THE CAT. 91 



valuable animals, among which the cat was included, on account 

 of its utility and scarcity. The price of a kitten, before it could 

 see, was fixed at one penny : after its eyes were open, which is 

 in the space of eight or nine days from its birth, it was advanced 

 to two-pence; and as soon as proof could be given of its having 

 caught a mouse, its value was, in consequence of that exploit, 

 rated at four-pence ; a very considerable sum in those days, 

 when money was so exceedingly scarce, being at least equiva- 

 lent to the price of a good sheep. 



By the same laws, if any one should steal or destroy a cat 

 that guarded the prince's granary, he was to expiate the crime 

 by the payment of as much wheat as would form a heap high 

 enough to cover the cat's tail when it was suspended by it with 

 the nose touching the floor, or by the forfeiture of a good ewe, 

 with her fleece and lamb. It was likewise provided, that when 

 a cat was sold, its sight and hearing should be perfect, and its 

 claws whole, and if a female, a good nurse to kittens: if any 

 defect were found in regard to these qualities, the seller was to 

 forfeit to the buyer one-fourth part of the price. 



From these circumstances, it appears, that the cat was not 

 originally a native of Great Britain, and that great pains were 

 once taken to preserve and improve the breed of an animal 

 which is now grown so common, that it is held in less estimation 

 than it deserves. 



It is a disagreeable but just observation, that in mnny cases 

 the favours of Providence excite not only less admiration, but 

 also less gratitude, from being liberally bestowed and plentifully 

 diffused. 



The maternal affection of the cat is very remarkable, and she 

 has frequently been known to nurse the young of other animals 

 with the utmost care and tenderness. 



In the Naturalist's Calendar, a very curious circumstance of 

 this nature is stated: "A boy had taken three young squirrels 

 in their nest, put them under a cat which had recently lost her 

 kittens, and found that she suckled them with the same affection 

 as if they had been her own progeny. But so many persons 

 flocked to see this phenomenon, that the foster-mother at length 

 became alarmed for the safety of her charge, and hid them over 

 a ceiling, where one died." 



Mr. White, in his Natural History of Selborne, observes, that 

 he had a little helpless leveret brought to him, which was nour- 

 ished by the servants, with milk from a spoon; and about the 

 same time his cat kittened, and the young were despatched. The 

 leveret was soon lost, and was supposed to have fallen a prey to 

 some cat or dog ; but one evening, about a fortnight afterwards, 

 as Mr. White was sitting in the garden, he observed his cat trot- 



