distressed for want of food in
the Wilderness, we find that it was sent to them from heaven in a
vegetable form, and to denote its divine origin and its superior
excellency, it is called in the Scriptures "the corn of heaven," and
"angels' food," &c. Oftener than once this favoured but ungrateful
people despised and loathed this miraculous provision; they called out
for animal food, and accordingly quails were sent them, but they were
punished with destruction by the flesh which they desired; ("And while
the flesh was yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath of
the Lord was kindled against the people, and the Lord smote the people
with a very great plague."--Numb. xi. 33.)

Thus in the first ages of the world, and during the shepherd state of
society, men lived upon berries, and such fruits as the earth
spontaneously produced; we have mentioned generally how the philosophers
of Greece and Rome preferred to live, and there are not wanting
instances of men bred up in the sensuality of modern times who have
followed their example. The philosopher, Franklin, who reached a great
age, for a considerable portion of his life kept entirely to a vegetable
diet; and Abernethy, a name yet more familiar in our ears, has left us
this maxim, that "a vegetable diet and abstinence from fermented liquors
tends more than anything else to tranquillize the system."--(vide the
_Abernethian Code_.) Another popular and scientific writer of the
present day makes a similar confession, which coming from such an
unexpected quarter carries weight: "Although professedly friends to
gastronomy, moderated by a decided aversion to anything like sensuality,
we are of opinion that man is less fit to feed upon carnal than
vegetable substance." (Accum's _Culinary Chemistry_.)

The author of _The Art of Improving Health_, has also a passage in
point: "An animal diet, especially in temperate climates, is more
wasting than a vegetable; because it excites by its stimulating
qualities a fever after every meal, by which the springs of life are
urged into constant and weakening exertions: on the contrary, a
vegetable diet tends to preserve a delicacy of feeling, a liveliness of
imagination, and an acuteness of judgment, seldom enjoyed by those who
live principally on meat." Thus we might go on multiplying authorities
on this subject, but we shall content ourselves with referring briefly
to one or two authors of a more literary stamp, and have done w