Frances Power Cobbe
Biography and Correspondence
Frances Power Cobbe (Dec. 4, 1822-Apr. 5, 1904) was born in Ireland to a large and important family. She grew up as the only daughter of five children and was educated to be a socially acceptable young lady. However, she had a keen mind and disliked social events, preferring to study on her own and enjoy the natural world around her. While her family was quite religious, she ended up rejecting the Christian faith for her own form of belief as an agnostic. But despite this rejection of Christianity, she later wrote, “By far the most important result of the Individualism of the Evangelical System has been the recognition of the spiritual equality of women” (Mitchell 2004:57). In 1855 she published The Theory of Intuitive Morals, arguing her own view of Kant’s moral imperative.
After her father’s death, Cobbe travelled to the Middle East and became a correspondent for the London Daily News in Italy. She would go on to a successful journalistic career writing for social progress in a number of papers. Cobbe also continued with her interest in religious thought by becoming a Theist and writing Broken Lights: an Inquiry into the Present Condition and Future Prospects of Religious Faith (1864) and Dawning Lights: an Inquiry Concerning the Secular Results of the New Reformation (1867).
Cobbe took up the cause of suffrage for women and a concern for abused women. Her article, “Truth on Wife Torture” (1878) became the basis for a law allowing for women to legally separate from husbands convicted of assaulting them. She would develop a greater awareness of ethics as they relate to animals as well as humans, and this led to her forming the Society for the Protection of Animals Liable to Vivisection (SPALV) in 1875 and in 1898 the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection (BUAV). She became most well known for her anti-vivisection work, but continued writing. Her books include: On the Pursuits of Women (1863), Cities of the Past (1864), Criminals, Idiots, Women and Minors (1869), Darwinism in Morals (1871), and Scientific Spirit of the Age (1888).
Cobbe is also known for her relationship with Mary Lloyd, an artist who shared her concerns. Their open lesbian relationship lasted from 1864 until Mary’s death in 1896. While they seem far apart in terms of theology, Cobbe sought Hannah Whitall Smith’s advice to find a leader in the U.S. to help integrate her anti-vivisection views with the larger audience of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union. With Smith’s support, Frances Willard added mercy to animals as part of the WCTU’s work reaching hundreds of thousands of women in America with the anti-vivisection message (Mitchell 2004:327).
Hengwert
Dolgelley
N. Wales
Jan. 9th (note: Answered Jan. 13, 1889)
Dear Mrs. Pearsall Smith,
I am going to claim the acquaintance which you so kindly made by letter a couple of years ago, and which I had the pleasure of ratifying by our brief handshaking at the meeting in Westminster Palace Hotel, last summer.
I know how sincerely you sympathize with the efforts of our Victoria St. Society to put an end to scientific cruelty, and I have therefore no fear in addressing you concerning the latest here of our work in America. I hear from many sources there, so much of your great influence among the most serious minded people (from whom our real help of course must come). Though I am most anxious to invoke it in aiding us, especially (per the reasons I shall explain) at this moment.
As you are no doubt aware there exists in Philadelphia an excellent Anti-Vivisection Society, founded several years ago by Wm. Richard, P. White (a Roman Catholic) and Miss Adele Biddle. Commenced on the principles of seeking restitution, this society last year, with great good sense adopted our programme of total abolition. It is now fairly on the way and I trust may have a real future of good work before it. W.T.’s a larger organization, however, by far, which I am hopeful may be brought to ally itself with the same object; Miss Willard’s marvelous “Christian Women’s Temperance Union,” of which, of course you know infinitely more than I do. You will need no further explanation when I tell you this dear Miss Willard, (with whom I have long been in friendly intercourse) is everyway sympathetic on this Vivisection question. My earnest desire is that this great Association would add to their Temperance and Local Purity planks; that of Mercy to Animals with the Antivivisection principle clearly defined as a part thereof..
The hope that this may be accomplished was then imposed in my mind by an admirable address delivered recently by a member of the W.C.T.U., Mrs. Lovell of Bergu Manor, Montgomery 1st Penn. to a Branch of her Association. I send you a copy which she has sent me with 2 very interesting and charming letters, expressing her hope that the W.C.T.U. may take up the matter; but experience knows it will naturally take some time to let the idea filter through this universe [in a] way so as to obtain intelligent acceptance.
Miss Willard has likewise sent me a copy of Mrs. Lovell’s pamphlet expressing her appreciation with it and saying the W.C.T.U. platform does include the principle of mercy to animals.
I have sent Mrs. Lovell a little money and some papers to help her local propaganda; I have written to Miss Willard to implore her to do whatever is possible to carry out the idea; I have also offered any number of thousands of copies of “Light in Dark Places” or other pamphlets she may prefer for distribution through the W.C.T.U. You will now see, dear Mrs. Pearsall Smith, exactly how things stand and will be able to judge where and how you can help us by urging influential friends in America either to join Mr. White’s society or (more particularly) to press the various branches of the W.C.T.U. to take up the cause.
There is too great remove to fear that vivisection is curious and even more reckless an merciless in America than in England, and thus the New Vice (as I call it) of scientific cruelty is being instilled by education in numberless colleges through most of the Union- A fearful prospect for the future!- I will end […] further a […]!
Most truly and respectfully yours,
Frances Power Cobbe
Note: The National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) is the oldest anti-vivisection society in the world, first established by Francis Power Cobbe in 1875. It was originally called the Victoria Street Society and led directly to the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876. In 1898, the organization agreed to fight for lesser measures instead of the complete abolition of vivisection, which led to Frances Cobbe leaving the organization and founding the British Union for the Abolition of Vivisection. The NAVS continues to fight against animal testing for commercial, educational, or scientific purposes.
