Page 274 - erewhon

though he did not claim to have any communication with
an unseen power, laid down the law with as much confi-
dence as if such a power had inspired him. Many think that
this philosopher did not believe his own teaching, and, be-
ing in secret a great meat-eater, had no other end in view
than reducing the prohibition against eating animal food
to an absurdity, greater even than an Erewhonian Puritan
would be able to stand.
Those who take this view hold that he knew how impos-
sible it would be to get the nation to accept legislation that
it held to be sinful; he knew also how hopeless it would be
to convince people that it was not wicked to kill a sheep and
eat it, unless he could show them that they must either sin
to a certain extent, or die. He, therefore, it is believed, made
the monstrous proposals of which I will now speak.
He began by paying a tribute of profound respect to the
old prophet, whose advocacy of the rights of animals, he ad-
mitted, had done much to soften the national character, and
enlarge its views about the sanctity of life in general. But
he urged that times had now changed; the lesson of which
the country had stood in need had been sufficiently learnt,
while as regards vegetables much had become known that
was not even suspected formerly, and which, if the nation
was to persevere in that strict adherence to the highest
moral principles which had been the secret of its prosper-
ity hitherto, must necessitate a radical change in its attitude
towards them.
It was indeed true that much was now known that had
not been suspected formerly, for the people had had no for-