THOMAS BEWICK. 



255 



many so-called proofs. Bewick's blocks having been worked by hand, and 

 " lowered " in the soft parts of the engravings, they vary considerably in their 

 impressions. Therefore, though the chances are that the proof is really the 

 better, it may and does occur in individual instances that the prints of 

 the volumes possess greater brilliancy than the proofs. The Vignettes, 

 published without text in book form in 1827, are usually lovely prints, 

 while the Figures of Birds and Quadrupeds of 1824 are not particularly fine. 



The several editions of the Fables are volumes containing much that is 

 characteristic of Bewick. The 1776 " Select Fables," described at page 28, 

 though Bewick is said to have denied being their author, contain many 

 blocks that are undoubtedly his, and a proof of the Cat and the Sparrow (on 

 our page 30) is in the Bewick Collection in the British Museum. This book 

 it is now almost impossible to obtain. The 1784 edition of the same is 

 altogether a superior work (see page 74), and is also rare. Several later 

 editions of it have been published, all of which are worth possessing, especially 

 the edition de luxe by Mr. Pearson mentioned in note at page 74. 

 Gay's Fables, 1779 (see page 42), many times reprinted, contain the block 

 of the Hound and the Huntsman, which marks an important passage in 

 Bewick's history. The 181 8 " Fables of /Esop " (see page 229), the last of 

 Bewick's work in this way, make an elegant volume. The Poems of Gold- 

 smith and Parnell, and the Chase, by W. Somervile, contain many excellent 

 productions of both Thomas and John Bewick, as well as of Thomas's pupils. 

 They are described at pages 152 and 155, and while these are indispensable 

 for a good collection, they are fortunately not very difficult to find. 



The following are other volumes possessing works full of attraction by 

 Thomas Bewick : — Hutton's " Mensuration," described at page 25, contains 

 the first cut Bewick did of St. Nicholas' steeple. " The Hieroglyphick Bible," 

 noticed at page 58, has a number of interesting blocks, and " Tommy Trip's 

 History of Birds and Beasts " (page 69) holds the earliest series of represen- 

 tations of animals by Bewick. The " Tour through Sweden " (page 87) has 



