52 



THOMAS BEWICK. 



except in the Shepherd reading, p. 1 12 of the " Birds" (1804), in one of the 

 cuts in Goldsmith's and Parnell's Poems, and in the "Sportsman's Friend," 

 there are no designs which give strong impress of his life amongst the hills. 



When at Stirling, Bewick's landlord marvelled at him, an engraver, not 

 carrying his easily packed implements of work with him, as he could have 

 made money by engraving seals and crests for the better-class people among 

 whom he travelled. But Bewick preferred to have a thorough holiday from 

 all work, and though we cannot but regret the time thus in one sense lost, yet 

 the leisure must have been useful for him in maturing his mind, and adding to 

 his knowledge of human character. 



Returning to Edinburgh, he prepared to sail for the north of England, 

 and after having some not unusual experiences of sailing vessels, he 

 got back to his native place on August 12th, 1776. The three guineas 

 that his mother provided had lasted well. After his prolonged journey 

 he still had something left on reaching home. The unwillingness of 

 the Highlanders to take payment was the primary reason for the small 

 expenditure, and Bewick adds that " my friends in Newcastle quizzed 

 me not a little for having, as they termed it, begged my way through 

 Scotland." 



During the years 1775 and 1776 no work of importance, except the "Select 

 Fables," appears to have been done by Bewick. Beilby and Angus gave him 

 some commissions, but they must have been principally seal cutting and metal 

 engraving, for there is no record of other contemporary publications in wood 

 engraving. The time indeed was purely probationary — a period between the 

 term of apprenticeship and the actual labours of the journeyman; between 

 that of one being taught and the fully furnished worker ; between pupilage 

 and mastery. The time was not for action only, but also for thought and 

 preparation ; for the mind to take counsel with itself as to its future course of 

 labour. And though Bewick's first undertaking after this period was not 

 immediately carried through — to make his name famous in London — he had 



