MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 53 



depict. I succeeded by mentioning an error in one 

 of his works; for which, when I had convinced 

 him, lie thanked me, and took the path in conver- 

 sation we wished. In many instances, I must re- 

 mark, though frequently succeeding to the broadest 

 humour, his countenance and conversation assumed 

 and emitted flashes and features of absolutely the 

 highest sublimity; indeed, to an excitement of 

 awful amazement, particularly when speaking on 

 the works of the Deity. 



" Thus happily situated, 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 libations 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 seventy-two), one son, 

 and three daughters. He now conducted us amid 

 the curiosities of Newcastle, public buildings, pic- 

 tures, and libraries ; and, what is more to my 

 present sketch, his own workshops. Here we saw 

 his manner of producing his beautiful art ; and his 

 nests of almost numberless drawers, each filled with 



