The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and
Instruction, by Various

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Title: The Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction
Vol. XX. No. 557., Saturday, July 14, 1832

Author: Various

Release Date: June 11, 2004 [EBook #12583]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MIRROR OF LITERATURE, NO. 557 ***

Produced by Jonathan Ingram, Allen Siddle and PG Distributed Proofreaders

THE MIRROR OF LITERATURE, AMUSEMENT, AND INSTRUCTION.

VOL. XX. No. 557.] SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1832. [Price 2d.

* * * * *

[Illustration: BIRTHPLACE OF BEWICK, THE ENGRAVER.]

The above cottage stands in the village of Cherryburn, near Ovingham, on
the banks of the Tyne, about twelve miles west of Newcastle.

In this humble dwelling, hitherto of "unlettered fame," was born, August
12, 1753, THOMAS BEWICK, the celebrated artist and engraver on wood; or
more strictly speaking, the reviver of this branch of art. His whole life
was one of untiring industry and ardent attachment to the object of his
study--the only sure passport to success--which it is truly delightful to
contemplate: from the first dawnings of his early genius to the enthusiasm
that led him to examine proofs of wood-engravings on the morning of his
death. His life is exemplary, inasmuch as it illustrates the homely maxim,
that every man is the architect of his own fortune. Apart from this
consideration, the memory of Bewick should be cherished by all our readers;
since he re-invented the ingenious means by which we are enabled to
embellish unsparingly each of our weekly sheets.[1]

Of Bewick's genius, and personal habits, many interesting particulars have
been preserved. From his earliest years he delighted, above all things, in
observing the habits of animals; and it was his fondness for this study
that gave rise, while he was yet a boy, to his first attempts in drawing.
Long before he had received instruction in that art, he used to delineate
his favourites of the lower creation with great accuracy and spirit. His
introduction to the regular study of his future profession w