practised. In the Covent Garden Journal for 1810 the O. P. Riots are thus spoken of:—"Mr. Kemble made his appearance in the costume of 'Macbeth,' and, amid vollies of hissing, hooting, groans, and cat-calls, seemed as though he meant to speak a steril and pointless addressa nnounced for the occasion."
In book iii. chap. vi. of Joseph Andrews, occurs this passage:—"You would have seen cities in embroidery transplanted from the boxes to the pit, whose ancient inhabitants were exalted to the galleries, where they played upon cat-calls."
In Lloyd's Law Student we find:—
"By law let others strive to gain renown!
Florio's a gentleman, a man o' th' town.
He nor courts clients, or the law regarding,
Hurries from Nando's down to Covent Garden.
Zethe's a scholar—mark him in the pit,
With critic Cat-call sound the stops of wit."
In Chetwood's History of the Stage (1741), there is a story of a sea-officer who was much plagued by "a couple of sparks, prepared with their offensive instruments, vulgarly termed Cat-calls;" and describes how "the squeak was stopped in the middle by a blow from the officer, which he gave with so strong a will that his child's trumpet was struck through his cheek."
