THOMAS BEWICK. 



121 



limbs is particularly admirable, and it shows how perfectly true to nature 

 Bewick could be when he had the opportunity to draw from the life. The 

 attitude of the insatiable animal is quite statuesque, and in skilful hands 

 would make a startling alto-relievo. The Panther, Leopard, Ounce, and 

 Jaguar are hardly so striking, but reveal much skill in avoiding " spotti- 

 ness " in the fur. They are, however, superior to the Couguar and the 

 Black Tiger, the latter being spoiled by an excess of lightness given to 

 the left hind leg, which makes it seem to have no connection with the 

 remainder of the animal. The Ocelot, taken from life, is a pretty cut, the 

 Marguay not so good, and the Serval is greatly hurt by the depth of the 

 spots on its coat, although the engraving of the head is delicate. The Wild 

 Cat has a sense of largeness, but is somewhat stiff, and the Domestic Cat 

 is neither a finely drawn nor a favourable specimen of its race, considering 

 Bewick's fondness for cats and the many opportunities he had to make 

 studies of them. The Lynx, like the Black Tiger, suffers from the endeavour 

 to gain force by accentuating the lighter parts ; and the Caracal finishes 

 the species, being a fairly powerful drawing. 



Of the Weasels the engravings are all careful and well drawn, but the 

 forms of the animals do not allow of much artistic beauty. The best are 

 the Stoat, the Foumart — which has a little story connected with it, given in 

 the text — and the Ichneumon, with a background similar to that in the 

 Camel. The Racoon is also cleverly drawn. 



The text mentions that the Sand Bear was taken from one kept in the 

 Tower, and very probably was sketched by Bewick when he was in London 

 in 1776, or perhaps was drawn by John Bewick, who was resident in 

 London at the time it was done. After the Glutton we have the Brown 

 Bear, a very poor design considering the many times Bewick must have 

 seen it perambulating the country. The Black Bear is not very good 

 either, and the print of the Polar Bear is most unsatisfactory. In the 

 second edition it is replaced by a more natural representation. The Striped 



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