THE ELEPHANT
Rousean. Do you like Cats?
Boswell. No.
Rousseau. I was sure of that. It is my test of character. There you have the despotie
instinet of men. They do not like cats because the cat is free, and will never consent to
become a slave. He will do nothing to your order, as the other animals do.
FROM "THE SIXTH DAY OF
THE FIRST WEEKE"
Borwell. Nor a Chicken, either.
Roussean. A Chicken would obey your orders if you could make them intelligible to it.
But a cat will understand you perfeetly, and not obey them.
Boswell, But a Cat is ungrateful and treacherous.
Rousnean. No. That's all untrue. A Cat is an animal that can be very attached to you; he
will do anything you please out of friendship. I have a Cat here.
Of all the Beasts which thou This-Day didst build,
To haunt the Hils, the Forrest, and the Field,
I see (as Vice-Roy of their Brutish Band)
The Elephant, the vant-guard doth command:
Worthy that office: whether we regard
His Towréd back, where many Souldiers ward;
Or else his Prudence, wherewithall he seems
T' obscure the wits of human-kinde somtimes:
James Boswell, Dialogue with Rourneau
As studious Scholar, he self-rumineth
Inhabits woods of Europe and A sia: domesticated everywhere; when tranquil purrs,
moving the tail; when irritated is very active, climbs, spits, emits a fetid odour; eyes shine
at night, the pupil in the day a perpendicular line, by night, large, round; walks with its elaws
drawn in; drinks sparingly; urine of the male corrosive; breath fetid; buries its excrements;
makes a horrid mewling in its amours; mews after and plays with its kittens; wags its tail
when looking after prey; the lion of mice, birds, and the smaller quadrupeds; peaceful among
its tribe; eats flesh and fish, refuses hot or salted things, and vegetables; washes behind its
ears before a storm; back electric in the dark; when thrown up, falls on its feet; is not infested
with fleas; gravid 63 days, brings 3-9 young, blind 9 days; delights in marum, cat-mint and
His lessons giv'n, his King he honoureth,
Adores the Moon: movéd with strange desire
He feels the sweet flames of the Idalian fire,
And (piere't with glance of a kinde-cruell eye)
For humane beauty, seems to sigh and dye.
Guillaume Du Bartas, Divine Weekes
valerian.
Carl Linnacus, System of Nature
53
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