160 Notice of British Naturalists. 
From this time he was chiefly occupied in adding to, improving, 
and carrying through the press the various editions of his works 
on natural history ; but he likewise found time to illustrate ma- 
ny smaller and less popular books for the publishers. 
He died in 1823, at the age of seventy-five. His character as’ 
a naturalist cannot be rated very high. Nearly all that he knew 
of natural history he derived from the observation of others ; and 
his education had not been such as to prepare his mind for pursu- 
ing the subject philosophically. He possessed a strong love for 
nature, but he expended it, in a great measure, on drawing and 
engraving the dead specimens. We owe but few original remarks 
to his works. For the greater part of his life he resided in Gates- 
head, the suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne, and consequently he 
had fewer opportunities of personal investigation, than if his life 
had been passed in the country. 
In appearance and character he was not unlike the celebrated 
Dr. Johnson. Large and uncouth in person, unpolished in his 
manners, and, at times unpleasantly rough in his demeanor ; he 
was yet possessed of strong good sense ; much perseverance and 
ingenuity; and in all his actions and all he said, there were 4p 
parent a sterling warm-heartedness, and a talent for wit and hu 
mor which could not fail to please. ‘ When animated in conver 
sation, and he was seldom otherwise, his eye was peculiarly fine, 
and imparted a vivacity to his countenance very difficult to de- 
scribe or forget. There was more of intelligent benevolence and 
candor init, than I ever saw in another ; but it was mixed with 
an earnest gravity, almost bordering on severity when speaking 
in disapproval; and with the brightest animation, when discus 
sing the beauties and wonders of nature, or subjects of equal in- 
terest. His humanity was very extensive, cherishing continu- 
ally some scheme for the improvement of his fellow creatures; 
the better treatment of the animals intrusted to them. His lan- 
guage was extremely forcible ; and the words he made use of, 
those calculated in the plainest and most familiar manner to con 
vey his meaning ; but unfortunately this love of simplicily, of 
tentimes led to a degree of coarseness which no one could heat 
Without reprobating.”* His dialect was broad Northumbrian. 
* Mr. George Atkinson, in the Transactions of the Natural History Society 
Newcastle upon Tyne and Durham. 
