The UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE for DECEMBER, 1793. 401

MEMOIRS of the LIFE and WORKS of GEORGE EDWARDS,
F. R. S. and F. S. A. With a fine Portrait of that eminent Naturalift.

GE
EORGE EDWARDS, an eminent
naturalift, and especially diflin-
guifhed by his knowledge and deli-
neations of birds, was born on the
3d of April 1693, at Stratford, a
hamlet belonging to Weft-Ham, in
Effex. Some of his early years were
paffed under the tuition of a clergy-
man of the name of Hewit, who was
then mafter of a public fchool at Lay-
tonstone, a few miles diflant from the
place of young Edwards' birth. Upon
quitting this fchool, he was placed
with another minifter of the establish
ed church at Brentwood; after which,
being defigned by his parents for
bufinefs, he was put apprentice to a
tradefman in Fenchurch-ftreet. He
was particularly happy in his mafter,
who treated him with great kindnefs
and civility; and who, befides his
being a man of a flrict regard to re-
ligion, and the uncommon quifica-
tion of being well skilled in the learned
languages. About the middle of the
term of Mr. Edwards' apprenticeship,
an event happened, which gave a ci-
rection to his future ftudies. Upon
the death of Dr. Nicholas, a perfon
of eminence in the phyfical world, and
a relation of Edwards' master, the
doflor's books, which were very nu-
merous, were removed to our ap-
prentice's apartment. So unexpected
an opportunity of acquiring know-
ledge was not loft upon him. He
availed himself of it with eagernefs,
and paffed all the leifure of the day,
and not unfrequently a confiderable
part of the night, in turning over
Dr. Nicholas' collections of Natural
Hiftory, Sculpture, Painting, Aftro-
nomy, and Antiquities. From this
time, Mr. Edwards' expectation of
obtaining that opulence which com-
merce beftows on her affiduous vo-
taries ceased. The fhop and the ex-
change were deprived of all their de-
lights; and, on the expiration of his
fervitude, he formed the defign of

VOL. XCIII.

An

travelling into foreign countries, for
the purpose of improving his tafte
and enlarging his mind. His firft
voyage was to Holland, for which he
took fhipping in 1716, and vifited
most of the principal towns of the
United Provinces. After an abfence
of a month, he returned to England,
and continued two years unemployed
in London and its neighbourhood;
though not, we may fuppofe, with-
out increafing his acquaintance with
natural hiftory. His next voyage
was Norway, whither he went at the
invitation of a gentleman who was
difpofed to be his friend, and whofe
nephew was mafter of the vessel in
which Mr. Edwards embarked.
active and philofophical mind, like
his, could not avoid being highly
gratified with the new fcenes which
were prefented to him by a country
that was diverfified with rocks of
ftupendous magnitude, and trees of
unfading verdure, and where fome of
the natives had fcarcely experienced
the arts of civilization. The fun,
during his ftay, fet only to rife; and
few hours were allotted by him to
fleep. Sometimes he wandered on
the banks of the creeks, the haunts
of fea-fowls, and other rude birds,
where no articulate voice was heard.
At other feafons, he remarked the
progrefs of vegetation among the hills;
and, while he was employed, he fre-
quently experienced, among the in.
habitants of the mountains, that hof-
pitality which flourishes lefs vigorously
in more civilized countries. In his
excurfion to Frederick ftadt, he was
not distant from the cannon of Charles
the twelfth of Sweden, who was then
engaged in the fiege of Frederick-
fhall; before which place that un-
fortunate monarch loft his life. By
this circumftance Mr. Edwards was
prevented from vifiting Sweden, the
Swedish army being particularly affi-
duous in confining frangers. Not-
withstanding

3 E

with landing all his precaution, and his folicitude to give no offence on either fide, he was once confined by the Danish guard, who fuppofed him to be a spy employed by the enemy to procure intelligence of the'r defigns. However, upon obtaining teftimonials of his innocer ce, a releale was grant

ed.

ter.

In July 1718, Mr. Edwards embarked for England, and, foon after his arrival in London, retired to his native place, where he spent the win But being defirous of vifiting France, he went, in 1719, by way of Dieppe to Paris; and, having feen the curiofities of that city, took a lodging in a village called Greencourt, fituated in the great park of Verfailles. His view in doing this was to enlarge his knowledge of natural hiftory; but, to his no fmall mortification, there was not, at that time, a living creature in the menagery. As the court, during the king's minority, did not refide at Verfailles, the famous collection of animals had been fo totally neglected, that they were all either dead or difperfed. Being difappointed in this tefpe&, Mr. Edwards amufed himself with the pompous cavalcades, and expofitions of reliques, in the feveral churches and religious houfes; and he paid particular attention to the labours of the fculptor and painter in the public buildings. While he refided in France, he made two journeys of a hundred miles each. The firit was to Chalons in Champagne, in the month of May 1720: the fecond was on foot, to Oricans and Bleis. This was performed in a difguifed habit, with the defign of efcaping thofe fons of rapine who make their depredations on travellers. The fcheme happened to be peculiarly hazardous: for, an edit had recently been iffued to fecure va grants, in order to tranfport them to America, the banks of the Miffifippi ftanding in need of population; the confequence of which was, that our philosopher narrowly efenped a wof torn voyage.

5

On Mr. Edwards' return to Eng land, he clofely purfued his favourite ftudy of natural history; applying himfelf to the drawing and colouring of fuch animals as fell under his notice. His earlieft care was rather to preferve natural than picturefque beauty. Birds first engaged his particular attention; and, fome of the best pictures of thefe fubjects being purchased by him, he was induced to make a few drawings of his own. Thefe were admired by the curious, who, by paying a good price for them, encouraged our young naturalift to proceed with vigour in his labours. James Theobald, efq. of Lambeth, a gentleman zealous for the promotion of fcience, was one of Mr. Edwards' firt patrons and benefactors. Being thus unexpectedly encouraged, our artist increafed in fkill and affiduity, and procured, by his application to his favourite pursuit, a decent fubfiftence and a large acquaintance. Nevertheless, he remitted his induftry in 171, and, in company with two of his relations, made an excurfion to Holland and Brabant. He was not, however, here ufclefsly employed; for he collected several scarce books and prints, and had an opportunity of examining the original pictures of various great mafters, at Antwerp, Bruffels, Utrecht, and other large cities.

In December 1733, by the recommendation of fir Hans Slcane, bart. prefident of the college of phyfician, Mr. Edwards was chofen their libra rian, and had apartments affigned him in the college. This, which was the principal epocha of his private life, fixed him in an office that was parti cularly agreeable to his tafte and inclination. He had now an opportu nity of a conant recourfe to a valuable library, filled with fcarce and curious books on thofe fubjects of natural hiftory which he moft affiduoufly ftudied. By degrees he became one of the most eminent ornithologifts in our own or any other country; and in this refpe&t his merit is fo well

known,

known, that it cannot be called in question. It may particularly be obferved, that he never trufted to others what he could perform himself; and that he often found it fo difficult to give fatisfaction to his own mind, that he frequently made three or four drawings to delineate the object in its moft lively character, attitude, and representation.

thirty-nine birds, and to which are
added fixteen plates of ferpents, fishes,
and infects. This was the laft volume
which Mr. Edwards at that time in-
tended to publifh, and he feems to
have confidered it as the moft perfect
of his productions in natural history;
on which account he dedicated it to
the Supreme Being. The dedication
was, without doubt, very piously de-
figned, but the wisdom of it cannot
be commended. Such an affumption
is too great for any human creature,
and the few inftances of the kind that
have occurred in the hiftory of litera-
ture have always been jufly difap-
proved. Perhaps fome of our readers
may wish to fee in what manner our
naturalift expreffed himself in this ex-
traordinary dedication.
It was as
follows:

To GOD,

the One Eternal! the Incomprehenfible! the Omniprefent, the Omnifcient, and Almighty Creator of all Things that exist! from Orbs immeniurably great, to the minuteft points of matter, this Atom is dedicated and devoted, with all poffible Gratitude, Humiliation, Worship, and the higheft Adoration both of Budy and Mind,

In 1743, Mr. Edwards exhibited to the world an admirable specimen of his labours, in the appearance of the first volume of the Hittory of Birds.' It was published in quarto, on royal paper, and contains fixtyone birds, and two quadrupeds, moft of which had not either been delineated or defcribed before. They are engraved on fifty-two plates, from original drawings, exacly coloured, with full and accurate defcriptions. This volume is dedicated to the Prefident and Fellows of the Royal College of Phyficians, whofe favours and affittance are acknowledged by the author with the utmoft gratitude. The defcriptions were publifhed likewife in the French language, for the ufe of foreigners, as is the cafe in, the fucceeding volumes. Mr. Edwards' fubfcribers having exceeded his most fanguine expectations, a fecond volume of The Hiftory of Birds' appeared in 1747, dedicated to fir Hans Sloane, then phycian to his majefty, and whofe merit as a naturalift is too univerfally known, both at home and Though, from our author's addrefs, abroad, to require any diflint fpeci- to the Deity, it might be furmiled fication in this place. Sir Háns' that he meant to have difcontinued his friendship to our author is mentioned labours, his mind was too active, and in the dedicat on with all the warmth his love of knowledge too ardent, for of a grateful and feeling heart. The him to reft fatisfed with what He had volume contains fixty-one birds and already done. Accordingly, in 1758, two quadrupeds, engraved on fifty-two he published his first volume of Cleancopper plates, with defcriptions. In ings of Natural Hiftory, exhibiting 1750, was published the third volume, feventy different birds, files, infeas, containing the fame number of plates, and plants, most of which were before and fifty-nine birds. It was dedicated non-defcripts, coloured from nature, to the Prefident, Council, and Fel- on fifty copper plates. This volume lows of the Royal Society. was dedicated to the Truees of the British Mufeum. A judicious periodical critic, in fpeaking of the work, hath paid the following tribute to our

Our author's fourth volume came from the prefs in 1751, comprehending thirtyfeven plates, on which are engraved

by

His moft refigned,

low, and humble, Creature,

3 E 2

GEORGE EDWARDS.

author's