MEMOIR OP THOMAS BEWICK. 
25 
tliose now unique specimens of the “ ancient Caledo- 
nian breed.” For this purpose, Mr Bewick made a 
special visit to Chillingham, and the result was the 
largest wood-cut he ever engraved ; which, though it 
is considered as his chef d'ceuvre, seemed, in its con- 
sequences, to shew the limits within which wood- 
engraving should generally he confined. The block, 
after a few impressions had been taken oflf, split into 
several pieces, and remained so till, in the year 1817, 
the richly figured border having been removed, the 
pieces containing the figure of the wild bull were so 
firmly clamped together, as to bear the force of the 
press ; and impressions may still be had. A few 
proof-impressions on thin vellum of the original block, 
with the figured border, have sold as high as twenty 
guineas. 
As it obviously required much time, as well as 
labour, to collect, from various quarters, the materials 
for a “ General History of Quadrupeds,” it is evi- 
dent that much must have been done in other ways, 
in the regular course of ordinary business. In a 
country engraver's office, much of this requires no 
record ; but, during this interval, three works on 
copper seem to have been executed, chiefly by Mr 
Thomas Bewick. A small quarto volume, entitled, 
“ A Tour through Sweden, Lapland, &c., by Matthew 
