106 CHARACTER OF THE CAT. 



Delta attached himself particularly to the only son 

 of Severinus, followed him wherever he went^ and 

 would take no food but what he received from the 

 hand of this child. The circumstances and the in- 

 scription place the existence of the dog out of all 

 doubt ; amounting to a proof that the faithful ani- 

 mal would not forsake his young master^, and, when 

 he found it impossible to save him, like a servant of 

 unshaken fidelity, shared his fate." 



" After all these fine stories of the generous na- 

 ture of dogs," said Mrs. Palmer, " the inferiority of 

 the cat must be allowed ; as her general character is 

 artful, revengeful, cruel, rapacious, and ungrateful. 

 Nature has endowed her with the qualities of a beast 

 of prey, being formed to live upon animals weaker 

 and more defenceless than herself. Yet, when do- 

 mesticated, there have been some instances of saga- 

 city and attachment in this creature, that may serve 

 to diminish the stigma that is cast upon the species. 

 Our countryman Mr. Pennant tells us, that a 

 very remarkable incident befel Henry Wriothesly, 

 Earl of Southampton, the friend and companion of 

 the Earl of Essex in his fatal insurrection. After 

 he had been confined in the Tower a short time, 

 he was agreeably surprised by a visit from his 

 favourite cat, which, according to tradition, having 

 found her way thither, descended the chimney of 



