30 
MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK. 
engraving. Unfortunately for the arts, it was the 
last work of the younger Bewick, who died at the 
close of 1795, of a pulmonary complaint, probably 
contracted by too great application. He is justly 
described in the monumental inscription in Oving- 
ham church-yard, as “ only excelled as to his inge- 
nuity as an artist by his conduct as a man.” Pre- 
viously, however, to his death, he had drawn the 
whole of the designs for the Chase on the blocks, 
except one ; and the whole were beautifully engraved 
by his brother Thomas. 
In 1797, Messrs Beilby and Bewick published 
the first volume of the “ History of British Birds,” 
comprising the land-birds. This work contains an 
account of the various feathered tribes, either con- 
stantlyresiding in, or occasionally visiting, our islands. 
While Bewick was engraving the cuts (almost all 
faithfully delineated from nature), Mr Beilby w r as 
engaged in furnishing the w r ritten descriptions. Some 
unlucky misunderstandings having arisen about the 
appropriation of this part of the work, a separation 
of interests took place between the parties, and the 
compilation and completion of the second volume, 
Water-birds,” devolved on Mr Bewick alone — 
subject, however, to the literary corrections of the 
Rev. Henry Cotes, Vicar of Bedlington. In the 
