Some Poets Dogs. 313 



with it, I make no doubt commentators have elucidated 

 this complexity of etymology. 



Even more curious, perhaps, is it that the hound, held in 

 such special honour, should if possible suggest an aggrava- 

 tion of the dog reproach. All over the world, in every 

 language from the far East to the far West, among savages 

 of all countries and from the earliest days to the present 

 time, " dog " is the supreme epithet of scorn. Whenever 

 a European goes among an unfriendly population he is a 

 '•dog of an infidel," "a Christian dog;" and the worst 

 that savages can say of him is that he "eats dog's meat," 

 and has "dog's teeth." But for us, who have evolved the 

 hound from the dog, the former stands a point in contempt 

 below even the latter. 



In the same spirit the canine element in a composite 

 monster horribly enhances its deformity. How abominable 

 the Scylla form always is — 



" Thereto the body of a dog she had, 

 Full of fell ravin and fierce greedinesse." 



" Cur " is in poetry a genus which includes many specific 

 varieties — "mongrel of low degree," "bob-tailed tyke," 

 "trundle-tail," "curtail dog," and so forth. It has long 

 been in use as a term of reproach ; and in this sense the 

 poets always use it Thus Wyatt's " curs do fall by kind 

 on him that hath the overthrow," and Herbert's '•' babbling 

 curs never want sore ears." And King's 



" Cur of shabby race, 

 The first by wand'ring beggars fedj; 

 His sire, advanced, turned spit for bread, 

 Himself each trust had still abused, 

 To steal what he should guard was used 

 From puppy ; known where'er he came, 

 Both vile and base, and void of shame." 



In the same way " puppy" and, with less reason perhaps 



