CATS, JACOB, a Dutch statesman and poet, was b. at Brouwershaven, in Zeeland, in 1577, and after studying law, finally settled at Middelburg. He rose to high offices in the state, and was twice sent as ambassador to England, first in 1627, and again in 1652, while Cromwell was at the head of affairs. He (Tied 1660. As a poet, he enjoyed the highest popularity. His poems are characterized by simplicity, rich fancy, clearness, and purity of style, and excellent moral tendency. The most highly prized of his productions were the Iluwelyk, Trouwringh (a series of romantic stories relating to remarkable marriages). and the Spiegel van den Ouden in Xieuwen Tyd. The best edition of his works appeared at Amsterdam, in 19 vols., 1790-1800.
a beautiful mineral, a variety of quartz receiving its name from the resemblance which the reflection of light from it, especially when cut en cabochon., or in
a convex form, is supposed to exhibit to the light which seems to emanate from the interior of the eye of a cat. It has a sort of pearly appearance, and is chatoyant or characterized by a fine play of light, which results from the parallel arrangement of the minute fibers of the stone itself, or from an intimate mixture of some foreign substance, such as amianthns. It has been supposed that cat's-eye is silicified wood. It is of various colors, and is obtained chiefly from Malabar and Ceylon. The Singhalese are especially proud of it, believing it, although erroneously, to be only found in their island. It is often brolight from that island, cut to resemble a monkey's face, from the idolatrous regard entertained for the monkey. A chatoyant variety of feldspar has been sometimes confounded with cat's-eye, and is also found in Ceylon.