uld see, was fixed at one
penny; till proof could be given of its having caught a mouse,
two-pence; after which it was rated at four-pence, a great sum in those
days, when the value of specie was extremely high. It was likewise
required, that the animal should be perfect in its senses of hearing and
seeing, should be a good mouser, have its claws whole, and if a female,
be a careful nurse. If it failed in any of these qualifications, the
seller was to forfeit to the buyer the third part of its value. If any
one should steal or kill the cat that guarded the prince's granary, the
offender was to forfeit either a milch ewe, her fleece, and lamb, or as
much wheat as when poured on the cat suspended by its tail, (its head
touching the floor) would form a heap high enough to cover the tip of
the tail. From these circumstances (says Pennant) we may conclude that
cats were not originally natives of these islands, and from the great
care taken to improve and preserve the breed of this prolific creature,
we may with propriety suppose that they were but little known at that
period.

When Mr. Baumgarten was at Damascus, he saw there a kind of hospital for
cats; the house in which they were kept was very large, walled round,
and was said to be quite full of them. On inquiring into the origin of
this singular institution, he was told that Mahomet, when he once lived
there, brought with him a cat, which he kept in the sleeve of his gown,
and carefully fed with his own hands. His followers in this place,
therefore, ever afterwards paid a superstitious respect to these
animals; and supported them in this manner by public alms, which were
very adequate to the purpose. Browne, in his _History of Jamaica_, tells
us, "A cat is a very dainty dish among the negroes."

P.T.W.

* * * * *

ST. DUNSTAN'S, FLEET STREET.

_(To the Editor of the Mirror.)_

In your account of this church, in No. 388, I perceive you state that
the clock and figures were put up in 1761, whereas I find by reference
to works on this subject, that they were so placed in 1671.[1]

[1] Occasioned by a transposition of figures. In vol. xi.
referred to in the above page, the date stands 1671.

There are many curious monuments in this church, and among others, is
the beautiful one to the memory of Sir Richard Hoare, Knt. who was Lord
Mayor of London in the memorable year 1745, at which "alarming crisis,"
in the words of the