Lady Morgan gives the following anecdote in her _Book of the Boudoir_.
"The first day we had the honour of dining at the palace of the
Archbishop of Taranto, at Naples, he said to me, you must pardon my
passion for cats, (_la mia passione gattesca_) but I never exclude
them from my dining-room, and you will find they make excellent
company." Between the first and second course the door opened, and
several enormously large and beautiful Angola cats were introduced by
the names of Pantalone, Desdemona, Otello, &c. They took their places
on chairs near the table, and were as silent, as quiet, as motionless,
and as well behaved, as the most _bon ton_ table in London could
require. On the bishop requesting one of the chaplains to help
the Signora Desdemona, the butler stepped up to his lordship, and
observed, "My Lord, La Signora Desdemona will prefer waiting for the
roast."
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