omologists,IfinditinKirbyandSpence,that“someinsectsintheirperfectstate,thoughfurnishedwithorgansoffeeding,makenouseofthem”andtheylayitdownas“ageneralrule,thatalmostallinsectsinthisstateeatmuchlessthaninthatoflarv?.Thevoraciouscaterpillarwhentransformedintoabutterfly,”..“andthegluttonousmaggotwhenbecomeafly,”contentthemselveswithadroportwoofhoneyorsomeothersweetliquid.Theabdomenunderthewingsofthebutterflystillrepresentsthelarva.Thisisthetid-bitwhichtemptshisinsectivorousfate.Thegrossfeederisamaninthelarvastateandtherearewholenationsinthatcondition,nationswithoutfancyorimagination,whosevastabdomensbetraythem.
Itishardtoprovideandcooksosimpleandcleanadietaswillnotoffendtheimaginationbutthis,Ithink,istobefedwhenwefeedthebodytheyshouldbothsitdownatthesametable.Yetperhapsthismaybedone.Thefruitseatentemperatelyneednotmakeusashamedofourappetites,norinterrupttheworthiestpursuits.Butputanextracondimentintoyourdish,anditwillpoisonyou.Itisnotworththewhiletolivebyrichcookery.Mostmenwouldfeelshameifcaughtpreparingwiththeirownhandspreciselysuchadinner,whetherofanimalorvegetablefood,asiseverydaypreparedforthembyothers.Yettillthisisotherwisewearenotcivilized,and,ifgentlemenandladies,arenottruemenandwomen.Thiscertainlysuggestswhatchangeistobemade.Itmaybevaintoaskwhytheimaginationwillnotbereconciledtofleshandfat.Iamsatisfiedthatitisnot.Isitnotareproachthatmanisacarnivorousanimal?True,hecananddoeslive,inagreatmeasure,bypreyingonotheranimalsbutthisisamiserableway,—asanyonewhowillgotosnaringrabbits,orslaughteringlambs,maylearn,—andhewillberegardedasabenefactorofhisracewhoshallteachmantoconfinehimselftoamoreinnocentandwholesomediet.Whatevermyownpracticemaybe,Ihavenodoubtthatitisapartofthedestinyofthehumanrace,initsgradualimprovement,toleaveoffeatinganimals,assurelyasthesavagetribeshaveleftoffeatingeachotherwhentheycameincontactwiththemorecivilized.
Ifonelistenstothefain