insect read-read like a child that runs-read like a reader in a printing-office? Not to enumerate the quantity of Fugitive-or flying-Poems, the Flying Post, and other works which seem expressly addressed to a Blue Bottle's perusal, I flatter myself that the question in question can be provided with a settler. I happened to be reading one day near the open window, when a Fly came and settled on the open page; it then began to run backward and forward along the lines in such a very suspicious manner, as to induce me to watch its motions. And very curious they were! The book was the Eccentric Mirror, and the chapter an account of one Mr. Joseph Capper, a whimsical character, who used to live at the Horns at Kennington. We-for I must include the other—had read on very comfortably through several sentences, till coming to the mention of a strong flykilling propensity, which procured for Mr. Capper the nickname of Domitian-judge of: my astonishment when I saw the insect jump up as if it had burnt its feet and fly rapidly away! The following little anecdote appears to confirm my theory. When I was last in Dublin, I was struck by seeing over a shop an inscription strangely at variance with the trade carried on within. After making some trifling purchase, I ventured to ask the proprietor for the reason of this discrepancy. "Sure, thin," said he, "it was the sugar. There was GROCER at first there to spare up over the winder, but it brought so many of the flies, bad luck to them! that I have had TOBACCONIST put up instead." Has a cat nine lives? III. A cat, it is said, has nine lives; but on what authority is unknown. Perhaps Julius Cæsar, or Seizer, or Seize-her, whose bitter warfare against the Cattii is well known, invented the fatal saying. Possibly it came from Catiline, who, amongst his other conspiracies, entertained one against the whole feline race. At all events it was the invention of an enemy. The nine lives were cunningly set up, like nine pins, to invite the knocking of them down again. Hence an Inquisition, which, instead of sharing the fate of the other so called tribunal, is still in active existence, and numerous are the victims, tabby and tortoiseshell, that have perished under its examinations. At the first hint of the ninefold tenure, every boy of an inquiring turn feels inclined to look into such an extraordinary dispensation; and though it should be his own aunt's cat-which is always half a relationthe young Cateran does not hesitate to test its imputed vitality. Indeed, all classes seem to feel themselves catcalled to decide upon the point; and the result is, that Grimalkin is not only as easily brought to her catastrophe as any other animal, but has actually above nine modes of death (any one of them a dose) distinctly addressed to her. Here is the Catalogue : 1. By a Catapult-or Cat-pelting engine for 2. By Catarrh-a ropy disease of the throat. |