Robert Morris (writer)

Robert Morris (February 1703 – 12 November 1754) was an English writer, architectural theorist, and surveyor. Active during the first half of the eighteenth century, he is best known for his contributions to the Palladian revival through a series of influential treatises and pattern books, including Lectures on Architecture (1734–1736), Rural Architecture (1750), and The Architectural Remembrancer (1751). His published designs helped popularise classical architectural principles in Britain and colonial America, where his influence can be traced in several prominent buildings, particularly in Virginia. Although few executed works can be confidently attributed to him, he was involved in both design and surveying for various projects, including work at Inveraray Castle, Richmond Park, and Culverthorpe Hall.

In addition to his architectural writings, Morris anonymously published philosophical and satirical tracts, and was an early advocate of vegetarianism and animal rights. His 1746 essay A Reasonable Plea for the Animal Creation argued for the moral consideration of animals and has been recognised as a significant early text in the history of animal ethics.