260 MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 



engraving" on wood. One of his queries was made 

 with a view of ascertaining how many impressions 

 a wood cut would print. Not having anything in 

 mind at the moment, to enable me to satisfy him, 

 I began to consider, and it then struck me that a 

 little delicate cut a view of Newcastle was done 

 for Mr. H. many years before, as a fac for his 

 newspaper. I then turned to the date in my 

 ledger, when he calculated exactly, and found it 

 had printed above 900,000. This cut was continued 

 in the newspaper several years afterwards. It was 

 protected in the manner before noticed by a 

 strong black line, or border, surrounding it, within 

 which the surface was lowered previous to cutting 

 the view. This cut is still kept ; and, except 

 being somewhat damaged by being tossed about 

 amongst other castaway cuts, might, by being a 

 little repaired, yet print many thousands. This is 

 mentioned with a view to show the great length of 

 time that cuts done in this way will last, if they are 

 carefully adjusted to the height of the type, and 

 kept out of the hands of ignorant, rude pressmen. 

 I am of opinion that cuts done in the manner 

 called surface-cutting cannot stand anything like 

 so large an impression as when they are lowered 

 thus ; for the delicate lines, when left on the surface, 

 must soon break down from the heavy pressure to 

 which they are exposed. 



