THOMAS BEWICK. 



131 



engraved. Pennant says, " I admire greatly Mr. Bewick's ingenuity. 

 The moment I can make him useful I will. To make him known, if that is 

 your wish, I would immediately strain a point." 



The patronising tone adopted in this note is less observable in the one 

 dated July 17th, 1786, in which Pennant again writes to Allan, " I have bought 

 [subscribed for ?] Mr. Bewick's pretty book of Quadrupeds. As I am most 

 interested in illustrating my own work with prints, let me beg your interest 

 for some of his. I have some claim on Mr. Bewick, as my works are a con- 

 siderable help to him." 



Various negotiations between Bewick and him appear to have taken place, 

 and the engraver executed at least one block for the celebrated natural his - 

 torian. In a letter to Pennant, dated December 31st, 1792, Allan says, 

 " Bewick cut an animal of the dog genus, whereof he sent me an impression. 

 What do you call it ? I see he has advertised a third edition of the Quad- 

 rupeds." The reply by Pennant, dated Downing, January 13th, 1793, says, 

 " The animal you mention is the Aye Aye of Madagascar, a species of 

 squirrel.* I rejoice at Bewick's success." In another letter, dated Downing, 

 July 13th, 1798, Pennant further says, ". . . . I enclose this in a cover to 

 the ingenious Mr. Bewick, from whom I was happy in receiving a letter, 

 supposing he was no more. He is a wondrous artist." 



What a world of difference lies between the promise of 1783 — "the 

 moment I can make him useful I will" — and the perfect note of praise, pro- 

 nouncing him "a wondrous artist," little more than fourteen years later. A 

 toilsome journey it had been for Bewick during these years, with difficulties 

 and disagreements to contend with, and many obstacles to overcome. But 

 these fourteen years were not always beset with difficulties. Many a time 

 since the publication of the Fables and the Quadrupeds had he had 



* The figure is to be found in Pennant's " History of Quadrupeds," the third edition, vol. ii. p. 142. Pennant 

 died Dec. 16th, 1798. Allan died May 18th, 1800. 



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