i 3 2 THE FIRESIDE SPHINX 



Nothing could be prettier than these four lines. 

 They surpass even the four lines in Heine's " Fire- 

 side Piece," where the poet sits meditating by the 

 hearth, while his cat, close cuddled, drowsy with 

 warmth, purrs a soft refrain to his rhythmic dreams. 

 They find their echo in that charming letter of 

 Shelley's to Peacock, which describes the shrines 

 of the Penates, " whose hymns are the purring of 

 kittens, the hissing of kettles, the long talks over 

 the past and dead, the laugh of children, the warm 

 wind of summer filling the quiet house, and the 

 pelting storm of winter struggling in vain for en- 

 trance." 



Such things bring peace to our souls ; even the 

 reading of them is fraught with an exquisite sense 

 of tranquillity ; but be it remembered that little 

 kittens purr the first soft notes of this domestic 

 hymn. 



Herrick alone in his generation paid tribute to 

 Pussy's fireside qualities. Other English poets had 

 observed her valour and grace ; and George Turber- 

 ville, half a century earlier, had expressed in amor- 

 ous verse his ardent desire to be a cat, inasmuch as 

 his dear Mistresse greatly feared a mouse. 



" The Squirrel thinking nought, 

 That feately cracks the nut; 

 The greedie Goshavvke wanting prey, 

 In dread of Death doth put ; 



