The Book of Cats. 37 



from punishment, and to remain away until the 

 danger is over, and they can return with safety. 

 They readily conform to the habits of society, but 

 never acquire its manners ; for of attachment they 

 have only the appearance, as may be seen by the 

 obliquity of their motions, and duplicity of their 

 looks. They never look in the face those who 

 treat them best, and of whom they seem to be the 

 most fond ; but either through fear or falsehood, 

 they approach him by windings to seek for those 

 caresses they have no pleasure in, but only to 

 flatter those from whom they receive them. Very 

 different from that faithful animal the dog, whose 

 sentiments are all directed to the person of his 

 master, the Cat appears only to feel for himself, 

 only to love conditionally, only to partake of 

 society that he may abuse it ; and by this disposi- 

 tion he has more affinity to man than the dog, 

 who is all sincerity." 



So much for M. Buffon : though he is sadly 

 mistaken on the subject of which he writes, these 

 were probably his honest opinions ; but what can be 

 said for a writer in the Encyclopaedia Britannica, 

 who holds forth as follows, and is not only ignorant 

 of what he talks about, but steals Buffon's absurd 

 prejudices, and passes them oft" as his own. In his 



