The first edition of this work was published in 1845, and dedicated to Dr. William Lambe, an aged physician, and a veteran in vegetarian practice.
To adapt it to busy and unscientific readers much condensation has been used, which, in a few cases, required some transpositions. Especially the chemical arguments have been reduced to their simplest outlines. Readers who desire to see them more in full must be referred to the second edition of the work, which was printed without change by the Society.
The reader must not accept everything in this book as a manifesto from the Society. Mr. John Smith speaks for himself, and, in dealing with so vast a range of subjects, may easily have fallen into error in some facts or arguments without impairing the high value of his book as a whole.—Editor.
