Amongst The Pets

Amongst the Pets, by J. W. Bottomley, in the Royal Academy exhibition, 1870. 'The whole human race - the savage more perhaps than the civilised in some cases - make pets of their offspring; and foreign nations say that the English make pets of their animals also, more than any other people. If this be the case, Mr. Bottomley, the painter of this meritorious picture, which, we have engraved from the present Academy exhibition, has given a title to his picture which may apply both to the human and canine little ones. The latter are, moreover, plainly petted by the former - much to the satisfaction of the proud and confiding mother within the kennel: and the pets of both kinds are evidently on the best of terms; there is no rivalry or jealousy, the infirmities of pets in general, on either side. So, as the forms and every movement and gesture of the young of all animals, man included, are graceful, amuseing, and endearing, we cannot but have chosen for reproduction a pleasant picture acceptable to our readers'. From "Illustrated London News", 1870. Creator: William Hollidge. (Photo by The Print Collector/Heritage Images via Getty Images)