i£8 Life^ GeniuSy and Personal Habits of Bemch^ 



Technological and Constructive Science. Geographical 

 Science. History, Antiquities, and Philology. Military 

 Sciences. I am. Sir, &c. 



S. B0WDI€H. 



London^ September, 1829. 



Art. II. Some Account of the Life, Genius, and Personal Habits 

 of the late Thomas Bexmch, the celebrated Artist and Engraver 

 on Wood, By his Friend John F. M. Dovaston, Esq. A.M., of 

 Westfelton, near Shrewsbury. 



{Continued from p. 319.) 



" He — in a general honest thought, 



And common good to all, made one of them. 



His life was gentle, and the elements 



So mixM in him, that Nature might stand up, 



And say to all the world — T%w was a man /" Shaksfeare. 



Sir, 



With pleasure I resume the brief and broken narrative of 

 my friend Bewick ; yet not without considerable diffidence in 

 my own power to make it interesting to all ; being well aware 

 it will be read by many, not feeling my own keen relish for 

 his productions ; and by many more not having, like me, en- 

 joyed the blessings of his friendship. 



I left myself happily seated in the alehouse, on the 1st of 

 October, 1823, between my lamented and my living friends, 

 Bewick and Bowman : and what with the wit of one, and the 

 science of the other, I paid little attention to the iron tongue 

 of the neighbouring steeple of St. Nicholas, whether he told 

 the long and loud " hour o' night's black arch the keystane," 

 or the wee bit ane ayont it. The fine old fellow, this jolly 

 old Cock o' the North, as I facetiously called him, would 

 persist in seeing us to our hotel, where we renewed our liba- 

 tions even to "sangs and clatter." Very early in the morning 

 he kindly came again with his great cudgel to our chambers ; 

 and removed us to his neat and hospitable residence amid the 

 fields and gardens above Gateshead, on the opposite bank of 

 the Tyne. Here we brokefast with his family, consisting then 

 of his good old dame (who died February 1. 1826, aged 72), 

 one son, and three daughters. He now conducted us amid 

 the curiosities of Newcastle, public buildings, pictures, and 

 libraries; and, what is more to my present sketch, his own 

 workshops. Here we saw his manner of producing his beau- 

 tiful art; and his nests of almost numberless drawers, each 



