SOMERVILLE HALL • A MTSNOTILIER.
[To THE Winos OP Tar -SPEcreroct."]
Sts,—When the first College for Women at Oxford adopted the name of " Somerville," it was understood to indicate the ambition of the founders to produce among their pupils that beautiful type of character wherein the keenest thirst for knowledge was united with womanly tenderness of heart and conscience. As one who has long advocated the higher female education, and who is probably the last surviving intimate friend of Mrs. Somerville, I feel bound to make known that in an important matter the present authorities of the Hall have departed from any such supposed programme ; and to enter my formal protest against the retention of my friend's name by an institution which sends its students to be taught by vivisectors.
From a recent correspondence with the Honorary Treasurer of the Hall on the subject of the election (now accomplished), of Mrs. Burdon-Sanderson to the Council, I have learned that the students, both of Lady Margaret and of Somerville who study physiology have, " under arrangements made by the Central Association, attended Professor Burdon-Sanderson's lectures ; " and though in a subsequent letter the same gentle. man informed me that no students of Somerville have hitherto taken up physiology, he states further that several have studied animal morphology, when they enjoy "one term's in- struction in elementary physiology ; and this instruction is usually given by one of the assistants in the laboratory " (by the hypothesis, a student of vivisection), " and very rarely by the Professor." In the Reports for 1890, I find that among these lecturers on animal morphology was that enthu- siastic apostle of vivisection, Professor Ray Lankester.
Now, Sir, I speak from personal knowledge of Mrs. Somer- ville, and I affirm that her attendance on any lectures delivered by Professor Sanderson, or Professor Ray Lankester, or per- mission on her part to any girl under her control to do so, is absolutely inconceivable. She regarded vivisection as nothing short of a sin; and the arguments used in defence of it she deemed to be base and corrupting. It was in concert with her, and spurred in great measure by her indignation, that thirty years ago I started in Florence the agitation which is now carried on by the Victoria Street Society. Is it fitting, I ask, that a College should shelter• itself under her beloved name, and then flagrantly set at naught the principles and sentiments which lay at the root of her beautiful character P The Oxford girl-students do not, I am told, witness (as those at Cambridge unhappily are permitted to do) any actual experiments on living animals, and the authorities of Somerville profess entire neutrality on the question ; but, as I have shown, they deliberately expose these young girls to the influence of the ever-restless clique of vivisectors, and to the contagion of that "joyful ardour" wherewith they avowedly " approach a difficult vivi- section,"—in short, to the full infection of the " new vice " of scientific cruelty.—I am, Sir, &c.,
FRANCES POWER COBBE.
Hengwrt, Dolgelly, December 22nd, 1890.
P.S.—A correspondence on this subject, between the autho- rities of Somerville Hall and myself, will be found in the forthcoming Zoophilist for January.
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