1858.] THE PERMISSIVE BILL. 161 



" He had the tabulated statements handed in with the vouchers, 

 and had laboured incessantly to verify them, as secretary ; he 

 had worked night and day to make the returns complete." 

 There were returns from 3282 houses. Of the 5619 adult 

 males canvassed, 4402 were for the Bill, only 495 were deci- 

 dedly opposed to it, and 722 were neutral : this exceeded their 

 most favourable anticipations. He found, however, that " those 

 who are looked upon as the leaders of public sentiment in 

 general do not, it appears, lead it in this instance." " There 

 was one gentleman who, a short time ago in that hall, had 

 professed a great anxiety for their spiritual welfare, and who 

 appeared to think he had a right to direct them ; but on this 

 subject he had no directions to give !" Philip added that he 

 had declined to vote for their Liberal member, for whom he 

 had a great respect, because he was a brewer. Most political 

 questions seemed to him " mere molehills, compared with the 

 mountain of the drink-traffic." (Such, however, was not the 

 prevalent opinion ; and very few of those who gave their names 

 for the Permissive Bill were then prepared to make any sacri- 

 fice to obtain it.) 



Incidental mention has been made of Philip's adherence to 

 Vegetarianism. He had for many years gradually adopted the 

 principle, before he joined the Society. Among his Oberlin 

 Tracts he gives " A Few Reasons for not eating Dead Bodies," 

 viz. (1) " Because flesh is dear food," and "the less money I 

 spend in eating, the more I have to do good with;" (2) " Be- 

 cause animal food stimulates animal desires ; " (3) " Because a 

 tender heart is outraged by killing beasts to eat them ; " (4) 

 "Because experience proves that people may live long, be 

 healthy, and work hard without eating flesh," etc., etc. He 

 did not however, feel towards a meat-diet as he did towards 

 smoking, or drinking intoxicants ; and he provided meat for 

 his guests, if they believed it requisite. When he was himself 

 a visitor he needed no vegetarian dainties; and, as regards 

 some articles of diet, he did not think it necessary to inquire 

 whether they contained any animal ingredient ! 



He was desirous to train up the young in what he thought 



M 



