78 



THOMAS BEWICK. 



to have been an incident that happened in Bewick's own family at Cherry 

 burn. 



The second edition of 1,800 having sold as rapidly as the 1,600 copies of 

 the first, Bewick made arrangements to print a third, which was published in 

 1792. This was almost a reprint of the previous year's volume ; no animals 

 were added, but five new tail-piece vignettes were inserted, and the whole of 

 them rearranged, and blocks repeated in the other edition were now only 

 printed once. The new tail-pieces are a Tiger waiting to spring on an 

 Antelope, which is seen running along half suspicious that danger is 

 near (page 192); Ruins of an Ancient Castle (page 236); an Eagle 

 with a hare preparing to make a meal of it, though the victim is rather 

 unconcerned in the matter (page 344) ; a Weasel and bird (page 357) ; and 

 a boy dragging a toy cart in which a playmate is seated. In the letterpress 

 there was a note added at page 392, containing information regarding a 

 new use of mole-skins in the manufacture of hats. The number of copies, 

 price, and size were the same as in the second edition. 



Bewick was now deeply engaged with the publication of the Birds, and 

 not employing himself with another edition of the Quadrupeds for some time, 

 the fourth did not appear until February 22nd, 1800, nearly three years after 

 the issue of the first volume of the Birds. This edition was more scientific than 

 any of the three earlier ones ; to the vulgar names of the animals the Linnaean 

 and Buffonian were added ; and the work appeared more ambitious, though 

 it is doubtful if all the changes were improvements. An innovation was made 

 in the size of the copies, as 230 were issued in imperial 8vo, and uniform 

 with the largest paper of the Birds, the price being a guinea; and there 

 were 300 royal 8vo at 15s., and 100 on demy 8vo at half-a-guinea. 



The publication of this gave rise to some misunderstandings between 

 those concerned in the returns, and it was decided that Bewick, Beilby, and 

 Hodgson should each have a third part of the edition, and sell it as best he 

 might. Beilby had retired from the publishing business, and he sold his portion 



