end of the "Memoir," bears his signature; and in the same book Miss Bewick says that her brother left behind him "about fifty highly-finished and accurately-coloured drawings of fishes from nature, together with a portion of the descriptive matter relating to the work," which he had purposed to complete, although he never carried out his intention. Perhaps, as he once told a gentleman at Newcastle, he was honestly "afeard," and recognised his incapacity to follow with credit in his father's footsteps. Of the three daughters, the youngest, Elizabeth, died in 1865. Jane, the eldest of the family, who edited the "Memoir," survived until 7th April 1881, being then ninetyfour. She is described as a most delightful and intelligent old lady, full of affectionate veneration for Thomas Bewick's memory, and abounding in anecdote respecting his works and ways. The only remaining member of the group, Isabella,

2

1 These drawings, which form part of the Bewick bequest to the British Museum, are very beautiful. Special attention may be drawn to those of the Gurnard, the Lump Sucker, and the John Dory.

2 An extract from one of her letters is printed at pp. 51-2 (note).

lingered for two years longer, and died in June 1883, aged ninety-three. Not long before her death she anticipated a bequest which she had agreed upon with her sister Jane, and transferred to the British Museum a number of watercolours and woodcuts by her father, his brother John, and his son. Some further family relicsengravings, books, and so forth-were lately (February 1884) sold at Newcastle by order of Miss Isabella Bewick's executors, who have also since presented several valuable portraits, drawings, and prints to the Newcastle Natural History Society's Museum.1 At a future sale, which is to take place in London, the blocks for the two volumes of the " Birds," the "Quadrupeds," the "Fables of Æsop," and the Memoir," all of which are said to be in excellent condition, will come under the hammer. These represent, or perhaps we should say include, most of Bewick's masterpieces. The remaining blocks of import

2

1 A list of these is to be found at the end of this volume. 2 This sale took place on the 6th May 1884, the blocks becoming the property of Messrs. Ward of Newcastle (Miss Bewick's legatees) for £2350.

ance, the "Select Fables" excepted, belong to Newcastle collectors,—the majority of them (¿.e. those for "Goldsmith's and Parnell's Poems," Somervile's "Chase," the "Hive," etc.) being at present in the hands of Mr. Robert Robinson, of Pilgrim Street. "Waiting for Death" and the "Chillingham Bull" are owned by Mr. Thomas Gow of Cambo; while Mr. T. W. U. Robinson, of Houghton-le-Spring, has the "Bay Pony" employed in 1801 as the frontispiece to the pamphlet entitled the "Sportsman's Friend."

There are numerous likenesses of Bewick. His grandniece, Miss Bewick of Cherryburn, has a picture of him when young by George Gray. Then there is the well-known engraving by T. A. Kidd in 1798, after Miss Kirkley. At West Street, when Miss Isabella Bewick died, were two portraits, one being that by Good of Berwick, which Audubon refers to; the other the original of the plate issued by Burnet in 1817, after James Ramsay. At the National Portrait Gallery is

1 This, together with the Good, the Kirkley, and Plymer's and Summerfield's miniatures, is now in the Newcastle Natural History Society's Museum.