The Heptarchy of the Cats. 43 



" Long heard from steep to steep. 

 Chasing them down their thundering way," 



and one or two incidental " pards " that happen to fit into 

 rhymes, the animal does not appear. 



Yet when we remember the importance of the leopard in 

 heraldry, and its frequent appearance both in art and the 

 fancies of antiquity, it seems somewhat curious that it should 

 have found such scanty favour. As part of "panthered 

 Bacchus' jolly retinue " we meet with it in Keats and one or 

 two other poets, while in Shakespeare, Scott, and elsewhere, 

 allusion is made to our national "leopard." As referred to 

 in Holy Writ in connection with the indelible Ethiopian, 

 it receives due notice from the worthy Hurdis and from 

 Cowper as being a beast of prey, and therefore, in the 

 coming days of a universal peace, predestined to lie down 

 with the lamb. 



Sacred to Pan, Chief President of the Hills, and the 

 favourite of Dionysus, its skin was once the honourable 

 badge of priesthood; the Greek gods and Greek heroes 

 wore it on state occasions, and it is still one of the supreme 

 insignia of royalty in Africa. 



PANTHER- 



When the Panther — " the viceroy panther '' of Dryden's 

 parable — is mentioned by name, it generally adds something 

 of solitude to the leopard idea. The poets' leopard is a 

 graceful, pretty beast, fit to be a lady's pet. The panther 

 is of a somewhat gloomier sort. It " ravens " occasionally, 

 and is often found in the dreadful company of tigers, 

 hyaenas, and other beasts of reproach. A savour of covert 

 malignity attaches to the animal. 



But it is still beautiful. Says Dryden, " fairest creature 

 of the spotted kind ; " Shelley, " a pard-hke spirit, beautiful 



