160 Notice of British Naturalists. 



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and carrying through the press the various editions of his works 

 on natural history ; but he hkewise found time to illustrate ma- 



popul 



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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 a 

 ingenuity ; and in all his actions and all he said, there were ap- 

 parent a sterling warm-heartedness, and a talent for wit and hu- 



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 in it, 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, or 

 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 flimiliar manner to con- 

 vey his meaning ; but unfortunately this love of simpUcify, of- 

 tentimes led to a degree of coarseness which no one could hear 

 without reprobating.''* His dialect was broad Northumbrian, 



mor 



Mr. George Atkinson, in tlie Transactions of the Natural History Society of 

 JS-etccasUc upon Tipie and Durham. 



