144 GROWTH AND FOOD OF ANIMALS. 



their food is invariably deK vmined by the climates they in 

 habit. The variety of food, in any country, is likewise greatly 

 influenced by culture and by imitation. Commerce occa- 

 sionally furnishes new species of food, particularly of the 

 vegetable kind. In Scotland, till about the beginning of this 

 century, the common people lived almost entirely upon grain. 

 Since that period, the culture and use of the potato, of many 

 species of coleworts, and of fruits, have been introduced, and 

 universally diffused through the nation. 



Whether man was originally intended by Nature to live 

 solely upon animal or vegetable food, is a question which has 

 been much agitated both by the ancients and the moderns. 

 Many facts and circumstances concur in establishing the opin- 

 ion, that man was designed to be nourished neither by animals 

 nor vegetables solely, but by a mixture of both. Agriculture 

 is an art the invention of which must depend on a number of 

 fortuitous circumstances. It requires a long succession of 

 ages before savage nations learn this art. They depend en- 

 tirely for their subsistence upon hunting wild animals, fishing, 

 and such fruits as their country happens spontaneously to 

 produce. This has uniformly been the manner of living 

 among all the savage nations of which we have any proper 

 knowledge; and seems to be a clear proof, that animal food 

 is by no means repugnant to the nature of man. Besides, 

 the surface of the earth, even in the most luxuriant climates, 

 and though assisted by culture, is not capable of producing 

 vegetable food in sufficient quantity to support the human 

 race, after any region of it has become so populous as Britain, 

 France, and many other nations. The general practice of 

 mankind, when not restrained by prejudice or superstition, of 

 feeding promiscuously on animal or vegetable substances, is 

 a strong indication, that man is, partly at least, a carnivorous 

 animal. The Gentoos, though their chief diet be vegetables, 

 afford no proper argument against this reasoning. They are 

 obliged, by their religion, to abstain from the flesh of animals ; 

 and they are allowed to use milk, which is a very nourishing 

 animal food Notwithstanding this indulgence, the Gentoos 

 in general are a meagre, sickly, and feeble race. In hot 

 climates, however, a very great proportion of vegetable diet 

 may be used without any bad consequences. 



Other arguments, tending to the same conclusion, are de- 

 rived, not from the customs or practices of particular nations, 

 but from the structure of the human body. All animals 

 which feed upon vegetables alone, as formerly remarked, have 



