old method of cross-hatching, as we have mentioned, had been long lost; or, at least it had been entirely abandoned from the extraordinary difficulty of the only known manner of practising it. But Bewick produced nearly the same effects by another, and much simpler contrivance. Till his time, the block, when prepared for the press, presented only two varieties of surface, the parts which were intended to receive the ink and make the impression being left in relief; while all the rest of the wood was cut away to so great a depth, as entirely to prevent it from touching the paper. The consequence was, that the dark portions of the engraving were all of one shade, while the only other colour introduced was the pure white of the paper. But Bewick effected a variety of tints, and thereby a much truer and more natural perspective, by leaving certain parts of his blocks not quite so prominent as those that were intended to produce the darkest lines, while at the same time he did not lower them so much as altogether to prevent them from coming in contact with the paper when applied to take off the cut. The portions of the surface which were left in this state communicated an impression varying in depth of shade according to the degree in which the wood was scooped away; and the cut thus exhibited upon the paper all the gradations to be found in a copper-plate engraving. It is said that this improvement was first suggested to Bewick by his friend, the late Mr W. Bulmer (afterwards the eminent London printer), who was a native of Northumberland as well as himself, and, serving his apprenticeship in Newcastle at the same time, used always to take off the proofs of Bewick's cuts. To the skill and contrivance of the artist himself, however, we are doubtless to ascribe the first application and practical demonstration of the new method, as well as the subsequent improvements by which he eventually gave to it probably all the perfection of which it is susceptible. It would be out of place in a sketch like this to follow up what has been said by a catalogue of the various works which Mr Bewick gave to the world, after the period in his history at which we are now arrived, or which made their appearance illustrated by his embellishments. We have traced the steps by which he rose, through the force of his own talents and industry, to the head of his profession; and it is not necessary that we should pursue his career farther. Suffice it to say, that he amply sustained throughout the remainder of his long life the promise of his early progress. No man was ever more devoted to his profession. Its labours were as much his enjoyment as his business. He was always an early riser; and from the hour at which he got out of bed till evening, he was generally to be found at work, and whistling merrily all the while. For what are called the pleasures of society he cared very little; his social hours were passed in the midst of his family, or occasionally among a small number of select friends when the task of the day was done. Every thing in the least degree savouring of effeminate indulgence he despised. His ordinary exercise was walking; but he was fond of all the manly and invigorating sports of the country, and desired no better relaxation from the toils of the workshop than an occasional participation in such cheap and simple amusements. The whole economy of his life was regulated upon a principle of rigid temperance, as well as of the most steady and persevering exertion. He was remarkable at all times for the moderation with which he ate and drank; and in respect to other matters he showed such a contempt for luxury, that he generally slept, even in the depth of winter, with the windows of his chamber open, found the snow lying on his bed-clothes. For money, which men in general prize so highly, Bewick had all the indifference of a philosopher. The number of works which his unwearied application produced was, as might be expected, extraordinarily great. But he did not confine his studies and performances merely to the art in which he has chiefly earned his fame. He made himself competently acquainted with various branches of knowledge; and with natural history in particular he was intimately conversant. He also engraved occasionally on copper as well as on wood. Even the greater leisure which he was obliged to allow himself during the few last years of his life, when the infirmities of old age compelled him partially to relinquish his professional labours, was not given up to mere idleness. He availed himself of this release from his ordinary occupations to write a memoir of his own life, which is said to be composed with much minuteness of detail, and to be of considerable extent.* But to the very last hour of his existence his art continued to Occupy his thoughts. His last undertaking-directed, like most of those by which it had been preceded, mainly by an anxiety for the diffusion of sound knowledge and morality was the preparation of a series of cuts for the labouring part of the population, which might supplant the tasteless and often corrupting prints usually found among the embellishments of the cottage; and a proof impression of the first of this intended collection, a cut of an old horse, heading an address against cruelty to animals, was brought to him only two or three days before his death. This eminent artist and excellent man died on the 8th of November, 1828, in the 76th year of his age. * In the account of Bewick in vol. xiv, of the Annual Biography, to which we have been particularly indebted for the materials of this sketch. CHAPTER IX. Usefulness of such encouragements as the examples here given are calculated to afford to youthful genius in every department of study. Selfeducated Poets: John Taylor; Antonio Bianchi; Ramsay; Bloomfield. THE individuals with whom our last three chapters have been occupied have not earned their distinction by the cultivation of any branch of what is properly called science or literature; but their lives do not on that account furnish us with less suitable illustrations of the subject of the present work. Our object is to inculcate the importance, to demonstrate the practicability, and to point out the method, of intellectual improvement generally; and especially to make the young reader understand and feel, by an array of examples taken from every condition of society and every walk of mental exertion, that, in the pursuit of any description of knowledge, no difficulties arising from external circumstances can eventually resist a steady determination to excel; so that a man's success or failure in such an attempt depends, in fact, more upon himself than upon any circumstances in which he may be placed. Where ever, therefore, we have been able to find a case of extraordinary attainments made in despite of such obstacles as usually repress all endeavour after intellectual cultivation, we have not hesitated to bring it forward, whether it was that of an individual who had distinguished himself in philosophy, in scholarship, or in art. What we have wished to establish and make evident is, the power which every man really desirous of education has, in the absence of all aid from confined to the case of any particular sort of acquirement, but exists in nearly an equal degree in regard to every species of knowledge or skill, of which any one may be ambitious to possess himself. And one moment's consideration will show the vast importance of such a truth being generally diffused and felt in all its universality. How much apprehension and despondency would even those of the children of poverty and neglect, who have been eventually most successful in their efforts to educate themselves, been saved from, had they all possessed such an assurance as these examples are calculated to afford, that many others had triumphed in the same or a harder struggle before them? Would not this of itself have helped to smooth the roughest of their difficulties, and carried them forward on their way with new strength, even when their hearts were most ready to fail them? Nay, how many might not such an assurance have led to high attainments, and perhaps to achievements beneficial to themselves and to mankind, in some one of the various paths of intellectual enterprize, who, frightened by the apprehended arduousness of the task, have either never made an attempt to emancipate themselves from the ignorance in which they were reared; or, having begun the pursuit of knowledge, have stopped in their career ere they had made any considerable progress? Nor let it be said that the mere force of talent, where it really exists, will of itself be sufficient to overcome everything that may tend to repress it. Even genius of the highest order is often diffident, and easily dismayed; its quickness of sensibility makes it apprehensive, and prone both to exaggerate difficulties where they do exist, and to create them were they do not. On these accounts it frequently needs encouragement where a coarser nature, and faculties of immeasurably less real power, might safely be |