CYNOMANIA
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR] SIR,—Mr. C. E. Vulliamy's letter stirs me deeply. It was long since I had read anything more sane and pertinent. With his cry of Abolish the dog! few, surely, would quarrel, and those few would be of small account. But this is not enough. Why does not Mr. Vulliamy cry, Abolish the horse? No longer necessary for ploughing or for war, corrupter of Man's finances, mucker-up of his streets. Why does he not cry, Abolish the cat? Disturber of Man's sleep, upraker of his seedlings, polluter of his pantries, from whom his very babes in their cots must be protected by nets. Why does he not cry, Abolish the bird (save edible)? What more nauseatingly insanitary than the habits of the seagulls on our national seashores? Why, why, does he not cry, Abolish the tortoise? Notoriously the centre, if not quite the origin, of lamentable tendencies in unmarried women which this is definitely not the place to divulge. But I must be brief. In a word, therefore : Why does Mr. Vulliamy not cry, Abolish all things not of direct use to Man?
For human stupidity and depravity are indeed the only conceivable causes of the continued existence of any creature not of use to Man. How can this for one moment be ques- tioned? Man has won a supreme place in creation. Look around in the world today : everywhere is evident the unique value of homo sapiens. His is the creative power, the per- ception, the forethought, the skill, the understanding; his is the wisdom ; above all, his is the sense of justice. It would be impossible to deny that he is the sole purpose of Creation. Therefore it follows that the rest of creation is intended for his exploitation, or for his abolishing. And any different opinion can be held only by childless women and retro- gressively sentimental men—in a word, by half, or quarter, wits.
Sir, I appeal to you and to all men and women of ideal in this country. Here, indeed, is National Service ready to our hand. Now, now, is the time!—Yours faithfully,
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