9 6 



THOMAS BEWICK. 



One of his remarks in a letter written to his brother John, dated January 9th, 

 1788, is, " I am glad to find that a large collection of animals is now on its 

 way to this town. They are expected here on the latter end of this month. 

 They consist of various kinds of the Ape tribe, Porcupine, Tiger-cat, and 

 Tiger, Greenland Bear, and one of the fiercest Lions, very lately brought 

 over, that ever made its appearance on this island ; so I expect to have the 

 opportunity of doing such of them as I want from the Life."* It may seem 

 strange to those who reside near Zoological Gardens that a writer on animals 

 should not see anything better than a menagerie, and it may be thought 

 to indicate that Bewick was in error not to make himself more familiarly 

 acquainted with their living appearance ; but it is to be remembered that 

 the menageries which perambulated the country a century ago were of a 

 much higher class than the present-day ordinary visitors to fairs and markets. 

 Bewick drew sketches of the animals from memory, and, as opportunities 

 such as these presented themselves, corrected his drawings from the living 

 animals. This work necessarily was slow, both on account of the difficulty of 

 obtaining specimens, and because the first consideration of the partners was 

 the ordinary business of the workshop. It was only after the " pot-boiling " 

 labours of the day had been got through that they thought themselves 

 justified in proceeding with what was to them, as yet, only a doubtful 

 speculation. 



Beilby did nothing to assist with the engravings, his part of the work being 

 confined to writing the descriptions, and in this, as the 1805 letter says, 

 Bewick gave him considerable assistance. At the same time it is only just 

 to Beilby to say that his manner of composition was of great assistance to 

 the success of the book, for the notes on the animals are ample without being 

 elaborate, and complete for the purpose without being abstruse. In future 

 editions some modification of the letterpress was made, but the main 

 principle, to give clear, accurate, and readable accounts of the animals, was 



* "Transactions of the Natural History Society of Newcastle, etc., 1878." 



