Page:Substance of the Work Entitled Fruits and Farinacea The Proper Food of Man.djvu/29

 refuse flesh. The animal thus dieted changes its own nature, for better or worse, within certain moderate limits.

So too man, within certain limits, from his destiny of moving over the earth and subduing it, succeeds in (as it were) stretching the bands of his own nature, which was originally no more adapted to flesh eating than to grass eating. But it must not be assumed that this has been done with impunity—that is that under his less natural diet he has that full share of robustnes which his more natural diet would confer. We must distinguish between adaptation and adaptability. We are no more justified in pronouncing animals whose structure is frugivorous (as the orang-outang and man) to be omnivorous, because their nature has an elasticity, than to declare the lion and cat, the horse, cow, and sheep to be omnivorous from the same cause.

2. So far Professor Lawrence and other physiologists nearly agree with my argument, conceding that a vegetable diet is most natural to man, that he can be perfectly nourished on it, and enjoy as much health and vigour as on a mixed diet. But they that fire and cookery so modify flesh meat as to make it even more appropriate to man's wants than his original and natural food.

I cannot admit Art to be better than Nature. With respect to food, the use of Art is, not to supplant pure animal instinct, but to assist it—to bring our natural diet to its highest perfection; to supply either nutriment to our food when growing, or, in uncongenial climates, heat or moisture; also to create an abundance of the natural supply by sowing, and planting, and protecting; finally, to preserve in all seasons of the year the stores which are laid up. Our intellect has to discover the intimate relations of animate to inanimate nature, not to change or confound them; to investigate physiology, not to subvert it, or to render man independent of it. "Reason and Instinct" (observes Dr. Lambe) "are but different modes of attaining the same end; nor can the former be more wisely employed than in rendering our habits conformable to the dictates of the latter."

If flesh be not by nature the true specific food of man, then no artificial preparation of it can make it really a true equivalent for his natural food. We are not inquiring, "What substances can man's art make digestible and nutritious for man?" for we have seen that all animals have a considerable range of adaptibility; but, "What substances are intrinsically fittest for the nutrition of man, and for effectually promoting all his vital interests?" Ostensibly, that food to which his organisation specifically corresponds must be the best. The opinion that Art makes an alien food still better for him, is asserted without proof.