443. "The Tartars", says Sir John Sinclair, "who live principally on animal food, possess a degree of ferocity of mind and fierceness of character, which forms the leading features of all carnivorous animals. On the other hand, a vegetable diet gives to the disposition, as in the Brahmin and Gentoo, a mildness of feeling directly the reverse of the former."

444. The direct influence of food upon the temper, passions, and moral feelings, seems to be admitted by all who have attentively considered the subject. Porphyry of Tyre-who lived about the middle of the third century, and was a favorite disciple of Plotinus the Platonist-was of this opinion. "Give me a man", says he, "who considers seriously whence he came, and whither he must go; and from these considerations, resolves not to be led astray or governed by his passions. And let such a man tell me whether a rich animal diet is more easily procured, or incites less to irregular passions and appetites, than a light vegetable diet? But if neither he nor a physician, nor (indeed) any reasonable man whatsoever, dares to affirm this, why do we oppress ourselves with animal food? And why do we not, together with luxury and flesh-meat, throw off the incumbrances and snares which attend them? It was not from those who lived on vegetables that robbers, murderers, sycophants, or tyrants have proceeded, but from flesh-eaters. The necessaries of life are few and easily acquired, without violating justice, liberty, or peace of mind whereas luxury obliges those vulgar souls who take delight in it, to covet riches, to give up their liberty, to sell justice, to misspend their time, to ruin

their health, and to renounce the joy of an upright conscience."

445. Lord Byron believed, that eating flesh excited men to war and bloodshed; and thought

"That Pasiphae promoted breeding cattle,

To make the Cretans bloodier in battle.

For we all know that English people are
Fed upon beef-I won't say much of beer;
Because 'tis liquor only, and (being far

From this my subject) has no business here
We know, too, they are very fond of war ;—
A pleasure (like all pleasures) rather dear:
So were the Cretans; from which I infer,

;

That beef and battles both were owing to her." *

His historian also says:- -“One day, as I sat opposite to him, employed (I suppose) rather earnestly over a beef steak,—after watching me for a few seconds, he said, in a grave tone of inquiry,- Moore, don't you find eating beef steaks makes you ferocious?"

446. Opinions however are of little value upon this subject, unless supported by evidence; and many historical accounts, as well as experiments, might be given in corroboration of these views; but, as they may be found in most works on geography and general history, two or three instances may here suffice. When Homer speaks of the Lotophagi,—a people who fed upon the fruit of the Lotus tree, he seems to attribute their hospitality and good nature to the mildness of their food:

*DON JUAN. Canto II. Stanzas 155 and 156.

"A hospitable race;

Not prone to ill, nor strange to foreign guest,
They eat, they drink, and nature gives the feast:
The trees around them all their fruit produce ;-
Lotus the name; divine, nectareous juice."

447. In the East Indies, the Pegu clergy teach, that charity is the most sublime virtue; and, therefore, ought to be extensive enough to reach, not only to the human species, but even to animals: wherefore they neither kill nor eat any; and they are so benevolent to mankind, that they cherish all alike;—making no exception on account of religion. †

448. A boy, about ten years of age, was placed under a vegetable diet by Dr. Lambe; who says " He showed strongly in his countenance the ameliorating effects of a vegetable regimen. He had, before he adopted it, great fulness about the head; and a sternness, not to say a ferocity, of the countenance. After a certain time, the features relaxed; and he gained much more the aspect of good humour and benevolence. It cannot be doubted, that these changes of countenance were the index of corresponding changes of the moral disposition. The regimen, however, had been persevered in three years, before they took place decidedly." (Vide § 249).

449. St. Pierre, in his "Studies of Nature", observes: —“Under an improved system of education, children will be brought up to a vegetable regimen, as being the most natural to man. As vegetable diet has a necessary

*POPE'S "HOMER'S ODYSSEY." Book 9.

+See CAPTAIN HAMILTON, in Pinkerton's Coll. P. 33.

connexion with many virtues, and excludes no one, it must be of importance to accustom young people to it ;seeing its influence is so considerable, and so happy, on beauty of person, and tranquillity of soul. This regimen prolongs infancy; and, of consequence, the duration of human life. I have seen an instance of it", continues he, "in an English youth of fifteen; who had not the appearance of being so much as twelve. He was a most interesting figure; possessed of health the most vigorous, and of a disposition the most gentle: he performed the longest journeys on foot, and never lost temper whatever befel him. His father, whose name was Pigot, * told me that he had brought him up entirely under the Pythagorean regimen; the good effects he had learned by his own experience.

450. Mr. Shillitoe, of Tottenham,-a member of the Society of Friends,-when about forty-five years of age, had suffered from ill health during a many years; and was restored by adopting a vegetable diet, and water for drink. He lived till nearly ninety years of age; and at eighty could walk, with ease, from Tottenham to London (six miles) and back again. He gives the following account of himself:- "It is now thirty years since I ate fish, flesh, or fowl; or took fermented liquor of any kind whatever. I find, from continued experience, that abstinence is the best medicine. I do not meddle with fermented liquors of any kind, even as medicine. I find I am capable of doing better without them. One way in which I was favoured to experience help, in my

* ROBERT PIGOT, Esq.; formerly of Chetwynd, in Shropshire.

willingness to abandon all these things, arose from the effect my abstinence had on my natural temper. My disposition naturally is very irritable. I am persuaded that ardent spirits, and high living, have more or less effect in tending to raise into action those evil propensities; which, if given way to, war against the soul', and render us displeasing to Almighty God.”

*

451. "I know more than one instance", says Arbuthnot, "of irrascible passions being much subdued by a vegetable diet.” "A gentleman of sanguine constitution”, observes Mr. Thackrah of Leeds, "who, for some months, took only vegetables, informed me that his temper became much less excitable. Another, of an opposite constitution, was observed, during the time he lived on reduced diet, to be irritable." This latter observation of Mr. T's, I cannot permit to pass without a few remarks. All sudden changes in diet, are generally attended with some little disarrangement, or affection of the stomach and alimentary canal; even when the change is eventually for the better for, as we have previously seen (103), habit becomes (as it were) a second nature; and the gastric juice (82), pancreatic fluid, &c., change their character within certain limits, according to the kind and consistency of the usual ingesta; so that if a person suddenly change from a full and highly stimulating diet to a low and meagre one, lassitude, flatulency, and even serious gastric disturbances, may be the consequence; more especially if the change be from a solid diet of animal food, to one of herbs and greens; which is what

"LECTURES ON DIGESTION AND DIET." P. 64.