John Hildrop | |
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| Born | 30 December 1682 |
| Died | 18 January 1756 (1756-01-19) (aged 73) |
| Occupation(s) | Cleric, writer |
John Hildrop (30 December 1682 – 18 January 1756) was an Englishcleric, known as a religious writer and essayist. Hildrop authored one of the earliest works onanimal rights.
Hildrop was born inPetersfield, Hampshire, the son of William Hildrop.[1] He was educated atSt John's College, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. on 7 July 1702, M.A. on 8 June 1705, B.D. and D.D. on 9 June 1743.[2]
On 14 April 1703 Hildrop was presented to the mastership of theMarlborough Royal Free Grammar School byThomas Bruce, 2nd Earl of Ailesbury; he was also rector ofMaulden,Bedfordshire. He resigned the mastership on 4 December 1733, and the rectory on 23 March 1734. On 13 April 1734 he was instituted to the rectory ofWath-juxta-Ripon on the presentation ofCharles, Lord Bruce, whose chaplain he was.[2]
In 1740 Hildrop became one of the regular contributors to theWeekly Miscellany. He died on 18 January 1756. He was a friend and correspondent ofZachary Grey.[2]
Hildrop authoredThoughts Upon the Brute-Creation, in 1742. The book aimed to defend animals against abuse and to demonstrate their place in Biblical creation. The book strongly criticized and rejected the view held by French JesuitGuillaume-Hyacinthe Bougeant that animals have no reason, moral status or souls.[3]
It has been described as the "earliest premodern zoophile treatise" and "one of the earliest pleas for animal rights".[3][4]
Under the pseudonyms "Phileleutherus Britannicus" and "Timothy Hooker", and anonymously, Hildrop published satirical essays, mainly directed against theDeists. Some of these were reprinted asThe Miscellaneous Works of John Hildrop, D.D., London, 1754, 2 vols. and comprise:[2]
Other work by Hildrop are:[2]
This article incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Stephen, Leslie;Lee, Sidney, eds. (1891). "Hildrop, John".Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 26. London: Smith, Elder & Co.
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