TAME RATS. 
31 
doubt, were not rats lield in sucli universal detestation, the 
taming of them would be an amusement often indulged in. 
I have seen numbers of them, at various times, as tame as 
rabbits ; but more especially in the Happy Family, of which 
I have already spoken, and which may be seen daily in the 
streets of London. The proprietor will handle and play 
with them without the least concern, and the little creatures 
seem quite pleased with his condescension. I called upon 
him twice, for the purpose of satisfying myself upon two 
points. The first' was, to ascertain if he had any kind of 
scent about him which might, as it were, charm or stupefy 
them ; and the second was to see if their teeth were perfect ; 
as in the event of their being drawn, that would of course 
disable them from hurting each other, and they would soon 
grow tired of quarrelling and fighting. 
On both occasions I had a rat and the ferret out in my 
own hand, and resting on my arms together. The ferret 
certainly was one of the most clean and handsome animals 
of the kind I ever saw, and had one of the finest and 
most perfect set of teeth I ever beheld ; and so had the 
rat. These facts sufficed to show the groundlessness of my 
suspicions as to there being any drug, charm, or delusion in- 
the matter ; for they were as tame and tractable with me 
as with him, and quietly submitted to every examination 
without the least discomfiture. Indeed, the only uneasi- 
ness they evinced was while struggling with each other as 
to which should first get into the bosom of my shirt. The 
rat got in first, and was directly followed by the ferret. In 
they drew themselves, tails and all, and there they lay 
quietly snoozing together ; so that passers-by did not dream 
that I had anything of the kind about me. Yet do not 
suppose that even I was a privileged person, because if you 
will take the trouble to call, and give the owner a trifle, he 
will take them out, and they will do the same v/ith you as 
they did with me, providing you treat them kindly, and not 
pinch their tails, as some cruel passers-by do. 
Here let me warn some thoughtless persons of a wanton 
act of cruelty. Among the rats in the cage there are 
several with portions of their tails gone, some having lost 
half their tails^ others nearly all, and so on. On my 
inquiring the cause, the man told me it was through the 
