But theatrical censure, not content with imitating the goose,
condescended to borrow from another of the inferior animals--the cat.
Addison devoted one of his papers in "The Spectator" to a Dissertation
upon Catcalls. In order to make himself master of his subject, he
professed to have purchased one of these instruments, though not
without great difficulty, "being informed at two or three toy-shops
that the players had lately bought them all up." He found that
antiquaries were much divided in opinion as to the origin of the
catcall. A fellow of the Royal Society had concluded, from the
simplicity of its make and the uniformity of its sound, that it was
older than any of the inventions of Jubal. "He observes very well that
musical instruments took their first rise from the notes of birds and
other melodious animals, 'and what,' says he, 'was more natural than
for the first ages of mankind to imitate the voice of a cat that lived
under the same roof with them?' He added that the cat had contributed
more to harmony than any other animal; as we are not only beholden to
her for this wind instrument, but for our string music in general.
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