The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1846-10-08
The Dogs and the beggars.
CLARK ! bark !! the dogs bark,
The beggars are conf ng to town,
Some in rags, and some with bags,
And some in velvet gowns"

~'
We have endeavoured, but in vain, to as
certain who has the honor of authorship of the
sublime and comprehensive poetry which we
have quoted above, and which, as we imagine,
contains more meaning, Specification, and com.
mon sense than has been usually put to its
credit. Our limits will not admit of ou1
going into full details of its merits but we
would merely, and in as brief a manner as
possible notice some of the peculiarly valuable
treasures of wisdom with which its lines APP
pear to be freighted.
First, then, we will consider its first word,
shark" This word can never be properly
nsed but in the imperative mode. 1t is a
command, not merely to listen to attend,-
but requires a temporary suspension of every
other ~,attention,-of every other considera-
ton and we know no word in the English
language, which commands so much attention,
and produces so much effect, when uttered
solitary and alone as this simple monosylabEc
"hark." We would say to our readers "hark!w
let nothing ~conspire to withdraw your atten-
ton, while re bestow a passing notice on the
on the next subject, TO 1.-THE dogs
And who, or what, are the dogs spoken of?
Dogs, even strictly and literally considered,
occupy an immense variety of grades,% stations,
and qualities, almost all of which may be con-
Sidered symbolical of certain definite char
acter among the more ideal and inconsistent
ANIMALS, called men. The dogs, as we are by
the poet informed, bark The bark ing Of
dogs often proceeds from motives very di-
verse sometimes they bark for joy some
times for the purpose of giving notice Of GER
tain events more frequently by wayof indi-
eating hostility and menace but still more
frequently for the purpose of amuseing them
selves by their own clamor. But in this lat
ter case the dogs usually have some ontensible
occasion, so that when we hear the dogs bark,
are apt to suppose there is some real occa-
sion for it, as in the case above quoted
And what is this grand occasion which thus
sets all the dogs barking? o. the beggars
are coming to town. The word beggars IS I'M
those who,instead Of earning an hon
orable independence by their own industry,
are dependent on the labor of others for their
a support not always consisting of a
mere subsistcn ce it is but an inferior class
Of beggars who require no more than this 81
but a support in affluence, honor and author
ty over the very people who contribute lib
to town" They are coming for war on the
1TCab puullC StiSc-ticy u Coming W pace
before us i'll a manner that will
lain, and even command our charity. We
will then enquire who are the beggars, whose
approach occasions SO much noise and disturb
nee by setting all the dogs-grcat dogs,
title dogs, pugs, ours, and poodles,-to bark
at such a rate The first class men,
toned, are represented to be clothed in rags
nd hence we are ready to conclude that
hey are apoor worthless pack of beings, Ito
,oor to draw from our purses; and to I'M
o~rtunate to share our sympthies. The next
lass are more interesting they, as we are
Informed, have bags-bags Of gold may be.
these are beggars worth noticing; what
yer they beg--whethcr honor, Office or more
old, they are sure of our sympathies, and
e let the world know, that such illustrious {
eggars as these, shall never beg in vain $
10 yet another class of beggars, to whom {
ven the last mentioned, with their golden c
ags pay homage. We know who they are 1
their costoms-rich velvet gowns. Be-
old the dignifed ~solemnity of their carriage u
nd demeanor-the grave confidence with e
hich they solicit-nay command our chart q
free use of our purses. All, these are e
lie most adroit and successful beggars they Il
vince a practical knowledge of the business u
they have reduced begging to a science !; |,
i'd in this business not the least influential p
strument by which they succeed, is the lason
relpet ~10Wa.-Sc1 inner. lF