280 MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 



tion should cost them nothing, and be easily taken 

 it being only attentively to observe two or three 

 rules, the first of which is, that they will contrive to 

 be very hungry once a day, never to overload the 

 stomach, nor indulge to satiety in eating anything. 

 By persisting in this, they will find their reward in 

 great good health, and a vigorous, unclouded mind : 

 by a little observation they may clearly see that a 

 great portion of mankind "live to eat" not eat to 

 live. To say more to men of sense and artists, 

 which a desire to contribute everything in my 

 power towards their peace of rnind and happiness 

 prompts me to do, I may be allowed to add, that 

 those of them who have attained to eminence will 

 find themselves pursued by envy ; for " There is no 

 species of hatred greater than that which a man 

 of mediocrity bears to a man of genius ; his reach 

 of thought, his successful combinations, and his 

 sudden felicities are never forgiven by those whom 

 nature has fashioned in a less perfect mould." 



It is the duty of parents and guardians to endea- 

 vour, with the utmost care, to discover the capacities 

 and fitness of youth for any business before they 

 engage in it ; for, without they are innately gifted 

 with the power of becoming artists, the want of 

 that power will cause the pursuit to be felt by them 

 as up-hill work, and be productive of unhappiness 

 to them through life. But the fondness of parents 

 for their offspring is mostly such as to blind them 

 in forming a judgment, and disappointment is sure 

 to follow. It would be well for such parents to read 

 Gay's fable of "The Owl, the Swan, the Cock, the 

 Spider, the Ass, and the Farmer." It may indeed 

 be conceded that there are some rare exceptions to 

 this general rule ; for a man may be so formed in 



