A RURAL MENAGERIE.

West Coast Times, Issue 573, 26 July 1867, Page 4

A RURAL MENAGERIE.

(fboji the home news.)

The bench of magistrates at the Lewes Petty Sessions on May 21 were called upon, to decide a somewhat extraordinary case. An information was laid by Mr J. Noakes, surgeon, of Rottingdean, and inspector of nuisances to the Newhaven Board of Guardians, against Mr Robert Dennis Chantrell, a gentleman also residing at Rottingdean, a small village upon the sea coast, about equi-distant from Brighton and Newhaven, calling upon him to abate a nuisance which existed on his premises in consequence of a large number of cats and dogs and other animals, including a fox and a goat, being kept there, so j as to be injurious to health. From the notoriety which the case had attained in the neighbourhood, the- court was densely crowded during the hearing by a large assemblage of spectators. The complainant stated that he was requested by the Newhaven Board of Guardians to inspect the defendant's premises, and report thereon. He did so on the 9th May. He first visited the garden, and there noticed nearly 30 cats running about loose, two dead cats, and the skeletons of some. From the garden he went to the defendant's kitchen, and there discovered a similar number of the feline race, making themselves very comfortable on the chairs and before the fire. A stable or outhouse was next inspected, and here between 40 and 50 cats were found, some loose and sgrne in cages. In this place raw meat lay about in all directions, and was being very demurely gnawed by many of the pusses. In a yard adjoining the defendant's house Mr Noakes saw upwards of 20 dogs, a fox, a goat, turkeys, geese, ducks, and fowls of every description. He next paid a visit to the house in the defendant's occupation, and attached to his residence. On going up stairs he found 1 all the- doors shut, but they were immediately opened, and he was ushered into the presence of another nationality of cats. But he stated they were in a most disgusting condition, the excrement of the animals apparently not having been removed for a very long time. On descending to the lower regions lie was greeted with the same seene — cats without number, all in an unhealthy state, and exceedingly dirty. There were also half-dried skeletons of cats lying about the grounds, and the smell avismg^from the whole collectien was offeusive in the extreme and most injurious to health. Defendant accompanied the complainant in his tour of discovery, and admitted that the place was in a very dirty state and promised that it should be cleansed. On the day after this inspection complainant presented his report to the board, and they immediately authorised him to take legal proceedings against the defendant. Mr Noakes also said that he visited the place again on May 20, and found everything almost without exception in the same filthy state, and the smell particularly obnoxious. The total number of cats he estimated at from 100 to 200. The defendant's residence was in the High street of the village, and there had been a disease very similar to cholera in the next house, which he believed was to be solely attributed to the smell of those animals. The above statement was corroborated by several respectable witnesses residing in the vicinity. The defendant's solicitor, in reply, admitted the animals were a nuisance, and asked for a period of nine or ten days to abate it. The animals did not really belong to the defendant, but were the property of Miss Deen, a young lady by whom the defendant was accompanied, who was an artist, and resided with the defendant. The defendant was her guardian, and had purchased the large premises he now occupied in order that she might have her models of animal creation continually before her eyes ; in fact, she had established a sort of asylum for cats in conseqenceu of the large number which she saw lying dead upon the beach, and even offered premiums to anyone who would bring any animals of^he feline species to her city of refuge. After a brief consultation the chairman (Mr G. Whitfield) said the bench had decided to order the defendant to abate the nuisance in three days, and if a second complaint was> made he would be ordered to remove them altogether.

Involuntaby Action. — It is, I believe, a known fact that impressions very often renewed come at last to renew themselves involuntarily. There was a clever little caricature by Bertall lately, in a French illustrated paper. Ho imagined a lectm-e given to an audience of concierges. A bell rings, and immediately, from habit, all the concierges lift up their hands to pull the cordon which in Paris opens to the Btroefc door. The idea was scarcely an exaggeration. An absent gentleman, whom I kuow, was particularly subject to involutary action. When he had to dress in the evening to go to a party, he sometimes went to bed instead, quite involuntarily. A drunkard with a brandy bottle within reach will, if he does not exercise conscious resolution, drink brandy. For sober men ifc requires a conscious exercise of will to mix a glass of grog and drink it somehow unconsciously, the active business for him would be to refrain. The same law holds good with reference to good and praiseworthy habit, Mr. Lake, I suppose, when in a state of non-effort composes pictures involuntarily ; for me to compose a picture would require conscious offort. On the other hand I often catch myself composing sermons involuntarily — " Macmillan's Magazine."