1 62 MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 



Bryan, Esq.,* of London, formerly of New- 

 castle, lent me the splendid volumes, " Planches 

 Enluminees," of Buffon, and George Silvertop, 

 Esq., of Minsteracres, "Edward's Natural History/' 

 I was much pleased with " White's History of 

 Selborne." Pennant, however, opened out the 

 largest field of information, and on his works I 

 bestowed the most attention. Latham seems to 

 have wound up the whole, and I have often 

 lamented that it was not by being embellished 

 with correct figures made a great national work, 

 like the Count de Buffon's. The last of our 

 Ornithologists, and one of the most indefatigable, 

 was the late Col. George Montagu, t author of the 

 " Ornithological Dictionary." 



As soon as it was spread abroad that we were 

 engaged with the History of Birds and their 

 Figures, I was in consequence led into a seemingly 

 endless correspondence with friends and amateurs; 

 so much so, that I often felt myself unable duly to 

 acknowledge the obligations I owed them, and 

 many a letter I have written after so being wearied 

 out with the labours of the day, that I often forgot 

 how to spell the commonest words, and I fear the 

 rest of many of my letters would be of a piece with 

 this and not clear nor very intelligible. 



At the beginning of this undertaking I made up 

 my mind to copy nothing from the works of others, 

 but to stick to nature as closely as I could ; and for 



* Michael Bryan, Esq., picture dealer, London, died there on the 

 28th March, 1821, aged 64 years. [He was the author of Bryan's 

 Dictionary of Painters and Engravers, 1816, 2 vols. 4-to.] 



t George Montagu, Esq., died in July, 1815. I have heard that he 

 was killed by the overturning of a carriage in which he was travelling, 

 the horses having taken fright and run away with it. 



