'food has an effect on the disposition is clearly evinced by the different tempers of the carnivorous and herbivorous animals ; the former are savage, ferocious creatures, that prowl out at night and seek to destroy all within their reach; the others wander tranquilly on the plains in herds, enjoy themselves in the day, and manifest their innocence by various playful sports with each other. The temper of the carnivorous animal, however, is materially altered by the kind of food which is given to it. A dog, for instance, which is fed on raw flesh, is much more fierce and rapacious than one that feeds on milk or vegetable substances. And the ferocity even of a lion has been greatly abated, and he has been rendered tractable, by being fed on vegetable food.
The same effect of aliment is discernible among the different nations of men. ‘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 it appears in the Brahmin and Gentoo, a mildness of feeling directly the reverse of the former.’
There can be no doubt, therefore, that the practice of slaughtering and devouring animals has a tendency to strengthen in us a murderous disposition and brutal nature, rendering us insensible to pity, and inducing us more easily to sanction the murdering of our fellow men. On the contrary, vegetable food clears the intellect, preserves innoccncy, increases compassion and love.
We shall now proceed to show that a vegetable diet ought to be preferred from a principle of humanity. It cannot be doubted that there exists within us by nature a repugnance to the spilling of blood ; and vve cannot even see an animal tortured, much less killed, without feelings of compassion : this feeling of the heart, implanted by the Deity, should be considered as a guide to human conduct.