160 Notice of British Naturalists. 



From this Jime he was chiefly occupied in adding to, improving, 

 and carrying through the press the various editions of his works 

 on natural history ; but he hkewise found time to illustrate ma- 

 ny smaller and less popular books for the publishers. 



He dieddh 1823,^tthe age of seventy-five. His character as 

 a naturalist cannot be rated very high. Nearly all that he knew 

 of natural history he derived from the observation of others ; and 

 his education had not been such as to prepare his mind for pursu- 

 ing the subject philosophically. He possessed a strong love for 

 nature, but he expended it, in a great measure, on drawing and 

 erigravjng the 'dead specimens. . We-owe but few original remarks 

 to his works. For the greater part of his life he- resided in Gates- 

 head, the suburb of Newcastle upon Tyne, and consequently he 

 had fewer opportunities of personal investigation, than if his life 

 had been passed in the country. " .•■ 



In appearance and character he was not unlike the celebrated 

 Dr. Johnson. Large and uncouth in person, unpolished in his 

 manners, and, at times unpleasantly rough in his demeanor; he 

 was yet possessed of strong good sense ; much perseverance and 

 ingenuity ; and in all his actions and all he"«afd, there were ap- 

 parent a sterling warm-heartedness, and a talent for wit and hu- 

 mor which could not fail to please. " When animated in conver- 

 sation, and he was seldom otherwise, his eye was peculiarly fine, 

 and imparted a vivacity to his countenance very difficult to de- 

 scribe or forget. There was more of intelligent benevolence and 

 candor in it, than I ever saw in another ; but it was mixed with 

 an earnest gravity, almost bordering on severity when speaking 

 in disapproval ; and with the brightest animation, when discus- 

 sing the beauties and wonders of nature, or subjects of equal in- 

 terest. His humanity was very extensive, cherishing continu- 

 ally some scheme for the improvement of his fellow creatures, or 

 the better treatment of the animals intrusted to ^h^m. His lan- 

 guage was extremely forcible ; and the words he made use of, 

 those calculated in the plainest and most familiar manner to con- 

 vey his meaning ; but unfortunately this love of simplicity, of- 

 tentimes led to a degree of coarseness which no one could hear 

 without reprobating."* His dialect was broad Northumbrian. 



* Mr. George Atkinson, in the Trarisactions of the Katural History Society oj 

 JVcwcasth. jqwn Tyne and Durham. 



