THE CAT 



The London Cat 



On summer mornings from four a. m. to five, 

 London ceases to belong to the world of men, and 

 is given over to birds and cats. At this really be- 

 witching hour, for the city then is beautiful, the 

 cats may be seen, as at no other time, rerum domini, 

 masters of the town. It is not for nothing that 

 the race has for generations maintained its inde- 

 pendence, and asserted its right to roam. For at 

 that hour all the dogs are shut up, all the boys 

 and grown people are asleep. The city is theirs. 

 The demeanour of London cats at four a. m. is one 

 of assured freedom. They stroll about the streets 

 and gardens with a quiet air of possession. They 

 converse in the centre of highways. They walk 

 with feline abandon and momentary magnificence 

 over open squares. In the silver grey of a London 

 dawn they are no longer domestic pets, they are 

 gentlemen at large. 



The Spectator. 



