GHL to Sir Arthur Helps, London, [2 March 1873]
Title
GHL to Sir Arthur Helps, London, [2 March 1873]
Title
GHL to Sir Arthur Helps, London, [2 March 1873]
Sender
George Henry Lewes
Recipient
Sir Arthur Helps
Date(s)
- 1873-03-02
Place
London
Letter Content
GHL to Sir Arthur Helps, London, [2 March 1873]
MS: Nuneaton Public Library.
The Priory | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
Sunday.
My dear Helps
I have now finished the book, and have only one regret -- that it was not longer! A good fault. 'c0propos of faults, I noticed two trifles, and one serious -- 1st. Telliamed was not an Arabian author, but the anagram of De Maillet 143 one of Darwin's absurd predecessors. 2d. It was Dr. Johnson who supposed some men's nonsense suited their nonsense. 144
What you say on Vivisection 145 though excellent in spirit proceeds on two misconceptions. First that it has not led to discovery. Secondly that it is necessarily accompanied with pain. All physiological discovery was made through experiment, and of experiment the greater part is Vivisection. Since the discovery of anaesthetics almost all experimenters render the animals unconscious, not only for the sake of sparing pain, but for the precision of the operation. I have performed hundreds, and never once, except in very trifling cases, operated without anaesthesia. Nor indeed could I see another operate without it. There are some experiments which do not admit of the application of anaesthesia but these are few and one of the very greatest living experimenters, Schiff, 146 always narcotizes. In France they are culpably reckless on this point -- a tradition with them. Now it would make your indignation all the more effective if it were to be thrown solely on the gravamen of the case -- the needless vivisection and the carelessness as to pain. In the way you state the case only those who know vivisection from indignation pamphlets can agree with you. Pray see to this in a second edition, as you, one of the justest of men, would certainly not be cruel to animals nor to vivisection.
Ever faithfully yours
G. H. L.
If you had ever stood by and seen a rabbit wake up after an operation (the mere pain of which would have killed him had he not taken chloral or chloroform) and begin to munch his cabbage just as if nothing had occurred, you would have no doubt about the comparative indifference to him of having been experimented on.
MS: Nuneaton Public Library.
The Priory | 21. North Bank, | Regents Park.
Sunday.
My dear Helps
I have now finished the book, and have only one regret -- that it was not longer! A good fault. 'c0propos of faults, I noticed two trifles, and one serious -- 1st. Telliamed was not an Arabian author, but the anagram of De Maillet 143 one of Darwin's absurd predecessors. 2d. It was Dr. Johnson who supposed some men's nonsense suited their nonsense. 144
What you say on Vivisection 145 though excellent in spirit proceeds on two misconceptions. First that it has not led to discovery. Secondly that it is necessarily accompanied with pain. All physiological discovery was made through experiment, and of experiment the greater part is Vivisection. Since the discovery of anaesthetics almost all experimenters render the animals unconscious, not only for the sake of sparing pain, but for the precision of the operation. I have performed hundreds, and never once, except in very trifling cases, operated without anaesthesia. Nor indeed could I see another operate without it. There are some experiments which do not admit of the application of anaesthesia but these are few and one of the very greatest living experimenters, Schiff, 146 always narcotizes. In France they are culpably reckless on this point -- a tradition with them. Now it would make your indignation all the more effective if it were to be thrown solely on the gravamen of the case -- the needless vivisection and the carelessness as to pain. In the way you state the case only those who know vivisection from indignation pamphlets can agree with you. Pray see to this in a second edition, as you, one of the justest of men, would certainly not be cruel to animals nor to vivisection.
Ever faithfully yours
G. H. L.
If you had ever stood by and seen a rabbit wake up after an operation (the mere pain of which would have killed him had he not taken chloral or chloroform) and begin to munch his cabbage just as if nothing had occurred, you would have no doubt about the comparative indifference to him of having been experimented on.
Signature
G. H. L.
Citation
George Henry Lewes, GHL to Sir Arthur Helps, London, [2 March 1873], Complete George Eliot Letters(2026), George Eliot Archive, edited by Beverley Park Rilett. https://GeorgeEliotArchive.org, Accessed September 7, 2026. https://georgeeliotarchive.org/items/show/95019