Abstract Serial base class for HardwareSerial and SoftwareSerial [imported]

This is [Issue 570](http://code.google.com/p/arduino/issues/detail?id=570) moved from a Google Code project.
Added by 2011-07-18T02:13:36.000Z by [tiagocus...@gmail.com](http://code.google.com/u/116485640254371853593/).
Please review that bug for more context and additional comments, but update this bug.

Original labels: Type-Enhancement, Priority-Medium, Component-Core
### Original description

I would like to see the method begin() added to the Stream class.

I'm currently writing a hardware abstraction class that works with both HardwareSerial and NewSoftSerial (because they inherit from Stream) but i can't see how i can call the begin() method of either HardwareSerial or NewSoftSerial from within my class, leaving that task to the user and not being as abstract as it could be.

the MIDI class could benefit from this, as it could work with both HardwareSerial and NewSoftSerial, thus allowing more than one MIDI object.

I don't know if this enhancement would cause conflict with anything else, but i don't see it could cause any harm.