Travelling in the Snow. By Thomas Bewick. From the "Treatise on Wood Engraving," first edition, 1839. 



" Oh, now that the genius of Bewick were mine, 

 And the skill which he learn'd on the Banks of the Tyne ! 

 When the Muses might deal with me just as they chose, 

 For I'd take my last leave, both of verse and of prose. 

 What feats would I work with my magical hand ! 

 Book learning and books should be banished the land." 



Wordsworth's Lyrical Ballads, 



CHAPTER XXVII. 



GENERAL SURVEY CHARACTER OF THOMAS BEWICK. 



T N looking over the lengthy list of the engraved works of Thomas Bewick 

 one cannot fail to be struck with the large amount of labour crowded 

 into one life, long though it undoubtedly was. Subjects of almost every kind 

 have been treated, many successfully, a very few unfortunately. Transparent 

 moving water, portraiture, and the inexhaustible varieties of cloud form are 

 among the latter ; but the real triumphs lie in the representations of 

 birds and beasts ; of foliage ; of fishes ; of purely English landscapes ; and 

 of expressive human figures; anglers, sportsmen, old men and women, 

 sturdy beggars, tired travellers, and playful children, all abounding in 

 character such as no one but Bewick has been able to portray in black and 

 white with boxwood and graver. 



Thomas Bewick found Wood Engraving in such a condition as hardly to 

 deserve the appellation of Art, but he left it very much in the position we 

 possess it at the present time. Changes we have had since his day — 



