n8 THE FIRESIDE SPHINX 



lap, nor to represent the little Saint John as mis 

 chievously teasing a cat, by holding a captured bird 

 just beyond the reach of her claws. When she 

 accompanies Andrea Doria, it is merely because 

 that great sailor after the fashion of sailors 

 loved her heartily, and gave her a place of honour 

 by his side. There is, indeed, in the Academy of 

 Saint Luke in Rome, a well-known study of cats 

 heads by Salvator Rosa, a study ill calculated to 

 awaken enthusiasm, or to soften the asperity of the 

 disaffected. All Salvator s pussies are miauling 

 bitterly, their furry faces drawn into lines of wrath 

 and excitation. Involuntarily the chance spectator 

 covers his ears when he looks at them. Few mor 

 tals can stand unmoved the curious and complicated 

 vocalism of the cat. 



With this melancholy exception, however, we 

 search long ere we see Pussy drawn with the careful 

 and conscientious art of Albrecht Diirer s hare, 

 drawn or painted by herself, and for her own attrac 

 tions. Cornelius Wissher s famous print is prob 

 ably the first and finest of its kind. His great 

 round Chat Couche sleeps so soundly, its head low 

 ered, its paws tucked out of sight, that we can 

 almost hear the measured breathing, and see the 

 sleek furry sides heave gently in the very aban 

 donment of repose. A hundred years later, Gott 

 fried Mind, the sullen recluse of Berne, was deemed 



