The Bears and the Bees. "Select Fables" of 1776 and 1784. From the original block engraved by 

 Thomas Bewick. Lent by the Rev. Mr. Pearson. 



CHAPTER IV. 



FIRST ATTEMPTS AT WOOD ENGRAVING. 



I "HE time had now arrived when Bewick was allowed to apply himself 

 A steadily to the art by which he is known to the world. At first his 

 exercise with Ralph Beilby, his master, was to copy a set of published designs 

 styled "Copeland's Heraldic Ornaments," and — to quote his own words — 

 "this was the only kind of drawing upon which I ever had a lesson given to 

 me by any one. I was never a pupil to any drawing master, and had not 

 even a lesson from William Beilby or his brother Thomas, who, along with 

 their other professions, were also drawing masters." This is written in 

 good faith, and is perfectly credible as far as it goes ; but, although no formal 

 lesson was ever received by Bewick, yet the mere fact of his being at times 



