348 GEORGE EDWARDS. 



being to assist those students in their research who were not 

 equal to the expense of his great work. 



The nobiHty and gentry frequently honoured Edwards with 

 their friendship and generous support, and he mentions with 

 pecuHar pleasure the fact that he was patronised by four great 

 men who were, perhaps, the foremost promoters of learning, 

 science and arts, of any during the i8th century. These were 

 the Duke of Richmond, Sir Hans Sloane, Dr. Mead, and Martin 

 Folkes. He was also a great friend of William Bowyer, of 

 Leytonstone, the printer to the Society of Antiquaries. 



His collection of drawings, which amounted to upwards of 

 nine hundred, was purchased by the Earl of Bute. It con- 

 tained a great number of English and foreign birds and animals, 

 not accurately delineated or described previously. 



After the publication of the last work, his sight began to fail, 

 and his hand lost its former steadiness. Being now in his 70th 

 year, he retired from public employment to a little house 

 which he had purchased at Plaistow ; previous to which he 

 disposed of all the copies, as well as plates, of his works, to 

 James Robson, a bookseller in New Bond Street. 



The conversation of a few select friends and the perusal 

 of books were the amusement of the evening of his life ; occa- 

 sionally varied by an excursion to some of the principal cities 

 in England. 



i\Ir. Edwards was of a middle stature, rather inclined to 

 -corpulence. He was of a liberal disposition and a cheerful 

 address. All his acquaintances experienced his benevolent 

 temper, and his poor neighbours frequently partook of his 

 bounty. 



His diffidence and humility were always apparent, and to 

 persons who had a taste for studies congenial to his own he 

 was a most entertaining as well as com.municative companion. 



A portrait by Dandridge was engraved by J. S. Millar in 

 1754, this was considered a most striking likeness. Dandridge 

 was the son of a house painter. 



Some years before his death the alarming ravages of a cancer 

 in the face, which baffled all the efforts of medical skill 

 deprived him of the sight of one of his eyes; he also suffered 

 jTiuch from the stone, a complaint to which at different periods 

 of life he had been subject. Yet it has been remarked that in 



