 10661, 10662, 10663, 10664, 10665, 10666, 10667, 10668, 10669, 10670, 10671, 10672, 10858), but which Lord Selby insisted on excluding.