The evening times., 1895-12-02
ANIMAL EXPRESSION.
Mans Resemblance to Dogs ant
Womans Likeness tn Feltues.

Mans Resemblance to Dogs and
Womans Likeness TIN Feliues-
familiar example OF a human and
animal likeness produced by companion
ship in degraded tastes Is the instance
OF the bulldog. Mr.. Bill Skies and his
hound grow to favor each other, though
tia. dog. like the lion, as compared with
the serpent, in the .'MDrte d'Arthur," is
the most natural beast of the twain
THE crushed nose. the siobber lips, all
red and wet, the sporting patch over one
eye, the tenacious Jaw, and certain
indefeasible good humor, kindness, and
honesty, make the bull dog one In type
with the old British prize fighter.
There are. much worse types, as the
spoiled, spiteful, fine 1ady's liking Charles
lap dog, or the pettifogging toy terrier,
or the sinking. nocturnal. disreputabie
lurcher, at the heel OF the sinking, noe
turnai, disreputable oaf, its owner. If
any more human being could be as no.
Bile as deer hound looks. or as benevolent
as q Newfoundland can look, 1t would be
the better for our race.
But in expression these dogs are apt to
excel all that humanity can do by way ut
performance. What makes them luok sc
delightfully."- virtuous? The doctrine OF
evolutina Is probably at a loss here, foI
man. by the hypothesis, is a More highly
developed animal than the dug, whereas the
expression Vt the dog often Indicates
virtues not yet attained by man. Lord
Byron's epitaph IN Boatswain would not
be cynical IL the expressions worn by some
dogs were the flnwer Of centuries Of ex-
emplary conduct in their ancestors. But
probably there is some other explanation.
While man favors the dog, woman is
clearly akin to the cat. Dnmestic in habits.
fond uf personal neatness, addicted to
staying out all night, ur nearly SO, at
parties, Inclined to scratch IL sat upon,
inexplicable. ineffable, unfathomable, and
supremely interesting. woman ans wers,
among the higher vertebrates. IL the cat.
The Romans, as SION as they had the cat
(felisl called their daughters by the
name of pussy tfelieula) There Is fu-
neral stone tu the Names OF such as pretty
puss at Aliscans, the old Ruman sepulchre
near Aries.
Our common language recognizes what is
so obvious in the phrase for matrimonial
disputes "a cat and dog life" 1T is al
cat now" said the husba nd, who had been
advised to make concessions for the sake OF
a quiet life There is a good deal of the
serpent in all cats, of the serpent, which
beguileti our mother. Eve, and bequeatbed
its subtlety to her daughters In Brit
tany the peasants sa that II you tread on a
cats tail serpent will come forth and bite
you.
The analogy. then, between feline and
feminine facial expression ha been obvious
in all stages of society. We mortals are
also like frogs and marmosets. ravens and
rabbits while Mr.. Ruskiu' S self made man.
was very like perch-a greedy. foolish fish.
1t is certain. however. that mem 5 minds are
not always TO be judged on the evidence Of
features or expressions which they share
with the clients of Aesop and Mr.. Darwin
Physiognomy is fallacious. and he who looks
like lamb may be- in ame. q Wolfe (of
Quebec. and in nature-what the lion
ought to be. but Ia not.