Dietetics.*

by which it appears that the amount for 1875 , 1876 , was no less a sum than £ 403 8 s . 5 d . ; it is perhaps rather a drawback that , of this very large amount for two years , the trifling sum of £ 330 Is . 2 d . has been " previously announced . " Whether this " previously " means duringtheprevious twenty-eight years that the Vegetarian Societ y professes to have been in existence , we know not ; but we do know this , that we hope the Secretary of the Society is allowed , out of the income which has , at the end of thirt y years' existence , reached such magnificent jiroportions , to largely subsidise those who write in the interests of Vegetarianism , or at least some of them that modesty forbids us

to name . A word now as to the " Object of the Vegetarian Society , " which is " to induce habits of abstinence from the Flesh of Animals as Food . " What particular garb is referred to here it is hard to say , —it may be the primitive " fig-leaf" dress of Paradise , but it can hardly be the skins of the said animals , as we presume , if their flesh be forbidden as food , we should want the hides , as well as the horns , hoofs and hair , for our internal consumption .

The " Reformer" next talks about the " Constitution " of the Society ; but we can pass that over , for after a short course of the above-mentioned " reformed diet , " there could hardly be much of it loft to discuss . Being knocked-all-of-a-heap by the stupendous jnivileges "defined" to belong to the contributors towards the vast income which has previously overwhelmed us with astonishment we will now pass on to " OUR THIRTIETH ANNIVERSARY , " which we

confess , gives us no little trouble , as it seems to become plural two lines further on , and having so become plural , to be not only held at least twice a year , but that twice " both in the afternoon and evening . " The resolutions do not seem much more explicit : — Number 1 , calls upon all earnest patriots and politicians , and all holders and occupiers of land ( these groups beingwe presumein direct antithesis !) to jilant fruit trees in

, , gardens , hedgerows , and , in fact , everywhere that they can stick one in ; especially in these times of diseases of cattle . How , iu the first jilace , are these wiseacres aware that trees so put in would draw all nourishment from the ground for a distance round , and would therefore jiroveni ; the growth of anything else , —and thence that their principle thus laid clown would give us fruit , and nothing but fruit 1 In the second

place , how can fruit produced along railway , road , canal , and river-banks , be jiroperly guarded without abnormally raising the price 1 and in the third , how in the world does cattle-disease affect our Vegetarian friends 1 Wo cannot supjily an answer to this query unless it be that they fear that pumpkins may be affected by pleuro-pneumonia , and other fruits by foot and mouth disease . Number 2 seems almost to claim for vegetables the sheltering aigis of the " Vivisection" Act ; in any case it somewhat modestly (!) claims that Vegetarianism is the one

and only true champion of " Social purity , " " Sobriety , ' ' and " Peace on Earth . " Number 4 seeks to " elevate" woman from the degradation of the " repulsive details ' of the meat-filling of a jfie , to the " sense of refinement , " attendant upon enclosing in the " paste , ' ' the " healthful , cheerful , and attractive , " apple . Number 5 points out the gain hi a monetary point of view to the community , on giving all oiphaus and other numerous objects of charity of no particular consequence ,

a luxurious diet of " skilly " and the like . Number 6 maintains that " all ujiholders of morality , friends of missions , and earneswj religious everywhere , " must use Vegetarianism as the promoter of " all abiding moral (¦) and spiritual (!!) advancement . After which little ebullition of self-glorification , this modest society passed votes oi thanks to Chairmanladies ( how many gentlemen were present 1 ) choirand .

speakers-, , , Whatever ought to have done for the hearers 1 So closed their thirtieth anniversary , and we prognosticate that there will hardly be many more , for growing as it is in numbers , influence , and money , the Society m soon accomplish its ends , and then the world won't go round any more . We next approach what should be the more jiurely literary portion of the Magazm '