The fireside sphinx . xon. He respects thespirit which meets him on equal ground, and heprizes the temperate and mutable affection which hemust constantly labour to retain. When an Eng-lishman fully recognizes the cattish nature, he isapt, unless he be as tolerant and as little of a despotas Mr. Arnold, to resent its cold serenity, its mor-tifying indifference, — to resent it with the frank-ness of Mr. Arthur Benson in his admirable versesupon THE CAT. On some grave business, soft and slow,Along the garden-paths you go, With bold and burning eyes :Or stand, with twitching tail, to markWhat sta
The fireside sphinx . xon. He respects thespirit which meets him on equal ground, and heprizes the temperate and mutable affection which hemust constantly labour to retain. When an Eng-lishman fully recognizes the cattish nature, he isapt, unless he be as tolerant and as little of a despotas Mr. Arnold, to resent its cold serenity, its mor-tifying indifference, — to resent it with the frank-ness of Mr. Arthur Benson in his admirable versesupon THE CAT. On some grave business, soft and slow,Along the garden-paths you go, With bold and burning eyes :Or stand, with twitching tail, to markWhat starts and rustles in the dark, Among the peonies. The dusty cockchafer that springsUpon the dusk with whirring wings, The beetle, glossy-horned,The rabbit pattering through the fern,May frisk unheeded, by your sternPreoccupation scorned. You all day long, beside the in dreams your dark desire, And mournfully complainIn grave displeasure, if I raiseYour languid form to pet or praise; And so to sleep THE CAT TO-DAY 285 The gentler hound that near me lies,Looks up with true and tender eyes,And waits my generous mirth ;You do not woo me, but demandA gift from my unwilling hand,A tribute to your worth. You loved me when the fire was warm,But, now I stretch a fondling arm. You eye me and eyes, sleek skin, and velvet win my indolent applause. You do not win my heart ! Here is a clear and candid exposition of the cat, indeed, as Montaigne discovered, but with-out resentment, long ago, awaits no ones mirth. We entertain each other with mutual follies, andif I have my time to begin or to refuse, she alsohas hers. The essence of free social intercoursedemands this mutual independence, this mutualbackground of reserve. A Nautch girl danceswhen she is bidden; an Englishwoman is privi-leged to dance or not, according to her fancy. Ihave often thought that the behaviour of a well-bredcat, when courted against her will, was singularlylike the
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Keywords: ., bo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectcats, bookyear1901
