VEGETABLE DIET. 97 



air-baths in the woods and on the hills, swimming and gymnas- 

 tics, everything on the simplest and most economical lines, as they 

 are mainly written for schools and the middle classes, where ex- 

 pensive adjuncts must be omitted. No medicines are tolerated 

 by the strict vegetarian ; everything is cured by diet, exercise, 

 water, hot or cold, or in the shape of steam. 



There are now all over Germany and Austria a great number 

 of what are called " Nature doctors," who cure on these principles, 

 though they need not necessarily be vegetarians. The poor prefer 

 them, as they are often men well off, who have a vocation for this 

 calling ; the medicaments cost very little or nothing. Father Se- 

 bastian Kneipp, at Worichshofen in Swabia, belongs to this class, 

 and the thousands he cures every year have made his name 

 famous in all the German-speaking lands. He too deprecates the 

 use of much meat. Everywhere baths and sanatoriums are 

 springing up where cures with these simple means alone are 

 effected, and medicines utterly discarded. The Hygeia, a publi- 

 cation founded by the well-known Dr. Paul Niemeyer, and edited 

 at Munich by his disciple and successor, Dr. Gerster, is one of 

 the many organs of the new and independent school ; many doc- 

 tors and a few laymen write in it. It is interesting and amusing, 

 full of unexpected information, and much read by the most intel- 

 ligent section of the public. The German vegetarian books are 

 full of a number of excellent recipes for dishes of all kinds, suited 

 to every time of the year and to different countries, which is most 

 important, for the new-fledged vegetarian always thinks he is 

 going to die of hunger. In the preparation of vegetables the Ger- 

 man Pythagoreans bear off the palm, and I am bound to say that 

 even their puddings and sweets are better than those known to 

 the meat-eater. From what I have heard of English vegetarian- 

 ism, I fancy that the movement, which in many respects might 

 prove so useful, is much impeded by the inadequate way in which 

 the vegetables are cooked, and until this defect is thoroughly 

 remedied, and a greater variety is introduced into the vegetarian 

 bill of fare, there is no prospect of an extension, which might 

 prove so great a boon to the poorer classes. 



In spite of the persuasive language of my books, and the 

 promise of health and happiness, I could not, somehow, make up 

 my mind to take a step which I imagined would in a certain way 

 cut me off from my fellow-creatures ; and it was not till rather 

 more than a year ago, when I was obliged to read up certain 

 papers about the transport of cattle and slaughter-houses, that the 

 irresistible conviction came upon me that I must choose between 

 giving up the eating of animal food or my peace of mind. 



Years ago, when I lived in Italy, this same subject had given 

 me much pain. At Rome it was the habit for every butcher to 



TOL. XLIV. 9 



