theatres it
is well known that the spectators pronounced judgment upon the efforts
of the gladiators and combatants of the arena by silently turning
their thumbs up or down, decreeing death in the one case and life in
the other. Hissing, however, even at this time, was the usual method
of condemning the public speaker of distasteful opinions. In one of
Cicero's letters there is record of the orator Hortensius, "who
attained old age without once incurring the disgrace of being hissed."
The prologues of Ben Jonson and Beaumont and Fletcher frequently
deprecate the hissing of the audience.

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."
The essayist, however, is disposed to hold that the catcall is
originally a piece of English music. "Its resemblance to the voice of
some of our British songsters, as well as the use of it, which is
peculiar to our nation, confirms me in this opinion." He mentions that
the catcall has quite a contrary effect to the martial instrument then
in use; and instead of stimulating courage and heroism, sinks the
spirits, shakes the nerves, curdles the blood, and inspires despair
and consternation at a surprising rate. "The catcall has struck a damp
into generals, and frightened heroes off the stage. At the first sound
of it I have seen a crowned head tremble, and a princess fall into
fits." He concludes with mention