The Book of Cats. 39 



Cats, Angora Cats, tortoiseshell Cats, tabby Cats, 

 black Cats, Manx Cats, brindled Cats, mewing 

 once, twice, or thrice, as the case may be, — none of 

 these Cats delight me ; they are associated in my 

 mind with none but disagreeable objects and re- 

 membrances — old maids, witchcraft, dreadful sab- 

 baths, with old women flying up the chimney 

 upon broom-sticks, to drink hell-broth with the evil 

 one, charms, incantations, sorceries, sucking child- 

 ren's breaths, stopping out late on the tiles, catter- 

 wauling and molrowing in the night season, prowl- 

 ing about the streets at unseasonable hours, and a 

 variety of other things, too numerous and too un- 

 pleasant to mention." 



Upon the other hand. Puss has had her defenders, 

 and Miss Isabel Hill writes thus : — 



" Poor Pinkey, I can scarce dare a word in praise 

 of one belonging to thy slandered sisterhood ; yet 

 a few good examples embolden me to assert that I 

 have rarely known any harm of Cats who were 

 giyen a fair chance, though I own I have seldom 

 met with any that have enjoyed that advantage. 

 Is it their fault that they are born nearly without 

 brains, though with all their senses about them, and 

 of a tender turn .? That they want strength, both 

 of body and instinct, are dependant, and ill edu- 



