The Learned Dog, Lily: A Whist-Playing Victorian Canine
Recently, while researching Victorian pleasure gardens, I came across a listing of acts scheduled to appear at Cremorne Gardens in 1857. Among the humourists, contortionists, and tight-rope walkers were various animal attractions. Most notable of these was a little English spaniel billed as “The Learned Dog, Lily.” According to the 17 July edition of the Morning Chronicle, Lily’s “whist playing, arithmetical calculations, and general shrewdness” formed one of “the great attractions” of the gardens.[…]Continue Reading
Midwives, Abortion, and the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861
Under the Offences Against the Person Act of 1861, any pregnant woman who acted with intent to “procure her own miscarriage” was guilty of a felony and could, if convicted, be sentenced to “penal servitude for life.” This same law that punished women who attempted to rid themselves of an unwanted pregnancy also punished the nurses and midwives who were frequently engaged to assist them. In most cases, it was impossible to enforce the law. However, when a woman died as a result of complications following an abortion, the person who had performed the procedure could be charged with murder and even sentenced to death.[…]Continue Reading
The Deerhounds of Windsor Great Park
(Royal Collection Trust)
In his 1825 novel, The Talisman, Sir Walter Scott famously refers to the Scottish Deerhound as “a most perfect creature of heaven.” A truly noble and majestic breed, the purebred Scottish or “Scotch” Deerhound was a rarity outside of Scotland throughout much of the 19th century. Those that did reside in England lived under the auspices of Queen Victoria. Early in her reign, she had a favorite Scottish Deerhound named Hector (seen in the above portrait by Landseer). By the 1870s, there were several Scottish Deerhounds at Windsor Great Park. And by the end of the century, the Scottish Deerhound Club was established under the queen’s patronage. […]Continue Reading
Literary Obituaries: Death Notices for Austen, Byron, Brontë, and Dickens
Today, Jane Austen, Lord Byron, Charlotte Brontë, and Charles Dickens are generally recognized as four of the greatest authors in English literature. But how did their contemporaries view them? Were their works appreciated? And how did the 19th century public feel when three of them, still in their prime, met an untimely end? To discover the answers to these questions, one might delve into the legions of biographies written over the years or have a look at their letters, journals, or contemporary reviews of their poems and novels. However, since it is less than a week until Halloween, I thought we might instead take a brief look at their obituaries.[…]Continue Reading
The Scottie's Petticoat and Other 19th Century Dog Tales
On this week’s edition of Animals in Literature and History, I bring you three separate, but equally intriguing, dog anecdotes from the 19th century. The first involves a Scottish Terrier and a lady’s white petticoat. The second involves a Bulldog and a surgeon. And the third and final tale gives us a little insight into the professional and working class souls of 19th century canines.[…]Continue Reading
