40 MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 



as * look at the old fool, he thinks there's nobody 

 has 'sic bairns as he has. 9 In short, my son and three 

 daughters do all in their power to make their parents 

 happy." 



Mr Bewick was naturally of the most persevering 

 and industrious habits. The number of blocks he 

 has engraved is almost incredible. At his bench he 

 worked and whistled with the most perfect good hu- 

 mour, from morn to night, and ever and anon thought 

 the day too short for the extension of his labours. 

 He did not mix much with the world, for he pos- 

 sessed a singular and most independent mind. In 

 the evening, indeed, when the work of the day was 

 finished, he generally retired to a neighbouring 

 public-house, to smoke his pipe, and drink his glass 

 of porter with an old friend or two, who knew his 

 haunt, and enjoyed the naivete and originality of his 

 remarks. But he luxuriated in the bosom of his fa- 

 mily ; and no pleasures he could enjoy in the latter 

 stage of his life, were equal in his esteem to the ster- 

 ling comforts of his own fireside. He died, as he 

 had lived, an upright and truly honest man ; and 

 breathed his last after a short illness, in the midst of 

 his affectionate and disconsolate offspring, at his re 

 fddence in West Street, Gateshead, on Saturday 

 November 8. 1828 m tLu 76th y^r of his age. His 



