30 MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK, 



engraving-. Unfortunately for the arts, it was the 

 last work of the younger Bewick, who died at the 

 close of 1795, of a pulmonary complaint, probably 

 contracted by too great application. He is justly 

 described in the monumental inscription in Oving- 

 ham church-yard, as " only excelled as to his inge^ 

 imity as an artist by his conduct as a man." Pre- 

 viously, however, to his death, he had drawn the 

 whole of the designs for the Chase on the blocks, 

 except one , and the whole were beautifully engraved 

 by his brother Thomas. 



In 1797, Messrs Beilby and Bewick published 

 the first volume of the " History of British Birds," 

 comprising the land-birds. This work contains an 

 account of the various feathered tribes, either con- 

 stantly residing in, or occasionally visiting, our islands. 

 While Bewick was engraving the cuts (almost all 

 faithfully delineated from nature), Mr Beilby was 

 engaged in furnishing the written descriptions. Some 

 unlucky misunderstandings having arisen about the 

 appropriation of this part of the work, a separation 

 of interests took place between the parties, and the 

 compilation and completion of the second volume, 



Water-birds," devolved on Mr Bewick alone 

 subject, however, to the literary corrections of the 

 Rev, Henry Cotes, Vicar of Bedlington. In the 



