130 THE BIOLOGY OF DAILY LIFE 



seen, except a crowd round a meal-shop where 

 meal is distributed once a week by the 

 neighbouring gentry. There must have been 

 some hundreds of persons waiting about the 

 doors ; women for the most part : some of 

 their children were to be found loitering 

 about the bridge much further up the street; 

 but it was curious to note, amongst these 

 undeniable starving people, how healthy 

 their looks were. Going a little further we 

 saw women pulling weeds and nettles in the 

 hedges, on which dismal sustenance the poor 

 creatures live, having no bread, no potatoes, no 

 work. Well ! these women did not look 

 thinner or more unhealthy than many a well- 

 fed person. A company of English lawyers, 

 now, look more cadaverous than these starving 

 creatures.'' (Sketch Book, chap. II, p. 27.) 



You see the nettle-protoplasm, being also vegetable, 

 is excellent food. To quote Huxley, with a cor- 

 rection "It appears to be a matter of no great 

 moment what plant I lay under contribution for proto- 

 plasm." 



The conditions under which plants yield us aliment 

 are, in fact, simply these (1.) There must be a suffi- 

 ciency of materials, and, of course, of the right sort, 

 and in as far as possible the right proportions. Nature 

 can select out what she wants to some extent, but it 

 saves much trouble and vital expense to give the right 

 proportions (compare the saving in manufactures 

 effected by a knowledge of chemical proportions). 



(2.) The vegetable nutriment must be get-at-able, 



