Hey, felinity assembled, boy do we have a mystery for you!
Elvira here and the above book is a 1st edition, published in 1901; because it has lost its dust jacket and the cover has a couple of stains, Daddy Kiril was able to get it through a seller on Amazon for $15.
There is a penciled note on the inside that shows the book was sold once upon a time for $70; Why? Here's why:
Who was Agnes Repplier?
I did a little research and it turns out she was a famous, but long forgotten, human essayist and author, born on April Fool's Day 1855, who lived until 1950.
"She was one of America's chief representatives of the discursive essay, displaying wide reading and apt quotation. Her writings contain literary criticism as well as comments on contemporary life." (Wikipedia)
The Fireside Sphinx is a 300 page history of domestic cats, especially famous cats, from antiquity to the end of the 19th century, illustrated by Elizabeth Bonsall, with many line drawings in the text. You can read it in PDF or even Kindle, if interested.
Oh, and before you show this to your human there is something you need to know in case you need to explain before they freak out; the word "pussy" appears throughout the book, it appears at our first look.
In fact, Nikita wonders why they didn't just call the book "The Fireside Pussy" and be done with it! Hee, hee!
To help educate your human I want to encourage you to read a controversial, thoroughly researched, essay Nikita once wrote before you show them this post:
Jan. 2010 - May I Have a Word?
So, what's the mystery?
The author autographed this copy for someone, a year after publication; where (other than her hometown of Philadelphia), why and for whom are mysteries that will probably never be solved, but at least we can possibly know exactly what she wrote.
That is where you and your human come in.
As you can see she has written her message in cursive and certain words on the 2nd and 5th lines need deciphering.
Leave your suggestions in the comments. :-D
The Great Cat Blog explains about "Libertas Sine Labore".
By the way, the author wrote a 2nd book on cats, in 1912, and daddy is getting a 1st edition copy, w/o dust jacket, he found on Amazon for $9 (More recent reproductions can be purchased as well)
The Cat: Being a record of the endearments and invectives lavished by many writers upon an animal much loved and much abhorred (Our friends, the beasts)
****UPDATE - 10pm****
The lady also wrote an essay in 1912 called - The Grocer's Cat
****END UPDATE****
****UPDATE - JUNE 2013****
We got the 2nd book!
****END UPDATE****
Looks like this to me:
"She is the sphinx of our hearthstone, and there is no message we can read in the tranquil scrutiny of her cold eyes."
Whaddya think??
M
Posted by: Marilynn, Grace & Company | May 24, 2013 at 09:08 PM
Wow, that is so interesting, Elvira!
Thank you for sharing this with us. :)
We're fairly sure it says:
She is the sphinx of
our hearthstone, and
there is no message
we can read in the
tranquil scrutiny of
her cold eyes
Kevin/meowmeowmans
Posted by: meowmeowmans | May 24, 2013 at 09:21 PM
I agree with Marilynn.
A hearthstone, of course, is where cats typically lounge in front of the fire.
Posted by: Amy Shojai, CABC | May 24, 2013 at 09:24 PM
Well, we felt kind of good after deciphering the message but then we see at least 3 others have already given the same answer. And they're right. :)
Posted by: jansfunnyfarm | May 24, 2013 at 09:32 PM
I see the others have already come up with the answer!
Posted by: Sparkle | May 24, 2013 at 09:40 PM
You guys are the best!
I see it now and so do Nikita and Daddy! :-D
I also found that the woman wrote an essay about The Grocer's Cat and I added a link. :-D
Posted by: Elvira Mistress of Felinity | May 24, 2013 at 09:59 PM
This is very interesting. We wondered if you had considered approaching Andree at The Pet Museum. She has a mountain of knowledge of out of the way works like this one and may have some extra info for you on the author. She may have even done a post on it. The Museum is one of our oldest blog chums and it is well worth spending an afternoon or two mooching through the posts.
Our ape has downloaded the PDF and is going to read this. She is very keen on the changing roles and relationships of apes and humans.
The link to the Pet Museum is:-
http://thepetmuseum.blogspot.co.uk/
Wuudler will be rolling his eyes at The Bridge, seeing how you still have to give out the true symantecs of the P word! He hoped this word could be reclaimed by Pussydom!
Gerry, Mungo & The Ape
Posted by: Everycat | May 25, 2013 at 02:47 AM
How wonderful, Finn MacCool was beside himself when I mentioned a pussy mystery. Earlier reads have resolved the message. I am looking forward to reading the book. Thank you for sharing with such fun.
Slainte Catherine and Finn
Posted by: Catherine w Finn MacCool | May 25, 2013 at 07:09 AM
Thank you Catherine & Finn!
Pussies have been a mystery to humans for centuries.
They love us dearly, and even have museums and websites devoted to their ongoing effort to fully understand and appreciate us.
http://thepetmuseum.blogspot.co.uk/
http://www.thegreatcatblog.com
http://www.catmuseumsf.org/index.html
Posted by: Elvira Mistress of Felinity | May 25, 2013 at 07:16 AM
Thanks Gerry & Mungo!
You are right, Whicky would have a fit! :-D
He was one of Nikita's biggest cheerleaders when he originally took up the cause of defending that word from the vulgarians, and a conversation Daddy Kiril had at Blog Paws has Nikita considering taking it up again, political correctness be damned!
We will be adding the link you provided to our resources pages.
Posted by: Elvira Mistress of Felinity | May 25, 2013 at 07:20 AM
That was very, very interesting and such a neat find! We came up with the same transcription as the others!!!
Posted by: Brian | May 25, 2013 at 07:45 AM
We see it has been solved!
Posted by: Team Tabby | June 06, 2013 at 10:26 AM
Yes, it has, Team Tabby!
Daddy even has found her 2nd book on cats!
Posted by: Mr. Nikita | June 07, 2013 at 06:58 AM