224 



THOMAS BEWICK. 



in the Literary and Philosophical Institution, Newcastle-on-Tyne. A cabinet 

 full-length seated portrait of the engraver, painted by T. S. Good, of Sunder- 

 land, also belongs to Miss Bewick, and the water-colour by Nicholson 

 (recently etched) is the property of Mr. T. Crawhall, Newcastle. Dr. Joly, 

 Dublin, has two pencil portraits of Bewick, one by Ranson, the other by 

 Meyer.* 



On the visit of the Grand Duke Nicholas (afterwards the Emperor of 

 Russia, against whom "General Fevrier turned traitor"), in 1816, to New- 

 castle, Bewick was put on the list of notables, and on December 13th "he 

 had the honour of laying before the Grand Duke some specimens of his skill 

 in the art of engraving on wood," as the local papers said ; " and of explain- 

 ing the mode of execution, of which his Highness was pleased to express 

 approbation." 



In March, 181 8, Bewick gave details of his method , of preventing bank- 

 note forgeries to Sir M. W. Ridley, at the time when a Parliamentary Com- 

 mission was appointed to inquire into the great increase of false notes. 

 In May Bewick further communicated with Ridley, asking him to lay his 

 plans before the Commission. These were to print bank-note paper for the 

 use of country banks with elaborate borders, which would be extremely 

 difficult and very expensive to imitate ; the Government to exact duties on 

 the papers sold ready to be filled up, rather than to stamp those submitted by 

 the bank. In September Bewick wrote to Sir Joseph Banks, President of the 

 Royal Society, on the same subject, stating, besides, that almost any number 

 could be printed from the blocks prepared by his method. 



In 1 8 19 Bewick received a letter from the Secretary to the Parliamentary 

 Commission, in answer to his communication, in which he was told, "With 

 regard to that part of your letter which relates to country banks, it does not 

 appear to come within the limits of the Commissioners' duties, but rather to 



* A Bewick admirer, residing in London, possesses a portrait in oil which he purchased as being a likeness of 

 Bewick, after Good. The resemblance is very strong, but after careful inquiry the owner has not been able to 

 ascertain the original proprietor or verify the artist's name. 



