MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 91 



jutor with him in many of his works, was born in 

 1760 unfortunately for the arts and for society, of 

 which he was an ornament, died of a consumption, 

 at the age of thirty- five. 



The early propensity of Thomas to ohserve natu- 

 ral objects, and particularly the manners and habits 

 of animals, and to endeavour to express them by 

 drawing, in which, without tuition, he manifested 

 great proficiency at an early age, determined his 

 friends as to the choice of a profession for him. He 

 was bound apprentice, at the age of fourteen, to Mr 

 Ralph Beilby of Newcastle, a respectable copper- 

 plate engraver, and very estimable man.* Mr Bewick 

 might have had a master of greater eminence, but 

 he could not have had one more anxious to encou- 

 rage the rising talents of his pupil, to point out to 



* It is stated by the author of " The Pursuit of Know- 

 ledge under Difficulties," forming a part of the Library of 

 Entertaining Knowledge (we know not on what authority, 

 but we think it probable,) that he was in the habit of ex- 

 ercising his genius by covering the walls and doors of his 

 native village with sketches in chalk of his favourites of 

 the lower creation with great accuracy and spirit ; and that 

 some of these performances chancing to attract Mr Beil- 

 by's notice, as he was passing through Cherry- Burn, he was 

 so much struck with the talent which they displayed, that 

 he immediately sought out the young artist, and obtained 

 his father's permission to take him with him as his ap- 

 prentice. 



