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Obviously it is not easy to reply to begging except by the
intelligible act of giving。 We have not the ingenuous simplicity
that marks the caste answering more or less to that of Vere de Vere；
in Italy； for example。 An elderly Italian lady on her slow way from
her own ancient ancestral palazzo to the village； and accustomed to
meet； empty…handed； a certain number of beggars； answers them by a
retort which would be； literally translated； 〃Excuse me； dear； I；
too； am a poor devil；〃 and the last word she naturally puts into the
feminine。
Moreover； the sentence is spoken in all the familiarity of the local
dialecta dialect that puts any two people at once upon equal terms
as nothing else can do it。 Would it were possible to present the
phrase to English readers in all its own helpless good…humour。 The
excellent woman who uses it is practising no eccentricity thereby；
and raises no smile。 It is only in another climate； and amid other
manners； that one cannot recall it without a smile。 To a mind
having a lively sense of contrast it is not a little pleasant to
imagine an elderly lady of corresponding station in England replying
so to importunities for alms； albeit we have nothing answering to
the good fellowship of a broad patois used currently by rich and
poor； and yet slightly grotesque in the case of all speakersa
dialect in which； for example； no sermon is ever preached； and in
which no book is ever printed； except for fun； a dialect 〃familiar；
but by no means vulgar。〃 Besides； even if our Englishwoman could by
any possibility bring herself to say to a mendicant； 〃Excuse me；
dear； I； too； am a poor devil；〃 she would still not have the
opportunity of putting the last word punctually into the feminine；
which does so complete the character of the sentence。
The phrase at the head of this paper is the far more graceful phrase
of excuse customary in the courteous manners of Portugal。 And
everywhere in the South； where an almost well…dressed old woman； who
suddenly begins to beg from you when you least expected it； calls
you 〃my daughter；〃 you can hardly reply without kindness。 Where the
tourist is thoroughly well known； doubtless the company of beggars
are used to savage manners in the rich； but about the byways and
remoter places there must still be some dismay at the anger； the
silence； the indignation； and the inexpensive haughtiness wherewith
the opportunity of alms…giving is received by travellers。
In nothing do we show how far the West is from the East so
emphatically as we show it by our lofty ways towards those who so
manifestly put themselves at our feet。 It is certainly not pleasant
to see them there； but silence or a storm of impersonal protesta
protest that appeals vaguely less to the beggars than to some not
impossible policedoes not seem the most appropriate manner of
rebuking them。 We have； it may be； a scruple on the point of human
dignity； compromised by the entreaty and the thanks of the
mendicant； but we have a strange way of vindicating that dignity
when we refuse to man； woman； or child the recognition of a simply
human word。 Nay； our offence is much the greater of the two。 It is
not merely a rough and contemptuous intercourse； it is the refusal
of intercoursethe last outrage。 How do we propose to redress
those conditions of life that annoy us when a brother whines； if we
deny the presence； the voice； and the being of this brother； and if；
because fortune has refused him money； we refuse him existence？
We take the matter too seriously； or not seriously enough； to hold
it in the indifference of the wise。 〃Have patience； little saint；〃
is a phrase that might teach us the cheerful way to endure our own
unintelligible fortunes in the midst； say； of the population of a
hill…village among the most barren of the Maritime Alps； where huts
of stone stand among the stones of an unclothed earth； and there is
no sign of daily bread。 The people； albeit unused to travellers；
yet know by instinct what to do； and beg without the delay of a
moment as soon as they see your unwonted figure。 Let it be taken
for granted that you give all you can； some form of refusal becomes
necessary at last； and the gentlestit is worth while to remember
is the most effectual。 An indignant tourist； one who to the portent
of a puggaree which； perhaps； he wears on a grey day； adds that of
ungovernable rage； is so wild a visitor that no attempt at all is
made to understand him； and the beggars beg dismayed but unalarmed；
uninterruptedly； without a pause or a conjecture。 They beg by rote；
thinking of something else； as occasion arises； and all indifferent
to the violence of the rich。
It is the merry beggar who has so lamentably disappeared。 If a
beggar is still merry anywhere； he hides away what it would so cheer
and comfort us to see； he practises not merely the conventional
seeming； which is hardly intended to convince； but a more subtle and
dramatic kind of semblance； of no good influence upon the morals of
the road。 He no longer trusts the world with a sight of his gaiety。
He is not a wholehearted mendicant； and no longer keeps that liberty
of unstable balance whereby an unattached creature can go in a new
direction with a new wind。 The merry beggar was the only adventurer
free to yield to the lighter touches of chance； the touches that a
habit of resistance has made imperceptible to the seated and stable
social world。
The visible flitting figure of the unfettered madman sprinkled our
literature with mad songs； and even one or two poets of to…day have；
by tradition； written them； but that wild source of inspiration has
been stopped； it has been built over； lapped and locked； imprisoned；
led underground。 The light melancholy and the wind…blown joys of
the song of the distraught； which the poets were once ingenious to
capture； have ceased to sound one note of liberty in the world's
ears。 But it seems that the grosser and saner freedom of the happy
beggar is still the subject of a Spanish song。
That song is gay； not defiant it is not an outlaw's or a robber's；
it is not a song of violence or fear。 It is the random trolling
note of a man who owes his liberty to no disorder； failure； or ill…
fortune； but takes it by choice from the voluntary world； enjoys it
at the hand of unreluctant charity； who twits the world with its own
choice of bonds； but has not broken his own by force。 It seems；
therefore； the song of an indomitable liberty of movement； light
enough for the puffs of a zephyr chance。
THE LADIES OF THE IDYLL
Little Primrose dames of the English classic； the wife and daughters
of the Vicar of Wakefield have no claim whatever to this name of
lady。 It is given to them in this page because Goldsmith himself
gave it to them in the yet undepreciated state of the word； and for
the better reason that he obviously intended them to be the equals
of the men to whom he marries them； those men being； with all their
faults； gentlemen。 Goldsmith； in a word； meant them to be ladies；
of country breeding； but certainly fit for membership of that large
class of various fortune within which the name makes a sufficient
equality。
He； their author； thought them sufficient。 Having amused himself
ingeniously throughout the story with their nameless vulgarities； he
finally hurries them into so much sentiment as may excuse the
convention of heroes in love。 He plays with their coarseness like a
perfectly pleased and clever showman； and then piously and happily
shuts up his couplesthe gentle Dr。 Primrose with his abominable
Deborah； the excellent Mr。 Burchell with the paltry Sophia； Olivia
but no； Olivia is not so certainly happy ever after； she has a
captured husband ready for her in a state of ignominy； but she has
also a forgotten farmer somewhere in the backgroundthe unhappy man
whom； with her father's permission； this sorry heroine had promised
to marry in order that his wooing might pluck forward the lagging
suit of the squire。
Olivia； then； plays her common trick upon the harmless Williams； her
father conniving； with a provision that he urges with some
demonstration of virtue： she shall consent to make the farmer happy
if the proposal of the squire be not after all forthcoming。 But it
is so evident her author knew no better； that this matter may pass。
It involves a point of honour； of which no oneneither the maker of
the book nor anyone he madeis aware。 What is better worth
considering is the fact that Goldsmith was completely aware of the
unredeemed vulgarity of the ladies of the Idyll； and cheerfully took
it for granted as the thing to be expected from the mother…in…law of
a country gentleman and the daughters of a scholar。 The education
of women had sunk into a degradation never reached before； inasmuch
as it was degraded in relation to that of men。 It would matter
little indeed