MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 141 



his wife's friends for assistance, but they could, at 

 that time, only spare him about thirty pounds; 

 and with this sum in hand, he made a proposal 

 for purchasing the types, and everything belonging 

 to the printing office. It is singular enough that 

 the printer referred to, having left Newcastle, lived 

 and had his printing office in the governor's house 

 at Tynemouth, whither I went with my friend when 

 the bargain was closed between them. He now 

 commenced business on his own account, but how 

 long he had to struggle through difficulties, before 

 he got well established, I have forgotten. It is 

 remarkable that he met with unsolicited aid from 

 many friends; for every one who knew him became 

 interested in his welfare. He lived till he sur- 

 mounted every obstacle to his prosperity; but, in 

 doing this, his too great application and exertion 

 ruined his health. He pined away and died, in a 

 house close by mine at the Forth, on the yth 

 March, 1783, aged 31 years. I, with many other 

 of his friends, accompanied his remains to Oving- 

 ham, where he was buried. This was the first time 

 in my life that I felt poignant grief. 



My old schoolfellow and friend, Philip Gregson, 

 of the Custom House, London, being on a visit to 

 his relatives and friends in the north, in 1780, 

 I, being fond of rambling, proposed setting him on 

 his return home, as far as York, if he would walk 

 with me to that city, to which he agreed ; and, after 

 spending a day or two with him there, we parted. 

 On my return, I took the road by Boroughbridge 

 to Ripon, where I stayed a short time till I had 

 viewed the country round it, and particularly Stud- 

 ley Park and its beautiful scenery. I then returned 

 to Darlington, and changed my route to the west- 



