THOMAS BEWICK. 



7i 



and immediately succeeding years were figures of ships used in advertise- 

 ments of sailings, figures of Britannia for the headings of foreign news, 

 the headings of the Newcastle Chronicle, the Newcastle Journal, the New- 

 castle Courant, the Newcastle Advertiser, and, some years afterwards, the 

 Durham Chronicle. There was also a cut employed for many years in 

 the Newcastle Chronicle for local news, being a view of the "canny toon," 

 and it is said that over a million impressions were taken from it before it 

 was laid aside. This is the cut referred to by Bewick in his Memoir, 

 being the one he selected to give the most convincing proof of the 

 durability of wood. It is a favourite saying with some that " nothing is 

 softer than metal, nothing harder than wood," for engraving purposes ; but, 

 without altogether endorsing this statement, it may be said that in an 

 ordinary way a good wood engraving will print many hundreds without its 

 beauty being impaired. For large publications, however, it is almost a 

 universal custom nowadays to print from electrotypes, which, if well done, 

 make the number of impressions to be taken from a wood engraving 

 practically unlimited. At the time referred to this process was not intro- 

 duced, and Bewick expresses himself of the opinion that the manner in which 

 this little block kept so long in fair condition was his having surrounded it 

 by a strong black line, a little higher than the actual engraved surface ; thus 

 protecting the work both from damage if roughly printed from, or if carelessly 

 left lying about when not on the press. 



Of the newspaper headings the one done for the Newcastle Courant was 

 the most important ; it represents an oak-tree against which stand three 

 shields bearing the arms of Newcastle, Northumberland, and Durham ; in 

 the distance the steeple of St. Nicholas is seen ; while from each side of the 

 tree couriers are riding at full speed bearing their news, with " Hie et 

 ubique" at the foot of the cut to give a key to the composition. The block, 

 being in constant use, became somewhat worn (showing that there is a very 

 decided limit to the employment of wood), and was often re-engraved. In 



