The merit of the work, however, did not consist merely in the execu tion of the cuts. Bewick drew all the designs himself ; the drawing was in general remarkably c9rrect, and tho backgrounds and little vignettes full of the most natural expression, simplicity, feeling. and beauty. The success of the History of Quiulrupeds' led immediately to the commencement of a' History of British Birds,' of which the first volume appeared in 1797, and the second in 1804. Bewick had now taken pupils, and in this work was materially assisted by them.
From this epoch the art has continued to flourish. The pupils of Bewick were numerous, and possessed of great talent ; the celebrity of their master procured them immediate employment. Illustrated works became fashionable, at first at very high prices, but by degrees at lower rates, and particularly by the example of the' Penny Magazine,' wherein it was proved that a low price was not inconsistent with a high degree of excellence in the art of wood-engraving ; and as it was thus brought within the reach of the very poorest, the public were fami liarised with tho best specimens, and a large sale was ensured.
For the purpose of illustrating books. wood-engraving is peculiarly adapted. Being worked in the same manner as type, impressions are produced with great rapidity. Any number of cuts may be printed at once on a sheet of paper that will come into the press or machine, and an almost infinite number of impressions may be taken otr without material injury to them. This seems the proper purpose of the art. The attempts which have been made to imitate the effects of copper plates are misapplied, and the endeavours have been failures. The extreme neatness, length and sweep of line, and bold outline of the copper cannot be reached in wood-engravings ; while in depth of shadow and effect they equal even mezzotint, with more distinctness of detail.
It is not necessary to detail the history of wood-engraving beyond this period, as many of Bewick's immediate successors are yet living.
Within the last few years, also, the wood-engravers of France, and also of Germany, have made such progress in improvement as to become no contemptible rivals of their English brethren. Nor is it any part of our plan to give practical instructions for engraving, which can only be effectively learned by instruction and practice. A description of the process, as practised in his time, is given by Papillon, in his Traits hiatorique et pratique de la Gravure en Bois,' 1766; and a far more detailed account, with all the modern improvements, by Mr. Jackson, in the Treatise on Wood-Engraving,' already mentioned. We will only observe that one of the greatest practical improvements, that of lowering the surface of the blocks in parts, so as to graduate the shadows into the lights, was, though not invented, yet brought into use by Bewick, nearly all his blocks being so prepared for working ; and that box is the wood now universally used for engraving upon.
(Ottley, Inquiry into the History of Engraving on Copper and Wood; Singer, Researches Into the History of Playing-Cards ; W. A. Chatto and John Jackson, Treatise on the of historical and practical. With upwards of three hundred Illustrations, engraved on Wood ; W. A. Chatto, Origin of Playing-Cards ; Heineken, Idle Ginerale dune Collection contplette d'Estanyes ; Emlric, David. Hist. de la Gravure en ladle deuce et de la brat-are err, This; Jean Duchesne, Jeux de Cartes tarots et de Caries nurnerales da XIV' an XVII]. sleds (published by the Soci6t6 des Bibliophiles Francais); Heller, Gesehichte der Holzsehneid,kunst.)