The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-11-13

so ilItreat II. Boswell relates that when
he praised Hodges beauty Dr. Johnson
replied Why, yes. sir; but have had
cats ! liked better than this. But he Is
very fine cat. indeed" the lexicogra-
pher added, hastily, as IL fearing that his
pets feelings might be wounded. Perhaps
| IL was Hodge that the ignorant young
| gentleman referred to when I'm persuit OF
| knowledge he so disguised Johnson by
asking II ''puss here belonged to the
oviparous species. III was not out OF
sight. out Of mind with DR.. johnson.
for when several OF his companions were
talking OF the pranks Of some wild young
blades who amused themselves by shoot
! ing cats in the street. Johnson was
| heard 10 mutter: But Hodge shant be
shot. No. no Hodge shant be shot.
The killing OF De Quincey's cat by
savage dog, appropriately named Turk,
was one OF the tragedies of his child
maturity. Speaking OF kittens. he said.
"OtEer creatures may be as happy but
they do not show 1t so much" Though
Sidney Smith may not have been among
those who place the proper valuation
upon cats he expressed his appreciation
OF them as pleasant detail In the do
nestle scene. Charles Lamb must have
tolerated one of these dainty creatures
around his dOmicie for he describes
himself in a letter to Charles Cowden
Clarke, going about like an Arcadian
shepherd with q switch turned up at
the end for a crook. and lambs being too
lows me in a green riband." Shakes
peare frequently points a moral with
some feline allusion, bestowing very faint
praise in the phrase, The harmless, ne
cessary cat" Miss Repplier speaks
slightly of Wordsworth's lines-but sure
ly 1t is an engaging picture that the
poet calls up when he describes the
kittens busy JOY" at play among the
fallen leaves. Gray, who in comparison
with most OF the Wrists, left 80 small
poet legacy to the world, did not disdain
to lament in verse the death of IA
vorite cat Shelley wrote mockingy OF |
THE Cat I'm Distress" and Cowper's |
sneering alluson to the fine puss gem
tleman" seems to express his mental at |
ttude toward the subject Of this article. |
Pope. who spoke contemptuously OF those |
that die and endow college for cat"
must have scorned John. duke Of Mon
taSue. whose feline favorites were among
his legates Frederick Locker clearly
wrote out Of a fullness OF his heart
with
Long hair, soft az satin.
A musical purr,"
which so fascinated Loulou. II Is some
what curious that the cat has had so
few distinguished feminine admirers.
Perhaps they have inctinctively avoided
the badge Of spinsterhOOd Macises
picture OF Harriet Martineau represents
her win Tabby perched comfortably
upon her shoulder, but as il was rather
a caricature than portrait the artist
may have thrown in that touch as tipi-
tying the maiden state of the authoress.
Ii should not be forgotten, however that
one Of the most touching OF Mary Will
kins' stories turns upon the loss and
recovery of a lonely old womans cat
And even in the old days there were
some enlightened spirits among women.
The Duchess of Lesdiguieres, who flour
shed in the age Of Louis XIV, erected
costly monument to her cat, bearing !
IN one side in letters of gold the inscrip-
ion:
ICY gist Menine, la plus aimable Ct la
)lus aimee de toutes les chattes,' and
IN the other:
ICY gist une chattee jole;
Sa maistresse, qui ma mott rein,
Laime Jusques q la fOlie.
Pour gu II dire? On l. oft bien!"
Like all creatures Of strong individ-
lality. her sillSen majesty is either exc
crated or adord-there in no middle Z
curse Her traits are all well defined /
Ter tenacity OF purpose has often been !
Ommented upon; 10 dislOdge her from a
ayOrite haunt or lead her whittier she /
.Oes not care to so might almost rank s
mong human impossibiiities. Ii seems E
s If she must have formulated a little /
roVerb Of her own Ce cue chatte r
cut, Dieu le Veut." Miss Repplier shows
hat she understands the cats true -.
lace in the universe. "Agrippina."
he says, speaking Of her own beauti- =
ul pet, will never make herself SER j
lccable, yet nevertheless is she OF ines a
Unable service" Looked upon by the Fl
ulgar as mere rat catcher and called e
old, treacherous, unSTateful. etc, by n
)nyentiOnal thinkers, her sillIen ma ;,
sty needs neither utilities nor virtues :.
recommend her. She has another mis- =
on in life to fulfill-namey. Just to e
low what beauty may" She embodies +
herself the feXuOus line Of beauty, o.
nd is ever delight TO the eyes, whether al
FETCHED at laneuorous length or leap 81
~ ana crouching with that savage grace hi
hich recalls her ancestors Of the desert. Il,
ne is physically incapable of an awk- -
ard movement. and for that reason, il q
n no other. she should be cherished I'm III
world where the clumsy and uncOuth SC
e very much at home. The legend p
ms that CamOens, when too poor to al
~ candles, used to write verses at W
CHIT by the light Of the cats eyes. az
range thoughts should have visited Il,
rst whose page was illumined by such ~
aird lamps Of golden yellow or clear, ~
'ansluccnt green Perhaps some Hat III
r day poet may take the hint and seek WI
source of inspiratOn.-Chicago News. tn