Eulogy on the Dog
The story goes that back in 1869 in Missouri, USA, a farmer shot and killed a foxhound called Drum. The foxhound’s owner employed the assistance of a lawyer, George Vest, and sued the farmer for damages.
The case was heard in 1870 and in his closing arguments Vest, who subsequently became a politician, delivered what has become known as Vest’s “Eulogy on the dog”. Here’s an abridged transcipt of it as delivered all those years ago:
Gentleman of the jury: A man’s dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercely, if only he may be near his master’s side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer, he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounters with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wings and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens.
If fortune drives the master forth an outcast in the world, friendless and homeless, the faithful dog asks no higher privilege than that of accompanying him to guard against danger, to fight against his enemies, and when the last scene of all comes, and death takes the master in its embrace and his body is laid away in the cold ground, no matter if all other friends pursue their way, there by his graveside will the noble dog be found, his head between his paws, his eyes sad but open in alert watchfulness, faithful and true even to death.
Vest famously won the case despite his closing arguments including no mention of the details of the case itself.
This story was new to me and I would be interested to hear where, outside of North America, it is commonly known (I’m assuming, of course, that it is commonly known within at least legal circles in North America).