Howard Williams (humanitarian)
Howard Williams | |
|---|---|
Portrait from Fifty Years of Food Reform (1898) | |
| Born | 6 January 1837 Whatley, Mendip, England |
| Died | 21 September 1931 (aged 94) Aspley Guise, England |
| Education | St John's College, Cambridge (B.A., 1860; M.A., 1863) |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 1865–1907 |
| Known for |
|
| Notable work | The Ethics of Diet (1883) |
| Spouse |
Eliza Smith
(m. 1860; died 1906) |
| Family | Henry John Williams (brother) |
Howard Williams (6 January 1837 – 21 September 1931) was an English writer and historian. He was an advocate for humanitarianism, vegetarianism, and an opponent of vivisection. He is best known for The Ethics of Diet (1883), a historical survey of European vegetarianism that has been described as a classic of vegetarian literature and cited as an influence on the late Victorian vegetarian movement. Earlier he published The Superstitions of Witchcraft (1865), a study of the history and social effects of witchcraft beliefs. His other publications included a study of eighteenth-century letter writing centred on Jonathan Swift and Alexander Pope (1885), and a translation with notes of selected dialogues by Lucian (1887).
In 1891 Williams helped to found the Humanitarian League; he later wrote "Pioneers of humanity" for the league's journal, which was subsequently issued as a pamphlet. He served on the league's board, was a vice-president of the London Vegetarian Society and sat on the board of the Animal Defence and Anti-Vivisection Society.