88 The Book of Cats. 



even they did not destroy so many rats as the 

 pigs, which were exceedingly voracious, and took 

 greedily to the rodent diet. 



By the way, I must not close the chapter without 

 one little scrap. 



Mr. Spectator, in No. 5, March 6, 171 1, says : — 

 " I am credibly informed that there was once a 

 design of casting into an opera the story of Whit- 

 tington and his Cat, and that in order to do it there 

 had been got together a great quantity of mice, 

 but Mr. Rich, the proprietor of the playhouse, very 

 prudently considered that it would be impossible 

 for the Cat to kill them all." 



-^^f^ 



