diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:10:58 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:10:58 -0700 |
| commit | 19dff5b4029358fd3e08f4adc5ba4688c674d5c0 (patch) | |
| tree | c7c228471f29c55176a477e022c6d24e26e73283 | |
| -rw-r--r-- | .gitattributes | 3 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38727-8.txt | 1314 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38727-8.zip | bin | 0 -> 26707 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38727-h.zip | bin | 0 -> 29136 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38727-h/38727-h.htm | 1434 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38727.txt | 1314 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 38727.zip | bin | 0 -> 26659 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | LICENSE.txt | 11 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | README.md | 2 |
9 files changed, 4078 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6833f05 --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,3 @@ +* text=auto +*.txt text +*.md text diff --git a/38727-8.txt b/38727-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b185772 --- /dev/null +++ b/38727-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1314 @@ +Project Gutenberg's A Vindication of Natural Diet., by Percy Bysshe Shelley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Vindication of Natural Diet. + +Author: Percy Bysshe Shelley + +Release Date: January 31, 2012 [EBook #38727] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VINDICATION OF NATURAL DIET. *** + + + + +Produced by Norbert H. Langkau, Martin Pettit and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + +A VINDICATION OF NATURAL DIET. + +BY PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY. + +A NEW EDITION. + + "Our simple life wants little, and true taste + Hires not the pale drudge Luxury to waste + The scene it would adorn, and therefore still + Nature, with all her children, haunts the hill." + + _Epipsychidion._ + +LONDON: F. PITMAN, 20, PATERNOSTER ROW. +MANCHESTER: JOHN HEYWOOD, RIDGEFIELD; AND OFFICES +OF THE VEGETARIAN SOCIETY, 75, PRINCESS STREET. +1884. + + + + +PREFATORY NOTICE. + + +Shelley's "Vindication of Natural Diet" was first written as part of the +notes to "Queen Mab," which was privately issued in 1813. Later in the +same year the "Vindication" was separately published as a pamphlet, and +it is from this later publication that the present reprint is made. The +original pamphlet is now exceedingly scarce, but it is said to have been +reprinted in 1835, as an appendix to an American medical work, the +"Manual on Health," by Dr. Turnbull, of New York. Two copies only are +known to have been preserved of this excessively rare pamphlet, though +possibly others may be hidden in unfrequented libraries and out of the +way country houses. One copy is in the British Museum, and the other is +in the possession of Mr. H. Buxton Forman, who has reprinted it in his +great edition of Shelley, where it forms the opening part of the second +volume of the "Prose Works." + +The main object of Shelley's pamphlet was to show that a vegetable diet +is the most _natural_, and therefore the best for mankind. It is not an +appeal to humanitarian sentiment, but an argument based on individual +experience, concerning the intimate connection of health and morality +with food. It has no claim to originality in the arguments adduced; its +materials being avowedly drawn from the works of Dr. Lambe and Mr. +Newton, of whom an account may be read in Mr. Howard Williams' "Catena," +but the style is Shelley's own, and the pamphlet is in many ways one of +the most interesting and characteristic of his prose works. Perhaps its +most remarkable feature is to be found in the very pertinent remarks as +to the bearing of Vegetarianism on those questions of economy and social +reform, which are now forcing themselves more and more on the attention +of the English people.[1] + + +At the time of writing his "Vindication of Natural Diet," Shelley had +himself, for some months past, adopted a Vegetarian diet, chiefly, no +doubt, through his intimacy with the Newton family. There seems no +reason to doubt that he continued to practise Vegetarianism during the +rest of his stay in England, that is from 1813 to the spring of 1818. +Leigh Hunt's account of his life at Marlow, in 1817, is as +follows:--"This was the round of his daily life. He was up early, +breakfasted sparingly, wrote this 'Revolt of Islam' all the morning; +went out in his boat, or in the woods, with some Greek author or the +Bible in his hands; came home to a dinner of vegetables (for he took +neither meat nor wine); visited, if necessary, the sick and fatherless, +whom others gave Bibles to and no help; wrote or studied again, or read +to his wife and friends the whole evening; took a crust of bread or a +glass of whey for his supper, and went early to bed." + +In 1818, he left England for Italy, and during his last four years, the +most dreamy and speculative period of his life, he seems to have been +less strict in his observance of Vegetarian practice. It is not true +however, as has sometimes been asserted, that Shelley lost faith in the +principles of Vegetarianism; for his change in diet was owing partly to +his well-known carelessness about his food, which became more marked at +this time, and partly to a desire to avoid giving trouble to the other +members of his household, which, as we see from a line in his letter to +Maria Gisborne, written in 1820, "Though we eat little flesh and drink +no wine" was not entirely a Vegetarian one. Yet, even at this period of +his life, he himself was practically, if not systematically, a +Vegetarian, for all his biographers agree in informing us that bread was +literally his "staff of life." We cannot doubt that if he had lived in +the present time he would have taken a leading part in the movement +towards Food Reform. As it is, he has left us an invaluable legacy in +his "Vindication of Natural Diet," perhaps the most powerful and +eloquent plea ever put forward in favour of the Vegetarian cause. + +He found in this the presage of his ideal future. To his enthusiastic +faith in the transforming effect of the Vegetarian principle, we owe +some of the finest passages in his poetry. In the close of the eighth +canto of "Queen Mab," we have a picture of a time when man no more + + + Slays the lamb that looks him in the face. + + +It is the same ideal of bloodless innocence as that of Israel's +prophet-poet, who declares that in the Holy Mountain they shall not hurt +nor destroy. Never did sage or singer, prophet or priest, or poet, see a +brighter vision of the future than that which is imaged in the +description of a glorified earth, from which cruelty, bloodshed, and +tyranny, have been banished. + + + "My brethren, we are free! The fruits are glowing + Beneath the stars, and the night-winds are flowing + O'er the ripe corn. The birds and beasts are dreaming. + Never again may blood of bird or beast + Stain with its venomous stream a human feast, + + To the pure skies in accusation steaming; + Avenging poisons shall have ceased + To feed disease and fear and madness; + The dwellers of the earth and air + Shall throng around our steps in gladness, + Seeking their food or refuge there. + Our toil from thought all glorious forms shall cull, + To make this earth, our home, more beautiful; + And Science, and her sister Poesy, + Shall clothe in light the fields and cities of the free!" + + * * * * * + + Over the plain the throngs were scattered then + In groups around the fires, which from the sea + Even to the gorge of the first mountain-glen + Blazed wide and far. The banquet of the free + Was spread beneath many a dark cypress-tree; + Beneath whose spires which swayed in the red flame + Reclining as they ate, of liberty, + And hope, and justice, and Laone's name, + Earth's children did a woof of happy converse frame. + + Their feast was such as Earth, the general mother, + Pours from her fairest bosom, when she smiles + In the embrace of Autumn. To each other + As when some parent fondly reconciles + Her warring children, she their wrath beguiles + With her own sustenance; they relenting weep:-- + Such was this festival, which, from their isles + And continents and winds and oceans deep, + All shapes might throng to share that fly or walk or creep. + + +That this was no mere poetic sentiment is proved by this pamphlet, which +is an earnest vindication of Vegetarianism. + +H. S. S. +W. E. A. A. + + +[ORIGINAL TITLE PAGE.] + + +A VINDICATION OF NATURAL DIET. + +BEING ONE IN A SERIES OF NOTES TO QUEEN MAB + +(A PHILOSOPHICAL POEM). + +[Greek: Iapetionidê, pantôn peri mêdea eidôs, +Chaireis pur klepsas, kai emas phrenas êperopeusas; +Soit' autô mega pêma kai andrasin essomenoisi. +Toisd'egô anti puros dôsô kakon, ô ken apantes +Terpôntai kata thumon, eon kakon amphagapôntes.] + +[Greek: ÊSIÔD.] Op. et Dies. 1, 54. + +LONDON: + +PRINTED FOR J. CALLOW, MEDICAL BOOKSELLER, CROWN COURT, +PRINCE'S STREET, SOHO, +BY SMITH & DAVY, QUEEN STREET, SEVEN DIALS. +1813. + +_PRICE ONE SHILLING AND SIXPENCE._ + + + + +A VINDICATION OF NATURAL DIET. + + +I hold that the depravity of the physical and moral nature of man +originated in his unnatural habits of life. The origin of man, like that +of the universe of which he is a part, is enveloped in impenetrable +mystery. His generations either had a beginning, or they had not. The +weight of evidence in favour of each of these suppositions seems +tolerably equal; and it is perfectly unimportant to the present argument +which is assumed. The language spoken, however, by the mythology of +nearly all religions seems to prove, that at some distant period man +forsook the path of nature, and sacrificed the purity and happiness of +his being to unnatural appetites. The date of this event seems to have +also been that of some great change in the climates of the earth, with +which it has an obvious correspondence. The allegory of Adam and Eve +eating of the tree of evil, and entailing upon their posterity the wrath +of God, and the loss of everlasting life, admits of no other explanation +than the disease and crime that have flowed from unnatural diet. Milton +was so well aware of this, that he makes Raphael thus exhibit to Adam +the consequence of his disobedience:-- + + + ... Immediately a place + Before his eyes appeared: sad, noisome, dark: + A lazar-house it seemed; wherein were laid + Numbers of all diseased: all maladies + Of ghastly spasm, or racking torture, qualms + Of heart-sick agony, all feverous kinds, + Convulsions, epilepsies, fierce catarrhs; + Intestine stone and ulcer, cholic pangs, + Dæmoniac frenzy, moping melancholy, + And moon-struck madness, pining atrophy, + Marasmus, and wide-wasting pestilence, + Dropsies, and asthmas, and joint-racking rheums. + + +And how many thousands more might not be added to this frightful +catalogue! + +The story of Prometheus is one likewise which, although universally +admitted to be allegorical, has never been satisfactorily explained. +Prometheus stole fire from heaven, and was chained for this crime to +Mount Caucasus, where a vulture continually devoured his liver, that +grew to meet its hunger. Hesiod says, that, before the time of +Prometheus, mankind were exempt from suffering; that they enjoyed a +vigorous youth, and that death, when at length it came, approached like +sleep, and gently closed their eyes. Again, so general was this opinion, +that Horace, a poet of the Augustan age, writes:-- + + + Audax omnia perpeti, + Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas, + Audax Iapeti genus + Ignem fraude mala gentibus intulit, + Post ignem æthereâ domo + Subductum, macies et nova febrium + Terris incubuit cohors + Semotique prius tarda necessitas + Lethi corripuit gradum. + + +How plain a language is spoken by all this. Prometheus (who represents +the human race) effected some great change in the condition of his +nature, and applied fire to culinary purposes; thus inventing an +expedient for screening from his disgust the horrors of the shambles. +From this moment his vitals were devoured by the vulture of disease. It +consumed his being in every shape of its loathsome and infinite variety, +inducing the soul-quelling sinkings of premature and violent death. All +vice arose from the ruin of healthful innocence. Tyranny, superstition, +commerce, and inequality, were then first known, when reason vainly +attempted to guide the wanderings of exacerbated passion. I conclude +this part of the subject with an extract from Mr. Newton's Defence of +Vegetable Regimen, from whom I have borrowed this interpretation of the +fable of Prometheus. + +"Making allowance for such transposition of the events of the allegory +as time might produce after the important truths were forgotten, which +this portion of the ancient mythology was intended to transmit, the +drift of the fable seems to be this: Man at his creation was endowed +with the gift of perpetual youth; that is, he was not formed to be a +sickly suffering creature as we now see him, but to enjoy health, and to +sink by slow degrees into the bosom of his parent earth without disease +or pain. Prometheus first taught the use of animal food (primus bovem +occidit Prometheus)[2] and of fire, with which to render it more +digestible and pleasing to the taste. Jupiter, and the rest of the gods, +foreseeing the consequences of these inventions, were amused or +irritated at the short-sighted devices of the newly-formed creature, and +left him to experience the sad effects of them. Thirst, the necessary +concomitant of a flesh diet," (perhaps of all diet vitiated by culinary +preparation) "ensued; water was resorted to, and man forfeited the +inestimable gift of health which he had received from heaven; he became +diseased, the partaker of a precarious existence and no longer descended +slowly to his grave."[3] + + + But just disease to luxury succeeds, + And every death its own avenger breeds; + The fury passions from that blood began, + And turned on man a fiercer savage--Man. + + +Man and the animals whom he has infected with his society, or depraved +by his dominion, are alone diseased. The wild hog, the mouflon, the +bison, and the wolf are perfectly exempt from malady, and invariably die +either from external violence or natural old age. But the domestic hog, +the sheep, the cow, and the dog are subject to an incredible variety of +distempers; and, like the corrupters of their nature, have physicians +who thrive upon their miseries. The supereminence of man is like +Satan's, a supereminence of pain; and the majority of his species, +doomed to penury, disease, and crime, have reason to curse the untoward +event that, by enabling him to communicate his sensations, raised him +above the level of his fellow animals. But the steps that have been +taken are irrevocable. The whole of human science is comprised in one +question--How can the advantages of intellect and civilisation be +reconciled with the liberty and pure pleasures of natural life? How can +we take the benefits and reject the evils of the system which is now +interwoven with all the fibres of our being? I believe that abstinence +from animal food and spirituous liquors would in a great measure +capacitate us for the solution of this important question. + +Comparative anatomy teaches us that man resembles frugivorous animals in +everything, and carnivorous in nothing: he has neither claws wherewith +to seize his prey, nor distinct and pointed teeth to tear the living +fibre. A mandarin of the first class, with nails two inches long, would +probably find them alone inefficient to hold even a hare. After every +subterfuge of gluttony, the bull must be degraded into the ox, and the +ram into the wether, by an unnatural and inhuman operation, that the +flaccid fibre may offer a fainter resistance to rebellious nature. It is +only by softening and disguising dead flesh by culinary preparation that +it is rendered susceptible of mastication or digestion, and that the +sight of its bloody juices and raw horror does not excite intolerable +loathing and disgust. Let the advocate of animal food force himself to a +decisive experiment on its fitness, and, as Plutarch recommends, tear a +living lamb with his teeth, and plunging his head into its vitals, slake +his thirst with the steaming blood; when fresh from the deed of horror, +let him revert to the irresistible instincts of nature that would rise +in judgment against it, and say, Nature formed me for such work as this. +Then, and then only, would he be consistent. + +Man resembles no carnivorous animal. There is no exception, except man +be one, to the rule of herbivorous animals having cellulated colons. + +The orang-outang perfectly resembles man both in the order and number of +his teeth. The orang-outang is the most anthropomorphous of the ape +tribe, all of which are strictly frugivorous. There is no other species +of animals in which this analogy exists.[4] In many frugivorous animals, +the canine teeth are more pointed and distinct than those of man. The +resemblance also of the human stomach to that of the orang-outang is +greater than to that of any other animal. + +The intestines are also identical with those of herbivorous animals, +which present a large surface for absorption, and have ample and +cellulated colons. The cæcum also, though short, is larger than that of +carnivorous animals; and even here the orang-outang retains its +accustomed similarity. + +The structure of the human frame then is that of one fitted to a pure +vegetable diet, in every essential particular. It is true that the +reluctance to abstain from animal food, in those who have been long +accustomed to its stimulus, is so great in some persons of weak minds, +as to be scarcely overcome; but this is far from bringing any argument +in its favour. A lamb which was fed for some time on flesh by a ship's +crew, refused its natural diet at the end of the voyage. There are +numerous instances of horses, sheep, oxen, and even wood-pigeons, having +been taught to live upon flesh, until they have loathed their natural +aliment. Young children evidently prefer pastry, oranges, apples, and +other fruit, to the flesh of animals, until, by the gradual depravation +of the digestive organs, the free use of vegetables has, for a time, +produced serious inconveniences; _for a time_, I say, since there never +was an instance wherein a change from spirituous liquors and animal food +to vegetables and pure water, has failed ultimately to invigorate the +body, by rendering its juices bland and consentaneous, and to restore to +the mind that cheerfulness and elasticity, which not one in fifty +possesses on the present system. A love of strong liquors is also with +difficulty taught to infants. Almost every one remembers the wry faces +the first glass of port produced. Unsophisticated instinct is +invariably unerring; but to decide on the fitness of animal food, from +the perverted appetites which its constrained adoption produce, is to +make the criminal a judge in his own cause; it is even worse, it is +appealing to the infatuated drunkard in a question of the salubrity of +brandy. + +What is the cause of morbid action in the animal system? Not the air we +breathe, for our fellow denizens of nature breathe the same uninjured; +not the water we drink, if remote from the pollutions of man and his +inventions, for the animals drink it too; not the earth we tread upon; +not the unobscured sight of glorious nature, in the wood, the field, or +the expanse of sky and ocean; nothing that we are or do in common with +the undiseased inhabitants of the forest. Something then wherein we +differ from them; our habit of altering our food by fire, so that our +appetite is no longer a just criterion for the fitness of its +gratification. Except in children there remains no traces of that +instinct which determines, in all other animals, what aliment is natural +or otherwise; and so perfectly obliterated are they in the reasoning +adults of our species, that it has become necessary to urge +considerations, drawn from comparative anatomy, to prove that we are +naturally frugivorous. + +Crime is madness. Madness is disease. Whenever the cause of disease +shall be discovered, the root, from which all vice and misery have so +long overshadowed the globe, will lie bare to the axe. All the exertions +of man, from that moment, may be considered as tending to the clear +profit of his species. No sane mind in a sane body resolves upon a real +crime. It is a man of violent passions, bloodshot eyes, and swollen +veins, that alone can grasp the knife of murder. The system of a simple +diet promises no Utopian advantages. It is no mere reform of +legislation, whilst the furious passions and evil propensities of the +human heart, in which it had its origin, are still unassuaged. It +strikes at the root of all evil, and is an experiment which may be tried +with success, not alone by nations, but by small societies, families, +and even individuals. + +In no cases has a return to vegetable diet produced the slightest +injury: in most it has been attended with changes undeniably beneficial. +Should ever a physician be born with the genius of Locke, I am persuaded +that he might trace all bodily and mental derangements to our unnatural +habits, as clearly as that philosopher has traced all knowledge to +sensation. What prolific sources of disease are not those mineral and +vegetable poisons that have been introduced for its extirpation? How +many thousands have become murderers and robbers, bigots and domestic +tyrants, dissolute and abandoned adventurers, from the use of fermented +liquors; who had they slaked their thirst only at the mountain stream, +would have lived but to diffuse the happiness of their own unperverted +feelings. How many groundless opinions and absurd institutions have not +received a general sanction from the sottishness and intemperance of +individuals? Who will assert that, had the populace of Paris drank at +the pure source of the Seine, and satisfied their hunger at the +ever-furnished table of vegetable nature that they would have lent their +brutal suffrage to the proscription-list of Robespierre? Could a set of +men, whose passions were not perverted by unnatural stimuli, look with +coolness on an _auto da fè_? Is it to be believed that a being of gentle +feelings, rising from his meal of roots, would take delight in sports of +blood? + +Was Nero a man of temperate life? Could you read calm health in his +cheek, flushed with ungovernable propensities of hatred for the human +race? Did Muley Ismael's pulse beat evenly, was his skin transparent, +did his eyes beam with healthfulness, and its invariable concomitants, +cheerfulness and benignity? Though history has decided none of these +questions, a child could not hesitate to answer in the negative. Surely +the bile-suffused cheek of Buonaparte, his wrinkled brow, and yellow +eye, the ceaseless inquietude of his nervous system, speak no less +plainly the character of his unresting ambition than his murders and his +victories. It is impossible had Bonaparte descended from a race of +vegetable feeders, that he could have either the inclination or the +power to ascend the throne of the Bourbons. The desire of tyranny could +scarcely be excited in the individual; the power to tyrannise would +certainly not be delegated by a society neither frenzied by inebriation, +nor rendered impotent or irrational by disease. Pregnant, indeed, with +inexhaustible calamity is the renunciation of instinct, as it concerns +our physical nature; arithmetic cannot enumerate, nor reason perhaps +suspect, the multitudinous sources of disease in civilised life. Even +common water, that apparently innoxious _pabulum_, when corrupted by the +filth of populous cities, is a deadly and insidious destroyer.[5] Who +can wonder that all the inducements held out by God himself in the Bible +to virtue should have been vainer than a nurse's tale; and that those +dogmas, apparently favourable to the intolerant and angry passions, +should have alone been deemed essential; whilst Christians are in the +daily practice of all those habits which have infected with disease and +crime, not only the reprobate sons, but these favoured children of the +common Father's love. Omnipotence itself could not save them from the +consequences of this original and universal sin. + + +There is no disease, bodily or mental, which adoption of vegetable diet +and pure water has not infallibly mitigated, wherever the experiment has +been fairly tried. Debility is gradually converted into strength, +disease into healthfulness: madness, in all its hideous variety, from +the ravings of the fettered maniac, to the unaccountable irrationalities +of ill-temper, that make a hell of domestic life, into a calm and +considerable evenness of temper, that alone might offer a certain pledge +of the future moral reformation of society. On a natural system of diet, +old age would be our last and our only malady: the term of our existence +would be protracted; we should enjoy life, and no longer preclude others +from the enjoyment of it; all sensational delights would be infinitely +more exquisite and perfect; the very sense of being would then be a +continued pleasure, such as we now feel it in some few and favoured +moments of our youth. By all that is sacred in our hopes for the human +race, I conjure those who love happiness and truth, to give a fair trial +to the vegetable system. Reasoning is surely superfluous on a subject +whose merits an experience of six months would set for ever at rest. But +it is only among the enlightened and benevolent that so great a +sacrifice of appetite and prejudice can be expected, even though its +ultimate excellence should not admit of dispute. + +It is found easier, by the short-sighted victims of disease, to +palliate their torments by medicine, than to prevent them by regimen. +The vulgar of all ranks are invariably sensual and indocile; yet I +cannot but feel myself persuaded, that when the benefits of vegetable +diet are mathematically proved; when it is as clear, that those who live +naturally are exempt from premature death, as that nine is not one, the +most sottish of mankind will feel a preference towards a long and +tranquil, contrasted with a short and painful life. On the average, out +of sixty persons, four die in three years. In April, 1814, a statement +will be given that sixty persons, all having lived more than three years +on vegetables and pure water, are then _in perfect health_. More than +two years have now elapsed; _not one of them has died_; no such example +will be found in any sixty persons taken at random. Seventeen persons of +all ages (the families of Dr. Lambe and Mr. Newton) have lived for seven +years on this diet without a death, and almost without the slightest +illness. Surely, when we consider that some of these were infants, and +one a martyr to asthma, now nearly subdued, we may challenge any +seventeen persons taken at random in this city to exhibit a parallel +case. Those who may have been excited to question the rectitude of +established habits of diet, by these loose remarks, should consult Mr. +Newton's luminous and eloquent essay.[6] It is from that book, and from +the conversation of its excellent and enlightened author, that I have +derived the materials which I here present to the public. + +When these proofs come fairly before the world, and are clearly seen by +all who understand arithmetic, it is scarcely possible that abstinence +from aliments demonstrably pernicious should not become universal. + +In proportion to the number of proselytes, so will be the weight of +evidence; and when a thousand persons can be produced, living on +vegetables and distilled water, who have to dread no disease but old +age, the world will be compelled to regard animal flesh and fermented +liquors as slow but certain poison. The change which would be produced +by simpler habits on political economy is sufficiently remarkable. The +monopolising eater of animal flesh would no longer destroy his +constitution by devouring an acre at a meal, and many loaves of bread +would cease to contribute to gout, madness, and apoplexy, in the shape +of a pint of porter or a dram of gin, when appeasing the long-protracted +famine of the hard-working peasant's hungry babes. The quantity of +nutritious vegetable matter consumed in fattening the carcase of an ox, +would afford ten times the sustenance, undepraving indeed, and incapable +of generating disease, if gathered immediately from the bosom of the +earth. + +The most fertile districts of the habitable globe are now actually +cultivated by men for animals, at a delay and waste of aliment +absolutely incapable of calculation. It is only the wealthy that can, to +any great degree, even now, indulge the unnatural craving for dead +flesh, and they pay for the greater licence of the privilege, by +subjection to supernumerary diseases. Again, the spirit of the nation +that should take the lead in this great reform would insensibly become +agricultural: commerce, with all its vice, selfishness, and corruption, +would gradually decline; more natural habits would produce gentler +manners, and the excessive complication of political relations would be +so far simplified that every individual might feel and understand why he +loved his country, and took a personal interest in its welfare. How +would England, for example, depend on the caprices of foreign rulers, if +she contained within herself all the necessaries, and despised whatever +they possessed of the luxuries of life? How could they starve her into +compliance with their views? Of what consequence would it be that they +refused to take her woollen manufactures, when large and fertile tracts +of the island ceased to be allotted to the waste of pasturage? On a +natural system of diet, we should require no spices from India; no wines +from Portugal, Spain, France, or Madeira; none of those multitudinous +articles of luxury, for which every corner of the globe is rifled, and +which are the causes of so much individual rivalship, such calamitous +and sanguinary national disputes. + +In the history of modern times, the avarice of commercial monopoly, no +less than the ambition of weak and wicked chiefs, seems to have fomented +the universal discord, to have added stubbornness to the mistakes of +cabinets, and indocility to the infatuation of the people. Let it ever +be remembered, that it is the direct influence of commerce to make the +interval between the richest and the poorest man wider and more +unconquerable. Let it be remembered that it is a foe to every thing of +real worth and excellence in the human character. The odious and +disgusting aristocracy of wealth, is built upon the ruins of all that is +good in chivalry or republicanism; and luxury is the forerunner of a +barbarism scarce capable of cure. Is it impossible to realize a state of +society, where all the energies of man shall be directed to the +production of his solid happiness? + +Certainly, if this advantage (the object of all political speculation) +be in any degree attainable, it is attainable only by a community which +holds out no factitious incentives to the avarice and ambition of the +few, and which is internally organized for the liberty, security, and +comfort of the many. None must be entrusted with power (and money is the +completest species of power) who do not stand pledged to use it +exclusively for the general benefit. But the use of animal flesh and +fermented liquors, directly militates with this equality of the rights +of man. The peasant cannot gratify these fashionable cravings without +leaving his family to starve. Without disease and war, those sweeping +curtailers of population, pasturage would include a waste too great to +be afforded. The labour requisite to support a family is far lighter[7] +than is usually supposed. The peasantry work, not only for themselves, +but for the aristocracy, the army, and the manufacturers. + +The advantage of a reform in diet is obviously greater than that of any +other. It strikes at the root of the evil. To remedy the abuses of +legislation, before we annihilate the propensities by which they are +produced, is to suppose, that by taking away the effect, the cause will +cease to operate. But the efficacy of this system depends entirely on +the proselytism of individuals, and grounds its merits, as a benefit to +the community, upon the total change of the dietetic habits in its +members. It proceeds securely from a number of particular cases to one +that is universal, and has this advantage over the contrary mode, that +one error does not invalidate all that has gone before. + +Let not too much, however, be expected from this system. The healthiest +among us is not exempt from hereditary disease. The most symmetrical, +athletic, and long-lived, is a being inexpressibly inferior to what he +would have been, had not the unnatural habits of his ancestors +accumulated for him a certain portion of malady and deformity. In the +most perfect specimen of civilized man something is still found wanting +by the physiological critic. Can a return to nature, then, +instantaneously eradicate predispositions that have been slowly taking +root in the silence of innumerable ages? Indubitably not. All that I +contend for is, that from the moment of the relinquishing all unnatural +habits, no new disease is generated; and that the predisposition to +hereditary maladies gradually perishes for want of its accustomed +supply. In cases of consumption, cancer, gout, asthma, and scrofula, +such is the invariable tendency of a diet of vegetables and pure water. + +Those who may be induced by these remarks to give the vegetable system a +fair trial, should, in the first place, date the commencement of their +practice from the moment of their conviction. All depends upon the +breaking through a pernicious habit resolutely and at once. Dr. +Trotter[8] asserts that no drunkard was ever reformed by gradually +relinquishing his dram. Animal flesh, in its effects on the human +stomach, is analogous to a dram. It is similar in the kind, though +differing in the degree, of its operation. The proselyte to a pure diet +must be warned to expect a temporary diminution of muscular strength. +The subtraction of a powerful stimulus will suffice to account for this +event. But it is only temporary, and is succeeded by an equable +capability for exertion far surpassing his former various and +fluctuating strength. Above all, he will acquire an easiness of +breathing, by which the same exertion is performed with a remarkable +exemption from that painful and difficult panting now felt by almost +every one after hastily climbing an ordinary mountain. He will be +equally capable of bodily exertion or mental application after as before +his simple meal. He will feel none of the narcotic effects of ordinary +diet. Irritability, the direct consequence of exhausting stimuli, would +yield to the power of natural and tranquil impulses. He will no longer +pine under the lethargy of _ennui_, that unconquerable weariness of +life, more dreaded than death itself. He will escape the epidemic +madness that broods over its own injurious notions of the Deity, and +"realizes the hell that priests and beldams feign." Every man forms, as +it were, his god from his own character; to the divinity of one of +simple habits, no offering would be more acceptable than the happiness +of his creatures. He would be incapable of hating or persecuting others +for the love of God. He will find, moreover, a system of simple diet to +be a system of perfect epicurism. He will no longer be incessantly +occupied in blunting and destroying those organs from which he expects +his gratification. + +The pleasures of taste to be derived from a dinner of potatoes, beans, +peas, turnips, lettuces, with a dessert of apples, gooseberries, +strawberries, currants, raspberries, and in winter, oranges, apples, +and pears, is far greater than is supposed. Those who wait until they +can eat this plain fare with the sauce of appetite will scarcely join +with the hypocritical sensualist at a lord mayor's feast, who declaims +against the pleasures of the table. Solomon kept a thousand concubines, +and owned in despair that all was vanity. The man whose happiness is +constituted by the society of one amiable woman would find some +difficulty in sympathising with the disappointment of this venerable +debauchee. + +I address myself not only to the young enthusiast, the ardent devotee of +truth and virtue, the pure and passionate moralist, yet unvitiated by +the contagion of the world. He will embrace a pure system, from its +abstract truth, its beauty, its simplicity and its promise of +wide-extended benefit; unless custom has turned poison into food, he +will hate the brutal pleasures of the chase by instinct; it will be a +contemplation full of horror and disappointment to his mind, that beings +capable of the gentlest and most admirable sympathies, should take +delight in the death-pangs and last convulsions of dying animals. The +elderly man whose youth has been poisoned by intemperance, or who has +lived with apparent moderation, and is afflicted with a variety of +painful maladies, would find his account in a beneficial change, +produced without the risk of poisonous medicines.[9]The mother, to whom +the perpetual restlessness of disease, and unaccountable deaths +incident to her children, are the causes of incurable unhappiness, would +on this diet experience the satisfaction of beholding their perpetual +health and natural playfulness. + +The most valuable lives are daily destroyed by diseases, that it is +dangerous to palliate and impossible to cure by medicine. How much +longer will man continue to pimp for the gluttony of death, his most +insidious, implacable, and eternal foe? The proselyte to a simple and +natural diet, who desires health, must from the moment of his conversion +attend to these rules-- + + + NEVER TAKE ANY SUBSTANCE INTO THE STOMACH THAT ONCE HAD LIFE. + + DRINK NO LIQUID BUT WATER RESTORED TO ITS ORIGINAL PURITY BY + DISTILLATION. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] Shelley's pamphlet appeared in 1813. The Vegetarian Society was not +founded until 1847. Information as to this Society, with list of its +publications, can be had free on application to the Secretary, 75, +Princess Street, Manchester. + +[2] "Plin. Nat Hist.," Lib. vii, Soc. 57. + +[3] "Return to Nature." Cadell, 1811. + +[4] Cuvier, Leçons d'Anat. Comp. tom. iii., pages 169, 373, 448, 465, +and 480. Rees's Cyclopædia, article Man. + +[5] See Dr. Lambe's "Report on Cancer." + +[6] Return to Nature, or Defence of Vegetable Regimen. Cadell, 1811. + +[7] It has come under the author's experience that some of the workmen +on an embankment in North Wales who, in consequence of the inability of +the proprietor to pay them, seldom received their wages, have supported +large families by cultivating small spots of sterile ground by +moonlight. In the notes to Pratt's Poem, "Bread for the Poor," is an +account of an industrious labourer, who by working in a small garden, +before and after his day's task, attained to an enviable state of +independence. + +[8] See Trotter on "The Nervous Temperament." + +[9] See Mr. Newton's book. His children are the most beautiful and +healthy creatures it is possible to conceive; the girls are perfect +models for a sculptor; their dispositions are also the most gentle and +conciliating; the judicious treatment which they experience in other +points, may be a correlative cause of this. In the first five years of +their life, of 18,000 children that are born, 7,500 die of various +diseases; and how many more of those that survive are rendered miserable +by maladies not immediately mortal? The quality and quantity of a +woman's milk are materially injured by the use of dead flesh. In an +island, near Iceland, where no vegetables are to be got, the children +invariably die of tetanus, before they are three weeks old, and the +population is supplied from the mainland.--_Sir G. Mackenzie's History +of Iceland._ See also _Emile_, chap, i., p. 53, 55, 56. + + + + +APPENDIX. + + +Persons on vegetable diet have been remarkable for longevity. The first +Christians practised abstinence from animal flesh, on a principle of +self mortification. Other instances are, Old Parr 152; Mary Patten 136; +A Shepherd in Hungary 126; Patrick O'Neale 113; Joseph Elkins 103; +Elizabeth de Val 101; Aurungzebe 100; St. Anthony 105; James, the Hermit +104; Arsenius 120; St. Epiphanius 115; Simeon 112; and Rombald 120. + + +Mr. Newton's mode of reasoning on longevity is ingenious and conclusive. +"Old Parr, healthy as the wild animals, attained to the age of 152 +years. All men might be as healthy as the wild animals. Therefore all +men might attain to the age of 152 years." The conclusion is +sufficiently modest. Old Parr cannot be supposed to have escaped the +inheritance of disease, amassed by the unnatural habits of his +ancestors. The term of human life may be expected to be infinitely +greater, taking into the consideration all the circumstances that must +have contributed to abridge even that of Parr. + + +It may be here remarked, that the author and his wife have lived on +vegetables for eight months. The improvements of health and temper here +stated, is the result of his own experience. + + + + +ADVERTISEMENTS + + +THE ETHICS OF DIET. + +A CATENA OF AUTHORITIES DEPRECATORY OF THE PRACTICE OF FLESH-EATING. + +348 pp., 8vo. + +BY HOWARD WILLIAMS, M.A. + + +"I consider it a very valuable work."--COLONEL J. M. EARLE. + +"THE CATENA is good and useful."--FRANCES E. HOGGAN, M.D. + +"'The Ethics of Diet' much pleases me."--T. K. CHEYNE, M.A. + + +Price Five Shillings; Post free from the Office of the Vegetarian +Society, 75, Princess Street, Manchester. + + +ESSAYS ON DIET, BEING +Collected Lectures and Papers on Vegetarian Diet. + +BY FRANCIS WILLIAM NEWMAN. + +LONDON: KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, AND CO.; AND THE VEGETARIAN +SOCIETY, 75, PRINCESS STREET, MANCHESTER. + +PRICE ONE FLORIN. + + +THE PERFECT WAY IN DIET: + +A TREATISE ADVOCATING A RETURN TO THE NATURAL AND +ANCIENT FOOD OF OUR RACE. + +By ANNA KINGSFORD, + +Doctor of Medicine of the Faculty of Paris. + +London: Kegan Paul, Trench, and Co., 1, Paternoster Square; or +from the Vegetarian Society, 75, Princess Street, Manchester. + +PRICE ONE FLORIN. + + +Price 6d. 64pp., 8vo. Post free, 7d. + +"ALMONDS AND RAISINS" FOR 1884. + +Edited by R. BAILEY WALKER, F.S.S. + + +CONTAINS:-- + +Mushrooms and Toadstools. By H. S. S. +A Hunting of the Deer. By E. Dudley Warner. +A Christmas Ghost. By E. Grenville Waller. +The Ribblesdale Papers--Nos. I.-IV. By "Dora." +Rubies from Ruskin. +The Ministry of Food. By R. Bailey Walker. +The Abbot's Reply. By W. E. A. Axon. +Almonds and Raisins. By E. J. Baillie. +The Torquoise Ring. A Story by Mrs. Anna Kingsford, M.D. +Kalendar and Notes for 1884. +Fruits in Season for each Month, &c., &c. + +75, Princess Street, Manchester. + + +PRICE SIXPENCE. POST FREE, SEVENPENCE. + +THE HYGEIAN HOME COOK-BOOK: + +HEALTHFUL AND PALATABLE FOOD WITHOUT CONDIMENTS. + +By R. T. TRALL, M.D. + +First English Edition, with Chapters on Bread, Pies, Puddings, Soups, +Sauces, Vegetables, Fruits, &c. Also with Appendix on + +Hygienic Bread-Making, Fruit Preserving, &c. + +By Mrs. MATTIE JONES. + + +VEGETIST'S DIETARY + +AND MANUAL OF VEGETABLE COOKERY. + +By "Domestica." + +Fourth Edition. Revised. Price Sixpence. Cloth, One Shilling. + + +PRICE SIXPENCE. + +OUT-DOOR FRUIT FOR THE MILLION: + +HOW TO GROW IT IN LARGE AND CONTINUOUS QUANTITY, BY SIMPLE AND +INEXPENSIVE MEANS. + +FIFTH, AND AUTHORISED EDITION, REVISED AND ILLUSTRATED. + +By "Head Gardener." + +Manchester: Offices of the Vegetarian Society, 75, Princess Street. + + +THE SHELLEY SOCIETY + +_PUBLICATIONS FOR 1886._ + + +The Society's Publications for 1886 will be at least twelve of the +following fourteen:-- + + + 1. Shelley's _Adonais_: an Elegy on the Death of John Keats. Pisa, + 4to, 1821. A Facsimile Reprint on hand-made Paper, edited, with a + Bibliographical Introduction, by Thomas J. Wise. (_Second Edition, + Revised._) 10s. + +_Issued._ + + + 2. Shelley's Review of Hogg's novel, "Memoirs of Prince Alexy + Haimatoff." Now first reprinted from _The Critical Review_, Dec. + 1814, on hand-made Paper, with an Extract from Prof. Dowden's + article, "Some Early Writings of Shelley" (_Contemp. Rev._, Sept. + 1884). Edited, with an Introductory Note, by Thos. J. Wise. + (_Second Edition, Revised._) 2s. 6d. + +_Issued._ + + + 3. Shelley's _Alastor_, or The Spirit of Solitude; and other Poems. + London, fcap. 8vo., 1816. A Facsimile Reprint on hand-made Paper, + with a new Preface by Bertram Dobell. (_Second Edition, Revised._) + 6s. + +_Issued._ + + + 4. _A Shelley Bibliography_, or "The Shelley Library." Part I. + First Editions and their Reproductions. By H. Buxton Forman. + +_Issued._ + + + 5. Shelley's _Vindication of Natural Diet_. London, 12mo, 1813. A + Reprint, 1882, with a Prefatory Note by H. S. Salt and W. E. A. + Axon. Presented by Mr. Axon. (_Second Edition._) + +_Issued._ + + + 6. _A Memoir of Shelley_, with a fresh Preface, by William Michael + Rossetti; a Portrait of Shelley; and an engraving of his Tomb. + +_Issued._ + + + 7. Shelley's _Cenci_, (for the Society's performance in May), with + a prologue by Dr. John Todhunter, and an Introduction and Notes by + Harry Buxton Forman and Alfred Forman; and a Portrait of Beatrice + Cenci. 2s. 6d. + +_Issued._ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Vindication of Natural Diet., by +Percy Bysshe Shelley + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VINDICATION OF NATURAL DIET. *** + +***** This file should be named 38727-8.txt or 38727-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/7/2/38727/ + +Produced by Norbert H. Langkau, Martin Pettit and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/38727-8.zip b/38727-8.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..a026585 --- /dev/null +++ b/38727-8.zip diff --git a/38727-h.zip b/38727-h.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..0f60c53 --- /dev/null +++ b/38727-h.zip diff --git a/38727-h/38727-h.htm b/38727-h/38727-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..b309bfa --- /dev/null +++ b/38727-h/38727-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,1434 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" + "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> + +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> + <head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <title> + The Project Gutenberg eBook of A Vindication of Natural Diet, by Percy Bysshe Shelley.. + </title> + <style type="text/css"> + + p { margin-top: .75em; + text-align: justify; + margin-bottom: .75em; + } + + p.bold {text-align: center; font-weight: bold;} + + h1,h2,h3,h4,h5,h6 { + text-align: center; /* all headings centered */ + clear: both; + } + h1 span, h2 span { display: block; text-align: center; } + #id1 { font-size: smaller } + + hr { width: 33%; + margin-top: 2em; + margin-bottom: 2em; + margin-left: auto; + margin-right: auto; + clear: both; + } + + body{margin-left: 10%; + margin-right: 10%; + } + + hr.smler { width: 10%; } + + .pagenum { /* uncomment the next line for invisible page numbers */ + /* visibility: hidden; */ + position: absolute; + left: 92%; + font-size: smaller; + text-align: right; + text-indent: 0px; + } /* page numbers */ + + .center {text-align: center;} + .smcap {font-variant: small-caps;} + .block {margin: auto; text-align: center; width: 35em;} + .right {text-align: right;} + .tbrk {margin-bottom: 2em;} + .fnanchor { font-size: .8em; text-decoration: none;} + + .poem {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%; text-align: left;} + .poem br {display: none;} + .poem .stanza {margin: 1em 0em 1em 0em;} + .poem div {display: block; margin: 0; padding-left: 3em; text-indent: -3em;} + .poem div.i1 {display: block; margin-left: 1em;} + .poem div.i2 {display: block; margin-left: 2em;} + .poem div.i3 {display: block; margin-left: 3em;} + .poem div.i8 {display: block; margin-left: 8em;} + .poem div.i14 {display: block; margin-left: 14em;} + + </style> + </head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's A Vindication of Natural Diet., by Percy Bysshe Shelley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Vindication of Natural Diet. + +Author: Percy Bysshe Shelley + +Release Date: January 31, 2012 [EBook #38727] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VINDICATION OF NATURAL DIET. *** + + + + +Produced by Norbert H. Langkau, Martin Pettit and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p> + +<h1><span>A<br />VINDICATION<br />OF<br />NATURAL DIET.</span> <span id="id1">BY</span> <span>PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY.</span></h1> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p class="bold">A NEW EDITION.</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<div class="block"> +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div>"Our simple life wants little, and true taste</div> +<div>Hires not the pale drudge Luxury to waste</div> +<div>The scene it would adorn, and therefore still</div> +<div>Nature, with all her children, haunts the hill."</div> +<div class="i14"><i>Epipsychidion.</i></div> +</div></div></div> + +<p class="center">LONDON: <span class="smcap">F. Pitman, 20, Paternoster Row</span>.<br /> +MANCHESTER: <span class="smcap">John Heywood, Ridgefield; and Offices<br /> +of the Vegetarian Society, 75, Princess Street</span>.<br />1884.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span></p> + +<h2><span>PREFATORY NOTICE.</span></h2> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p>Shelley's "Vindication of Natural Diet" was first written as part of the +notes to "Queen Mab," which was privately issued in 1813. Later in the +same year the "Vindication" was separately published as a pamphlet, and +it is from this later publication that the present reprint is made. The +original pamphlet is now exceedingly scarce, but it is said to have been +reprinted in 1835, as an appendix to an American medical work, the +"Manual on Health," by Dr. Turnbull, of New York. Two copies only are +known to have been preserved of this excessively rare pamphlet, though +possibly others may be hidden in unfrequented libraries and out of the +way country houses. One copy is in the British Museum, and the other is +in the possession of Mr. H. Buxton Forman, who has reprinted it in his +great edition of Shelley, where it forms the opening part of the second +volume of the "Prose Works."</p> + +<p>The main object of Shelley's pamphlet was to show that a vegetable diet +is the most <i>natural</i>, and therefore the best for mankind. It is not an +appeal to humanitarian sentiment, but an argument based on individual +experience, concerning the intimate connection of health and morality +with food. It has no claim to originality in the arguments adduced; its +materials being avowedly drawn from the works of Dr. Lambe and Mr. +Newton, of whom an account may be read in Mr. Howard Williams' "Catena," +but the style is Shelley's own, and the pamphlet is in many ways one of +the most interesting and characteristic of his prose works.<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span> Perhaps its +most remarkable feature is to be found in the very pertinent remarks as +to the bearing of Vegetarianism on those questions of economy and social +reform, which are now forcing themselves more and more on the attention +of the English people.<a name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a></p> + +<p>At the time of writing his "Vindication of Natural Diet," Shelley had +himself, for some months past, adopted a Vegetarian diet, chiefly, no +doubt, through his intimacy with the Newton family. There seems no +reason to doubt that he continued to practise Vegetarianism during the +rest of his stay in England, that is from 1813 to the spring of 1818. +Leigh Hunt's account of his life at Marlow, in 1817, is as +follows:—"This was the round of his daily life. He was up early, +breakfasted sparingly, wrote this 'Revolt of Islam' all the morning; +went out in his boat, or in the woods, with some Greek author or the +Bible in his hands; came home to a dinner of vegetables (for he took +neither meat nor wine); visited, if necessary, the sick and fatherless, +whom others gave Bibles to and no help; wrote or studied again, or read +to his wife and friends the whole evening; took a crust of bread or a +glass of whey for his supper, and went early to bed."</p> + +<p>In 1818, he left England for Italy, and during his last four years, the +most dreamy and speculative period of his life, he seems to have been +less strict in his observance of Vegetarian practice. It is not true +however, as has sometimes been asserted, that Shelley lost faith in the +principles of Vegetarianism; for his change in diet was owing partly to +his well-known carelessness about his food, which became more marked at +this time, and partly to a desire to avoid<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span> giving trouble to the other +members of his household, which, as we see from a line in his letter to +Maria Gisborne, written in 1820, "Though we eat little flesh and drink +no wine" was not entirely a Vegetarian one. Yet, even at this period of +his life, he himself was practically, if not systematically, a +Vegetarian, for all his biographers agree in informing us that bread was +literally his "staff of life." We cannot doubt that if he had lived in +the present time he would have taken a leading part in the movement +towards Food Reform. As it is, he has left us an invaluable legacy in +his "Vindication of Natural Diet," perhaps the most powerful and +eloquent plea ever put forward in favour of the Vegetarian cause.</p> + +<p>He found in this the presage of his ideal future. To his enthusiastic +faith in the transforming effect of the Vegetarian principle, we owe +some of the finest passages in his poetry. In the close of the eighth +canto of "Queen Mab," we have a picture of a time when man no more</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div>Slays the lamb that looks him in the face.</div> +</div></div> + +<p>It is the same ideal of bloodless innocence as that of Israel's +prophet-poet, who declares that in the Holy Mountain they shall not hurt +nor destroy. Never did sage or singer, prophet or priest, or poet, see a +brighter vision of the future than that which is imaged in the +description of a glorified earth, from which cruelty, bloodshed, and +tyranny, have been banished.</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div>"My brethren, we are free! The fruits are glowing</div> +<div>Beneath the stars, and the night-winds are flowing</div> +<div>O'er the ripe corn. The birds and beasts are dreaming.</div> +<div class="i1">Never again may blood of bird or beast</div> +<div class="i1">Stain with its venomous stream a human feast,</div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span><div>To the pure skies in accusation steaming;</div> +<div class="i1">Avenging poisons shall have ceased</div> +<div class="i2">To feed disease and fear and madness;</div> +<div class="i3">The dwellers of the earth and air</div> +<div class="i2">Shall throng around our steps in gladness,</div> +<div class="i3">Seeking their food or refuge there.</div> +<div>Our toil from thought all glorious forms shall cull,</div> +<div>To make this earth, our home, more beautiful;</div> +<div>And Science, and her sister Poesy,</div> +<div>Shall clothe in light the fields and cities of the free!"</div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div>* * * * * *</div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div>Over the plain the throngs were scattered then</div> +<div class="i1">In groups around the fires, which from the sea</div> +<div>Even to the gorge of the first mountain-glen</div> +<div class="i1">Blazed wide and far. The banquet of the free</div> +<div class="i1">Was spread beneath many a dark cypress-tree;</div> +<div>Beneath whose spires which swayed in the red flame</div> +<div class="i1">Reclining as they ate, of liberty,</div> +<div>And hope, and justice, and Laone's name,</div> +<div>Earth's children did a woof of happy converse frame.</div> +</div><div class="stanza"> +<div>Their feast was such as Earth, the general mother,</div> +<div class="i1">Pours from her fairest bosom, when she smiles</div> +<div>In the embrace of Autumn. To each other</div> +<div class="i1">As when some parent fondly reconciles</div> +<div class="i1">Her warring children, she their wrath beguiles</div> +<div>With her own sustenance; they relenting weep:—</div> +<div class="i1">Such was this festival, which, from their isles</div> +<div>And continents and winds and oceans deep,</div> +<div>All shapes might throng to share that fly or walk or creep.</div> +</div></div> + +<p>That this was no mere poetic sentiment is proved by this pamphlet, which +is an earnest vindication of Vegetarianism.</p> + +<p class="right">H. S. S.<br />W. E. A. A.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center">[ORIGINAL TITLE PAGE.]</p> + +<p class="bold">A</p> + +<p class="bold">VINDICATION</p> + +<p class="bold">OF</p> + +<p class="bold">NATURAL DIET.</p> + +<p class="bold">BEING ONE IN A SERIES OF NOTES TO QUEEN MAB</p> + +<p class="bold">(A PHILOSOPHICAL POEM).</p> + +<div class="block"> +<div class="poem"> +<div class='stanza'><div>Ιαπετιονιδη, παντων περι μηδεα ειδωσ,</div> +<div>Χαιρεισ πυρ κλεψασ, και εμασ θρενασ ηπεροπενσασ;</div> +<div>Σοιτ' αυτω μεγα πημα και ανδρασιν εσσομενοισι.</div> +<div>Τοισδ'ἑγω αντι πυροσ δωσω κακον, ω κεν απαντεσ</div> +<div>Τερπωνται κατα θυμον, εον κακον αμφαγαπωντεσ.</div> +<div class="i8">ΗΣΙΩΔ. Op. et Dies. 1, 54.</div></div> +</div> + +<div class="poem"> +<div class='stanza'><div>[Greek: Iapetionidê, pantôn peri mêdea eidôs,</div> +<div>Chaireis pur klepsas, kai emas phrenas êperopeusas;</div> +<div>Soit' autô mega pêma kai andrasin essomenoisi.</div> +<div>Toisd'egô anti puros dôsô kakon, ô ken apantes</div> +<div>Terpôntai kata thumon, eon kakon amphagapôntes.]</div> +<div class="i8">[Greek: ÊSIÔD.] Op. et Dies. 1, 54.</div></div> +</div></div> + +<p class="center">LONDON:<br /> +<span class="smcap">Printed for J. Callow, Medical Bookseller, Crown Court,<br /> +Prince's Street, Soho,<br /> +By Smith & Davy, Queen Street, Seven Dials.</span><br />1813.</p> + +<p class="center"><i>PRICE ONE SHILLING AND SIXPENCE.</i></p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[Pg 9]</a></span></p> + +<h2><span>A VINDICATION OF NATURAL DIET.</span></h2> + +<p>I hold that the depravity of the physical and moral nature of man +originated in his unnatural habits of life. The origin of man, like that +of the universe of which he is a part, is enveloped in impenetrable +mystery. His generations either had a beginning, or they had not. The +weight of evidence in favour of each of these suppositions seems +tolerably equal; and it is perfectly unimportant to the present argument +which is assumed. The language spoken, however, by the mythology of +nearly all religions seems to prove, that at some distant period man +forsook the path of nature, and sacrificed the purity and happiness of +his being to unnatural appetites. The date of this event seems to have +also been that of some great change in the climates of the earth, with +which it has an obvious correspondence. The allegory of Adam and Eve +eating of the tree of evil, and entailing upon their posterity the wrath +of God, and the loss of everlasting life, admits of no other explanation +than the disease and crime that have flowed from unnatural diet. Milton +was so well aware of this, that he makes Raphael thus exhibit to Adam +the consequence of his disobedience:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div class="i8">... Immediately a place</div> +<div>Before his eyes appeared: sad, noisome, dark:</div> +<div>A lazar-house it seemed; wherein were laid</div> +<div>Numbers of all diseased: all maladies</div> +<div>Of ghastly spasm, or racking torture, qualms</div> +<div>Of heart-sick agony, all feverous kinds,</div> +<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span><div>Convulsions, epilepsies, fierce catarrhs;</div> +<div>Intestine stone and ulcer, cholic pangs,</div> +<div>Dæmoniac frenzy, moping melancholy,</div> +<div>And moon-struck madness, pining atrophy,</div> +<div>Marasmus, and wide-wasting pestilence,</div> +<div>Dropsies, and asthmas, and joint-racking rheums.</div> +</div></div> + +<p>And how many thousands more might not be added to this frightful catalogue!</p> + +<p>The story of Prometheus is one likewise which, although universally +admitted to be allegorical, has never been satisfactorily explained. +Prometheus stole fire from heaven, and was chained for this crime to +Mount Caucasus, where a vulture continually devoured his liver, that +grew to meet its hunger. Hesiod says, that, before the time of +Prometheus, mankind were exempt from suffering; that they enjoyed a +vigorous youth, and that death, when at length it came, approached like +sleep, and gently closed their eyes. Again, so general was this opinion, +that Horace, a poet of the Augustan age, writes:—</p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div>Audax omnia perpeti,</div> +<div>Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas,</div> +<div>Audax Iapeti genus</div> +<div>Ignem fraude mala gentibus intulit,</div> +<div>Post ignem æthereâ domo</div> +<div>Subductum, macies et nova febrium</div> +<div>Terris incubuit cohors</div> +<div>Semotique prius tarda necessitas</div> +<div>Lethi corripuit gradum.</div> +</div></div> + +<p>How plain a language is spoken by all this. Prometheus (who represents +the human race) effected some great change in the condition of his +nature, and applied fire to culinary purposes; thus inventing an +expedient for screening from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span> his disgust the horrors of the shambles. +From this moment his vitals were devoured by the vulture of disease. It +consumed his being in every shape of its loathsome and infinite variety, +inducing the soul-quelling sinkings of premature and violent death. All +vice arose from the ruin of healthful innocence. Tyranny, superstition, +commerce, and inequality, were then first known, when reason vainly +attempted to guide the wanderings of exacerbated passion. I conclude +this part of the subject with an extract from Mr. Newton's Defence of +Vegetable Regimen, from whom I have borrowed this interpretation of the +fable of Prometheus.</p> + +<p>"Making allowance for such transposition of the events of the allegory +as time might produce after the important truths were forgotten, which +this portion of the ancient mythology was intended to transmit, the +drift of the fable seems to be this: Man at his creation was endowed +with the gift of perpetual youth; that is, he was not formed to be a +sickly suffering creature as we now see him, but to enjoy health, and to +sink by slow degrees into the bosom of his parent earth without disease +or pain. Prometheus first taught the use of animal food (primus bovem +occidit Prometheus)<a name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> and of fire, with which to render it more +digestible and pleasing to the taste. Jupiter, and the rest of the gods, +foreseeing the consequences of these inventions, were amused or +irritated at the short-sighted devices of the newly-formed creature, and +left him to experience the sad effects of them. Thirst, the necessary +concomitant of a flesh diet," (perhaps of all diet vitiated by culinary +preparation) "ensued; water was resorted to, and man forfeited the +inestimable gift of health which he had received from<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span> heaven; he became +diseased, the partaker of a precarious existence and no longer descended +slowly to his grave."<a name="FNanchor_3_3" id="FNanchor_3_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a></p> + +<div class="poem"><div class="stanza"> +<div>But just disease to luxury succeeds,</div> +<div>And every death its own avenger breeds;</div> +<div>The fury passions from that blood began,</div> +<div>And turned on man a fiercer savage—Man.</div> +</div></div> + +<p>Man and the animals whom he has infected with his society, or depraved +by his dominion, are alone diseased. The wild hog, the mouflon, the +bison, and the wolf are perfectly exempt from malady, and invariably die +either from external violence or natural old age. But the domestic hog, +the sheep, the cow, and the dog are subject to an incredible variety of +distempers; and, like the corrupters of their nature, have physicians +who thrive upon their miseries. The supereminence of man is like +Satan's, a supereminence of pain; and the majority of his species, +doomed to penury, disease, and crime, have reason to curse the untoward +event that, by enabling him to communicate his sensations, raised him +above the level of his fellow animals. But the steps that have been +taken are irrevocable. The whole of human science is comprised in one +question—How can the advantages of intellect and civilisation be +reconciled with the liberty and pure pleasures of natural life? How can +we take the benefits and reject the evils of the system which is now +interwoven with all the fibres of our being? I believe that abstinence +from animal food and spirituous liquors would in a great measure +capacitate us for the solution of this important question.</p> + +<p>Comparative anatomy teaches us that man resembles frugivorous animals in +everything, and carnivorous in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span> nothing: he has neither claws wherewith +to seize his prey, nor distinct and pointed teeth to tear the living +fibre. A mandarin of the first class, with nails two inches long, would +probably find them alone inefficient to hold even a hare. After every +subterfuge of gluttony, the bull must be degraded into the ox, and the +ram into the wether, by an unnatural and inhuman operation, that the +flaccid fibre may offer a fainter resistance to rebellious nature. It is +only by softening and disguising dead flesh by culinary preparation that +it is rendered susceptible of mastication or digestion, and that the +sight of its bloody juices and raw horror does not excite intolerable +loathing and disgust. Let the advocate of animal food force himself to a +decisive experiment on its fitness, and, as Plutarch recommends, tear a +living lamb with his teeth, and plunging his head into its vitals, slake +his thirst with the steaming blood; when fresh from the deed of horror, +let him revert to the irresistible instincts of nature that would rise +in judgment against it, and say, Nature formed me for such work as this. +Then, and then only, would he be consistent.</p> + +<p>Man resembles no carnivorous animal. There is no exception, except man +be one, to the rule of herbivorous animals having cellulated colons.</p> + +<p>The orang-outang perfectly resembles man both in the order and number of +his teeth. The orang-outang is the most anthropomorphous of the ape +tribe, all of which are strictly frugivorous. There is no other species +of animals in which this analogy exists.<a name="FNanchor_4_4" id="FNanchor_4_4"></a><a href="#Footnote_4_4" class="fnanchor">[4]</a> In many frugivorous animals, +the canine teeth are more pointed and distinct<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span> than those of man. The +resemblance also of the human stomach to that of the orang-outang is +greater than to that of any other animal.</p> + +<p>The intestines are also identical with those of herbivorous animals, +which present a large surface for absorption, and have ample and +cellulated colons. The cæcum also, though short, is larger than that of +carnivorous animals; and even here the orang-outang retains its +accustomed similarity.</p> + +<p>The structure of the human frame then is that of one fitted to a pure +vegetable diet, in every essential particular. It is true that the +reluctance to abstain from animal food, in those who have been long +accustomed to its stimulus, is so great in some persons of weak minds, +as to be scarcely overcome; but this is far from bringing any argument +in its favour. A lamb which was fed for some time on flesh by a ship's +crew, refused its natural diet at the end of the voyage. There are +numerous instances of horses, sheep, oxen, and even wood-pigeons, having +been taught to live upon flesh, until they have loathed their natural +aliment. Young children evidently prefer pastry, oranges, apples, and +other fruit, to the flesh of animals, until, by the gradual depravation +of the digestive organs, the free use of vegetables has, for a time, +produced serious inconveniences; <i>for a time</i>, I say, since there never +was an instance wherein a change from spirituous liquors and animal food +to vegetables and pure water, has failed ultimately to invigorate the +body, by rendering its juices bland and consentaneous, and to restore to +the mind that cheerfulness and elasticity, which not one in fifty +possesses on the present system. A love of strong liquors is also with +difficulty taught to infants. Almost every one remembers the wry faces +the first glass of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span> port produced. Unsophisticated instinct is +invariably unerring; but to decide on the fitness of animal food, from +the perverted appetites which its constrained adoption produce, is to +make the criminal a judge in his own cause; it is even worse, it is +appealing to the infatuated drunkard in a question of the salubrity of brandy.</p> + +<p>What is the cause of morbid action in the animal system? Not the air we +breathe, for our fellow denizens of nature breathe the same uninjured; +not the water we drink, if remote from the pollutions of man and his +inventions, for the animals drink it too; not the earth we tread upon; +not the unobscured sight of glorious nature, in the wood, the field, or +the expanse of sky and ocean; nothing that we are or do in common with +the undiseased inhabitants of the forest. Something then wherein we +differ from them; our habit of altering our food by fire, so that our +appetite is no longer a just criterion for the fitness of its +gratification. Except in children there remains no traces of that +instinct which determines, in all other animals, what aliment is natural +or otherwise; and so perfectly obliterated are they in the reasoning +adults of our species, that it has become necessary to urge +considerations, drawn from comparative anatomy, to prove that we are +naturally frugivorous.</p> + +<p>Crime is madness. Madness is disease. Whenever the cause of disease +shall be discovered, the root, from which all vice and misery have so +long overshadowed the globe, will lie bare to the axe. All the exertions +of man, from that moment, may be considered as tending to the clear +profit of his species. No sane mind in a sane body resolves upon a real +crime. It is a man of violent passions, bloodshot eyes, and swollen +veins, that alone can grasp the knife<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span> of murder. The system of a simple +diet promises no Utopian advantages. It is no mere reform of +legislation, whilst the furious passions and evil propensities of the +human heart, in which it had its origin, are still unassuaged. It +strikes at the root of all evil, and is an experiment which may be tried +with success, not alone by nations, but by small societies, families, +and even individuals.</p> + +<p>In no cases has a return to vegetable diet produced the slightest +injury: in most it has been attended with changes undeniably beneficial. +Should ever a physician be born with the genius of Locke, I am persuaded +that he might trace all bodily and mental derangements to our unnatural +habits, as clearly as that philosopher has traced all knowledge to +sensation. What prolific sources of disease are not those mineral and +vegetable poisons that have been introduced for its extirpation? How +many thousands have become murderers and robbers, bigots and domestic +tyrants, dissolute and abandoned adventurers, from the use of fermented +liquors; who had they slaked their thirst only at the mountain stream, +would have lived but to diffuse the happiness of their own unperverted +feelings. How many groundless opinions and absurd institutions have not +received a general sanction from the sottishness and intemperance of +individuals? Who will assert that, had the populace of Paris drank at +the pure source of the Seine, and satisfied their hunger at the +ever-furnished table of vegetable nature that they would have lent their +brutal suffrage to the proscription-list of Robespierre? Could a set of +men, whose passions were not perverted by unnatural stimuli, look with +coolness on an <i>auto da fè</i>? Is it to be believed that a being of gentle +feelings, rising from his meal of roots, would take delight in sports of blood?</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></p><p>Was Nero a man of temperate life? Could you read calm health in his +cheek, flushed with ungovernable propensities of hatred for the human +race? Did Muley Ismael's pulse beat evenly, was his skin transparent, +did his eyes beam with healthfulness, and its invariable concomitants, +cheerfulness and benignity? Though history has decided none of these +questions, a child could not hesitate to answer in the negative. Surely +the bile-suffused cheek of Buonaparte, his wrinkled brow, and yellow +eye, the ceaseless inquietude of his nervous system, speak no less +plainly the character of his unresting ambition than his murders and his +victories. It is impossible had Bonaparte descended from a race of +vegetable feeders, that he could have either the inclination or the +power to ascend the throne of the Bourbons. The desire of tyranny could +scarcely be excited in the individual; the power to tyrannise would +certainly not be delegated by a society neither frenzied by inebriation, +nor rendered impotent or irrational by disease. Pregnant, indeed, with +inexhaustible calamity is the renunciation of instinct, as it concerns +our physical nature; arithmetic cannot enumerate, nor reason perhaps +suspect, the multitudinous sources of disease in civilised life. Even +common water, that apparently innoxious <i>pabulum</i>, when corrupted by the +filth of populous cities, is a deadly and insidious destroyer.<a name="FNanchor_5_5" id="FNanchor_5_5"></a><a href="#Footnote_5_5" class="fnanchor">[5]</a> Who +can wonder that all the inducements held out by God himself in the Bible +to virtue should have been vainer than a nurse's tale; and that those +dogmas, apparently favourable to the intolerant and angry passions, +should have alone<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span> been deemed essential; whilst Christians are in the +daily practice of all those habits which have infected with disease and +crime, not only the reprobate sons, but these favoured children of the +common Father's love. Omnipotence itself could not save them from the +consequences of this original and universal sin.</p> + +<p class="tbrk"> </p> + +<p>There is no disease, bodily or mental, which adoption of vegetable diet +and pure water has not infallibly mitigated, wherever the experiment has +been fairly tried. Debility is gradually converted into strength, +disease into healthfulness: madness, in all its hideous variety, from +the ravings of the fettered maniac, to the unaccountable irrationalities +of ill-temper, that make a hell of domestic life, into a calm and +considerable evenness of temper, that alone might offer a certain pledge +of the future moral reformation of society. On a natural system of diet, +old age would be our last and our only malady: the term of our existence +would be protracted; we should enjoy life, and no longer preclude others +from the enjoyment of it; all sensational delights would be infinitely +more exquisite and perfect; the very sense of being would then be a +continued pleasure, such as we now feel it in some few and favoured +moments of our youth. By all that is sacred in our hopes for the human +race, I conjure those who love happiness and truth, to give a fair trial +to the vegetable system. Reasoning is surely superfluous on a subject +whose merits an experience of six months would set for ever at rest. But +it is only among the enlightened and benevolent that so great a +sacrifice of appetite and prejudice can be expected, even though its +ultimate excellence should not admit of dispute.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span></p><p>It is found easier, by the short-sighted victims of disease, to +palliate their torments by medicine, than to prevent them by regimen. +The vulgar of all ranks are invariably sensual and indocile; yet I +cannot but feel myself persuaded, that when the benefits of vegetable +diet are mathematically proved; when it is as clear, that those who live +naturally are exempt from premature death, as that nine is not one, the +most sottish of mankind will feel a preference towards a long and +tranquil, contrasted with a short and painful life. On the average, out +of sixty persons, four die in three years. In April, 1814, a statement +will be given that sixty persons, all having lived more than three years +on vegetables and pure water, are then <i>in perfect health</i>. More than +two years have now elapsed; <i>not one of them has died</i>; no such example +will be found in any sixty persons taken at random. Seventeen persons of +all ages (the families of Dr. Lambe and Mr. Newton) have lived for seven +years on this diet without a death, and almost without the slightest +illness. Surely, when we consider that some of these were infants, and +one a martyr to asthma, now nearly subdued, we may challenge any +seventeen persons taken at random in this city to exhibit a parallel +case. Those who may have been excited to question the rectitude of +established habits of diet, by these loose remarks, should consult Mr. +Newton's luminous and eloquent essay.<a name="FNanchor_6_6" id="FNanchor_6_6"></a><a href="#Footnote_6_6" class="fnanchor">[6]</a> It is from that book, and from +the conversation of its excellent and enlightened author, that I have +derived the materials which I here present to the public.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span></p><p>When these proofs come fairly before the world, and are clearly seen by +all who understand arithmetic, it is scarcely possible that abstinence +from aliments demonstrably pernicious should not become universal.</p> + +<p>In proportion to the number of proselytes, so will be the weight of +evidence; and when a thousand persons can be produced, living on +vegetables and distilled water, who have to dread no disease but old +age, the world will be compelled to regard animal flesh and fermented +liquors as slow but certain poison. The change which would be produced +by simpler habits on political economy is sufficiently remarkable. The +monopolising eater of animal flesh would no longer destroy his +constitution by devouring an acre at a meal, and many loaves of bread +would cease to contribute to gout, madness, and apoplexy, in the shape +of a pint of porter or a dram of gin, when appeasing the long-protracted +famine of the hard-working peasant's hungry babes. The quantity of +nutritious vegetable matter consumed in fattening the carcase of an ox, +would afford ten times the sustenance, undepraving indeed, and incapable +of generating disease, if gathered immediately from the bosom of the earth.</p> + +<p>The most fertile districts of the habitable globe are now actually +cultivated by men for animals, at a delay and waste of aliment +absolutely incapable of calculation. It is only the wealthy that can, to +any great degree, even now, indulge the unnatural craving for dead +flesh, and they pay for the greater licence of the privilege, by +subjection to supernumerary diseases. Again, the spirit of the nation +that should take the lead in this great reform would insensibly become +agricultural: commerce, with all its vice, selfishness, and corruption, +would gradually decline; more natural habits<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span> would produce gentler +manners, and the excessive complication of political relations would be +so far simplified that every individual might feel and understand why he +loved his country, and took a personal interest in its welfare. How +would England, for example, depend on the caprices of foreign rulers, if +she contained within herself all the necessaries, and despised whatever +they possessed of the luxuries of life? How could they starve her into +compliance with their views? Of what consequence would it be that they +refused to take her woollen manufactures, when large and fertile tracts +of the island ceased to be allotted to the waste of pasturage? On a +natural system of diet, we should require no spices from India; no wines +from Portugal, Spain, France, or Madeira; none of those multitudinous +articles of luxury, for which every corner of the globe is rifled, and +which are the causes of so much individual rivalship, such calamitous +and sanguinary national disputes.</p> + +<p>In the history of modern times, the avarice of commercial monopoly, no +less than the ambition of weak and wicked chiefs, seems to have fomented +the universal discord, to have added stubbornness to the mistakes of +cabinets, and indocility to the infatuation of the people. Let it ever +be remembered, that it is the direct influence of commerce to make the +interval between the richest and the poorest man wider and more +unconquerable. Let it be remembered that it is a foe to every thing of +real worth and excellence in the human character. The odious and +disgusting aristocracy of wealth, is built upon the ruins of all that is +good in chivalry or republicanism; and luxury is the forerunner of a +barbarism scarce capable of cure. Is it impossible to realize a state of +society, where all the energies of man shall be directed to the +production of his solid happiness?</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></span></p><p>Certainly, if this advantage (the object of all political speculation) +be in any degree attainable, it is attainable only by a community which +holds out no factitious incentives to the avarice and ambition of the +few, and which is internally organized for the liberty, security, and +comfort of the many. None must be entrusted with power (and money is the +completest species of power) who do not stand pledged to use it +exclusively for the general benefit. But the use of animal flesh and +fermented liquors, directly militates with this equality of the rights +of man. The peasant cannot gratify these fashionable cravings without +leaving his family to starve. Without disease and war, those sweeping +curtailers of population, pasturage would include a waste too great to +be afforded. The labour requisite to support a family is far lighter<a name="FNanchor_7_7" id="FNanchor_7_7"></a><a href="#Footnote_7_7" class="fnanchor">[7]</a> +than is usually supposed. The peasantry work, not only for themselves, +but for the aristocracy, the army, and the manufacturers.</p> + +<p>The advantage of a reform in diet is obviously greater than that of any +other. It strikes at the root of the evil. To remedy the abuses of +legislation, before we annihilate the propensities by which they are +produced, is to suppose, that by taking away the effect, the cause will +cease to operate. But the efficacy of this system depends entirely on +the proselytism of individuals, and grounds its merits, as a benefit to +the community, upon the total change of<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span> the dietetic habits in its +members. It proceeds securely from a number of particular cases to one +that is universal, and has this advantage over the contrary mode, that +one error does not invalidate all that has gone before.</p> + +<p>Let not too much, however, be expected from this system. The healthiest +among us is not exempt from hereditary disease. The most symmetrical, +athletic, and long-lived, is a being inexpressibly inferior to what he +would have been, had not the unnatural habits of his ancestors +accumulated for him a certain portion of malady and deformity. In the +most perfect specimen of civilized man something is still found wanting +by the physiological critic. Can a return to nature, then, +instantaneously eradicate predispositions that have been slowly taking +root in the silence of innumerable ages? Indubitably not. All that I +contend for is, that from the moment of the relinquishing all unnatural +habits, no new disease is generated; and that the predisposition to +hereditary maladies gradually perishes for want of its accustomed +supply. In cases of consumption, cancer, gout, asthma, and scrofula, +such is the invariable tendency of a diet of vegetables and pure water.</p> + +<p>Those who may be induced by these remarks to give the vegetable system a +fair trial, should, in the first place, date the commencement of their +practice from the moment of their conviction. All depends upon the +breaking through a pernicious habit resolutely and at once. Dr. +Trotter<a name="FNanchor_8_8" id="FNanchor_8_8"></a><a href="#Footnote_8_8" class="fnanchor">[8]</a> asserts that no drunkard was ever reformed by gradually +relinquishing his dram. Animal flesh, in its effects on the human +stomach, is analogous to a dram. It is similar in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span> the kind, though +differing in the degree, of its operation. The proselyte to a pure diet +must be warned to expect a temporary diminution of muscular strength. +The subtraction of a powerful stimulus will suffice to account for this +event. But it is only temporary, and is succeeded by an equable +capability for exertion far surpassing his former various and +fluctuating strength. Above all, he will acquire an easiness of +breathing, by which the same exertion is performed with a remarkable +exemption from that painful and difficult panting now felt by almost +every one after hastily climbing an ordinary mountain. He will be +equally capable of bodily exertion or mental application after as before +his simple meal. He will feel none of the narcotic effects of ordinary +diet. Irritability, the direct consequence of exhausting stimuli, would +yield to the power of natural and tranquil impulses. He will no longer +pine under the lethargy of <i>ennui</i>, that unconquerable weariness of +life, more dreaded than death itself. He will escape the epidemic +madness that broods over its own injurious notions of the Deity, and +"realizes the hell that priests and beldams feign." Every man forms, as +it were, his god from his own character; to the divinity of one of +simple habits, no offering would be more acceptable than the happiness +of his creatures. He would be incapable of hating or persecuting others +for the love of God. He will find, moreover, a system of simple diet to +be a system of perfect epicurism. He will no longer be incessantly +occupied in blunting and destroying those organs from which he expects his gratification.</p> + +<p>The pleasures of taste to be derived from a dinner of potatoes, beans, +peas, turnips, lettuces, with a dessert of apples, gooseberries, +strawberries, currants, raspberries, and in<span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span> winter, oranges, apples, +and pears, is far greater than is supposed. Those who wait until they +can eat this plain fare with the sauce of appetite will scarcely join +with the hypocritical sensualist at a lord mayor's feast, who declaims +against the pleasures of the table. Solomon kept a thousand concubines, +and owned in despair that all was vanity. The man whose happiness is +constituted by the society of one amiable woman would find some +difficulty in sympathising with the disappointment of this venerable debauchee.</p> + +<p>I address myself not only to the young enthusiast, the ardent devotee of +truth and virtue, the pure and passionate moralist, yet unvitiated by +the contagion of the world. He will embrace a pure system, from its +abstract truth, its beauty, its simplicity and its promise of +wide-extended benefit; unless custom has turned poison into food, he +will hate the brutal pleasures of the chase by instinct; it will be a +contemplation full of horror and disappointment to his mind, that beings +capable of the gentlest and most admirable sympathies, should take +delight in the death-pangs and last convulsions of dying animals. The +elderly man whose youth has been poisoned by intemperance, or who has +lived with apparent moderation, and is afflicted with a variety of +painful maladies, would find his account in a beneficial change, +produced without the risk of poisonous medicines.<a name="FNanchor_9_9" id="FNanchor_9_9"></a><a href="#Footnote_9_9" class="fnanchor">[9]</a>The mother, to whom +the perpetual <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span>restlessness of disease, and unaccountable deaths +incident to her children, are the causes of incurable unhappiness, would +on this diet experience the satisfaction of beholding their perpetual +health and natural playfulness.</p> + +<p>The most valuable lives are daily destroyed by diseases, that it is +dangerous to palliate and impossible to cure by medicine. How much +longer will man continue to pimp for the gluttony of death, his most +insidious, implacable, and eternal foe? The proselyte to a simple and +natural diet, who desires health, must from the moment of his conversion +attend to these rules—</p> + +<blockquote><p><span class="smcap">Never take any substance into the stomach that once had life.</span></p> + +<p><span class="smcap">Drink no liquid but water restored to its original purity by +distillation.</span></p></blockquote> + +<div class="footnotes"><h3>FOOTNOTES:</h3> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> Shelley's pamphlet appeared in 1813. The Vegetarian Society +was not founded until 1847. Information as to this Society, with list of +its publications, can be had free on application to the Secretary, 75, +Princess Street, Manchester.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> "Plin. Nat Hist.," Lib. vii, Soc. 57.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_3_3" id="Footnote_3_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> "Return to Nature." Cadell, 1811.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_4_4" id="Footnote_4_4"></a><a href="#FNanchor_4_4"><span class="label">[4]</span></a> Cuvier, Leçons d'Anat. Comp. tom. iii., pages 169, 373, +448, 465, and 480. Rees's Cyclopædia, article Man.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_5_5" id="Footnote_5_5"></a><a href="#FNanchor_5_5"><span class="label">[5]</span></a> See Dr. Lambe's "Report on Cancer."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_6_6" id="Footnote_6_6"></a><a href="#FNanchor_6_6"><span class="label">[6]</span></a> Return to Nature, or Defence of Vegetable Regimen. Cadell, +1811.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_7_7" id="Footnote_7_7"></a><a href="#FNanchor_7_7"><span class="label">[7]</span></a> It has come under the author's experience that some of the +workmen on an embankment in North Wales who, in consequence of the +inability of the proprietor to pay them, seldom received their wages, +have supported large families by cultivating small spots of sterile +ground by moonlight. In the notes to Pratt's Poem, "Bread for the Poor," +is an account of an industrious labourer, who by working in a small +garden, before and after his day's task, attained to an enviable state +of independence.</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_8_8" id="Footnote_8_8"></a><a href="#FNanchor_8_8"><span class="label">[8]</span></a> See Trotter on "The Nervous Temperament."</p></div> + +<div class="footnote"><p><a name="Footnote_9_9" id="Footnote_9_9"></a><a href="#FNanchor_9_9"><span class="label">[9]</span></a> See Mr. Newton's book. His children are the most beautiful +and healthy creatures it is possible to conceive; the girls are perfect +models for a sculptor; their dispositions are also the most gentle and +conciliating; the judicious treatment which they experience in other +points, may be a correlative cause of this. In the first five years of +their life, of 18,000 children that are born, 7,500 die of various +diseases; and how many more of those that survive are rendered miserable +by maladies not immediately mortal? The quality and quantity of a +woman's milk are materially injured by the use of dead flesh. In an +island, near Iceland, where no vegetables are to be got, the children +invariably die of tetanus, before they are three weeks old, and the +population is supplied from the mainland.—<i>Sir G. Mackenzie's History +of Iceland.</i> See also <i>Emile</i>, chap, i., p. 53, 55, 56.</p></div> </div> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p> + +<h2><span>APPENDIX.</span></h2> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p>Persons on vegetable diet have been remarkable for longevity. The first +Christians practised abstinence from animal flesh, on a principle of +self mortification. Other instances are, Old Parr 152; Mary Patten 136; +A Shepherd in Hungary 126; Patrick O'Neale 113; Joseph Elkins 103; +Elizabeth de Val 101; Aurungzebe 100; St. Anthony 105; James, the Hermit +104; Arsenius 120; St. Epiphanius 115; Simeon 112; and Rombald 120.</p> + +<p class="tbrk"> </p> + +<p>Mr. Newton's mode of reasoning on longevity is ingenious and conclusive. +"Old Parr, healthy as the wild animals, attained to the age of 152 +years. All men might be as healthy as the wild animals. Therefore all +men might attain to the age of 152 years." The conclusion is +sufficiently modest. Old Parr cannot be supposed to have escaped the +inheritance of disease, amassed by the unnatural habits of his +ancestors. The term of human life may be expected to be infinitely +greater, taking into the consideration all the circumstances that must +have contributed to abridge even that of Parr.</p> + +<p class="tbrk"> </p> + +<p>It may be here remarked, that the author and his wife have lived on +vegetables for eight months. The improvements of health and temper here +stated, is the result of his own experience.</p> + +<hr /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span></p> + +<h2><span>ADVERTISEMENTS.</span></h2> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p class="center">THE ETHICS OF DIET.</p> + +<p class="center">A CATENA OF AUTHORITIES DEPRECATORY OF THE PRACTICE OF FLESH-EATING.</p> + +<p class="center">348 pp., 8vo.</p> + +<p class="center">BY HOWARD WILLIAMS, M.A.</p> + +<p class="center">"I consider it a very valuable work."—<span class="smcap">Colonel J. M. Earle.</span></p> + +<p class="center">"<span class="smcap">The Catena</span> is good and useful."—<span class="smcap">Frances E. Hoggan, M.D.</span></p> + +<p class="center">"'The Ethics of Diet' much pleases me."—<span class="smcap">T. K. Cheyne, M.A.</span></p> + +<p class="center">Price Five Shillings; Post free from the Office of the Vegetarian +Society, 75, Princess Street, Manchester.</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center">ESSAYS ON DIET,</p> + +<p class="center">BEING</p> + +<p class="center">Collected Lectures and Papers on Vegetarian Diet.</p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">By FRANCIS WILLIAM NEWMAN.</span></p> + +<p class="center"><span class="smcap">London: Kegan Paul, Trench, and Co.; and the Vegetarian +Society, 75, Princess Street, Manchester.</span></p> + +<p class="center">PRICE ONE FLORIN.</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center">THE</p> + +<p class="center">PERFECT WAY IN DIET:</p> + +<p class="center">A TREATISE ADVOCATING A RETURN TO THE NATURAL AND<br /> +ANCIENT FOOD OF OUR RACE.</p> + +<p class="center">By ANNA KINGSFORD,</p> + +<p class="center">Doctor of Medicine of the Faculty of Paris.</p> + +<p class="center">London: Kegan Paul, Trench, and Co., 1, Paternoster Square; or +from the Vegetarian Society, 75, Princess Street, Manchester.</p> + +<p class="center">PRICE ONE FLORIN.</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center">Price 6d. 64pp., 8vo. Post free, 7d.</p> + +<p class="center">"ALMONDS AND RAISINS" FOR 1884.</p> + +<p class="center">Edited by R. BAILEY WALKER, F.S.S.</p> + +<p class="center">CONTAINS:—</p> + +<div class="block"><p>Mushrooms and Toadstools. By H. S. S.<br /> +A Hunting of the Deer. By E. Dudley Warner.<br /> +A Christmas Ghost. By E. Grenville Waller.<br /> +The Ribblesdale Papers—Nos. I.-IV. By "Dora."<br /> +Rubies from Ruskin.<br /> +The Ministry of Food. By R. Bailey Walker.<br /> +The Abbot's Reply. By W. E. A. Axon.<br /> +Almonds and Raisins. By E. J. Baillie.<br /> +The Torquoise Ring. A Story by Mrs. Anna Kingsford, M.D.<br /> +Kalendar and Notes for 1884.<br /> +Fruits in Season for each Month, &c., &c.</p></div> + +<p class="center">75, Princess Street, Manchester.</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center">PRICE SIXPENCE. POST FREE, SEVENPENCE.</p> + +<p class="center">THE HYGEIAN HOME COOK-BOOK:</p> + +<p class="center">HEALTHFUL AND PALATABLE FOOD WITHOUT CONDIMENTS.</p> + +<p class="center">By R. T. TRALL, M.D.</p> + +<p class="center">First English Edition, with Chapters on Bread, Pies, Puddings, Soups, +Sauces, Vegetables, Fruits, &c. Also with Appendix on</p> + +<p class="center">Hygienic Bread-Making, Fruit Preserving, &c.</p> + +<p class="center">By Mrs. MATTIE JONES.</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p class="center">VEGETIST'S DIETARY</p> + +<p class="center">AND MANUAL OF VEGETABLE COOKERY.</p> + +<p class="center">By "Domestica."</p> + +<p class="center">Fourth Edition. Revised. Price Sixpence. Cloth, One Shilling.</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p class="center">PRICE SIXPENCE.</p> + +<p class="center">OUT-DOOR FRUIT FOR THE MILLION:</p> + +<p class="center">HOW TO GROW IT IN LARGE AND CONTINUOUS QUANTITY, BY SIMPLE AND +INEXPENSIVE MEANS.</p> + +<p class="center">FIFTH, AND AUTHORISED EDITION, REVISED AND ILLUSTRATED.</p> + +<p class="center">By "Head Gardener."</p> + +<p class="center">Manchester: Offices of the Vegetarian Society, 75, Princess Street.</p> + +<hr class="smler" /> + +<p><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span></p> + +<p class="center">THE SHELLEY SOCIETY</p> + +<p class="center"><i>PUBLICATIONS FOR 1886.</i></p> + + +<p>The Society's Publications for 1886 will be at least twelve of the following fourteen:—</p> + +<blockquote><p>1. Shelley's <i>Adonais</i>: an Elegy on the Death of John Keats. Pisa, +4to, 1821. A Facsimile Reprint on hand-made Paper, edited, with a +Bibliographical Introduction, by Thomas J. Wise. (<i>Second Edition, Revised.</i>) 10s.</p> + +<p>[<i>Issued.</i></p> + +<p>2. Shelley's Review of Hogg's novel, "Memoirs of Prince Alexy +Haimatoff." Now first reprinted from <i>The Critical Review</i>, Dec. +1814, on hand-made Paper, with an Extract from Prof. Dowden's +article, "Some Early Writings of Shelley" (<i>Contemp. Rev.</i>, Sept. +1884). Edited, with an Introductory Note, by Thos. J. Wise. +(<i>Second Edition, Revised.</i>) 2s. 6d.</p> + +<p>[<i>Issued.</i></p> + +<p>3. Shelley's <i>Alastor</i>, or The Spirit of Solitude; and other Poems. +London, fcap. 8vo., 1816. A Facsimile Reprint on hand-made Paper, +with a new Preface by Bertram Dobell. (<i>Second Edition, Revised.</i>) 6s.</p> + +<p>[<i>Issued.</i></p> + +<p>4. <i>A Shelley Bibliography</i>, or "The Shelley Library." Part I. +First Editions and their Reproductions. By H. Buxton Forman.</p> + +<p>[<i>Issued.</i></p> + +<p>5. Shelley's <i>Vindication of Natural Diet</i>. London, 12mo, 1813. A +Reprint, 1882, with a Prefatory Note by H. S. Salt and W. E. A. +Axon. Presented by Mr. Axon. (<i>Second Edition.</i>)</p> + +<p>[<i>Issued.</i></p> + +<p>6. <i>A Memoir of Shelley</i>, with a fresh Preface, by William Michael +Rossetti; a Portrait of Shelley; and an engraving of his Tomb.</p> + +<p>[<i>Issued.</i></p> + +<p>7. Shelley's <i>Cenci</i>, (for the Society's performance in May), with +a prologue by Dr. John Todhunter, and an Introduction and Notes by +Harry Buxton Forman and Alfred Forman; and a Portrait of Beatrice Cenci. 2s. 6d.</p> + +<p>[<i>Issued.</i></p></blockquote> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Vindication of Natural Diet., by +Percy Bysshe Shelley + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VINDICATION OF NATURAL DIET. *** + +***** This file should be named 38727-h.htm or 38727-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/7/2/38727/ + +Produced by Norbert H. Langkau, Martin Pettit and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/38727.txt b/38727.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7e03747 --- /dev/null +++ b/38727.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1314 @@ +Project Gutenberg's A Vindication of Natural Diet., by Percy Bysshe Shelley + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: A Vindication of Natural Diet. + +Author: Percy Bysshe Shelley + +Release Date: January 31, 2012 [EBook #38727] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VINDICATION OF NATURAL DIET. *** + + + + +Produced by Norbert H. Langkau, Martin Pettit and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + +A VINDICATION OF NATURAL DIET. + +BY PERCY BYSSHE SHELLEY. + +A NEW EDITION. + + "Our simple life wants little, and true taste + Hires not the pale drudge Luxury to waste + The scene it would adorn, and therefore still + Nature, with all her children, haunts the hill." + + _Epipsychidion._ + +LONDON: F. PITMAN, 20, PATERNOSTER ROW. +MANCHESTER: JOHN HEYWOOD, RIDGEFIELD; AND OFFICES +OF THE VEGETARIAN SOCIETY, 75, PRINCESS STREET. +1884. + + + + +PREFATORY NOTICE. + + +Shelley's "Vindication of Natural Diet" was first written as part of the +notes to "Queen Mab," which was privately issued in 1813. Later in the +same year the "Vindication" was separately published as a pamphlet, and +it is from this later publication that the present reprint is made. The +original pamphlet is now exceedingly scarce, but it is said to have been +reprinted in 1835, as an appendix to an American medical work, the +"Manual on Health," by Dr. Turnbull, of New York. Two copies only are +known to have been preserved of this excessively rare pamphlet, though +possibly others may be hidden in unfrequented libraries and out of the +way country houses. One copy is in the British Museum, and the other is +in the possession of Mr. H. Buxton Forman, who has reprinted it in his +great edition of Shelley, where it forms the opening part of the second +volume of the "Prose Works." + +The main object of Shelley's pamphlet was to show that a vegetable diet +is the most _natural_, and therefore the best for mankind. It is not an +appeal to humanitarian sentiment, but an argument based on individual +experience, concerning the intimate connection of health and morality +with food. It has no claim to originality in the arguments adduced; its +materials being avowedly drawn from the works of Dr. Lambe and Mr. +Newton, of whom an account may be read in Mr. Howard Williams' "Catena," +but the style is Shelley's own, and the pamphlet is in many ways one of +the most interesting and characteristic of his prose works. Perhaps its +most remarkable feature is to be found in the very pertinent remarks as +to the bearing of Vegetarianism on those questions of economy and social +reform, which are now forcing themselves more and more on the attention +of the English people.[1] + + +At the time of writing his "Vindication of Natural Diet," Shelley had +himself, for some months past, adopted a Vegetarian diet, chiefly, no +doubt, through his intimacy with the Newton family. There seems no +reason to doubt that he continued to practise Vegetarianism during the +rest of his stay in England, that is from 1813 to the spring of 1818. +Leigh Hunt's account of his life at Marlow, in 1817, is as +follows:--"This was the round of his daily life. He was up early, +breakfasted sparingly, wrote this 'Revolt of Islam' all the morning; +went out in his boat, or in the woods, with some Greek author or the +Bible in his hands; came home to a dinner of vegetables (for he took +neither meat nor wine); visited, if necessary, the sick and fatherless, +whom others gave Bibles to and no help; wrote or studied again, or read +to his wife and friends the whole evening; took a crust of bread or a +glass of whey for his supper, and went early to bed." + +In 1818, he left England for Italy, and during his last four years, the +most dreamy and speculative period of his life, he seems to have been +less strict in his observance of Vegetarian practice. It is not true +however, as has sometimes been asserted, that Shelley lost faith in the +principles of Vegetarianism; for his change in diet was owing partly to +his well-known carelessness about his food, which became more marked at +this time, and partly to a desire to avoid giving trouble to the other +members of his household, which, as we see from a line in his letter to +Maria Gisborne, written in 1820, "Though we eat little flesh and drink +no wine" was not entirely a Vegetarian one. Yet, even at this period of +his life, he himself was practically, if not systematically, a +Vegetarian, for all his biographers agree in informing us that bread was +literally his "staff of life." We cannot doubt that if he had lived in +the present time he would have taken a leading part in the movement +towards Food Reform. As it is, he has left us an invaluable legacy in +his "Vindication of Natural Diet," perhaps the most powerful and +eloquent plea ever put forward in favour of the Vegetarian cause. + +He found in this the presage of his ideal future. To his enthusiastic +faith in the transforming effect of the Vegetarian principle, we owe +some of the finest passages in his poetry. In the close of the eighth +canto of "Queen Mab," we have a picture of a time when man no more + + + Slays the lamb that looks him in the face. + + +It is the same ideal of bloodless innocence as that of Israel's +prophet-poet, who declares that in the Holy Mountain they shall not hurt +nor destroy. Never did sage or singer, prophet or priest, or poet, see a +brighter vision of the future than that which is imaged in the +description of a glorified earth, from which cruelty, bloodshed, and +tyranny, have been banished. + + + "My brethren, we are free! The fruits are glowing + Beneath the stars, and the night-winds are flowing + O'er the ripe corn. The birds and beasts are dreaming. + Never again may blood of bird or beast + Stain with its venomous stream a human feast, + + To the pure skies in accusation steaming; + Avenging poisons shall have ceased + To feed disease and fear and madness; + The dwellers of the earth and air + Shall throng around our steps in gladness, + Seeking their food or refuge there. + Our toil from thought all glorious forms shall cull, + To make this earth, our home, more beautiful; + And Science, and her sister Poesy, + Shall clothe in light the fields and cities of the free!" + + * * * * * + + Over the plain the throngs were scattered then + In groups around the fires, which from the sea + Even to the gorge of the first mountain-glen + Blazed wide and far. The banquet of the free + Was spread beneath many a dark cypress-tree; + Beneath whose spires which swayed in the red flame + Reclining as they ate, of liberty, + And hope, and justice, and Laone's name, + Earth's children did a woof of happy converse frame. + + Their feast was such as Earth, the general mother, + Pours from her fairest bosom, when she smiles + In the embrace of Autumn. To each other + As when some parent fondly reconciles + Her warring children, she their wrath beguiles + With her own sustenance; they relenting weep:-- + Such was this festival, which, from their isles + And continents and winds and oceans deep, + All shapes might throng to share that fly or walk or creep. + + +That this was no mere poetic sentiment is proved by this pamphlet, which +is an earnest vindication of Vegetarianism. + +H. S. S. +W. E. A. A. + + +[ORIGINAL TITLE PAGE.] + + +A VINDICATION OF NATURAL DIET. + +BEING ONE IN A SERIES OF NOTES TO QUEEN MAB + +(A PHILOSOPHICAL POEM). + +[Greek: Iapetionide, panton peri medea eidos, +Chaireis pur klepsas, kai emas phrenas eperopeusas; +Soit' auto mega pema kai andrasin essomenoisi. +Toisd'ego anti puros doso kakon, o ken apantes +Terpontai kata thumon, eon kakon amphagapontes.] + +[Greek: ESIOD.] Op. et Dies. 1, 54. + +LONDON: + +PRINTED FOR J. CALLOW, MEDICAL BOOKSELLER, CROWN COURT, +PRINCE'S STREET, SOHO, +BY SMITH & DAVY, QUEEN STREET, SEVEN DIALS. +1813. + +_PRICE ONE SHILLING AND SIXPENCE._ + + + + +A VINDICATION OF NATURAL DIET. + + +I hold that the depravity of the physical and moral nature of man +originated in his unnatural habits of life. The origin of man, like that +of the universe of which he is a part, is enveloped in impenetrable +mystery. His generations either had a beginning, or they had not. The +weight of evidence in favour of each of these suppositions seems +tolerably equal; and it is perfectly unimportant to the present argument +which is assumed. The language spoken, however, by the mythology of +nearly all religions seems to prove, that at some distant period man +forsook the path of nature, and sacrificed the purity and happiness of +his being to unnatural appetites. The date of this event seems to have +also been that of some great change in the climates of the earth, with +which it has an obvious correspondence. The allegory of Adam and Eve +eating of the tree of evil, and entailing upon their posterity the wrath +of God, and the loss of everlasting life, admits of no other explanation +than the disease and crime that have flowed from unnatural diet. Milton +was so well aware of this, that he makes Raphael thus exhibit to Adam +the consequence of his disobedience:-- + + + ... Immediately a place + Before his eyes appeared: sad, noisome, dark: + A lazar-house it seemed; wherein were laid + Numbers of all diseased: all maladies + Of ghastly spasm, or racking torture, qualms + Of heart-sick agony, all feverous kinds, + Convulsions, epilepsies, fierce catarrhs; + Intestine stone and ulcer, cholic pangs, + Daemoniac frenzy, moping melancholy, + And moon-struck madness, pining atrophy, + Marasmus, and wide-wasting pestilence, + Dropsies, and asthmas, and joint-racking rheums. + + +And how many thousands more might not be added to this frightful +catalogue! + +The story of Prometheus is one likewise which, although universally +admitted to be allegorical, has never been satisfactorily explained. +Prometheus stole fire from heaven, and was chained for this crime to +Mount Caucasus, where a vulture continually devoured his liver, that +grew to meet its hunger. Hesiod says, that, before the time of +Prometheus, mankind were exempt from suffering; that they enjoyed a +vigorous youth, and that death, when at length it came, approached like +sleep, and gently closed their eyes. Again, so general was this opinion, +that Horace, a poet of the Augustan age, writes:-- + + + Audax omnia perpeti, + Gens humana ruit per vetitum nefas, + Audax Iapeti genus + Ignem fraude mala gentibus intulit, + Post ignem aetherea domo + Subductum, macies et nova febrium + Terris incubuit cohors + Semotique prius tarda necessitas + Lethi corripuit gradum. + + +How plain a language is spoken by all this. Prometheus (who represents +the human race) effected some great change in the condition of his +nature, and applied fire to culinary purposes; thus inventing an +expedient for screening from his disgust the horrors of the shambles. +From this moment his vitals were devoured by the vulture of disease. It +consumed his being in every shape of its loathsome and infinite variety, +inducing the soul-quelling sinkings of premature and violent death. All +vice arose from the ruin of healthful innocence. Tyranny, superstition, +commerce, and inequality, were then first known, when reason vainly +attempted to guide the wanderings of exacerbated passion. I conclude +this part of the subject with an extract from Mr. Newton's Defence of +Vegetable Regimen, from whom I have borrowed this interpretation of the +fable of Prometheus. + +"Making allowance for such transposition of the events of the allegory +as time might produce after the important truths were forgotten, which +this portion of the ancient mythology was intended to transmit, the +drift of the fable seems to be this: Man at his creation was endowed +with the gift of perpetual youth; that is, he was not formed to be a +sickly suffering creature as we now see him, but to enjoy health, and to +sink by slow degrees into the bosom of his parent earth without disease +or pain. Prometheus first taught the use of animal food (primus bovem +occidit Prometheus)[2] and of fire, with which to render it more +digestible and pleasing to the taste. Jupiter, and the rest of the gods, +foreseeing the consequences of these inventions, were amused or +irritated at the short-sighted devices of the newly-formed creature, and +left him to experience the sad effects of them. Thirst, the necessary +concomitant of a flesh diet," (perhaps of all diet vitiated by culinary +preparation) "ensued; water was resorted to, and man forfeited the +inestimable gift of health which he had received from heaven; he became +diseased, the partaker of a precarious existence and no longer descended +slowly to his grave."[3] + + + But just disease to luxury succeeds, + And every death its own avenger breeds; + The fury passions from that blood began, + And turned on man a fiercer savage--Man. + + +Man and the animals whom he has infected with his society, or depraved +by his dominion, are alone diseased. The wild hog, the mouflon, the +bison, and the wolf are perfectly exempt from malady, and invariably die +either from external violence or natural old age. But the domestic hog, +the sheep, the cow, and the dog are subject to an incredible variety of +distempers; and, like the corrupters of their nature, have physicians +who thrive upon their miseries. The supereminence of man is like +Satan's, a supereminence of pain; and the majority of his species, +doomed to penury, disease, and crime, have reason to curse the untoward +event that, by enabling him to communicate his sensations, raised him +above the level of his fellow animals. But the steps that have been +taken are irrevocable. The whole of human science is comprised in one +question--How can the advantages of intellect and civilisation be +reconciled with the liberty and pure pleasures of natural life? How can +we take the benefits and reject the evils of the system which is now +interwoven with all the fibres of our being? I believe that abstinence +from animal food and spirituous liquors would in a great measure +capacitate us for the solution of this important question. + +Comparative anatomy teaches us that man resembles frugivorous animals in +everything, and carnivorous in nothing: he has neither claws wherewith +to seize his prey, nor distinct and pointed teeth to tear the living +fibre. A mandarin of the first class, with nails two inches long, would +probably find them alone inefficient to hold even a hare. After every +subterfuge of gluttony, the bull must be degraded into the ox, and the +ram into the wether, by an unnatural and inhuman operation, that the +flaccid fibre may offer a fainter resistance to rebellious nature. It is +only by softening and disguising dead flesh by culinary preparation that +it is rendered susceptible of mastication or digestion, and that the +sight of its bloody juices and raw horror does not excite intolerable +loathing and disgust. Let the advocate of animal food force himself to a +decisive experiment on its fitness, and, as Plutarch recommends, tear a +living lamb with his teeth, and plunging his head into its vitals, slake +his thirst with the steaming blood; when fresh from the deed of horror, +let him revert to the irresistible instincts of nature that would rise +in judgment against it, and say, Nature formed me for such work as this. +Then, and then only, would he be consistent. + +Man resembles no carnivorous animal. There is no exception, except man +be one, to the rule of herbivorous animals having cellulated colons. + +The orang-outang perfectly resembles man both in the order and number of +his teeth. The orang-outang is the most anthropomorphous of the ape +tribe, all of which are strictly frugivorous. There is no other species +of animals in which this analogy exists.[4] In many frugivorous animals, +the canine teeth are more pointed and distinct than those of man. The +resemblance also of the human stomach to that of the orang-outang is +greater than to that of any other animal. + +The intestines are also identical with those of herbivorous animals, +which present a large surface for absorption, and have ample and +cellulated colons. The caecum also, though short, is larger than that of +carnivorous animals; and even here the orang-outang retains its +accustomed similarity. + +The structure of the human frame then is that of one fitted to a pure +vegetable diet, in every essential particular. It is true that the +reluctance to abstain from animal food, in those who have been long +accustomed to its stimulus, is so great in some persons of weak minds, +as to be scarcely overcome; but this is far from bringing any argument +in its favour. A lamb which was fed for some time on flesh by a ship's +crew, refused its natural diet at the end of the voyage. There are +numerous instances of horses, sheep, oxen, and even wood-pigeons, having +been taught to live upon flesh, until they have loathed their natural +aliment. Young children evidently prefer pastry, oranges, apples, and +other fruit, to the flesh of animals, until, by the gradual depravation +of the digestive organs, the free use of vegetables has, for a time, +produced serious inconveniences; _for a time_, I say, since there never +was an instance wherein a change from spirituous liquors and animal food +to vegetables and pure water, has failed ultimately to invigorate the +body, by rendering its juices bland and consentaneous, and to restore to +the mind that cheerfulness and elasticity, which not one in fifty +possesses on the present system. A love of strong liquors is also with +difficulty taught to infants. Almost every one remembers the wry faces +the first glass of port produced. Unsophisticated instinct is +invariably unerring; but to decide on the fitness of animal food, from +the perverted appetites which its constrained adoption produce, is to +make the criminal a judge in his own cause; it is even worse, it is +appealing to the infatuated drunkard in a question of the salubrity of +brandy. + +What is the cause of morbid action in the animal system? Not the air we +breathe, for our fellow denizens of nature breathe the same uninjured; +not the water we drink, if remote from the pollutions of man and his +inventions, for the animals drink it too; not the earth we tread upon; +not the unobscured sight of glorious nature, in the wood, the field, or +the expanse of sky and ocean; nothing that we are or do in common with +the undiseased inhabitants of the forest. Something then wherein we +differ from them; our habit of altering our food by fire, so that our +appetite is no longer a just criterion for the fitness of its +gratification. Except in children there remains no traces of that +instinct which determines, in all other animals, what aliment is natural +or otherwise; and so perfectly obliterated are they in the reasoning +adults of our species, that it has become necessary to urge +considerations, drawn from comparative anatomy, to prove that we are +naturally frugivorous. + +Crime is madness. Madness is disease. Whenever the cause of disease +shall be discovered, the root, from which all vice and misery have so +long overshadowed the globe, will lie bare to the axe. All the exertions +of man, from that moment, may be considered as tending to the clear +profit of his species. No sane mind in a sane body resolves upon a real +crime. It is a man of violent passions, bloodshot eyes, and swollen +veins, that alone can grasp the knife of murder. The system of a simple +diet promises no Utopian advantages. It is no mere reform of +legislation, whilst the furious passions and evil propensities of the +human heart, in which it had its origin, are still unassuaged. It +strikes at the root of all evil, and is an experiment which may be tried +with success, not alone by nations, but by small societies, families, +and even individuals. + +In no cases has a return to vegetable diet produced the slightest +injury: in most it has been attended with changes undeniably beneficial. +Should ever a physician be born with the genius of Locke, I am persuaded +that he might trace all bodily and mental derangements to our unnatural +habits, as clearly as that philosopher has traced all knowledge to +sensation. What prolific sources of disease are not those mineral and +vegetable poisons that have been introduced for its extirpation? How +many thousands have become murderers and robbers, bigots and domestic +tyrants, dissolute and abandoned adventurers, from the use of fermented +liquors; who had they slaked their thirst only at the mountain stream, +would have lived but to diffuse the happiness of their own unperverted +feelings. How many groundless opinions and absurd institutions have not +received a general sanction from the sottishness and intemperance of +individuals? Who will assert that, had the populace of Paris drank at +the pure source of the Seine, and satisfied their hunger at the +ever-furnished table of vegetable nature that they would have lent their +brutal suffrage to the proscription-list of Robespierre? Could a set of +men, whose passions were not perverted by unnatural stimuli, look with +coolness on an _auto da fe_? Is it to be believed that a being of gentle +feelings, rising from his meal of roots, would take delight in sports of +blood? + +Was Nero a man of temperate life? Could you read calm health in his +cheek, flushed with ungovernable propensities of hatred for the human +race? Did Muley Ismael's pulse beat evenly, was his skin transparent, +did his eyes beam with healthfulness, and its invariable concomitants, +cheerfulness and benignity? Though history has decided none of these +questions, a child could not hesitate to answer in the negative. Surely +the bile-suffused cheek of Buonaparte, his wrinkled brow, and yellow +eye, the ceaseless inquietude of his nervous system, speak no less +plainly the character of his unresting ambition than his murders and his +victories. It is impossible had Bonaparte descended from a race of +vegetable feeders, that he could have either the inclination or the +power to ascend the throne of the Bourbons. The desire of tyranny could +scarcely be excited in the individual; the power to tyrannise would +certainly not be delegated by a society neither frenzied by inebriation, +nor rendered impotent or irrational by disease. Pregnant, indeed, with +inexhaustible calamity is the renunciation of instinct, as it concerns +our physical nature; arithmetic cannot enumerate, nor reason perhaps +suspect, the multitudinous sources of disease in civilised life. Even +common water, that apparently innoxious _pabulum_, when corrupted by the +filth of populous cities, is a deadly and insidious destroyer.[5] Who +can wonder that all the inducements held out by God himself in the Bible +to virtue should have been vainer than a nurse's tale; and that those +dogmas, apparently favourable to the intolerant and angry passions, +should have alone been deemed essential; whilst Christians are in the +daily practice of all those habits which have infected with disease and +crime, not only the reprobate sons, but these favoured children of the +common Father's love. Omnipotence itself could not save them from the +consequences of this original and universal sin. + + +There is no disease, bodily or mental, which adoption of vegetable diet +and pure water has not infallibly mitigated, wherever the experiment has +been fairly tried. Debility is gradually converted into strength, +disease into healthfulness: madness, in all its hideous variety, from +the ravings of the fettered maniac, to the unaccountable irrationalities +of ill-temper, that make a hell of domestic life, into a calm and +considerable evenness of temper, that alone might offer a certain pledge +of the future moral reformation of society. On a natural system of diet, +old age would be our last and our only malady: the term of our existence +would be protracted; we should enjoy life, and no longer preclude others +from the enjoyment of it; all sensational delights would be infinitely +more exquisite and perfect; the very sense of being would then be a +continued pleasure, such as we now feel it in some few and favoured +moments of our youth. By all that is sacred in our hopes for the human +race, I conjure those who love happiness and truth, to give a fair trial +to the vegetable system. Reasoning is surely superfluous on a subject +whose merits an experience of six months would set for ever at rest. But +it is only among the enlightened and benevolent that so great a +sacrifice of appetite and prejudice can be expected, even though its +ultimate excellence should not admit of dispute. + +It is found easier, by the short-sighted victims of disease, to +palliate their torments by medicine, than to prevent them by regimen. +The vulgar of all ranks are invariably sensual and indocile; yet I +cannot but feel myself persuaded, that when the benefits of vegetable +diet are mathematically proved; when it is as clear, that those who live +naturally are exempt from premature death, as that nine is not one, the +most sottish of mankind will feel a preference towards a long and +tranquil, contrasted with a short and painful life. On the average, out +of sixty persons, four die in three years. In April, 1814, a statement +will be given that sixty persons, all having lived more than three years +on vegetables and pure water, are then _in perfect health_. More than +two years have now elapsed; _not one of them has died_; no such example +will be found in any sixty persons taken at random. Seventeen persons of +all ages (the families of Dr. Lambe and Mr. Newton) have lived for seven +years on this diet without a death, and almost without the slightest +illness. Surely, when we consider that some of these were infants, and +one a martyr to asthma, now nearly subdued, we may challenge any +seventeen persons taken at random in this city to exhibit a parallel +case. Those who may have been excited to question the rectitude of +established habits of diet, by these loose remarks, should consult Mr. +Newton's luminous and eloquent essay.[6] It is from that book, and from +the conversation of its excellent and enlightened author, that I have +derived the materials which I here present to the public. + +When these proofs come fairly before the world, and are clearly seen by +all who understand arithmetic, it is scarcely possible that abstinence +from aliments demonstrably pernicious should not become universal. + +In proportion to the number of proselytes, so will be the weight of +evidence; and when a thousand persons can be produced, living on +vegetables and distilled water, who have to dread no disease but old +age, the world will be compelled to regard animal flesh and fermented +liquors as slow but certain poison. The change which would be produced +by simpler habits on political economy is sufficiently remarkable. The +monopolising eater of animal flesh would no longer destroy his +constitution by devouring an acre at a meal, and many loaves of bread +would cease to contribute to gout, madness, and apoplexy, in the shape +of a pint of porter or a dram of gin, when appeasing the long-protracted +famine of the hard-working peasant's hungry babes. The quantity of +nutritious vegetable matter consumed in fattening the carcase of an ox, +would afford ten times the sustenance, undepraving indeed, and incapable +of generating disease, if gathered immediately from the bosom of the +earth. + +The most fertile districts of the habitable globe are now actually +cultivated by men for animals, at a delay and waste of aliment +absolutely incapable of calculation. It is only the wealthy that can, to +any great degree, even now, indulge the unnatural craving for dead +flesh, and they pay for the greater licence of the privilege, by +subjection to supernumerary diseases. Again, the spirit of the nation +that should take the lead in this great reform would insensibly become +agricultural: commerce, with all its vice, selfishness, and corruption, +would gradually decline; more natural habits would produce gentler +manners, and the excessive complication of political relations would be +so far simplified that every individual might feel and understand why he +loved his country, and took a personal interest in its welfare. How +would England, for example, depend on the caprices of foreign rulers, if +she contained within herself all the necessaries, and despised whatever +they possessed of the luxuries of life? How could they starve her into +compliance with their views? Of what consequence would it be that they +refused to take her woollen manufactures, when large and fertile tracts +of the island ceased to be allotted to the waste of pasturage? On a +natural system of diet, we should require no spices from India; no wines +from Portugal, Spain, France, or Madeira; none of those multitudinous +articles of luxury, for which every corner of the globe is rifled, and +which are the causes of so much individual rivalship, such calamitous +and sanguinary national disputes. + +In the history of modern times, the avarice of commercial monopoly, no +less than the ambition of weak and wicked chiefs, seems to have fomented +the universal discord, to have added stubbornness to the mistakes of +cabinets, and indocility to the infatuation of the people. Let it ever +be remembered, that it is the direct influence of commerce to make the +interval between the richest and the poorest man wider and more +unconquerable. Let it be remembered that it is a foe to every thing of +real worth and excellence in the human character. The odious and +disgusting aristocracy of wealth, is built upon the ruins of all that is +good in chivalry or republicanism; and luxury is the forerunner of a +barbarism scarce capable of cure. Is it impossible to realize a state of +society, where all the energies of man shall be directed to the +production of his solid happiness? + +Certainly, if this advantage (the object of all political speculation) +be in any degree attainable, it is attainable only by a community which +holds out no factitious incentives to the avarice and ambition of the +few, and which is internally organized for the liberty, security, and +comfort of the many. None must be entrusted with power (and money is the +completest species of power) who do not stand pledged to use it +exclusively for the general benefit. But the use of animal flesh and +fermented liquors, directly militates with this equality of the rights +of man. The peasant cannot gratify these fashionable cravings without +leaving his family to starve. Without disease and war, those sweeping +curtailers of population, pasturage would include a waste too great to +be afforded. The labour requisite to support a family is far lighter[7] +than is usually supposed. The peasantry work, not only for themselves, +but for the aristocracy, the army, and the manufacturers. + +The advantage of a reform in diet is obviously greater than that of any +other. It strikes at the root of the evil. To remedy the abuses of +legislation, before we annihilate the propensities by which they are +produced, is to suppose, that by taking away the effect, the cause will +cease to operate. But the efficacy of this system depends entirely on +the proselytism of individuals, and grounds its merits, as a benefit to +the community, upon the total change of the dietetic habits in its +members. It proceeds securely from a number of particular cases to one +that is universal, and has this advantage over the contrary mode, that +one error does not invalidate all that has gone before. + +Let not too much, however, be expected from this system. The healthiest +among us is not exempt from hereditary disease. The most symmetrical, +athletic, and long-lived, is a being inexpressibly inferior to what he +would have been, had not the unnatural habits of his ancestors +accumulated for him a certain portion of malady and deformity. In the +most perfect specimen of civilized man something is still found wanting +by the physiological critic. Can a return to nature, then, +instantaneously eradicate predispositions that have been slowly taking +root in the silence of innumerable ages? Indubitably not. All that I +contend for is, that from the moment of the relinquishing all unnatural +habits, no new disease is generated; and that the predisposition to +hereditary maladies gradually perishes for want of its accustomed +supply. In cases of consumption, cancer, gout, asthma, and scrofula, +such is the invariable tendency of a diet of vegetables and pure water. + +Those who may be induced by these remarks to give the vegetable system a +fair trial, should, in the first place, date the commencement of their +practice from the moment of their conviction. All depends upon the +breaking through a pernicious habit resolutely and at once. Dr. +Trotter[8] asserts that no drunkard was ever reformed by gradually +relinquishing his dram. Animal flesh, in its effects on the human +stomach, is analogous to a dram. It is similar in the kind, though +differing in the degree, of its operation. The proselyte to a pure diet +must be warned to expect a temporary diminution of muscular strength. +The subtraction of a powerful stimulus will suffice to account for this +event. But it is only temporary, and is succeeded by an equable +capability for exertion far surpassing his former various and +fluctuating strength. Above all, he will acquire an easiness of +breathing, by which the same exertion is performed with a remarkable +exemption from that painful and difficult panting now felt by almost +every one after hastily climbing an ordinary mountain. He will be +equally capable of bodily exertion or mental application after as before +his simple meal. He will feel none of the narcotic effects of ordinary +diet. Irritability, the direct consequence of exhausting stimuli, would +yield to the power of natural and tranquil impulses. He will no longer +pine under the lethargy of _ennui_, that unconquerable weariness of +life, more dreaded than death itself. He will escape the epidemic +madness that broods over its own injurious notions of the Deity, and +"realizes the hell that priests and beldams feign." Every man forms, as +it were, his god from his own character; to the divinity of one of +simple habits, no offering would be more acceptable than the happiness +of his creatures. He would be incapable of hating or persecuting others +for the love of God. He will find, moreover, a system of simple diet to +be a system of perfect epicurism. He will no longer be incessantly +occupied in blunting and destroying those organs from which he expects +his gratification. + +The pleasures of taste to be derived from a dinner of potatoes, beans, +peas, turnips, lettuces, with a dessert of apples, gooseberries, +strawberries, currants, raspberries, and in winter, oranges, apples, +and pears, is far greater than is supposed. Those who wait until they +can eat this plain fare with the sauce of appetite will scarcely join +with the hypocritical sensualist at a lord mayor's feast, who declaims +against the pleasures of the table. Solomon kept a thousand concubines, +and owned in despair that all was vanity. The man whose happiness is +constituted by the society of one amiable woman would find some +difficulty in sympathising with the disappointment of this venerable +debauchee. + +I address myself not only to the young enthusiast, the ardent devotee of +truth and virtue, the pure and passionate moralist, yet unvitiated by +the contagion of the world. He will embrace a pure system, from its +abstract truth, its beauty, its simplicity and its promise of +wide-extended benefit; unless custom has turned poison into food, he +will hate the brutal pleasures of the chase by instinct; it will be a +contemplation full of horror and disappointment to his mind, that beings +capable of the gentlest and most admirable sympathies, should take +delight in the death-pangs and last convulsions of dying animals. The +elderly man whose youth has been poisoned by intemperance, or who has +lived with apparent moderation, and is afflicted with a variety of +painful maladies, would find his account in a beneficial change, +produced without the risk of poisonous medicines.[9]The mother, to whom +the perpetual restlessness of disease, and unaccountable deaths +incident to her children, are the causes of incurable unhappiness, would +on this diet experience the satisfaction of beholding their perpetual +health and natural playfulness. + +The most valuable lives are daily destroyed by diseases, that it is +dangerous to palliate and impossible to cure by medicine. How much +longer will man continue to pimp for the gluttony of death, his most +insidious, implacable, and eternal foe? The proselyte to a simple and +natural diet, who desires health, must from the moment of his conversion +attend to these rules-- + + + NEVER TAKE ANY SUBSTANCE INTO THE STOMACH THAT ONCE HAD LIFE. + + DRINK NO LIQUID BUT WATER RESTORED TO ITS ORIGINAL PURITY BY + DISTILLATION. + + +FOOTNOTES: + +[1] Shelley's pamphlet appeared in 1813. The Vegetarian Society was not +founded until 1847. Information as to this Society, with list of its +publications, can be had free on application to the Secretary, 75, +Princess Street, Manchester. + +[2] "Plin. Nat Hist.," Lib. vii, Soc. 57. + +[3] "Return to Nature." Cadell, 1811. + +[4] Cuvier, Lecons d'Anat. Comp. tom. iii., pages 169, 373, 448, 465, +and 480. Rees's Cyclopaedia, article Man. + +[5] See Dr. Lambe's "Report on Cancer." + +[6] Return to Nature, or Defence of Vegetable Regimen. Cadell, 1811. + +[7] It has come under the author's experience that some of the workmen +on an embankment in North Wales who, in consequence of the inability of +the proprietor to pay them, seldom received their wages, have supported +large families by cultivating small spots of sterile ground by +moonlight. In the notes to Pratt's Poem, "Bread for the Poor," is an +account of an industrious labourer, who by working in a small garden, +before and after his day's task, attained to an enviable state of +independence. + +[8] See Trotter on "The Nervous Temperament." + +[9] See Mr. Newton's book. His children are the most beautiful and +healthy creatures it is possible to conceive; the girls are perfect +models for a sculptor; their dispositions are also the most gentle and +conciliating; the judicious treatment which they experience in other +points, may be a correlative cause of this. In the first five years of +their life, of 18,000 children that are born, 7,500 die of various +diseases; and how many more of those that survive are rendered miserable +by maladies not immediately mortal? The quality and quantity of a +woman's milk are materially injured by the use of dead flesh. In an +island, near Iceland, where no vegetables are to be got, the children +invariably die of tetanus, before they are three weeks old, and the +population is supplied from the mainland.--_Sir G. Mackenzie's History +of Iceland._ See also _Emile_, chap, i., p. 53, 55, 56. + + + + +APPENDIX. + + +Persons on vegetable diet have been remarkable for longevity. The first +Christians practised abstinence from animal flesh, on a principle of +self mortification. Other instances are, Old Parr 152; Mary Patten 136; +A Shepherd in Hungary 126; Patrick O'Neale 113; Joseph Elkins 103; +Elizabeth de Val 101; Aurungzebe 100; St. Anthony 105; James, the Hermit +104; Arsenius 120; St. Epiphanius 115; Simeon 112; and Rombald 120. + + +Mr. Newton's mode of reasoning on longevity is ingenious and conclusive. +"Old Parr, healthy as the wild animals, attained to the age of 152 +years. All men might be as healthy as the wild animals. Therefore all +men might attain to the age of 152 years." The conclusion is +sufficiently modest. Old Parr cannot be supposed to have escaped the +inheritance of disease, amassed by the unnatural habits of his +ancestors. The term of human life may be expected to be infinitely +greater, taking into the consideration all the circumstances that must +have contributed to abridge even that of Parr. + + +It may be here remarked, that the author and his wife have lived on +vegetables for eight months. The improvements of health and temper here +stated, is the result of his own experience. + + + + +ADVERTISEMENTS + + +THE ETHICS OF DIET. + +A CATENA OF AUTHORITIES DEPRECATORY OF THE PRACTICE OF FLESH-EATING. + +348 pp., 8vo. + +BY HOWARD WILLIAMS, M.A. + + +"I consider it a very valuable work."--COLONEL J. M. EARLE. + +"THE CATENA is good and useful."--FRANCES E. HOGGAN, M.D. + +"'The Ethics of Diet' much pleases me."--T. K. CHEYNE, M.A. + + +Price Five Shillings; Post free from the Office of the Vegetarian +Society, 75, Princess Street, Manchester. + + +ESSAYS ON DIET, BEING +Collected Lectures and Papers on Vegetarian Diet. + +BY FRANCIS WILLIAM NEWMAN. + +LONDON: KEGAN PAUL, TRENCH, AND CO.; AND THE VEGETARIAN +SOCIETY, 75, PRINCESS STREET, MANCHESTER. + +PRICE ONE FLORIN. + + +THE PERFECT WAY IN DIET: + +A TREATISE ADVOCATING A RETURN TO THE NATURAL AND +ANCIENT FOOD OF OUR RACE. + +By ANNA KINGSFORD, + +Doctor of Medicine of the Faculty of Paris. + +London: Kegan Paul, Trench, and Co., 1, Paternoster Square; or +from the Vegetarian Society, 75, Princess Street, Manchester. + +PRICE ONE FLORIN. + + +Price 6d. 64pp., 8vo. Post free, 7d. + +"ALMONDS AND RAISINS" FOR 1884. + +Edited by R. BAILEY WALKER, F.S.S. + + +CONTAINS:-- + +Mushrooms and Toadstools. By H. S. S. +A Hunting of the Deer. By E. Dudley Warner. +A Christmas Ghost. By E. Grenville Waller. +The Ribblesdale Papers--Nos. I.-IV. By "Dora." +Rubies from Ruskin. +The Ministry of Food. By R. Bailey Walker. +The Abbot's Reply. By W. E. A. Axon. +Almonds and Raisins. By E. J. Baillie. +The Torquoise Ring. A Story by Mrs. Anna Kingsford, M.D. +Kalendar and Notes for 1884. +Fruits in Season for each Month, &c., &c. + +75, Princess Street, Manchester. + + +PRICE SIXPENCE. POST FREE, SEVENPENCE. + +THE HYGEIAN HOME COOK-BOOK: + +HEALTHFUL AND PALATABLE FOOD WITHOUT CONDIMENTS. + +By R. T. TRALL, M.D. + +First English Edition, with Chapters on Bread, Pies, Puddings, Soups, +Sauces, Vegetables, Fruits, &c. Also with Appendix on + +Hygienic Bread-Making, Fruit Preserving, &c. + +By Mrs. MATTIE JONES. + + +VEGETIST'S DIETARY + +AND MANUAL OF VEGETABLE COOKERY. + +By "Domestica." + +Fourth Edition. Revised. Price Sixpence. Cloth, One Shilling. + + +PRICE SIXPENCE. + +OUT-DOOR FRUIT FOR THE MILLION: + +HOW TO GROW IT IN LARGE AND CONTINUOUS QUANTITY, BY SIMPLE AND +INEXPENSIVE MEANS. + +FIFTH, AND AUTHORISED EDITION, REVISED AND ILLUSTRATED. + +By "Head Gardener." + +Manchester: Offices of the Vegetarian Society, 75, Princess Street. + + +THE SHELLEY SOCIETY + +_PUBLICATIONS FOR 1886._ + + +The Society's Publications for 1886 will be at least twelve of the +following fourteen:-- + + + 1. Shelley's _Adonais_: an Elegy on the Death of John Keats. Pisa, + 4to, 1821. A Facsimile Reprint on hand-made Paper, edited, with a + Bibliographical Introduction, by Thomas J. Wise. (_Second Edition, + Revised._) 10s. + +_Issued._ + + + 2. Shelley's Review of Hogg's novel, "Memoirs of Prince Alexy + Haimatoff." Now first reprinted from _The Critical Review_, Dec. + 1814, on hand-made Paper, with an Extract from Prof. Dowden's + article, "Some Early Writings of Shelley" (_Contemp. Rev._, Sept. + 1884). Edited, with an Introductory Note, by Thos. J. Wise. + (_Second Edition, Revised._) 2s. 6d. + +_Issued._ + + + 3. Shelley's _Alastor_, or The Spirit of Solitude; and other Poems. + London, fcap. 8vo., 1816. A Facsimile Reprint on hand-made Paper, + with a new Preface by Bertram Dobell. (_Second Edition, Revised._) + 6s. + +_Issued._ + + + 4. _A Shelley Bibliography_, or "The Shelley Library." Part I. + First Editions and their Reproductions. By H. Buxton Forman. + +_Issued._ + + + 5. Shelley's _Vindication of Natural Diet_. London, 12mo, 1813. A + Reprint, 1882, with a Prefatory Note by H. S. Salt and W. E. A. + Axon. Presented by Mr. Axon. (_Second Edition._) + +_Issued._ + + + 6. _A Memoir of Shelley_, with a fresh Preface, by William Michael + Rossetti; a Portrait of Shelley; and an engraving of his Tomb. + +_Issued._ + + + 7. Shelley's _Cenci_, (for the Society's performance in May), with + a prologue by Dr. John Todhunter, and an Introduction and Notes by + Harry Buxton Forman and Alfred Forman; and a Portrait of Beatrice + Cenci. 2s. 6d. + +_Issued._ + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Vindication of Natural Diet., by +Percy Bysshe Shelley + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK A VINDICATION OF NATURAL DIET. *** + +***** This file should be named 38727.txt or 38727.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/3/8/7/2/38727/ + +Produced by Norbert H. Langkau, Martin Pettit and the +Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net +(This file was produced from images generously made +available by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. diff --git a/38727.zip b/38727.zip Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..ef62053 --- /dev/null +++ b/38727.zip diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..3696cb5 --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #38727 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/38727) |