152 



JOHN BEWICK. 



" Shakespeare Printing Office, Cleveland Row, St. James's. W. Bulmer having 

 long intended to execute a work at the Shakespeare Press that should at once combine 

 the various beauties of printing, type-founding, engraving on wood, and paper- 

 making, as well with a view to ascertain the near approach to perfection which 

 these had attained in this country as to invite a fair competition with the best typo- 

 graphic productions of other nations, he is now happy to inform the public that he 

 has finally completed his arrangements." 



These arrangements were made with a view to publish the volume, issued 

 in 1795, of poems by Goldsmith and Parnell, and the publishers promised 

 that 



" The volume, to render it in every respect curious and valuable, will be enriched 

 with twelve engravings on wood from the most interesting passages of the poems by 

 Thomas Bewick, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and John Bewick, of London, some of which 

 are of a large size, the whole forming the most extraordinary effort of the art of 

 engraving on wood that has ever been produced." 



This volume, and that of Somervile's poem " The Chase," issued the 

 following year, contain the finest of all the cuts designed by John Bewick. 

 Few of them, however, were engraved by him. 



Though not mentioned in the publisher's notice just quoted, there were 

 also other artists who aided in the designing and engraving of the illustra- 

 tions. Thomas Bewick's pupil, Robert Johnson, assisted, and his cousin, 

 John Johnson, drew the Hermit, here printed on p. 161. Charlton Nesbit 

 engraved the four vignettes for the "Traveller " and the "Deserted Village," 

 two of which are given on pp. 48 and 54 ; and R. Westall drew the large 

 design of the Traveller. 



John Bewick engraved the important block of the "Sad Historian" on 

 page 79. This is distinguishable from his brother's work by the lack of life 

 and natural growth in the foliage, and by the strong contrasts made by the 

 introduction of pure high lights and deep dark shadows. The drawing of the 

 figure is fine, however, and the details of the foreground are carefully 

 wrought out. The other cuts engraved by John are those on the title-pages 



