CHAPTER IV. 



BEING now nearly fourteen years of age, and a 

 stout boy, it was thought time to set me off to 

 business; and my father and mother had long 

 been planning and consulting, and were greatly 

 at a loss what it would be best to fix upon. Any 

 place where I could see pictures, or where I 

 thought I could have an opportunity of drawing 

 them, was such only as I could think of. A New- 

 castle bookseller, whose windows were filled with 

 prints, had applied to Mr. Gregson for a boy ; and, 

 when I was asked if I would like to go to him, I 

 readily expressed my hearty consent ; but, upon 

 my father making enquiry respecting him, he was 

 given to understand that he bore a very bad 

 character : so that business was at an end. The 

 same year 1767 during the summer, William 

 Beilby and his brother Ralph took a ride to 

 By well, to see their intimate acquaintance, Mrs. 

 Simons, who was my godmother, and the widow 

 of the late vicar there.* She gave them a most 

 flattering account of me ; so much so, that they, 

 along with her and her daughter (afterwards Mrs. 

 Hymers), set off that same afternoon to Cherry- 

 burn to visit us, and to drink tea. When the 

 Newcastle visitors had given an account of their 

 paintings, enamellings, drawings, and engravings, 

 with which I felt much pleased, I was asked which 

 of them I should like to be bound to ; and, liking 



* Robert Simons. 



