THOMAS BEWICK. 



nature. From the little window of the tiny bedchamber at Cherryburn he 

 early observed how the seasons changed from the beginning of spring to 

 the end of autumn: how "the bushes and trees began to put forth their 

 buds, and make the face of nature look gay," until the first frosts of autumn 

 bared the branches, and clad the landscape in another and quite as wonderful 

 covering. Besides taking notice of these varying aspects, he was commencing 

 to put his thoughts and feelings into actual shape. When at the parsonage 

 school he filled the unoccupied portion of his books and slate with sketches 

 of any object which came before him, and when the blank spaces of the 

 books were full, he occupied his play-hours among the gravestones and in 

 the church porch by drawing figures with a piece of chalk. 



Thus Bewick went on, spending his time between his lessons, his parents' 

 errands, and his chalky sketches. His teacher ridiculed him, and his father 

 reproached him for "mis-spending his time in such idle pursuits." But 

 without much heed of the punishments inflicted by either, he persevered 

 in making the best he could of the poor implements for drawing he pos- 

 sessed, until a friend who had taken an interest in the boy's doings presented 

 him with some paper to sketch on. This being supplemented by brushes 

 and colours, he was then able to make proper drawings. Hitherto he had 

 found it necessary to work on his knees with his chalk ; at home, he relates, 

 he had covered much of the stone floor with his sketches ; but now he was 

 able to sit at table. At first by pen, ink, and a little blackberry -juice, and 

 afterwards with his brushes and shells of colours, he made representations 

 of animals and figures, or whatever took his fancy. In the eyes of the 

 rustics of the hamlet these drawings appeared like the revelations of a great 

 painter. It must have been at this time that Bewick first felt the inde- 

 scribable pleasure of having his works admired. They were indeed only 

 the first weak movements of the designer who was afterwards to soar so 

 high above his contemporaries; the beginnings of the moralist whose 

 achievements were yet to hit hard at the frailties of his associates. But to 



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