BEVIS OF HAMP'TON, Sir (also known as Bevis of Southampton. and in French as Ben d'Ilantone). An English knight whose adven tures in Britain, Europe. and Palestine are the theme of prose and verse by old English, French, and Italian writers. The era in which he hived was variously placed by them in the time of King Arthur. of Edgar of Britain, and of Charlemagne. His father, Sir Guy, Earl of liamptoun, was mur dered by Divoun, Emperor of Almayne, and his mother gave him to some merchants, who sold hint as a slave to the Paynim. They carried him to Ernumy. where lie married Josiah, a daughter of King Ermyn. Josian gave Bevis his famous horse, Arundel, which figures in many of the leg ends about him, and he also had a wonderful sword. Morglay. llis exploits included the slaughter of a huge boar, two sea-serpents, and a dragon, and lie also conquered the giant AseaP ard, who became his squire. Another legend de scribes his carrying his own death warrant in a sealed letter to the vassal Brademond, his escape after seven years' imprisonment. and his rescue of his wife, who had been forced to marry King Mombrannt. His last great adventure was a fight in the streets of London, in which he slew G0,000 citizens, and forced favorable terms from King Edgar. Consult Kolbling, in Ellis's Earty English Metrical Romances (1885-94). BEWICK, bit/1k, THOMAS (1753-1828). An English engraver, the founder of modern wood engraving. He was born at Cherryburn House, near Newcastle-on-Tyne, August 12, 1753. and was in 1767 apprenticed to Ralph Beilby at New castle. The most important tasks were soon assigned to the talented lad. His first work of importance was a series of cuts for children's books, the best of which appeared in the 1775 edition of Gay's Fables. At the close of his ap prenticeship in 1770, Ile went to London, but soon returned to Newcastle, where he formed a partnership with Beilby. His most important productions of the following years were another edition of Gay's Fables (1779) and Select Fables (1784). In these works his designs were
based on previous prints, upon which, however, he greatly improved. He obtained a fine oppor tunity to follow his own designs in the General History of Quadrupeds (1790). At this time he also engraved what is regarded by many as his masterpiece, a large print entitled "The Chilling ham Bull" (1789). His greatest work, however, is the History of British Birds (2 vols., 1797, 1804), in which he displays a close and admirable observation of nature, coupled with intense humor and pathos. Excellent also are his cuts for the History of English Fishes, a work which he did not live to complete; they appeared in the eighth edition of British Birds (1847 ). A num ber of works were executed by his pupils under his supervision, but the only one of importance was an edition of iEsop's Fables (1818), in which he was assisted by his son Robert. His last work, entitled "Waiting for Death," represents on old. worn-out horse, with great pathos and truth. He died November 8, 1828, at Newcastle. Bewick's important place in the history of art is due to the fact that be, more than any other man, was instrumental in the modern revival of wood engraving, which had sunk into disuse. He was one of the first to cut into the end of the block instead of the side, as was the ancient practice, and, more important than this, he was the in ventor of the white line, the essential feature of modern engraving, in which the design is cut into the block instead of being left standing (see Woon-ENGRAVING). Consult his own Memoir (London, 1846), and especially Thomson, Life and Works of Remick (ib., 1882) ; Dobson. Be wick and His Pupils (ib., 1S84). The British Museum possesses an admirable collection of his prints, presented by his sister.