The Trials of a Vegetarian

Mr. Josiah Oldfield, M.A., B.C.L., is an amusing as well as an able advocate of Vegetarianism. At a recent meeting at Hurstpierpoint, he created some amusement by describing the popular misconceptions as to the nature of Vegetarianism. “Those who practised it were held up as a lot of Nebuchadnessars, and the cabbage was always supposed to be the token of their herbaceous taste. (Laughter). A comic paper, for instance, had once pictured a number of them on their hands and knees, occasionally biting at the grass.” The lecture also quoted some characteristic letters he had received at Oxford from his fellow collegians, designating him “Dear old Herbs,” and “Dear old Nebuchadnezzar,” and inviting him round to partake of a “splendid cauliflower” and a quantity of carrots “too tough for anything else,” whilst another asked him round to eat off the weeds which had grown near his quarters. All this arose from a great fallacy, for Vegetarians did not live solely on green vegetables.