The London Traveler

London statues: Hodge

by Andrea on February 5th, 2008

Visit Doctor Johnson’s house in Gough Square and you’ll find one of London’s most unusual statues outside. Instead of the portly, bewigged figure of Doctor Johnson himself, here is his cat – Hodge.

(For those unacquainted with this animal, Doctor Johnson’s famous dictionary offers this definition; “a domestic animal that catches mice.”)

In fact Hodge wasn’t the Doctor’s favourite cat. Boswell recalls Johnson saying “’Why yes, Sir, but I have had cats whom I liked better than this;’ and then as if perceiving Hodge to be out of countenance, adding, ‘but he is a very fine cat, a very fine cat indeed.’ “

What delicate consideration for the cat’s feelings! And Doctor Johnson also fed his cat well – on oysters. Admittedly they were cheaper in the eighteenth century than they are now. That’s why Hodge is shown sitting on a book, with two oyster shells in front of him.

The statue was set here in 1997; sculptor Jon Bickley used his own cat as the model. And according to the artist, the sculpture has been set at exactly the right height for a passer by to stroke it gently – so go ahead and get acquainted with Hodge…

photo credit – arborwin

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