Richard Phillips

“ Franklin to resume the practice. He saw a fish opened which had small fish within it, recently devoured; and when that fish was afterwards brought to table, he was forcibly struck with the idea of eating the very animal, which but yesterday had been devouring others. The practice of the fish was, he felt, that of a creature without reason or humanity, and no justification to him for doing what he thought wrong. His appetite also revolted at the idea of eating part of a creature so lately and so palpably enjoying itself in its own element. ”

“ XV.—Because whenever the number and hostility of predatory land animals might so tend to prevent the cultivation of vegetable food, as to render it necessary to destroy, and perhaps, to eat them, there could in that case exist no necessity for destroying the animated existences of the distinct elements of air and water; and, as in most civilized countries, there exists no land animals besides those which are purposely bred for slaughter or luxury, of course the destruction of animals, birds, and fish, in such countries must be ascribed either to unthinking wantonness or carnivorous gluttony. ”

“ XIII.—Because animals do not present or contain the substance of food in mass, like vegetables; every part of their economy being subservient to their mere existence, and their entire frames being solely composed of blood necessary for life, of bones for strength, or muscles for motion, and of nerves for sensation.
XIV.—Because the practice of killing and devouring animals can be justified by no moral plea, by no physical benefit nor by any allegation of necessity, in countries where there is abundance of vegetable food ”