The Dromedary. " The General History of Quadrupeds." 



CHAPTER XIII. 



PREPARATION FOR "THE HISTORY OF QUADRUPEDS." THE CHILLINGHAM BULL. 



' I "UESDAY, the 15th day of November, 1785, was an eventful day for 



Bewick. While it was, as has been related, the omega of his worthy 

 father, so was it the alpha of an enterprise by which he was to take his stand 

 as one of the worthy workers of his age. After long and careful premedita- 

 tion, he that day commenced to engrave the first wood block for the "General 

 History of Quadrupeds" — the figure of the Dromedary, afterwards placed 

 at page 122 of the first edition of the finished work. Bewick did not 

 comprehend that his father was so ill, or we may be sure he would not have 

 been found working as usual when the messenger arrived with the doleful 

 tidings. He performed the last sad duties to his parent, and, as every one 

 must do, heavy-hearted or light, went on again with his daily toil. 



Bewick having been in later years publicly taxed with receiving credit to 

 which he had no just claim, in having conceived and carried out the "History 

 of Quadrupeds," he published a detailed account of the origin and progress 

 of the work. At a later stage we shall consider the reason for this attack on 



