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THE annexegazine lehthe ROADS OF ENGLAND) contains a

HE annexed Whole-fheet PLATE (being the XXVIIIth,

Survey of the Road from St. David's, through Fifcard, Newport, Cardigan, Llanrufted, Talabont, Machunleh, Balla, Bettus, and Ruthen, to Holywell in Flintshire: Alfo the Road from Exeter, thro' Crediton, Chimleigh, &c. in the Way to Barnstable.

DISCOURSE on the QUESTION, Whether MAN, in the State of Nature, confined himself to a Diet of Herbs, Grain, and Fruit? Or, Whether at all Times, as maft other Animals, be chofe to feed on FLESH?'

THE Pythagoric dict, on which many

ancient and modern Philofophers have lavished encomiums, and which has likewife been recommended by some Physicians, was never pointed out to us by Nature. In the primitive world, when the golden age was fuppofed to exift, man, innocent as a dove, eat acorns and drank water: Finding every-where his fubfiftence, he was without inquietude, lived independent, and was always at peace with himself and with animals: But, fo foon as, forgetful of his noble origin, he facrificed his liberty to unite with others, war and the iron age took place of the golden and of peace. Cruelty, a relifh for and hankering after flesh and blood, were the first-fruits of a depraved nature, and manners and arts completed its contamination.

This is what, in all times, certain auftere Philofophers, favage by temper, have reproached man in fociety with. Exalting their individual pride by the humiliation of the intire fpecies; they have exhibited a picture, fpecious only by the contraft, and, perhaps, because it is good to prefent, fometimes, to man a phantom of happiness.

Did there ever exift fuch an ideal state of innocence, of ftrict temperance, of intire abftinence from flesh, of perfect tranquillity, of profound peace? Is it not rather an apologue, a fable, where man is introduced as an animal to give us lefions or cxamples? Can it even be fuppofed, that there were virtues before fociety? Can it be fincerely faid, that this favage ftate deferves our regret; and that man, the fierce and wild animal, is more worthy than man, the civilifed citizen? Yes, for all infelicities proceed from fociety; and what does it fignify, whether, or no, there were virtues in the ftate of Nature, if there was happiness, and if man, in that ftate, was only lefs unhappy, than he now is? Are not liberty, health, ftrength, preferable to indolence, fenfuality, and voluptuousness, accompanied with tlavery? The privation of pain is more than NUMB. CCCXXII, VOL. XLVI.

.

an equivalent to the ufe of pleafures; and, to be happy, what more is required, than to be in a fituation of defiring nothing?

If it be fo, let it be faid, at the fame time, that it is more comfortable to vegetate than to live; to covet nothing, than to fatisfy one's appetite; to fleep the fleep of apathy, than to open the eyes to fee and feel; to fuffer our foul to languish in torpors, our mind to wander in darkness; never to make ufe of either; to place ourselves beneath animals; and to be, in fine, nothing but mafles of brute matter, attached to the earth.

But, instead of difputing, let us produce facts, in regard to the propofed question. If we examine into the appetites of favage men, we shall find, that not one of them lives intirely upon fruits, herbs, or grain; that all profer flesh and fish to other aliments; that pure water difplcafes them; and that they feek after the means to make themselves, or to procure from others, a leis infipid beverage. The favages of the South drink the water of the palm-tree; thofe of the North fwallow large draughts of loathfome whaleoil; others make fermented drink; and all, in general, are exceeding fond of, and have the ftrongeft paffion for, ftrong liquors. Their industry, dictated by the wants of their first and great neceffity, excited by their natural appetites, is reduced to the making of inftruments for hunting and fishing. A bow, arrows, a club, nets, a canoe, is the fublime extent of their art; all which have, for their object, the ineins of procuring for themfelves a fubfiftence fuitable to their taste : And what suits their tafte fuits nature; for man cannot receive fufficient nourishment from herbs alone; he would perish through inanition, if he did not take more fubftantial aliments. Having but one stomach and fhort intestines, he cannot, as the ox, that has four ftomachs and very long guts, take. in at once a great bulk of that meagre food, which, however, muit be abfolutely neceffary for compenfating the quality by the

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quantity. The fane may be nearly faid of fruits and grain: They would not fuffice for him; he must still require too great a bulk for furnishing the quantity of organic molecules neceffary to nutrition; and, tho' bread is made of what is pureft in corn, and though corn, and our other grain and pulfe, having been perfected by art, are more fubftantial and nourishing, than grain that retains only natural qualities, man, reduced to bread and pulfe, for the whole of his food, would searce drag on a feeble and languid life.

Behold thofe pious folitaries, who abftain from every thing that had life in it, who, from holy motives, renounce the gifts of the Creator, deprive themfelves of the gift of fpeech, fly from fociety, and fhut themfelves up within facred walls which nature perpetually affails and is crushed in the attempt of breaking down. Confined in thefe afylums, or rather in thefe graves of the living, where nothing but the air of death is breathed, you obferve their mortified visages, and their eyes fo nearly extinguished, that hardly they can throw a glance about them. Their life feems to be fupported only by ftruggles; they take their food, and yet the cravings of hunger do not ceafe: Though encouraged by their fervour (for the ftate of the head fpirits up that of the body) they refift but a few years that cruel abftinence; they live lefs than die daily by an anticipated death, and are not extinct by finishing the courfe of life, but haftening the pace of death.

Thus abftinence from all flefl, far from agreeing with nature, must contribute to detroy nature. If man was reduced to it, he could not, at least in thefe climates, either fubfift or multiply. Such diet perhaps might be poffible in fouthern countries, where the juices of fruits are more exalted, the plants more fubftantial, the roots more fucculent, the grain more plump and nutritive; yet the Brachmans rather conftitute a fect than people, and their religion, though very ancient, has fcarce extended beyond their schools, but never beyond their climate. This religion, founded on metaphyfics, is a ftriking example of the fate of human opinions. It cannot be doubted, on paffing in review its broken remains, but that the fciences have been very anciently cultivated, and perfected perhaps beyond what they now are. It was known before us that all animate beings contained indeftru&tible molecules, always living, and which paffed from body into body. This truth, adopted by philofophers, and afterwards by a great number of men, retained its purity in an inlightened age, but, a revolution of darkness having fuc5

ceeded, the organic living molecules were no longer remembered, and the imagination took place that what was living in the animal was perhaps an indestructible whole which exifted fep rate from the body after death. This ideal whole was called a foul, which was foon confidered as a being really exifting in all animals; and combining with this fantaftic being the real idea, but disfigured, of the paffing of living molecules, it was faid that after death the foul paffed fuccellively and perpetually from body to hody. Min was not excepte f; morality was foon called in to the aid of metaphytics; it was not doubted but that this furviving being retained, in its tranfmigration, its fentiments, affections, and defires This was enough to turn every weak head. What a horror it mult be in fact for that foul, on quitting an agreeable abode, to pass into the infectious body of an unclean animal? They entertained other fears, and every fear produced its fuperftition. They were apprehenfive in kiling an animal, that they flaughtered their mistress or father; hence began their refpect for all beafts; they confidered them as their neighbours, and at length agreed that, through a principle of love and duty, it was incumbent on them to abstain from every thing that had life. This was the origin and progrefs of that religion, the most ancien of the continent of India; which thews fufficiently that truth delivered to the multitude is foon disfigured; that a philofophical opinion does not become popular, till it has changed its form; but that by the means of this preparation it may become a religion the better founded, as the preju dice is more general; and the more respected, that as, having for its foundation truths ill underfood, it will be neceffarily invironed by obfcurities, and confequently will appear my fterious, auguft, incomprehenfible; that afterwards, fear mingling with refpect, this religion will degenerate into fuperftitions, into ridiculous practices, which will notwithftanding take root, produce cuftoms at first fcrupulously followed, but altering by little and little, will fo change with time, that even the opinion they originated from will no more appear but by falfe traditions, by proverbs, and will end in puerile stories and abfurdities; whence this inference should be drawn that every religion grounded on hitman opinions is falfe and variable, and that it never belonged but to God to give us the true religion, which, not depending on our opinions, is unalterable, conftant, and will always be the fame.

But to return to our fubject. An intire abftinence from fleth muft neceifarily weaken

nature.

nature. Man, in order to enjoy health, ftands not only in need of the use of that folid nutriment, but alfo requires to vary it. If he would attain complete vigour, he must chufe what fuits him beft; and, as he cannot maintain himself in an active state but by procuring for himself new fenfations, it is neceffry he fhould give to his fenfes their full extent, permit himself the variety of meats as that of other objects, and prevent the difguft occafioned by the uniformity of food; but it is equally neceffary for him to avoid excess, which is ftill more hurtful than abítinence.

Animals that have but one ftomach and fhort intestines are forced, as man, to feed on flesh. We may be allured of this relation and truth by comparing the relative bulk of the inteftinal canal in carnivorous aninrals, and thofe that live only on herbs. We fhall always find that this difference in their manner of living depends on their conformation, and that they affume a more or lefs folid nourishment, relatively to the more or lefs great capaciousness of the magazine that is to receive it.

It must not, however, be inferred, that animals which live only on herbs are by a phyfical neceflity reduced to this food, as carnivorous animals are by the fame neceffity forced to feed on fleth: We only fay that those which have feveral ftomachs, or very ample inteftines, may do without that fubftantial aliment fo neceffary to others; but we do not fay that they cannot ufe it, and, if nature had given the weapons, not only for defence, but for attacking and feizing, they would foon accuftom themfelves to fleth and blood; for we see sheep, calves, goats, horfes, eat greedily of milk and eggs, which are animal food; and, without being aided by custom, they do not refuse hashed meat, feafoned with falt. It may be therefore faid, that a relish for flesh, and for other folid foods, is the general appetite of all animals, which is exercifed with more or lefs vehemence or moderation, according to the particular conformation of each animal, because

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taking nature in the whole, this fame appetite is not only found in man and in quadruped animals, but alfo in birds, in fishes, infects, and worms, to which in particular it feems that all flesh has been ultimately deftined.

Nutrition, in all animals, is performed by organic molecules which, feparated from the groffer parts of the food by the means of digeftion, mix with the blood, and affumilate to all parts of the body. But independently of this great effect, which appears to be the principal aim of nature, and which is proportional to the quality of the aliments, they produce another depending on their quantity, that is, on their mass and bulk. The ftomach and intestines are fupple membranes that take up a pretty confiderable fpace within the body; thefe membranes, to keep themselves in their state of tension, and to counterbalance the forces of the other neighbouring parts, require to he always partly filled. If, for want of food, this capacious fpace fhould be intirely empty, the membranes, being no longer fuftained, shrink in, fall upon, and adhere to one another, and this is what produces that languor and weakness, which are the firft fymptoms of extreme hunger. The aliments, before contributing to the nutrition of the body, ferve as ballaft; their prefence, their bulk, are neceffary for maintaining the equilibrium between the internal parts that act and react all upon one another. When one dies of hunger, it is not fo much because the body is not fed, as because it is no longer ballaited: and thus animals, especially the most voracious, when preffed by hunger, or warned by the debility brought on by internal emptinefs, feek wherewithal to fill it up, and fwallow earth and ftones. Clay has been found in a wolf's ftomach; hogs have been feen to eat it; most birds fwallow stones, &c. And this is not through appetite, but neceffity, the greatest craving being not to refresh the blood by new chyle, but to maintain the equilibrium of forces in the large parts of the animal machine.

PROCEEDINGS in the laft Seffion of Parliament, continued from Page 264 of our laft.

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known and established law and custom of Parliament, which is part thereof; and that the judgment of this Houfe, declared in the refolution of the 17th day of February laft, That John Wilkes, Efq; having been, in this fellion of Pa liament, expelled this Houfe, was, and is, incapable of being elected a Member to ferve in this prefent Parliament,' was agreeable to the faid law of the land, and fully authorised by the law and custom of Parliament.

The faid refolution being read a fecond time, and an objection being made, that the faid refolution contained a complicated queftion, and that it was the undoubted right of any one Member of the Houfe to have it feparated, before any question could be put upon it, Mr. Speaker was called upon, by the Houfe, to ftate what he understood to be the order of proceeding of the Houfe in this refpect. And Mr. Speaker accordingly delivered to the Houfe his opinion thereupon, And, a Member of the Houfe having, in his fpeech, made fome obfervations upon what had been faid by Mr. Speaker; and Mr. Speaker offering his fentiments to the Houfe, in answer to what had been obferved by the faid Member; exception was taken to fome words used by Mr. Speaker in fuch anfwer; which words, being taken down by a Member of the Houfe, were afterwards copied by the Clerk at the table, and are as follow: When I expected candid treatment from that Member, I was mistaken; for I find I am not to expect candour from that Gentleman, in any motions he is to

make to the hair '

And, the faid words, fo taken down, being read to the Houfe, Mr Speaker declared, that thofe were not the words which he had made use of, but that they were as follow: In candour, I hoped he would have informed me of the motion he intended to make; but I now find, from what the Member has faid, that I am not to expect that candid treatment from him: For he faid, in his fpeech, that, from this time forward, he will have no communication with the Chair. And Mr. Speaker declared he did not mean any general reflection on the character of the Member. And afterwards Mr. Speaker faid: What I faid arose out of what I understood the Member to have faid. If he difclaimed candour with the Chair, I had a right to fay I was not to expect candour on that fubject. I did not, in justice I ought not, to have made a general reflection upon the Member's character; but, if the Member had faid what I underftood he faid, I had a right to say what I did. I can make no apology for what I

faid, but will abide the fenfe of the Houfe."

Then, a motion being made, and the queftion being put, That the words spoken by Mr. Speaker, from the Chair, are diforderly, importing an improper reflection on a Member of this Houfe, and dangerous to the freedom of debate in this Houfe, it paffed in the negative.

On the 19th, four bills paffed the House : The first, from the Lords, intitled An act for naturalifing John-Nicholas Jacquin: The fecond, for dividing, inclofing, and allotting, the open fields in Ratby in the parish of Rat by and county of Leicester: The third, for dividing, inclofing, and allotting, the open fields, and certain commonable places, in the parish of Halloughton, in the county of Leicester: And the fourth, for the better maintaining, regulating, and employing the poor, within the parish of St. Paul Shadwell, in the county of Middlefex.

The House then refumed the adjourned confideration of the report from the Committee of the whole House, to whom it was referred to confider further of the state of the nation: And a motion was made, and, the question being put, that it is the rule of this Houfe, that a complicated queffion, which prevents any Member from giving his free affent or diffent to any part thereof, ought, if required, to be divided, it paffed in the negative.

It was then ordered, that the faid refolution be divided into two parts (the firit part ending at the ward thereof); and the question, for agreeing with the Committee therein, be put upon each part feparately; And, the question being accordingly feparately put, for agreeing with the Committee in each part of the faid refolution, it was refolved,

That this Houfe, in the exercife of its judicature in matters of election, is bound to judge according to the law of the land, and the known and established law and custom of Parliament, which is part thereof: And

That the judgment of this Houfe, declared in the resolution of the 17th day of February laft, That John Wilkes, Efq; having been, in this feflion of Parliament, expelled this Houfe, was, and is, incapable of being elected a Member to ferve in this prefent Parliament, was agreeable to the faid law of the land, and fully authorised by the law and custom of Parliainent.

On the 20th, two bills paffed the Houfe; The first, to enable William Head, Efq; a minor, and his iflue, to take and use the furname of James only, and to bear the coat-armour of the family of John James, Efq; deceased: And the fecond, to conti

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