Howard Williams

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.