THE introduction of Dr. Jacobi has saved the author from the onerous task, ofttimes a graceless one, of writing extended prefatory remarks. It was in the course of some researches into the origin of the Child Protection movement in this country that I discovered how little attention had been paid to the historical aspect of this important question. This book represents really a process of elimination, behind which were many fascinating byways, alluring blind alleys, and seeming countless beckoning theories. Toward the last, for a person with human instinct writing on a humane subject, it was hard not to tilt. In the main, however, the author believes that he has hewed to the line.
The author is indebted for many courtesies to the officials of the New York Public Library, likewise to the Congressional Library at Washington, the British Museum at London, and the Bibliothèque Nationale at Paris. His thanks are due also to Dr. C. C. Williamson, formerly Chief of the Economics Division of the New York Public Library, who took a deep and serious interest in the work; to Professor Richard Gottheil of Columbia, for many helpful suggestions in connection with the Semitics studies; to Professor Hiram Bingham of Yale, for some helpful notes on the Incas; to Mr. A. S. Freidus, Chief of the Jewish Division of the New York Public Library; to Professor Adolf Deissmann, of the University of Berlin; to Mr. Elbridge T. Gerry, whose library provided a wealth of material; to the late Thomas D. Walsh, Superintendent of the New York S. P. C. C., a humanitarian of the first water; to Mr. Jesse B. Jackson, Mr. W. J. Yerby, Mr. Charles H. Allbrecht, and Mr. E. A. Wakefield, all of the American Consular Service; to Mr. J. William Davis, for supervision of the Bibliography; to Mr. Gabriel Schlesinger, for assistance in reading the proofs; and, above all, to Mr. Robert E. MacAlarney, of Columbia University, to whose sustaining criticism and deep personal interest the author owes more than can be here set down.
George Henry Payne.
Kingsbridge, New York
January, 1916
CONTENTS
| CHAPTER I | |
| PAGE | |
Maternal Affection the Beginning ofHuman Altruism—Sympathy and ParentalLove the Basis of Other Virtues—TheWeakest Sacrificed in all PrimitiveSociety—Neglected Chapters in theHistory of the Attitude of Societytoward Children | [1] |
| CHAPTER II | |
Human Marriage—Evolution of the ParentalInstinct—Social Conditionsamong Papuans—Child’s Place in theTribe | [15] |
| CHAPTER III | |
The Killing of Twins—Other Excuses forInfanticide—Restricting the Family—EconomicReasons Acknowledged—Dyingof Despair | [31] |
| CHAPTER IV | |
The Drowning of Daughters—EarlyMongolian Civilization Marked byAncestor Worship—Severe Characterxof Confucius—“Beginning” of Infanticide200 b.c.—Reforms of the EmperorChoentche and the Manchus in theSeventeenth Century—Decrees Reducingthe Cost of Wedding Gifts in Orderto Stop Parents from Killing FemaleChildren | [46] |
| CHAPTER V | |
Death by Neglect and Sacrifice in Japan—TheNew-Born Taboo—Myth of theExposure of the Child of the Gods—Growthof the Marriage Custom—TheArrival of the Chinese—Modern Cannibalism—ModernLaws on the Sale ofChildren | [71] |
| CHAPTER VI | |
Mesopotamia the Earliest CivilizationKnown—Faint Traces of Child-Sacrifice—Lawsfor Women and Children—CensusFigures in Stones—Code ofHammurabi—The Story of Sargon | [90] |
| CHAPTER VII | |
Most Ancient Nation was Kind to Children—EconomicPressure Brought NoSpecial Cruelty—Picture of the Proletariat—Abjurationsof the OldestBook in the World—Egyptians as Seenby Diodorus Siculus—DegeneratingEffect of Greek Supremacy | [106] |
| CHAPTER VIII | |
Children in India—Story of the Mahabharata—FemaleChild Despised—AHundred Cows the Price of a Son—RecordsLeft by Historians of Alexander’sConquest—Attempts by BritishGovernment to Check Infanticide—Workof Jonathan Duncan and Col.Alexander Walker | [120] |
| CHAPTER IX | |
Semitic Development in Canaan—Sacrificeof the First-Born Persists—Origin ofthe Idea of Sacrifice—The CustomWorld-wide among Primitive Peoples—Associatedwith Cannibalism—TheFoundation Sacrifice—Discoveries inPalestine | [138] |
| CHAPTER X | |
Hebrew Writers on the Origin of theReligion of Humanity—Child SacrificeCondemned in the Story of Isaac—CircumcisionSubstituted—Reversion toBarbaric Habits in Canaan—Triumph ofthe Prophets | [157] |
| CHAPTER XI | |
Ancient Arabians Were Cannibalistic—Daughterstoo Expensive to Rear—Conditionsbefore the Coming of theProphet—The Injunctions of Mohammed—HisLaw as Found in “Al Hidaya” | [169] |
| CHAPTER XII | |
Exposure by a Civilized People—Lack ofHumanity among the Greeks—TheirMythology an Evidence—Children inHomer | [184] |
| CHAPTER XIII | |
Female Children not Desirable amongGreeks—Precautions for Saving ExposedChildren—Ornaments as aMeans of Identification—Adoptionunder Strange Circumstances | [199] |
| CHAPTER XIV | |
First Recognition of Rights of Children—Lawsof Romulus and of Numa Pompilius—TheTwelve Tables—Attitude ofParents Shown in Terence—PatriaPotestas Sparingly Used | [209] |
| CHAPTER XV | |
Humanitarian Measures of Augustus—Lifein the Imperial City—First Attemptsof the State to Check Infanticide—Trajanand the Veleia Loan—StoicSpirit in Pliny’s Charity | [223] |
| CHAPTER XVI | |
Reforms of Hadrian—Punishment ofFathers—Valerius Maximus—FavouriteStreets in Rome for Leaving AbandonedChildren—Mutilating Childrenfor Profit | [236] |
| CHAPTER XVII | |
Progress under the Antonines—Faustina’sEfforts to Save Female Children—ChristianSentiment Grows—Plea ofLactantius—Its Effects—Constantine | [245] |
| CHAPTER XVIII | |
Pleas of the Christian Fathers | [257] |
| CHAPTER XIX | |
Conditions among the Peoples who Conqueredthe Roman Empire—Irish SacrificedFirst-Born—The Wergeld—TheSalic Law—Code of the Visigoths onExposed Children—Theodoric and Cassiodorus | [272] |
| CHAPTER XX | |
Growth of the Humanitarian Movementthroughout Europe—In the Dark Ages—ChurchTakes up the HumanitarianWork in the Seventh Century—Sale ofChildren Common—Story of SaintBathilde—Children Sold for Father’sDebts—Datheus the First to OfferChildren a Home—Appeal of PopeInnocent III. | [287] |
| CHAPTER XXI | |
Cruelty to Children in the Sixteenth andSeventeenth Century—Attempt atRegulation—Deforming Children forMountebank Purposes—Anecdote ofxivVincent de Paul—His Work and HisSuccess | [302] |
| CHAPTER XXII | |
Rise of Factory System—The Child aCharge on the State—Children ActuallySlaves under Factory System—Reformof 1833—Oastler against theChild Slavery—“Juvenile Labour inFactories is a National Blessing” | [312] |
| CHAPTER XXIII | |
Industrial Conditions in America—Protectionfor Animals—Founding of theSociety for the Prevention of Crueltyto Children—Spread of the Movementthroughout the World—Origin inNew York City | [332] |
Appendix A—Napoleonic Decree of 1811 | [341] |
Appendix B—Certificate of Incorporationof the New York Society for the Preventionof Cruelty to Children | [346] |
Appendix C—Treatment of Children | [349] |
Index | [361] |