THOMAS BEWICK. 



55 



influence of the last named Bewick obtained a quantity of wood blocks to 

 engrave, and, having made a short inspection of the sights of London, he 

 commenced to labour at them assiduously. Mention is made by Atkinson in 

 his Memoir that Bewick was employed by a certain person called B. Cole, an 

 engraver, but neither he nor Chatto, who quotes the incident in " The 

 Treatise on Wood Engraving," is able to point to any works by an engraver 

 of that name ; the latter saying that he could not discover any trace of 

 such a person. Cole, however, is known as an engraver on copper, and 

 he executed many well-finished and almost superior plates for works published 

 both before and after the time Bewick was with him. The engraving work 

 of these is clear and well drawn, evidently having been made by one who knew 

 his business.* Carnan and Newbery, the famous publishers of Goldsmith's 

 works, also engaged Bewick for some time, and the connection then begun 

 lasted for many years. Bewick's younger brother John also did many blocks 

 for their publications, a number of which are mentioned further on under the 

 dates of their first issue. Thomas Hodgson, a printer and publisher, a 

 native of Newcastle, also gave Bewick many commissions, having promised 

 them before Bewick arrived in London, a circumstance which no doubt had 

 made him impatient to leave Newcastle. 



But though affairs in a business way were prosperous, privately Bewick 

 was far from happy, and earnestly desired to be back to his native place. 

 Twenty-seven years afterwards he wrote to one of his former schoolmates 

 recalling his experience, and giving the result of his residence in London ; 

 concluding his remarks by saying that he " would rather be herding sheep on 

 Mickley bank-top than remain in London, although by so doing I was to be 

 made Premier of England." Rightly or wrongly, he was continually 

 squabbling among the young Londoners with whom he came in contact. 



* B. Cole engraved the vignettes in " Orpheus Britannicus," a collection of songs set to music ; the frontispiece to 

 Draper's edition of iEsop's Fables; the coat<of arms in A. Young's "Dissertation on Religion," 1784, &c. There 

 was also an I. Cole, an engraver, who lived earlier. 



