CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I.

Introductory—Parentage—Birth, 1753—Mickley School—Ovingham School—First attempts at drawing—Hunting parties—Sheep—Shelter for sheep in snow storms—Birds—Border songs and laments—Earl of Derwentwater—Whins food for cattle[1–13]

CHAPTER II.

Employments in spring—Angling—Mischievous pranks—Floggings at school—Ghosts and Boggles—Change in the mind—Man-fights, dog-fights, cock-fights—Fear of ghosts entertained by the bulk of the people—Meet the Devil going a-guising—Miss Gregson’s reproof—Mr. Gregson’s lecture—Birds and their nests—Ants—Bees [14–31]

CHAPTER III.

Description of Cherryburn—The surrounding common—The peasantry—Will Bewick—Anthony Liddell—Thos. Forster—John Chapman—Their peculiarities and way of life—The very old men—Their avidity for news—Old Soldiers—John Cowie—Ben Garlick—Their enthusiastic description of the battles they had fought—The Borderers—Their propensity for war and rapine—Their names—The farmers of Tyneside—The lairds—The gentry—Plan of the late Duke of Northumberland for raising the character of the peasantry—Parish relief degrading—Proposed iron works at Eltringham—Failure of the scheme [32–49]

CHAPTER IV.

Sent on trial to Ralph Beilby, engraver—Day of the binding arrives—Grief on leaving the country—Call at the parsonage, Ovingham—Assembling of the villagers at the church-yard gates—Betty Kell’s luck penny—Journey to Newcastle, accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Gregson and his son—Lecture—Christopher Gregson bound on the same day—Scrape at King Jamie’s Well—New master and his discipline—Sketch of the Family—Copy Copeland’s Ornaments—Block out the diagrams for Charles Hutton’s work—Etch sword-blades for W. and N. Oley, of Shotley Bridge—Coarse work of the shop—Silversmiths’ work—Wood cut of George and the Dragon—Cuts for Children’s books—Story Teller—Gay’s Fables—Select Fables—Obtain a premium for the cut of the old hound—Mr. Gregson’s congratulations thereupon [50–61]

CHAPTER V.

Lodge with Mrs. Blackett—Gilbert Gray—His excellent character—Lodge at Hatfields—Scamps and tramps—Rise early and obtain access to my master’s books, and to those at the workshop of Wm. Gray—Religious books—Become unwell—Dr. Bailes prescribes—Recommends temperance and exercise—Walks to Elswick Whey-house—Bread and milk diet—Walks to Cherryburn after shop hours—Reflections on getting into debt—William Bulmer, printer—Robert Pollard, engraver—Thomas Spence—His vagaries—George Gray—His worthy character—Engrave cuts for Dr. Hutton’s Mathematical Works, 1773, and for Dr. Horsley’s edition of Sir Isaac Newton’s works, 1778—Bird catchers and bird dealers—Profligate men—Serjeant Hymers—Whittaker Shadforth—Practise the manual exercise—Miss Beilby—Her death[62–79]

CHAPTER VI.

Expiration of apprenticeship, 1774—Return to Cherryburn—Employed on wood cuts for printers—Remain at Cherryburn till 1776—Beauty of Tyneside—Hunting—Angling—Northumberland pipes—Pedestrian tour to Cumberland—Carlisle—Langholm—Hawick— Selkirk—Dalkeith—Edinburgh—Border scenery—Auld Reekie—Walk to Glasgow—To Dumbarton—Smollett’s monument on the side of the Leven—Walk through the Highlands of Scotland—Grandeur of the scenery—Admiration of the people—Their dwellings—Their loyalty to Prince Charles—Their hospitality—Fairs and trysts—Scotch music and dancing—Leave the Highlands with regret—Walk to Stirling—Thence by Linlithgow to Edinburgh—Return to Newcastle by sea[80–93]

CHAPTER VII.

Visit London, 1776—Meeting with friends and schoolfellows—Execute wood cuts for Isaac Taylor—Meet with Serjeant Hymers—Wood cuts for Thomas Hodgson—Work for Mr. Carnan and Mr. Newberry—Fallen women and their misery—Reverse of the picture—Celebrated preachers—Religions of different sects—Preference for the Church of England—Offer of procuring employment with Mr. Pingo of the Mint—Surplus cash, how disposed of—Dislike to London—Determine to leave it—Mr. Taylor remonstrates on the subject—Mr. Hodgson’s kind offer to furnish employment—His legacy—Leave London by sea—Arrive at Newcastle, 1777 [94–104]

CHAPTER VIII.

Fit up a work bench at Hatfields—Offer of partnership with Mr. Beilby—Reflections thereon—Brother John Bewick—His amiable disposition—His talent—Visits to Cherryburn with him—His early death, 1795—Angling—River-side scenery—Change of the seasons—Reflections—Hardy constitution [105–114]

CHAPTER IX.

Presentiment of a change at Cherryburn—Death of father, mother, and sister, 1785—Sketches of their characters—Visits to Cherryburn cease—George Parkin—Diabolical attempt on his life [115–123]

CHAPTER X.

Isaac Hymen—Mr. Langlands—Matthew Prior—American war—Alfred the Great—Become acquainted with a society of literary young men—Their dinners—Their songs—Northumberland pipes introduced at the Theatre—Peacock—Cant—John Bowman—His skill on the fife [124–134]

CHAPTER XI.

Thomas Lawson—Walk to York with Philip Gregson—Return by Borough Bridge—Darlington—Westward by Bowes—Over Stainmore—To Penrith and Ainstable—To Cherryburn and Newcastle—Perambulation to Berwick—Stop at Elwick—Nearly swept away by the tide in crossing to Holy Island—Speeches delivered at Alnwick—Swarley’s Club—Wood cuts for Hutchinson’s History of Durham—For Walker, of Hereford—For Nicholson, of Ludlow—For Bulmer’s publications of Parnell’s Hermit and Goldsmith’s Deserted Village—Copper plates for Sir Harry Liddell’s tour to Lapland—Canal plates, 1796 [135–143]

CHAPTER XII.

Commence the History of Quadrupeds with the wood cut of the Dromedary, 1785—Rev. R. Oliphant—Rev. T. Hornby—Marriage with Miss Elliot—Her death, 1826—Visit to Chillingham, 1789—Large wood cut of the Chillingham Bull—Visit John Bell at Eslington—Make a drawing there of a Newfoundland dog—Illness of Rev. C. Gregson—His death, 1790—His estimable character [144–152]

CHAPTER XIII.

Commence first volume of the History of Birds—Charmed with the subject—Ornithological works of that day—Correspondence with friends and amateurs on the subject—Visit Mr. Tunstal’s museum at Wycliffe, 1791—Make drawings of birds there—Lodge with John Goundry—Rev. Dr. Zouch—His hospitality—His liberality of sentiment—Christians and Christianity—Thoughts on the Deity—Man in Society—Genus homo—Canine race—Their instincts—Return from Wycliffe—Visit an old schoolfellow—Preserved birds superseded by birds newly shot—Birds sent by General Dalbiac, Lieutenant-Colonel Dalton, Major Shore, Major H. F. Gibson, and from all parts of the kingdom—First volume of History of Birds finished at press, 1797—Mr. Beilby retires—Gratitude a rare virtue—Carelessness in money matters—Second volume of the Birds published, 1804—Additions to the first volume—Severe confinement and application—Motives for labours—Encouraged by amateurs [153–165]

CHAPTER XIV.

Natural History retarded by the work of the shop—Writing engraving—Plates for bank notes—Prevention of forgery—Carlisle bank note—King George III. approves of this note—Correspondence with S. Thornton, Esq., 1801—Ends in nothing—Commission appointed to investigate the subject of forgery, 1818—Engrave plates for the Berwick Bank—The Northumberland Bank—Gave in a plan to the commissioners—The leading objects permanency, &c.—Correspondence with Sir Joseph Banks on the subject—Fairman, Perkins, and Heath—Their specimens—Opinions of the commissioners delivered in the House of Commons by Mr. Pierce—Sir William Congreve a commissioner—His successful operations [166–171]

CHAPTER XV.

Illness, 1812—Æsop’s Fables commenced—An arduous undertaking—Published, 1818—Remarks on the French Revolution, 1789—Causes of it—War declared by England, 1793—Waste of life and treasure—Apathy of country gentlemen—Remarks on the loyalty of that day—Valour of British seamen—Rise in the value of land—Incites to agricultural improvements—Messrs. Bailey and Culley—Their agricultural reports—Mr. Smith’s Cheviot sheep—Make a drawing of a ram—Sagacity of the shepherd’s dog—Fat cattle for Durham report [172–184]

CHAPTER XVI.

Further remarks on the measures and supporters of Mr. Pitt—Witches—Their treatment—Consequences of ignorance—Mr. Pitt’s motives—General Bonaparte’s victories—His ambition and consequent ruin—Reflections on war and its horrors—What might have been done with the men and the money—The moss-troopers—Their ferocity [185–189]

CHAPTER XVII.

Gifts of Omnipotence to the human race—Duty of man to cultivate these gifts—Consequences of neglecting these duties—Education to be given to every one—An imperative duty upon the community—To check the reasoning power a crime—Masters and servants—Equality impossible—Patriotism a first duty—Alfred the Great—Foundation of England’s glory laid by him—Free discussion should be encouraged—Review of past transactions—Foreign despots and demi-oligarchs—Loans wrung from the people—Jacobins, Levellers, and Radicals—Fears for the safety of Great Britain—The King can settle this question, and entitle himself to the gratitude of posterity [190–199]

CHAPTER XVIII.

Major Cartwright—Disapprove of his scheme of universal suffrage—Elections may be simplified—Wasteful expenditure to be avoided—Holy Alliance—Spain and Italy—Superstition—Society for the Suppression of Vice—Constitutional Association—Its object—Betrayers of innocence, robbers of widows—Tattoo their backs—Criminals—Plan to redeem their characters—Laws of England—Need of revision—The learned professions—Preference for medical men [200–207]

CHAPTER XIX.

Remarks on the education of children—Their health and pursuits—Education of girls—Horticulture and Floriculture recommended to ladies—Freeholders—Their duties—Oaths—Immorality—Profligacy—Thoughts on marriage—Education of boys [208–217]

CHAPTER XX.

The game laws—Riflemen—The fisheries—Grants in feudal times—A change necessary—The way to effect this—Remuneration to the present owners—Salmon formerly abundant in the Tyne—Spawning places—Weirs and dams—Impure water—Appointment of vigilant guards—Destruction of Salmon by the porpoise—Suggestions for catching the porpoise—Uses to which they may be applied—Necessity of protecting the parent fishes—Incredible number of the fry—The angler—Angling ought to be unchecked—Preserved waters debar the angler—Formation of Waltonian Societies recommended—Their duties—Constant beating of the streams to be discountenanced—Pought nets—Catching the fry in mill-races, and liming the burns, to be prohibited—Angling and its delights—Beautiful scenery—Permanent pools may be stocked with eels—Further reflections on the subject [218–230]

CHAPTER XXI.

Visit Edinburgh, 1823—Kind attentions shown—Morning walks to Elswick Lane—Contemplations in church-yards—Thoughts on monuments—Inscriptions on rocks—Erection of pillars over copious springs [231–236]

CHAPTER XXII.

First efforts in engraving on wood—Progress—Difficulties to contend with—Albert Durer—His cross-hatching and drawings on the wood—Printing from two or three blocks—Artists of the present day—Improved methods of Printing wood blocks—Attempt at colour on the wood—Lowering the back-ground—Stronger lines left to protect the cut—A delicate fac known to have printed above 900,000 impressions [237–244]

CHAPTER XXIII.

Prints from large blocks formerly in use in cottages—Great variety of the subjects—Blocks printed in colours—Gubitz of Berlin—Impressions from duplicate and triplicate blocks, by J. B. Jackson—Stroke engraving—Its capabilities in landscape—William Woollett—His unequalled landscapes on copper—His probable excellence as a wood engraver, so as to rival copper—Further notice of John Bewick and R. E. Bewick [245–250]

CHAPTER XXIV.

Advice to artists—Difficulties of choosing a profession—Study of nature to be preferred—Old masters—Their varied excellences—Poetry and painting—Musical talent—Beauty of wild scenery—Thompson—Allan Ramsay [251–257]

CHAPTER XXV.

The Bible—The sublime precepts it contains—The Israelites—Intentions of Omnipotence—Wonders of the universe—The deluge—Early history of mankind—The Bible the first instrument of knowledge—A future state [258–264]

CHAPTER XXVI.

Interpretation of the Scriptures—The mind, the soul, and the reasoning powers of man—Religion natural and necessary to man—The inspired Author of Christianity—His pure and perfect doctrines [265–270]

CHAPTER XXVII.

The miracle of creation—Adoration due to the great Author of the whole—Paganism and succeeding errors—Evils of intolerance—Good effected by monks of old—The Reformation—American institutions—Established clergy—Their learning and acquirements—Fanaticism—Ravings of Ranters [271–277]

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Religion and philosophy conjoined necessary to human happiness—Selection of clergymen—Wonders of the universe—Intended for the contemplation of every human being—Revenues of the clergy—More equal division recommended—Ireland and the Irish-Catholic emancipation—Absentees—Protestants and Catholics—Reflections on the value of religious education—Colleges for the purpose—No limit to the improvement of the human mind—Nor to the capabilities of the human frame [278–285]
FINAL [286]
APPENDIX [289–344]
FOOTNOTES[345]

MEMOIR OF THOMAS BEWICK.