All religions have honored the beggar. For he proves that in a matter at the same time as prosaic and holy, banal and regenerative as the giving of alms, intellect and morality, consistency and principles are miserably inadequate.
As for begging, it is safer to beg than to take, but it is finer to take than to beg.
Beggars should be entirely abolished! Truly, it is annoying to give to them and annoying not to give to them.
Give a beggar a dime and he'll bless you. Give him a dollar and he'll curse you for withholding the rest of your fortune. Poverty is a bag with a hole at the bottom.
God ordains that beggars should beg for greatness, as for all else, when greatness shines out of them, and they don't know it.
If begging should unfortunately be thy lot, knock at the large gates only.