144 ON THE FOOD OF ANIMALS. 



In summary, then, we may rely upon it that 

 the inventive powers of man, ever alive to his 

 own gratification, are always at work to prepare 

 an aliment for him, so tasty, so delicious, so 

 nice and so seductive withal, that his forti- 

 tude and better judgment cannot make a stand 

 against it, although he is aware that his frame 

 of body will not do its duty under it. He has 

 a daily lesson read to him by the free irrational 

 animals around him ; notwithstanding which, 

 he and his family will go on to the end of time 

 in its pernicious course, pretty well to-day, in- 

 disposed to-morrow, and a little better again 

 the day after, and so on, a victim to his tyrant 

 appetite, whilst his inferiors know not what 

 sickness is, and pass a life of vigour and of joy. 

 In fact, whole communities of men and women 

 must submit to their fate with due resignation ; 

 and they may comfort themselves with the 

 thought that by physic and physicians they can 

 struggle on to a fair old age, whilst the beast 

 of the field can arrive at the same, without the 

 aid of either. 



At the time that gout is destroying the sym- 

 metry of our originally fine form, and rheu- 

 matism arresting our inherent activity, we may 



