president's address, 515 



they passed through the pretty grounds at Wylam Hall, and 

 then by the river-side — a most beautiful walk — to Ovingham. 

 After lingering a while in the churchyard there, admiring the 

 fine old church, and greatly interested in the tomb of my old 

 friend Thomas Bewick, whose remains lie within a few feet of 

 the west side of the tower, which bears a tablet to his niemoiy, 

 they wandered on in broken groups to Bywell. As they left 

 the spot, I could scarcely help yielding to a sort of reverie that 

 he was with us, and mingling cheerily in our pursuits. A 

 hale, well-built, hearty old man appeared among us, on leav- 

 ing the church-yard ; clad in black, with breeches, and worsted 

 stockings fitting tightly and neatly upon a well formed leg; 

 he wore a rather broad-brimmed black hat, and walked with 

 a stick, though so actively and firmly, that there seemed no 

 necessity for its use. He hailed me courteously, with a cheery 

 — "How do you do, Mr. Atkinson; you have a gay party 

 with you to-day!" "Yes," I said, "and you see we have 

 ladies among us, sir!" His eye beamed with kindness as he 

 glanced at them, and he paused and turned to me saying, al- 

 most solemnly, " Oh, sir, be as kind to them as ever you can !" 

 Joining a portion of the party, he said, "I dare say you would 

 like, now you have seen the tomb, to see the birthplace of 

 Bewick ? I will accompany you, if you please, so far on your 

 way, and point out Cherryburn." So we turned down the vil- 

 lage of Ovingham, the children (rather scared at first by the 

 largeness of our party) running out and placing themselves be- 

 fore him, fondly and fearlessly looking up into his kindly face 

 (for everything seemed to love him) ; and fondly he returned 

 their looks, patting the curly head of one, poking with his stick 

 the ribs of another, and chatting away to those near him, in a 

 simple, honest, powerful way, that was irresistibly attractive. 

 " Oh," he said, " you do well to get away from the town, and 

 see as much of God's works as you can ; I suppose you each of 

 you follow up some particular branch of Natural History, and 

 endeavour to make it as attractive as possible to your compa- 

 nions. Many a one in my time have I smittled with a love of 

 Ornithology. Well, well, you will find life all too short to 



