SERIALIZATION OF “REBEL WITH A CAUSE: MARK TWAIN’S HIDDEN MEMOIRS” -- CHAPTER 68 (of 78)
Torture Chambers and Mad Scientists (1903)
CHAPTER 68
Torture Chambers and Mad Scientists (1903)
The entire Clemens family, but perhaps especially Clara, Jean, and I, were great lovers of animals, and fierce opponents of those who would maltreat them in any way.
Prompted by Jean, and as a favor to the anti-vivisectionists, I was glad to write a story that exposed the inhuman cruelty of the maiming of these creatures in the interest of scientific observation or curiosity.
It was in 1903 that I wrote A Dog’s Tale, a sketch intended to incite wrath in the reader. The reading of it first evoked great sadness in the reader—at least to those with a heart that could feel empathy—but the impact of the story was meant for a good end, namely to move the reader to action against the evil thing that provoked this deep sadness and anger.
The specific purpose of the tale was to rally people against the practice of experimental surgery on healthy animals, which not only caused the beasts physical pain and loss of vital senses, but often also led to their death.
I wrote this story partly for personal gratification, being an anti-vivisectionist myself, but principally for Jean, who was an animal lover from her earliest girlhood. Having her approval of the piece was something that I could not put a price on.
I still believe I am not interested to know whether Vivisection produces results that are profitable to the human race or doesn’t. To know that the results are profitable to the race would not remove my hostility to it. The pains which it inflicts upon unconsenting animals is the basis of my enmity towards it, and it is to me sufficient justification of the enmity without looking further. It is so distinctly a matter of feeling with me, and is so strong and so deeply-rooted in my make and constitution, that I am sure I could not even see a Vivisector vivisected with anything more than a sort of qualified satisfaction. I do not say I should not go and look on; I only mean that I should almost surely fail to get out of it the degree of contentment which it ought, of course, to be expected to furnish.
The satisfaction it brought me to shine the light of infamy on these practicers of deviltry, and help bring about reforms regarding the torturing of animals in laboratories and in the bullfighting arena, is too immense to be measured.
How absurd are those who in effect shout, “All honor to the mystery-dispelling eye of godlike Science!” regardless of means or method or motive. But such is the human race. Often it does seem such a pity that Noah and his party did not miss the boat.
Of course, all of this is just my opinion. And I am only one man. Others, with less experience, may think differently.
EDITOR’S NOTES: Twain’s A Dog’s Tale was used by the Anti-Vivisection Society in its campaign against that practice. Additionally, it was issued by the British Anti-Vivisection Society as a pamphlet shortly after it was first published in Harper’s Magazine in late 1903.
Similarly, in 1905, Twain wrote “A Horse’s Tale,” which was written to expose the cruelty of bullfighting, with the aim of eradicating the spectacle. That sketch displaying his anathema toward bullfighting was not the first time Twain criticized the “sport”; in 1898’s A Word of Encouragement for Blushing Exiles, he wrote: “Spain … still crowds the arena with ladies and gentlemen and priests to see with delight a bull harried and persecuted and a gored horse dragging his entrails on the ground.”
You can listen to this chapter here.
~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^
Blackbird Crow Raven’s “Rebel With A Cause: Mark Twain’s Hidden Memoirs” is being serialized in this space on substack every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday; it is also available in its entirety from here.