Thomas Tryon

author

Thomas Tryon

1634–1703

A self-taught English writer and merchant, he turned practical advice about food and daily habits into lively books on health, temperance, and kindness. His work is now remembered for its early defense of vegetarianism, humane treatment of animals, and opposition to slavery.

1 Audiobook

A Treatise of Cleanness in Meats and Drinks, of the Preparation of Food, the Excellency of Good Airs, and the Benefits of Clean Sweet Beds. Also of the Generation of Bugs, and Their Cure. To Which Is Added, a Short Discourse of the Pain in the Teeth, Shewing What Cause It Does Chiefly Proceed, and Also How to Prevent It.

A Treatise of Cleanness in Meats and Drinks, of the Preparation of Food, the Excellency of Good Airs, and the Benefits of Clean Sweet Beds. Also of the Generation of Bugs, and Their Cure. To Which Is Added, a Short Discourse of the Pain in the Teeth, Shewing What Cause It Does Chiefly Proceed, and Also How to Prevent It.

by Thomas Tryon

About the author

Born in Bibury, Gloucestershire, in 1634, Thomas Tryon had little formal schooling and worked from a young age before making his way to London. There he built a successful career in trade while also developing a strong interest in religion, self-discipline, and everyday health.

Tryon wrote widely for ordinary readers rather than scholars, producing books on diet, temperance, education, and moral living. He became especially known for arguing that simple food, moderation, and gentler habits could improve both body and mind.

What makes him stand out today is how far his ideas reached for the time. Long before such views were common, he spoke against cruelty to animals, supported a meat-free way of living, and wrote critically about slavery, giving his work a surprisingly modern moral force.