124 



have been charmed with that noble English landscape. Household 

 Heath near Norwich. There were five or six other pictures by this 

 master, which will never be forgotten by lovers of landscape beauty 

 who were fortunate enough to discover them amidst the overwhelming 

 amount of talent displayed upon the walls of the British division of 

 Art, in the late Exhibition, Curtis, then, as he himself told me, had 

 the advantage of such a master as Old Crome ; but notwithstanding 

 his progress as a draughtsman, he resolved, in addition, to obtain 

 instruction in the art of etching, having at that time formed a reso- 

 lution, should opportunity offer, of illustrating the British genera of 

 insects. The first etchings which were published of Mr. Curtis's 

 entomological plates were those which illustrate Kirby and Spence's 

 ' Introduction to Entomology ;' these were followed by a set of plates, 

 executed from his own drawings, illustrative of Kirby's famous 

 ' Century of Insects.' 



In 1819 Mr. Curtis came to London, and, as the friend of Mr. Kirby, 

 was soon introduced to Sir Joseph Banks, Dr. Leach, and all the 

 leading scientific men of the day; his talents as an entomological 

 draughtsman soon led to engagements with the Linnean, Horticultural, 

 and other Societies. At this period he resolved to embark in his long- 

 cherished attempt to illustrate the Genera of British Insects, and in 

 1824 the first part of his ' British Entomology ' appeared. This great 

 work occupied sixteen j'^ears of his life, and formed the same number 

 of volumes ; and it may be mentioned as a proof of the untiring zeal 

 and faithful adherence to his contract with his subscribers, — to pro- 

 duce a part regularly at stated intervals, — that not in a single instance 

 did he fail to produce the part on the promised day of publication. 

 Every entomologist must be familiar with the exquisite plates which 

 illustrate these sixteen volumes, and on all hands I feel assured they 

 will be pronounced to be unsurpassed by any entomological illustra- 

 tions in existence ; but every one is not familiar with the 769 exquisite 

 drawings from which the plates were engraved. Were I to express my 

 own appreciation of them as an artist, I fear it would be estimated as 

 the exaggerated praise of an enthusiast : I will content myself by 

 saying that I have never seen any entomological drawings that would 

 stand a comparison with them ; they are " beautiful exceedingly." It 

 is to be hoped that this collection of drawings will be deposited in 

 some public institution in this country, since upon them will the fame 

 of Curtis, as an entomological draughtsman, stand secure ; ftnd it would 

 be a circumstance of deep regret to every entomologist, should they 

 be eventually deposited in a foreign country. 



