Fruits and Farinacea, The Proper Food of Man. Being an Attempt to Prove, from History, Anatomy, Physiology, and Chemistry, That the Original, Natural, and Best Diet of Man is Derived from the Vegetable Kingdom... from the Second London Edition.
New York: Fowler and Wells, Publishers, no. 389 Broadway; [Edward O. Jenkins, Printer & Stereotyper], [1864; copyright 1854].
Octavo (19 x 12.5 cm.), xix, 314, [4] pages. Advertisements. Illustrated with engravings in the text, but lacking the hand-colored frontispiece that appears in the first American issue. Publication date from date of issue of American Phrenological Journal advertised in rear. Second printing of the first U.S. edition, from the second London Edition. An early and important work in the history of vegetarianism. Smith took a very broad view of his subject, considering all of history from biblical times forward, and quoting Moses, Linnaeus, Adam Smith, and so on. Worth a second look in part for the argument (see page 293), that increased CO2 production prompted by human action and population growth will necessitate cultivation of more plants in support of a vegetable diet, in part to manage the atmosphere for sustainability. Some foxing throughout, and evidence of dog-earing. Owner inscription to front end paper. Small stain through final leaves, otherwise a very good copy in gilt- and blind-stamped, textured brown cloth. [OCLC locates no copies identified with this publication date, but then it's OCLC; Bitting, page 439; not in Cagle].
Price: $350.00