Higher Laws

omologists,IfinditinKirbyandSpence,that“someinsectsintheirperfectstate,thoughfurnishedwithorgansoffeeding,makenouseofthem”andtheylayitdownas“ageneralrule,thatalmostallinsectsinthisstateeatmuchlessthaninthatoflarv?.Thevoraciouscaterpillarwhentransformedintoabutterfly,”..“andthegluttonousmaggotwhenbecomeafly,”contentthemselveswithadroportwoofhoneyorsomeothersweetliquid.Theabdomenunderthewingsofthebutterflystillrepresentsthelarva.Thisisthetid-bitwhichtemptshisinsectivorousfate.Thegrossfeederisamaninthelarvastateandtherearewholenationsinthatcondition,nationswithoutfancyorimagination,whosevastabdomensbetraythem. Itishardtoprovideandcooksosimpleandcleanadietaswillnotoffendtheimaginationbutthis,Ithink,istobefedwhenwefeedthebodytheyshouldbothsitdownatthesametable.Yetperhapsthismaybedone.Thefruitseatentemperatelyneednotmakeusashamedofourappetites,norinterrupttheworthiestpursuits.Butputanextracondimentintoyourdish,anditwillpoisonyou.Itisnotworththewhiletolivebyrichcookery.Mostmenwouldfeelshameifcaughtpreparingwiththeirownhandspreciselysuchadinner,whetherofanimalorvegetablefood,asiseverydaypreparedforthembyothers.Yettillthisisotherwisewearenotcivilized,and,ifgentlemenandladies,arenottruemenandwomen.Thiscertainlysuggestswhatchangeistobemade.Itmaybevaintoaskwhytheimaginationwillnotbereconciledtofleshandfat.Iamsatisfiedthatitisnot.Isitnotareproachthatmanisacarnivorousanimal?True,hecananddoeslive,inagreatmeasure,bypreyingonotheranimalsbutthisisamiserableway,—asanyonewhowillgotosnaringrabbits,orslaughteringlambs,maylearn,—andhewillberegardedasabenefactorofhisracewhoshallteachmantoconfinehimselftoamoreinnocentandwholesomediet.Whatevermyownpracticemaybe,Ihavenodoubtthatitisapartofthedestinyofthehumanrace,initsgradualimprovement,toleaveoffeatinganimals,assurelyasthesavagetribeshaveleftoffeatingeachotherwhentheycameincontactwiththemorecivilized. Ifonelistenstothefaintestbutconstantsuggestionsofhisgenius,whicharecertainlytrue,heseesnottowhatextremes,oreveninsanity,itmayleadhimandyetthatway,ashegrowsmoreresoluteandfaithful,hisroadlies.Thefaintestassuredobjectionwhichonehealthymanfeelswillatlengthprevailovertheargumentsandcustomsofmankind.Nomaneverfollowedhisgeniustillitmisledhim.Thoughtheresultwerebodilyweakness,yetperhapsnoonecansaythattheconsequencesweretoberegretted,forthesewerealifeinconformitytohigherprinciples.Ifthedayandthenightaresuchthatyougreetthemwithjoy,andlifeemitsafragrancelikeflowersandsweet-scentedherbs,ismoreelastic,morestarry,moreimmortal,—thatisyoursuccess.Allnatureisyourcongratulation,andyouhavecausemomentarilytoblessyourself.Thegreatestgainsandvaluesarefarthestfrombeingappreciated.Weeasilycometodoubtiftheyexist.Wesoonforgetthem.Theyarethehighestreality.Perhapsthefactsmostastoundingandmostrealarenevercommunicatedbymantoman.Thetrueharvestofmydailylifeissomewhatasintangibleandindescribableasthetintsofmorningorevening.Itisalittlestar-dustcaught,asegmentoftherainbowwhichIhaveclutched. Yet,formypart,IwasneverunusuallysqueamishIcouldsometimeseatafriedratwithagoodrelish,ifitwerenecessary.Iamgladtohavedrunkwatersolong,forthesamereasonthatIpreferthenaturalskytoanopium-eater’sheaven.Iwouldfainkeepsoberalwaysandthereareinfinitedegreesofdrunkenness.Ibelievethatwateristheonlydrinkforawisemanwineisnotsonoblealiquorandthinkofdashingthehopesofamorningwithacupofwarmcoffee,orofaneveningwithadishoftea!Ah,howlowIfallwhenIamtemptedbythem!Evenmusicmaybeintoxicating.SuchapparentlyslightcausesdestroyedGreeceandRome,andwilldestroyEnglandandAmerica.Ofallebriosity,whodoesnotprefertobeintoxicatedbytheairhebreathes?Ihavefoundittobethemostseriousobjectiontocoarselaborslongcontinued,thattheycompelledmetoeatanddrinkcoarselyalso.Buttotellthetruth,Ifindmyselfatpresentsomewhatlessparticularintheserespects.Icarrylessreligiontothe