as came to see him, were
growled or grunted at in no social fashion. His countenance, especially
in latter years, was a mixture of the bear's, the lion's, and the human,
for most part of a dull brick-colour; so that many people, particularly
children, were afraid to look at him. In figure he was very small, and
bent; but, at the same time, had hands and fingers of extraordinary
size and coarseness, with which, nevertheless, he produced the cleanest
and prettiest drawings. His chief diligence and most careful elegance
he brought to work in the painting of his beloved cats. In right
delineation of their forms he had the art to seize the general nature
of this animal, and, in the portrait-like indication of their various
physiognomies, to reflect the specific character of each. The
sycophantic look full of falseness, the dainty movements of the kittens,
several of which are sometimes painted sporting round their dam--all
this, in the most multifarious postures, turns, groups, sports, and
quarrels, is depicted with a true observance to nature,--nay, one might
say with genius and fidelity.

On Sundays and winter nights, Mind, by way of pastime, used, out of
dried, wild chestnuts, to carve little cats, bears, and other beasts,
and this with so much art that these little dainty toys were shortly in
no less request than his drawings. It is a pity that insects, such as
frequently exist in the interior of chestnuts, have already destroyed so
many of these carvings.

At the _Barengraben_ (bear-yard) in Bern, where a few live bears
are always to be seen, Mind passed many a happy hour; and, between the
beasts and him there seemed to prevail a singularly confidential
feeling. The moment Friedli--such was the name Mind was best known by in
Bern--made his appearance, the bears hastened towards him with friendly
grumbling, stationed themselves on their hind feet, and received,
impartially, each a piece of bread or an apple out of his pocket. For
this reason, bears, next to cats, were a favourite subject of his art;
and he reckoned himself, not unjustly, better able to delineate these
animals than even celebrated painters have been. Moreover, next to his
intercourse with living cats and bears, Mind's greatest joy was in
looking at objects of art, especially copper-plates, in which, too,
animal figures gave him most satisfaction.

Herr Sigmund Wagner, of Bern, who possesses a choice collection of
copper-plates, frequently invited Mind,