Address and Petition, etc. 509 



when whole swarms of dissolute rabble, covered with 

 filthy rags, parade the streets, and by tales of real or of 

 fictitious distress, by clamorous importunity, insolence, 

 and rudeness, extort involuntary contributions from 

 every traveller; when no retreat is to be found, no 

 retirement where, poverty, misery, and impudent hy- 

 pocrisy, in all their disgusting and hideous forms, do 

 not continually intrude ; when no one is permitted to 

 enjoy a peaceful moment free from their importunity, 

 either in the churches or in public places, at the tombs 

 of the dead, or at the places of amusement? What 

 avail the marks of affluence and prosperity which ap- 

 pear in the dress and equipage of individuals, in the 

 elegance of their dwellings, and in the magnificence 

 and splendid ornaments of our churches, while the 

 voice of woe is heard in every corner, proceeding from 

 the lips of hoary age worn out with labour, from strong 

 and healthy men capable of labour, from young infants 

 and their shameless and abandoned parents ? What 

 reputable citizen would not blush, if among the inmates 

 of his house should be found a miserable wretch who 

 by tales of real or fictitious distress should attempt to 

 extort charitable donations from his friends and visitors ? 

 What opinion would he expect would be formed of his 

 understanding, of his heart, of his circumstances ? What, 

 then, must the foreigner and traveller think, who, after 

 having seen no vestige of beggary in the neighbour- 

 ing countries, should, upon his arrival at Munich, find 

 himself suddenly surrounded by a swarm of groan- 

 ing winching wretches, besieging and following his 

 carriage ? 



The public honour calls aloud to have a stop put to 

 this disgraceful evil. 



