New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-08-14
FOR Toe New.York Tribune.
LETTERS ON VEGETARIANISM.
1.-The NAME.

l..srnE NAaf
MYDEAR FRIEsD: Several months have AREA.
dy elapsed since promised to write you on the
subject Of Vegetsranism. Be assured, notwth.
standing the long delay that have never, for one
moment, forgotten my promise but late as il Is,
have svailed myself Of the first leisure mlnens
allotted me, for the redemption Of my pledge 70
you.
You do not like the word Vegetarian. IL n
term, you say, which nobody understands and
which, when explained, pleases nobody. You ask,
Could you not have selected q name which would
have better expressed your leading idea Lthere
lot some term which would Lot have left you open
to the vulgar charge Of being-PeoPle hardly know
wh.t-but a society Of hs'bivorous animals
Ny reply will be, in the frat place, Hegativeiy.-
We did not adopt the name to perpleI people, or
attract their attention, TO avoid the odium al
y attached to as as Grahsnises, or S:srvasonisss
We do not wish 10 arrest or retain the attention Of
an individual in the vord-for so much a. enc mo-
ment-apy further than the real merits Of our sub
ject demand. Nor would we, on the other hand
shrink from mourning, If we must tbs charge OF be-
ing ranged under the banner Of an Individual who,
whatever may be MS merits or demeris, is ha.ed
chiefly on account OF the doctrines he prOclsims-
Were an angel Of light 10 teach what SIR. Graham
teGches-rGiher what he once tausht-he would
be hated, yilhfed and prosecuted. There are many
among % who late whatever Is opposed 10 their
passions, appetites habits and lusts
Bat, in the second place, G6srmatirely, we have
adopted the name NegetarsD, 10 part because IL
has already been adopted In the Old Horld. foa
hardy require 70 be informed that sociene' unlef
this name, have recently sprang u2 IN haacnss' S
and other parts Of Ing and, one OF Whieh fesoy
has about 500 members. The great puociPiss re-
cogrized by these societies Is abstinence rom 'ns
6e.h Of animals as food. Any person Tno his sno,
abstained for the space Of ole month sA9 Nno wiz
pay an initiation fee Of one shilling may become
member ,
Nov although we do rot want y al ypt foreign
nsme keeaase il is FETCHED as nlost Of n do TIE
c1t Of coat or the forms Of our cookery. YET, on
the whole, we are wiling 70 be called oy name
which expresses q part Of our belief. We must
Igrs A name, OF course and By adopting The Fog.
H,h pane We shall be likely TO secure the sympa-
Inv Of our trans Atlantic brethren 10 cause where
il 10 90 much needed
We have called ourselves Vegetarian Society,
because the term Vegetsrani Is new. Al mankind
are Influenced. for good or for evil, by novelty. IL
10 right that they should be. Other things being
equal, the term Vegetarian is 70 be preferred, be
cause that while is raises q conjecture In the mind
az regards its real meaning, and thas ex,ites IN
qury il does not satisfy. One ssks II we ear
grsss another asks il we ca, ish another II We
use milk, butter cheese, eggs, &c Another Asks
il all our eorts AZ reform are confined to mere diet
and regimes. Another ssks what our ultimate aim
is-or in other words, whether our efforts 10 pro
mote health and longevity are regarded, ~ as, ~
a DSazs or az an cad. Another asks what oar
views are in regard 10 coffee, tea tobacco, alcohol
and redicioe IN genera. In short tp'ossoo