MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 35 



and these, again, in return, did not overlook them, 

 but were interested in knowing that they were 

 happy and well. Most of these poor men, from 

 their having little intercourse with the world, 

 were in all their actions and behaviour truly 

 original ; and, except reading the Bible, local 

 histories, and old ballads, their knowledge was 

 generally limited. And yet one of these "Will 

 Bewick" from being much struck with my per- 

 formances, which he called pictures, became 

 exceedingly kind to me, and was the first person 

 from whom I gathered a sort of general know- 

 ledge of astronomy and of the magnitude of the 

 universe. He had, the year through, noticed the 

 appearances of the stars and the planets, and 

 would discourse " largely" on the subject. I think 

 I see him yet, sitting on a mound, or seat, by the 

 hedge of his garden, regardless of the cold, and 

 intent upon viewing the heavenly bodies ; pointing 

 to them with his large hands, and eagerly impart- 

 ing his knowledge to me with a strong voice such 

 as one now seldom hears. I well remember being 

 much struck with his appearance his stern- 

 looking brows, high cheek bones, quick eye, and 

 longish visage; and at his resolution (upon another 

 occasion) when he determined upon risking his 

 own life to save that of another man. The latter, 

 in the employ of my father, while at work as a 

 pitman, had lost his way in the coal workings, 

 and was missing for perhaps a day or two, (my 

 father being from home), when our old neighbour, 

 just described, who was also a pitman and knew 

 the workings, equipped himself with everything 

 he thought necessary for so hazardous an under- 

 taking ; and, when he was about to go down the 



