150 Mr. Atkinson's Sketch of the late T. Bewick. 



which had not before come under his observation ; on consulting Bew- 

 ick's Birds, he unhesitatingly recognized the Pied Fit/catcher, and as 

 the author in his description of this bird, seems somewhat at a loss up- 

 on the subject of its nidification, we called on him that he might have 

 the benefit of our observations : he was exceedingly kind, and ex- 

 pressed himself obliged, taking memoranda on the margin of an edition 

 of the Birds, seemingly kept for the purpose, as it was, to all appear- 

 ance, pretty full of such notes. 



At that time, and he scarcely changed during my intimacy with him, 

 he was a stout fine looking old man, five feet ten or eleven inches in 

 height, very well made, with nothing remarkable in his costume, except 

 a brown silk cap, which he usually wore when sitting at work. 



When animated in conversation, and he was seldom otherwise, his 

 eye was peculiarly fine, and imparted a vivacity to his countenance 

 very difficult to describe or forget : there was more of intelligent be- 

 nevolence and candour 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 

 discussing the beauties and wonders of nature, or subjects of equal 

 interest. 



Between the two extremes, there was a wonderous versatility of ex- 

 pression, which never for a moment suffered his countenance to remain 

 the same ; in his younger days a painter of the name of Bell tried 

 sedulously for more than three weeks to paint a likeness of him, and was 

 compelled at last to give it up, with the declaration that it was impos- 

 sible to paint him. 



He usually kept a quid of tobacco in his under lip, as represented by 

 Bailey in the bust, and when he became energetic transferred it pro 

 tempore to the table before him, and resumed it when his fervour was 

 abated. 



I do not think that any of the prints published of Bewick, are good 

 likenesses, though I am told Burnett's engraving from Ramsay's 

 painting, was so at the time it was taken ; it always struck me that 

 there was a round stout vulgarity about them, which he had not, and I 



