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THOMAS BEWICK. 



grand lectures of our day on ' the dignity of labour.' They were expected, however, 

 to take in their turn certain servile duties, which always fell to the lot of the last- 

 comer. One of these was to go to the well-known ' pant ' of ' The Two Sisters,' so 

 called from its twin spouts, at the head of the Side. A pitcher stood in the shop 

 from which the men refreshed themselves, and it had to be replenished at least once 

 a day. A youth of the ' better class ' of society having entered upon his novitiate 

 was duly informed that he would be expected to act as water-carrier ; but he stoutly 

 refused to undertake what he deemed a degrading duty. Bewick heard of this dire 

 revolt ; but instead of administering a storm of rebuke, he donned his hat and coat, 

 seized the obnoxious jug, and quickly desiring the youth to follow him, sallied forth 

 to the 'pant.' The unusual sight was immediately the subject of gossip. Mary Jane 

 told Sally, maid told mistress, and scores of gossips rushed out to see ' Bewick 

 carrying the jug.' The news spread like wild-fire ; and on the return of master 

 with jug and apprentice without, the reason having leaked out of 'this strange 

 eventful history,' the hapless lad was smothered with ridicule and reproach by 

 groups of tittering women and girls. The lesson was not forgotten. It was the 

 first and last time Bewick carried the water-jug past Amen Corner." 



Among these pupils was Isaac Nicholson, who was, a fellow-apprentice 

 afterwards said, "one of Bewick's cleverest scholars had his ambition cor- 

 responded with his taste." He achieved some distinction in his profession, 

 and executed many cuts in the style of his master, illustrating works on 

 Fables, Quadrupeds, Birds, History of England, Robinson Crusoe, and 

 others. He died in 1848. Another of Bewick's favourite pupils, and the 

 one who succeeded Nicholson, was William Harvey, who was born at New- 

 castle in 1796, and who entered the workshop about 1810. Harvey and a 

 succeeding apprentice who joined shortly after him, W. W. Temple, were the 

 scholars on whom Bewick afterwards leant for considerable aid. It is acknow- 

 ledged in Bewick's Memoir that Harvey greatly assisted him with the cuts 

 for the Fables, published in 1818. Harvey left Newcastle for London in 181 7, 

 and from that time was engaged in drawing and engraving many important 

 works. Two years previously, in 18 15, Bewick gave his much-esteemed 

 apprentice a New Year's gift of a copy of the Birds, and with it a charac- 

 teristic letter which is quoted in the " Treatise on Wood Engraving." This 

 contains a small piece of personal history, for there is no doubt, however 



