第26部分(第1/7 页)

uld　extend　it　to　all　civilized　natives　of　our　country。　We　are　content　with　nothing　but　the　finest　savours；　the　truest　binations；　our　wealth；　and　happy　natural　circumstances；　have　allowed　us　an　education　of　the　palate　of　which　our　natural　aptitude　was　worthy。　Think；　by　the　bye；　of　those　new　potatoes；　just　mentioned。　Our　cook；　when　dressing　them；　puts　into　the　saucepan　a　sprig　of　mint。　This　is　genius。　No　otherwise　could　the　flavour　of　the　vegetable　be　so　perfectly；　yet　so　delicately；　emphasized。　The　mint　is　there；　and　we　know　it；　yet　our　palate　knows　only　the　young　potato。

IX

There　is　to　me　an　odd　pathos　in　the　literature　of　vegetarianism。　I　remember　the　day　when　I　read　these　periodicals　and　pamphlets　with　all　the　zest　of　hunger　and　poverty；　vigorously　seeking　to　persuade　myself　that　flesh　was　an　altogether　superfluous；　and　even　a　repulsive；　food。　If　ever　such　things　fall　under　my　eyes　nowadays；　I　am　touched　with　a　half　humorous　passion　for　the　people　whose　necessity；　not　their　will；　consents　to　this　chemical　view　of　diet。　There　es　before　me　a　vision　of　certain　vegetarian　restaurants；　where；　at　a　minim　outlay；　I　have　often　enough　made　believe　to　satisfy　my　craving　stomach；　where　I　have　swallowed　〃savoury　cutlet；〃　〃vegetable　steak；〃　and　I　know　not　what　windy　insufficiencies　tricked　up　under　specious　names。　One　place　do　I　recall　where　you　had　a　plete　dinner　for　sixpence……I　dare　not　try　to　remember　the　items。　But　well　indeed　do　I　see　the　faces　of　the　guests……poor　clerks　and　shopboys；　bloodless　girls　and　women　of　many　sorts……all　endeavouring　to　find　a　relish　in　lentil　soup　and　haricot　something…or…other。　It　was　a　grotesquely　heart…breaking　sight。

I　hate　with　a　bitter　hatred　the　names　of　lentils　and　haricots……those　pretentious　cheats　of　the　appetite；　t