EDITOR'S PREFACE. xv 



that, had she lived to issue the second edition 

 she evidently anticipated, she would have printed 

 the original manuscript with the fewest possible 

 alterations. It was clear, too, that over some of 

 the chapters there had been much argument, 

 for the "copy" she had prepared for press still 

 bears the traces of controversy. Once where it 

 had been objected, with regard to a certain 

 passage which, as far as I know, has been in 

 type for five and twenty years without attracting 

 the slightest hostile comment, that it was "a 

 disgrace," the old lady had replied that the 

 disgrace, then, should be hers, adding haughtily, 

 (if a little inconsequently,) " Disgrace never 

 belonged to the name of Bewick." 



That the " Opinions " of Thomas Bewick 

 occupy a somewhat disproportionate space in 

 his "Life" seems to have been felt as much 

 by those who were consulted at the first pub- 

 lication of the "Memoir," as it has been felt 

 since by many, against \vhom the accusation of 

 imperfect sympathy with the writer can scarcely 

 be made. And it may be conceded that there 

 is something also in the contention of those who 

 hold that "an artist should rest in art, and 

 waive a little of his claim" to be heard on things 

 in general, that, in short, his utterances are 

 chiefly valuable inasmuch as they concern the 



