THE CAT TRIUMPHANT 135 



of condolence, (&quot; Learn, my son, to bear tranquilly 

 the misfortunes of others,&quot;) and with the charming 

 verses which have immortalized Selima s memory. 



&quot; It would be a sensible satisfaction to me,&quot; he 

 wrote, &quot; before I testify my sorrow, and the sincere 

 part I take in your calamity, to know for certain 

 who it is I lament. I knew Zara and Selima, (Se- 

 lima, was it, or Fatima ?) or rather I knew them 

 both together ; for I cannot justly say which was 

 which. Then as to your handsome Cat, the name 

 you distinguish her by, I am no less at a loss, as 

 well knowing one s handsome cat is always the cat 

 one loves best ; or, if one be alive and one dead, it 

 is usually the latter which is the handsomer. Be 

 sides, if the point were never so clear, I hope you 

 do not think me so ill-bred or so imprudent as to 

 forfeit all my interest in the survivor. Oh, no ! I 

 would rather seem to mistake, and to imagine to be 

 sure it must be the tabby one that has met with 

 this sad accident&quot; 



The poem which accompanied the letter, and a 

 portion of which was subsequently inscribed upon 

 the pedestal which held the ill-omened bowl, is 

 familiar to all readers of English verse ; but no book 

 upon cats would be complete without it. 



&quot; T was on a lofty vase s side, 

 Where China s gayest art had dyed 

 The azure flowers that blow ; 



