MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 65 



his situation, he was a proficient, and in other 

 respects he was a man of genius and observation. 

 The first interview I had with him was singular 

 enough, and was owing to his having been told 

 that I was the best whistler in England, he him- 

 self being remarkable in this way. We soon tried 

 our respective powers and had many a meeting 

 afterwards for that purpose. He expressed himself 

 highly pleased with the loud and powerful way 

 in which I performed my double whistle, and I 

 was equally so at hearing his inimitable shakes 

 and quavers with which his small shrill pipe was 

 graced. I came nearly up to the loud shrill tones 

 of the fife and the deeper ones of the flute, and 

 improved greatly in imitating him, but he could 

 make no alteration or amendment in his manner 

 of performing, and with all his attempts could 

 never whistle louder or deeper than before. We 

 sometimes amused ourselves, turn and turn about, 

 in this way, and both agreed that it was a pity s 

 whistling was not more countenanced and en- 

 couraged than it was. We kept up an agreeable 

 acquaintance for some years, until he went to the 

 glass works at Leith where he ended his days. 

 While I remained at my aunt Blackett's she would 

 never allow me to whistle in her house, or perform 

 on any instrument; and I could not afterwards 

 find either time or opportunity to gratify my pro- 

 pensity in this way, so I was obliged to make 

 whistling serve for all. I often think that it was 

 scarcely possible for any one to have a better ear 

 for music than I had, for whatever tunes I heard 

 at Fairs or Hoppings, etc., I could next morning 

 whistle correctly, and not only the tune but the 

 manner of the various performers. 



