This beautiful, accurate, animated,
and (I may really add) wonderful production, having passed through six
editions, each of very numerous impressions, is now universally known
and admired.
The first time I had _personal_ interview with my venerable friend
was at Newcastle upon Tyne, on Wednesday, October 1, 1823, after
perambulating the romantic regions of Cumberland and Westmoreland, with
my friend, John E. Bowman, Esq., F.L.S. We had been told that he retired
from his workbench on evenings to the "Blue Bell on the side," for the
purpose of reading the news. To this place we repaired, and readily
found ourselves in the presence of the great man. For my part, so warm
was my enthusiasm, that I could have rushed into his arms, as into
those of a parent or benefactor. He was sitting by the fire in a large
elbow-chair, smoking. He received us most kindly, and in a very few
minutes we felt as old friends. He appeared a large, athletic man, then
in his seventy-first year, with thick, bushy, black hair, retaining his
sight so completely as to read aloud rapidly the smallest type of a
newspaper. He was dressed in very plain, brown clothes, but of good
quality, with large flaps to his waistcoat, grey woollen stockings,
and large buckles.
Pages:
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58