[54] The question is as to the acts themselves, and not their abuse.
[55] A philosopher of the school of Descartes, who, like his master, taught that animals are machines.
[56] Education progressive, VI., iv.
[57] Bulletin de la Société Protectrice des Animaux. June, 1868.
[58] Law of the 2d July, 1850, called Grammont Law: “Shall be punishable by a fine of from five to fifteen francs, or from one to five days’ imprisonment, any one who shall publicly and abusively have maltreated domestic animals. In case of repetition of the offence, imprisonment.”
A society—Société Protectrice des Animaux—has been formed to come in aid to the law. The principal articles of its statutes are: “The aim of the society is to ameliorate, by all the means in its power, and conformably to the law of the 2d of July, 1850, the condition of animals. The society awards recompenses to any propagating its work and inventing proper means to the relief of animals; to the agents of the police, pointed out by their chiefs as having enforced the laws and regulations for the prevention of cruelty and ill-treatment towards animals;—to the agents of agriculture, shepherds, farm-help, farmers, leaders of cattle;—to coachmen, butcher-boys, smiths—in short, to any person who, in some high degree, shall have given proof of good treatment, intelligent and continued care and compassion toward animals.” See in its Bulletins, the useful results obtained by this interesting society.
[59] Traité élémentaire de philosophie, p. 262.
[60] Concerning these three powers, see Montesquieu, Esprit des lois, I., xi.
[61] See on this subject the Notions d’instruction civique.
[62] Prosopopœia in rhetoric is the form of expression which consists in animating physical or abstract things, in lending them “a soul, a mind, a visage” (Boileau), in making them speak or being spoken to as if they were present and living. In Crito, the laws are personified, and it is they that speak.