THE CAT. 67 



Of attachment to these animals there are many in- 

 stances. An artist of Berne, named Gotfried Mind, 

 gave his chief and zealous attention to the painting 

 of cats and bears. The truth and excellence with which 

 he represented them were without precedent ; and his 

 drawings of the former especially were so admirable, 

 that he attained the honourable, though rather awkward 

 title, of " the Raphael of cats." Minette, his favourite, 

 was always near him when at work, and he seemed to 

 carry on a sort of conversation with her by gestures and 

 words. But a formidable trial came, of his cherished 

 feeling. Symptoms of madness having appeared among 

 the cats of Berne, in the year 1809, the magistrates gave 

 orders for their destruction. Mind showed the greatest 

 distress when he heard this mandate. He kept Minette 

 in secret ; but his sorrow for the death of eight hun- 

 dred cats was inexpressible. To sooth his regret, he 

 painted these animals with increased diligence ; and 

 amused himself during the long evenings of the ensuing 

 winter in cutting chestnuts into miniature figures of 

 bears and cats. These trifles were executed with such 

 great skill, that he was unable to supply the demand for 

 them. He died in 1814. 



A strong attachment to cats was cherished by Mrs. 

 Griggs, of Southampton Row, London, whose decease 



