Herr Sigmund Wagner, of Bern, who possesses a choice collection of copper-plates, frequently invited Mind, on winter Sunday evenings, to his house, and would then show him his volumes.  While Herr Wagner might be writing, reading, or drawing, Mind, grumbled to himself half-aloud, made his remarks on each sheet, and frequently gave a true, stubborn, rugged judgment even on the most celebrated masters, especially on pictures of animals; for, among these, nothing pleased him but the lions of Rubens, of Rembrandt, and Potter, and the stags of Kidinger; the other animals of the latter he declared to be falsely drawn.  Even the most applauded cats of Cornelius Vischer and Wenzel Hollar could not obtain his approbation.  After such picture-reviewing he used to drink tea with Herr Wagner; and it seemed as if the baked ware presented therewith was somewhat to his taste.  Such evenings were, to a certain extent, his heaven upon earth; nevertheless, he sometimes replied to Herr Wagner’s invitation with a “could not come—­his Busi (puss) was sick—­he must stay with her.”  Another time he signified “that Busi was like to have kittens to-day, and so it was impossible to leave her.”

Mind seldom drew from Nature; at most he did it with a few strokes.  His conception was so strong, that whatever he had once strictly observed, stamped itself so firmly in his memory that, on his return home, and often a considerable time afterwards, he could represent it with entire fidelity.  On such occasions he would look now and then, as it were, into himself; and when at these moments, he lifted his head, his eyes had something dreamy in them.

An increasing disorder in the breast had put him past all exertion for the space of a year; and, on the 17th of November, 1814, a paroxysm of his malady carried him off, in the 46th year of his age.

Foreign Review.

    [4] See “Painting Cats,” page 190.

* * * * *

THE COLISEUM, REGENT’S PARK,

Will be opened in about four months.  Our readers are aware that it will present a Panoramic View of London, taken from the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral, and imitated in a bungling manner in a recent pantomime at Covent Garden Theatre.  The picture covers 40,000 square feet, or nearly an acre of canvass; the dome of the building on which the sky is painted, is 30 feet more in diameter than the cupola of St. Paul’s; and the circumference of the horizon visible from the point of view, is nearly 130 miles.  “The Coliseum” is evidently a misnomer, since the building is very similar to the Pantheon at Rome; but we perceive by a letter from the proprietor, that its proper designation is the “Colosseum.”

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MR. HAYDON

Has just finished a companion to his admirable picture of the Mock Election in the King’s Bench, viz. the Chairing of the Members.  The first-mentioned is now in the king’s collection at Windsor.