Notice of British Naturalists. 161 



He mixed a rough, sound good sense, and some times an orig- 

 inality of remark in his conversation, which always rendered 

 what he said interesting. His pleasantries were less remarkable 

 for true wit and delicacy, than for the union of strong sense and 

 honest merriment. 



His engravings are distinguished by their extreme fidelity, and 

 for the truth with which he has caught and transferred to paper 

 the peculiar air and habit of his subject; while he reduced it 

 from its natural size to a small wood cut. But his improvements 

 in the art of cheap and correct engraving, have had a much more 

 extensive influence than in natural history. Those who may 

 remember, or have seen the books put into the hands of children 

 during the last century, will perceive how much, in the present 

 day, this all-important class of books owes to Bewick ; and how 

 the distorted representations of nature, have given place to correct 

 and graceful figures ; and those who reflect upon the variety of 

 subjects which now owe their illustrations to the art, will feel in- 

 clined to give Bewick the credit of being truly a benefactor of 

 mankind. He left several children. One of his sons is now an 

 artist of no small ability. 



In 1800 appeared Turton's translation of Gmelin's edition of 

 the Systeina Naturm of Linngeus. This work is printed in 

 seven thick octavo volumes ; but at a comparatively low price ; 

 and although it is now fallen both in value and estimation, yet at 

 the time it did great good in opening the science to the mere En- 

 glish reader. It has been accused, and justly, of faults, both de- 

 rived from Gmelin, and from its own author. Yarieties are given 

 as species, synonyms as distinct species, and hypothetical and fab- 

 ulous animals are occasionally obtruded as existing. Too much 

 dependence was placed upon preceding writers. But consider- 

 ing the vastness of the work ; the difliculties to be encountered ; 

 and the doubt which hung over many parts of it, it is well exe- 

 cuted. It is now of value only to the historian of science, the 

 annalist, or the professed system maker ; being as faithful a record 

 of the errors, as of the real science of its period. 



William Turton, M. D., was through life, a zealous naturalist ; 

 and besides this book, he published some smaller volumes on con- 

 chology. His favorite pursuit was the investigation of British 

 shells. His industry and perseverance were great ; but his cir- 

 cumstances being narrow, and he not possessing much originality 



Vol. XXXVII, No. 1.— July, 1839, bis. 21 



