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{{Short description|Scottish philosopher, writer, poet, social critic, vegetarian and revolutionary}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}}
''This article is about '''John Oswald''' an 18th-century political revolutionary. Information related to the Canadian composer may be found at ]''


⚫ ]
⚫ '''John Oswald''' (c. 1760/1730<ref>According to Henry Salt and Howard Williams he was born in 1730. See '''', by Henry Salt, Macmillan & Co., 1894, p. 113; and '''' by Howard Williams, University of Illinois Press, 2003, p. 179.</ref> – 14 September 1793) was a Scottish philosopher, writer, poet, social critic and revolutionary.

⚫ '''John Oswald''' (c. 1760/1730<ref>According to Henry Salt and Howard Williams he was born in 1730. See '' {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110722150112/http://www.animalrightshistory.org/animal-rights-timeline/animal-rights-s/sal-henry-salt/1892-animals-rights/bibliography.htm |date=22 July 2011 }}'', by Henry Salt, Macmillan & Co., 1894, p. 113; and '''' by Howard Williams, University of Illinois Press, 2003, p. 179.</ref> – 14 September 1793) was a Scottish ], writer, ], social critic, ] and revolutionary.


==Early life== ==Early life==
Little is known for certain regarding Oswald's early life. He was born between 1755 and 1760 in ]. His father is said to have been a coffee-house-keeper, or a goldsmith.<ref name=RoyalHighlandRegiment> ''Scottish Military – Highland Regiments'', by William Melven, M.A., Glasgow</ref> He became a student goldsmith himself.<ref name=Jacobs>{{nl icon}} ("John Oswald: The First Theorist of Direct Democracy?"), by Roger Jacobs, ''Athene'', February 2003.</ref> It is said that Oswald learned ] and ] without a tutor, and later learned ]. Little is known for certain regarding Oswald's early life. He was born between 1755 and 1760 in ]. His father is said to have been a coffee-house keeper, or a goldsmith.<ref name=RoyalHighlandRegiment> ''Scottish Military – Highland Regiments'', by ], M.A., Glasgow</ref> He became a student goldsmith himself.<ref name=Jacobs>{{in lang|nl}} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070317223255/http://www.athene.antenna.nl/ARCHIEF/NR03-Parijs/JACOBS%20-%20Oswald.htm |date=17 March 2007 }} ("John Oswald: The First Theorist of Direct Democracy?"), by Roger Jacobs, ''Athene'', February 2003.</ref> It is said that Oswald learned ] and ] without a tutor, and later learned ].


==Oswald in India== ==Oswald in India==

⚫ ]
Oswald served in the ] as a Lieutenant of the ], the forty-second regiment of foot.<ref name=RoyalHighlandRegiment/> He served as a recruiting officer in Scotland during the ], and then in 1780 to the ] of ]. Oswald's exposure to ] vegetarianism in India had an impact on his philosophy which he describes in ''The Cry of Nature or An Appeal to Mercy and Justice on Behalf of the Persecuted Animals'', published in 1791.<ref name=Jacobs/> This is considered an important work of western vegetarianism.<ref name=Vegetarian>, by Indira Nathan, Frances Robinson, Lynne Burgess, and Allan Hackett, Centre for Consumer Education and Research, Liverpool John Moores University. Amended 20 January 2004</ref> Oswald served in the ] as a Lieutenant of the ], the ].<ref name=RoyalHighlandRegiment/> He served as a recruiting officer in Scotland during the ], and then in 1780 to the ] of ]. Oswald's exposure to ] vegetarianism in India influenced his philosophy which he describes in ''The Cry of Nature or An Appeal to Mercy and Justice on Behalf of the Persecuted Animals'', published in 1791.<ref name=Jacobs/> This is considered an important work of western vegetarianism.<ref name=Vegetarian> {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061028223011/http://www.staff.livjm.ac.uk/olfahack/hist.htm |date=28 October 2006 }}, by Indira Nathan, Frances Robinson, Lynne Burgess, and Allan Hackett, Centre for Consumer Education and Research, Liverpool John Moores University. Amended 20 January 2004</ref>


==Return to Britain== ==Return to Britain==
Oswald could no longer continue as an army officer. He left the army and returned to Britain in 1783, and began a period as an author of poetry and social criticism, and editor of ''The British Mercury'', a periodical publication. During this period, Oswald wrote a sharp polemic in favour of ], ''Review of the Constitution of Great Britain'', and an anti-religious leaflet ''Ranae Comicae Evangelizantes: or the Comic Frogs turned Methodist'', in which he supported ].<ref name=Jacobs/> As Oswald could no longer continue as an army officer, he left the army and returned to Britain in 1783, and began a period as an author of poetry and social criticism, and editor of ''The British Mercury'', a periodical publication. During this period, Oswald wrote a sharp polemic in favour of ], ''Review of the Constitution of Great Britain'', and an anti-religious leaflet ''Ranae Comicae Evangelizantes: or the Comic Frogs turned Methodist'', in which he supported ].<ref name=Jacobs/>


==Oswald in France== ==Oswald in France==
With the outbreak of the ] of 1789, Oswald travelled to Paris, and soon joined the ]. In that body, he pressed for more energetic intervention by the Jacobins in British affairs, arguing that a revolution in England was essential for peace between the two nations. An address to a ] radical organization was sent by the Jacobins on Oswald's urgings. According to some reports, Oswald was sent to Ireland to offer French support for an Irish rebellion, but little appeared to come of this effort. With the outbreak of the ] of 1789, Oswald travelled to Paris, and soon joined the ]. In that body, he pressed for more energetic intervention by the Jacobins in British affairs, arguing that a revolution in England was essential for peace between the two nations. An address to a ] radical organization was sent by the Jacobins on Oswald's urgings. According to some reports, Oswald was sent to Ireland to offer French support for an Irish rebellion, but little appeared to come of this effort.


In March 1792, Oswald called for the universal arming of the masses, and began organizing a small army of ] in Paris known as the First Battalion of Pikers. With the outbreak of ], the First Battalion proceeded against the insurgents. Oswald died in the battle of ] on 14 September 1793. In March 1792, Oswald called for the universal arming of the masses, and began organizing a small army of ] in Paris, known as the First Battalion of Pikers. With the outbreak of ], the First Battalion proceeded against the insurgents. Oswald died in the battle of ] on 14 September 1793.


==''The Cry of Nature''== ==''The Cry of Nature''==
John Oswald, like his contemporary ], argued that modern society was in conflict with man's nature. Oswald argued in ''The Cry of Nature or an Appeal to Mercy and Justice on Behalf of the Persecuted Animals'', that man is naturally equipped with feelings of mercy and compassion. <ref name="pm"> ], John Oswald, like his contemporary ], argued that modern society was in conflict with man's nature. Oswald argued in ''The Cry of Nature or an Appeal to Mercy and Justice on Behalf of the Persecuted Animals'', that man is naturally equipped with feelings of mercy and compassion.<ref name="pm">], ''Nature's Web : An Exploration of Ecological Thinking''. London : Simon & Schuster, 1992. {{ISBN|0671710656}}. (p. 255)</ref> If each man had to personally experience the death of the animals he ate, so argued Oswald, a vegetarian diet would be far more common. The division of labour, however, allows modern man to eat flesh without experiencing the prompting of man's natural sensitivities, while the brutalization of modern man made him inured to these sensitivities.<ref name="pm" /> Although Oswald gave compassion a central place in his philosophy, and was a vegetarian, he was not a pacifist, as evidenced by the fact that he died fighting in the ].<ref name="pm" />
''Nature's Web : An Exploration Of Ecological Thinking''. London : Simon & Schuster, 1992.
ISBN 0671710656. (p. 255)</ref> If each man had to personally experience the death of the animals he ate, so argued Oswald, a vegetarian diet would be far more common. The division of labour, however, allows modern man to eat flesh without experiencing the prompting of man's natural sensitivities, while the brutalization of modern man made him inured to these sensitivities. <ref name="pm"> </ref> Although Oswald gave compassion a central place in his philosophy, and was a vegetarian, he was not a pacifist, as evidenced by the fact that he died fighting in the ].
<ref name="pm"> </ref>


==Works by John Oswald== ==Works by John Oswald==
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* ''Euphrosyne or an Ode to Beauty'', London, 1788 * ''Euphrosyne or an Ode to Beauty'', London, 1788
* ''Poems, to which is added "The Humors of John Bull" an Operatic Farce'', London 1789 (published under the pseudonym Sylvester Otway) * ''Poems, to which is added "The Humors of John Bull" an Operatic Farce'', London 1789 (published under the pseudonym Sylvester Otway)
* '''', 1791. Online at AnimalRightsHistory.org. Reprinted Edwin Mellen Pr, 2000, edited by Jason C. Hribal, ISBN 0-7734-7668-7. * '''', 1791. Online at AnimalRightsHistory.org. Reprinted Edwin Mellen Pr, 2000, edited by Jason C. Hribal, {{ISBN|0-7734-7668-7}}.
* {{fr icon}} ''La Tactique du Peuple'', Paris, 179? * {{in lang|fr}} ''La Tactique du Peuple'', Paris, 179?
* {{fr icon}} , Paris, 1793. {{nl icon}} ] translation by Roger Jacobs, February 2003. Both online at {{nl icon}} (''Athene: Web illustrated magazine for direct democracy''), Dutch web magazine. * {{in lang|fr}} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201045252/http://www.athene.antenna.nl/ARCHIEF/NR03-Parijs/OSWALD%20-%20Gouvernement.htm |date=1 February 2022 }}, Paris, 1793. {{in lang|nl}} {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070317223316/http://www.athene.antenna.nl/ARCHIEF/NR03-Parijs/OSWALD%20-%20Volksregering.htm |date=17 March 2007 }} ] translation by Roger Jacobs, February 2003. Both online at {{in lang|nl}} (''Athene: Web illustrated magazine for direct democracy''), Dutch web magazine.
* ''The British Mercury'', editor. * ''The British Mercury'', editor.


==Writings about John Oswald== ==Writings about John Oswald==
* ''Commerce des lumières : John Oswald and the British in Paris, 1790–1793'' / David V. Erdman. ISBN 0-8262-0607-7 * ''Commerce des lumières : John Oswald and the British in Paris, 1790–1793'' / ]. {{ISBN|0-8262-0607-7}}
* T. F. Henderson, , rev. Ralph A. Manogue, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2006, accessed 11 April 2007 * ], , rev. Ralph A. Manogue, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2006, accessed 11 April 2007


==Notes== ==Notes==
{{Reflist}}
<references/>


{{Authority control|VIAF=100306464}} {{Authority control}}

{{Persondata <!-- Metadata: see ]. -->
| NAME = Oswald, John
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES =
| SHORT DESCRIPTION = British philosopher
| DATE OF BIRTH = 1760
| PLACE OF BIRTH =
| DATE OF DEATH = 1793
| PLACE OF DEATH = Les Ponts-de-Cé
}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oswald, John}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Oswald, John}}
] ]
] ]
]
⚫ ]
]
] ]
] ]
⚫ ]
] ]
] ]
] ]

Latest revision as of 13:45, 25 November 2024

Scottish philosopher, writer, poet, social critic, vegetarian and revolutionary

Frontispiece of The Cry of Nature, London, 1791. Caption reads: "The butcher's knife hath laid low the delight of a fond dam, & the darling of Nature is now stretched in gore upon the ground."

John Oswald (c. 1760/1730 – 14 September 1793) was a Scottish philosopher, writer, poet, social critic, vegetarian and revolutionary.

Early life

Little is known for certain regarding Oswald's early life. He was born between 1755 and 1760 in Edinburgh. His father is said to have been a coffee-house keeper, or a goldsmith. He became a student goldsmith himself. It is said that Oswald learned Latin and Greek without a tutor, and later learned Arabic.

Oswald in India

Oswald served in the British Army as a Lieutenant of the Royal Highland Regiment, the 42nd Regiment of Foot. He served as a recruiting officer in Scotland during the American Revolution, and then in 1780 to the Malabar Coast of India. Oswald's exposure to Hindu vegetarianism in India influenced his philosophy which he describes in The Cry of Nature or An Appeal to Mercy and Justice on Behalf of the Persecuted Animals, published in 1791. This is considered an important work of western vegetarianism.

Return to Britain

As Oswald could no longer continue as an army officer, he left the army and returned to Britain in 1783, and began a period as an author of poetry and social criticism, and editor of The British Mercury, a periodical publication. During this period, Oswald wrote a sharp polemic in favour of republicanism, Review of the Constitution of Great Britain, and an anti-religious leaflet Ranae Comicae Evangelizantes: or the Comic Frogs turned Methodist, in which he supported atheism.

Oswald in France

With the outbreak of the French Revolution of 1789, Oswald travelled to Paris, and soon joined the Jacobin Club. In that body, he pressed for more energetic intervention by the Jacobins in British affairs, arguing that a revolution in England was essential for peace between the two nations. An address to a Manchester radical organization was sent by the Jacobins on Oswald's urgings. According to some reports, Oswald was sent to Ireland to offer French support for an Irish rebellion, but little appeared to come of this effort.

In March 1792, Oswald called for the universal arming of the masses, and began organizing a small army of sans-culottes in Paris, known as the First Battalion of Pikers. With the outbreak of monarchist counter-revolution in La Vendée, the First Battalion proceeded against the insurgents. Oswald died in the battle of Ponts-de-Cee on 14 September 1793.

The Cry of Nature

John Oswald, like his contemporary Rousseau, argued that modern society was in conflict with man's nature. Oswald argued in The Cry of Nature or an Appeal to Mercy and Justice on Behalf of the Persecuted Animals, that man is naturally equipped with feelings of mercy and compassion. If each man had to personally experience the death of the animals he ate, so argued Oswald, a vegetarian diet would be far more common. The division of labour, however, allows modern man to eat flesh without experiencing the prompting of man's natural sensitivities, while the brutalization of modern man made him inured to these sensitivities. Although Oswald gave compassion a central place in his philosophy, and was a vegetarian, he was not a pacifist, as evidenced by the fact that he died fighting in the French Revolution.

Works by John Oswald

Writings about John Oswald

Notes

  1. According to Henry Salt and Howard Williams he was born in 1730. See Animals' Rights Considered in Relation to Social Progress Also an Essay on Vivisection in America Archived 22 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, by Henry Salt, Macmillan & Co., 1894, p. 113; and The Ethics of Diet by Howard Williams, University of Illinois Press, 2003, p. 179.
  2. ^ "Scottish Regiments: Royal Highland Regiment" Scottish Military – Highland Regiments, by William Melven, M.A., Glasgow
  3. ^ (in Dutch) "John Oswale: De Eerst Theoreticus Van De Directe Democratie?" Archived 17 March 2007 at the Wayback Machine ("John Oswald: The First Theorist of Direct Democracy?"), by Roger Jacobs, Athene, February 2003.
  4. "An Historical Perspective on Being Vegetarian." Archived 28 October 2006 at the Wayback Machine, by Indira Nathan, Frances Robinson, Lynne Burgess, and Allan Hackett, Centre for Consumer Education and Research, Liverpool John Moores University. Amended 20 January 2004
  5. ^ Peter Marshall, Nature's Web : An Exploration of Ecological Thinking. London : Simon & Schuster, 1992. ISBN 0671710656. (p. 255)
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