THOMAS BEWICK. 



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his tastes and ideas, and cared little for things which did not affect his life 

 or his art. In religious matters he was an earnest Christian, and a member 

 of the Church of England, while he considered that "every man should be 

 welcome to follow his own opinions" on this all-important subject. "Para- 

 dise," he said, "was of every man's own making; all evil caused by the 

 abuse of free-will; happiness equally distributed, and in every one's reach." 

 " Oh ! " he said, " this is a bonny, world as God made it; but man makes a 

 pack-horse of Providence." 



In this quiet, brave, and earnest spirit Thomas Bewick lived and died. 

 The few small controversies of his life throw no shade on his character, and 

 whether as a son, a husband, a father, a friend, or a citizen, there was nothing 

 in his career on which a favourable verdict cannot be pronounced. His works 

 have been spoken of at great length in this volume, and his position in Art — 

 both in his own peculiar branch and in relation to Art generally — has been 

 indicated. With many men of genius, history has to overlook faults of life or 

 character, and to keep alive only their public works as subjects of admiration. 

 But the biographer who can point to his hero as not only great in accom- 

 plishments and intellect, but as " wearing the white flower of a blameless 

 life," has a pleasant task throughout, and this gratification must belong to 

 all who dwell in detail on the Life and Works of Thomas Bewick. 



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