54 MEMOIR OP THOMAS BEWICK. 



one layer of finished blocks, with their faces upward, 

 on many of whose maiden lineaments, fresh and 

 sharp from the graver, the ink-hall had never heen 

 pressed. They are all cut on hox-wood, which is 

 procured from abroad of as large circumference as 

 possible, at a great expense, and is paid for by 

 weight. This is sawn 'across, at right angles to the 

 cylindrical growth of the tree (I mean as a cucum- 

 ber is sliced), in pieces, when finished, exactly the 

 thickness of the height of the metallic types, with 

 which the blocks are afterwards incorporated in the 

 pressman's form, or iron frame. One surface of 

 this block is made extremely smooth, on which is 

 traced in black and white lines, the figure or de- 

 sign ; the white is then cut out, and the black left. 

 Though this was the method he took with his 

 pupils, of whom he had constantly a numerous 

 succession, he had early acquired so ready a facility 

 himself, that simply with the graver on little, and 

 often no outline, he worked the design on the blank 

 block at once. His tools, many of his own contri- 

 vance and making, were various in sizes and sorts. 

 Some, broad gouges for wide excavation ; some 

 narrow, for fine white lines ; and some many- 

 pointed for parallels, which, either straight or wavy, 

 he cut with rapidity, by catching the first tooth of 

 the tool in the last stroke, which guided it equi- 

 distant with the former. He spoke with great ap- 

 probation of the graphic talents of his late brother 

 John ; and repeatedly said, that, had he lived, ha 

 might have attained to greater eminence than ^ : ^ - 



