Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1872-03-13
(bt frGeman,
iONTPELIER, VT,
WEDNESDAY. MARCH l3, 1872.
Ihe Talking Animal.


Ia these alarming days, when such for
uidable discoveries are being made as to
our genealogy, it behooves Us on no ac-
eouut to let 20 or waive those old and
respectable distinctions which have at
various times been made with the lauda-
bie object Of drawing a hard and fast line
between Us and those whom wesuppose we
are still permitted to describe as the in
tericr creatures. No one can well com
NIT a more despicable action than is
involved in repudiating or disowning his
own flesh and blood still there are cir
cumstauccs and occasions which Justify a
person in striving to make out, if the
relationship can not wholly be denied, that
the connection is, at any rate, very remote.
That Is lust the position, We take 1t, that,
at the very worst, man can be said 70
occupy toward his anthropOmorphic an
cestOrs; and, therefore, without cutting
them dead altogether, he may surely be
allowed to show that the lapse of time
with its supervening broad lines Of dis
tinction, has made the kinship even more
remote than Is usually associated with an
Irish cousin.
LIZ is not likely that better class dis
let0n, more satisfactory assertion Of
superior caste, will ever be made, than is
ae found in the good old definition that
Man IS talking animal" Our fair
lder--of whom we hope we have many
-wi not be offended by our informing
ttsl that when such q proposition as
Man is q talking animal " is put forward
4 definition. It does not mean that he is
QUE Of the talking animals but that he is
III. only talking animal. This being so. it
that the definition must be given
J.. us soon as stated, if by talk be signifed
a.-e oral method Of communication be
-s-l one living thing and another. Ants
III. u-1rarolaIy silent workers yet il Is
--J41.e that sharper ears than ours would
detect >ou-thing akin to the fussy hum we
oau ourselves observe in a hive of working
a--t0 the h0arse notes Of call and
response we note in the social crow-to
t.e whzZ.Hg clamor Of feldlares when
l..ld by Or bullying an aggressive hawk,
r tg the sweet long drawn pipings Of our
garden wlrber- when stirred to intercourse
.r love. Indeed, we might traverse the
whole animal kingdom without being able
n lazy our finger upon a single family Of
whose members We could affirm with any
.lHtelee that they never communicate
E.tu each other by what may fairly be
.-.ej speech. The horse l. one Of the
..-- silent, Jac pig one Of the most loqua-
..4- IF animals, vet each alike knows
elw TO summon his fellow by ineligible
sounds. iu moments of appetite, anger or
excitement Clearly, therefore, when it Is
said. and IL it is to be continued to be
Said. by way Of definition that = Man is
tl.hlBg animal, we must ascrlbe to the
power Of talk something more profound
aul extensive than the capacity Of com
pairing wants and guarding interests
The threshold Of the inquiry is not en-
couraging. Not conversation, but the
subject Of conversation, being the note or
Distinguishing mark which IS to enable Us
10 say that We are not fratricides or can
ui5als. our efforts must be directed TO
showing that our topics are as lofty as our
pretcns.ous That they are potentially so
ta all case. and actually so 10 some, we
shall see; but survey OF the lower lands
al human discourse, rather strengthens
than weakens the painful theory, which
makes us at one end touch the creatures Of
food and field We viii suppose a very
common case. and sketch a scene that will
be readily rccogn ized. A party OF well to
DO people, say from our own island-re-
fined. gentle, educated, in the sense ia
which those words are generally employed
have been spending the day IN travel.
They are on their road from Rome to
Forence,-from the most famous of ancient
cities to the most beautiful Of modern
They have means and leisure and, spurn-
Inr the cheap convenience Of the rail, they
are jourucyng by easy stages, under the
care O! pleasantly slow vetturlnO. What
have they seen to-day2 Perhaps they
have visited Assist lifted loving eyes to
the frescoes Of Giotto and lowered rever-
cut ones before the last resting place Of
the good and great St. Francis. Perhaps
they have loitcred at Cortona. wandered
round its Pelasgic walls, or been set won
dcriDg by the sight of that marvellous
female head, the most precious record OF
ancient pictorial art, found in the bak er's
oven Of the famous city. Perhaps they
have gazed into the still silvery depths Of
.aat peIluc-d stream, .. mirror and bath
1r B-auty's Youngest daughters, over
ooked by the disputable Temple of ' fair
and delicate proportions Perhaps the
forenoon was spent at Perugia, IN the Sala
4ei Cambio. or in the sacristy Of the san
P.etra I'D Casiueusis Night has fallen
Iae .uuleriug carriage stands-without
driver. without horses, without burden--ln
tic solitary courtyard The trusty team
are feeding in the warm dusk stable. The
-warthy driver Is sitting in the kitchen,
eating bis simple Italian supper. Our
English travellers are upstairs looking
almost as cczy and comfortable as at home.
T4ev have finished their meal and will
,o0u r. tire to rest. They are talking
What about? About Spelo, Foligno.
~poleto. the miraculous thirteenth century,
the influence Of Dante 1pon art, or Of art
upon Dante of something Of this sort,
no doubt? Alas! not at all They have
ct hold OF a book, and it is amusing them
vastly. 1t Is afTordng food for converse
tion. La Heavens name, what is 1t? 1t
l. tie visitors K Of the inn. Alter all
tEev have seen this day, all that lDcltes to
reflection. suggests comment, and should
provoke the amenities OF discussion, they
have fallen back, and with thanktulness
upon the empty catalogue OF names when
tells who have trodden these same paths
before. and have trodden them last. Has
ZONES been this way? Yes, here is the
entry and these refined, educated, trav
eled folks are at once with JOY transported
10 Tyburnia or Westbgurne Grove, anc
have found topic worthy of sustained
conversation. a topic that never flags
Need We 20 through the list of their friend
concerning whom they find some entry II
this divertiDg volume? How many sucl
they stumble upon decides the hour a