6 Life^ Genius, and Personal Habits of Bewick. 



pupil of Bewick, which may be readily discriminated by their 

 apparent excellence. The Old Exchange in the title was cut 

 by Bewick in 1719. This volume, valuable in many views, 

 contains an impression of the celebrated " Old Hound," 

 which obtained his first public prize in 1775, when only 

 twenty-two. It also contains five portraits, on wood 

 (copies), at different and distant periods, of the broad open 

 features of my benevolent friend : that facing the title, from 

 a painting of James Ramsay, is the nearest likeness during 

 the years I knew him. It also contains a catalogue of his 

 (congregated) works up to the year 1820. The editor very 

 honestly and openly disavows his intention for one moment of 

 putting these pieces in competition with the later productions ; 

 but of showing the early powers, the gradual progress, and 

 vigorous march of this great master. And I contemplate 

 them with the same kind of curious pleasure, as I should the 

 boyish rhymes of some great poef s first sonnet to Delia's 

 shoe-tie, elaborated aneath a green weeping birch, when his 

 years scarce equalled the number of verses whereunto he was 

 limited by the gagging-bill of Petrarch. It may not be amiss 

 to instance a few ; as The Dog and Shadow, Bear and Bees, 

 Wanton Calf, Trout and Gudgeon (angler's attitude). Horses' 

 Petition, &c. In these and others the infant Bewick is very 

 visible, particularly in the motion. Some insects, too, as tail- 

 pieces, are so accurate, as at once to be specific to an ento- 

 mologist ; as the Papilio Megar«, Libellula variegata, Pontia 

 ^rassicae. And the vignettes partake of his determinate pro- 

 pensity to morality, tenderness, and humour ; each (as ever) 

 telling articulately its own tale : as (to cite but one or two) 

 that of Parson Fatpate, his fat wife, with fat pug-dog, wad- 

 dling to a fat dinner, after a fat sermon, at Fatsty church, on a 

 fat-melting Sunday; the reverend personage's motion and 

 legs are peculiarly clerical. The beautiful story of Abdallah 

 and the Magic Candelabrum is told at a glance. Another 

 very admirable hit is at a dignified priest, creeping to duty 

 under the shade of a parasol, evidently (by his index-finger 

 and closed hand) giving his blessing, but no bawhee, to a 

 ragged wooden-legged soldier, holding out his hat, while 

 behind him his cocked-legged cur is stroaning against the 

 parson's gown. In the distance is seen the church, and a 

 yeoman sweating under a heavy load. This is just a swatch 

 of Bewick's way. The middle-aged gentleman on the garden- 

 screen is on a visit to the husband of his early love ; while 

 tkey are walking from him down the avenue, wishing him in 

 — heaven, or at home. A less fertile mind than his of Ab- 

 bqtsford might imagine a romance of terror by a glimpse at 



