for many years, including a part of those of my apprenticeship, my master and self were fully employed upon such work as i have named before, from silversmiths, watchmakers, and hardwaremen; but a new customer (isaac hymen, a jew), came in the way with his seal-cutting orders, which amounted to more, in that way, than all the rest put together. this man, besides his box of watches, trinkets, &c., had gathered together a large collection of impressions of well-cut seals; and, being a man of good address, and a good singer, had introduced himself into coffee-rooms frequented by gentlemen and respectable tradesmen, where he exhibited his impressions as the work of his own hands; and, by this management—for he knew nothing whatever of engraving—he got orders. somehow or other, it was propagated throughout the town that his seals surpassed by far anything we ever did, or could do; and, although we had done the whole of his orders, this was believed, and there seemed to be only one opinion as to his very superior excellence. i remember once rising early in the morning, and working till late at night, and, on that day, cutting five steel seals with cyphers and initials, for which our common wholesale charge was 3s. 6d., and to our private customers, 5s. for these he charged 12s. 6d. each to his friends. he observed to me, on my remarking to him on his extravagant charges, “that it was foolish in us to do as we did;” and, for himself, he said, “you know, i must live.” my wages for the short time i worked for my master, after i was out of my apprenticeship, was a guinea per week, but isaac offered me two guineas if i would travel with him. the travelling part i should have liked well enough, but not to travel with a jew. he went on in this way, with his orders, till we had no other customer in that department; and my master then, as well as when i became his partner, often expressed himself highly chagrined that some of his old private friends went past him, and even joined others in lessening our work. our friend isaac continued long uninterruptedly thus to carry all before him, till some of our old customers became irritated at him, and particularly a watchmaker, who took great pains to open out and expose the business. isaac then left newcastle, and report said he was found dead on the road between sunderland and durham. i have often seen, in london,—and perhaps the same may be observed in every large town,—“the pale artist ply his sickly trade,” to keep in affluence such managing, money-making, pretended artists as isaac hymen; and this must continue to be the case so long as gentlemen will not go themselves to the fountain head, and be at the pains to encourage merit.
our main supporter in the silver engraving, was john langlands, who was of a cheerful, hospitable, and charitable disposition, full of stories and anecdotes, and who greatly esteemed men of ability, integrity, and industry. these he never forgot when age or infirmities brought them down. he then shook hands with them as he had done before, but his own mostly concealed his token of respect—a half guinea. i spent many a cheerful evening in mr. l.’s house, in company with others who also partook of his hospitable board. the most remarkable of these was matthew prior, who had the character of being one of the best mechanics in the kingdom. he was assay master, a musical instrument maker, and a turner, in which last he particularly excelled. the many remarkable pieces of dexterous workmanship he had done in that way drew upon him the notice of many gentlemen in the two northern counties, with whom also, as an angler, a sportsman, and a jovial companion, he was a welcome guest. it happened, on some pretence or other, that an attempt was made to take away the assay business from newcastle, which occasioned prior to be sent for, to be examined by (i believe) a committee of the house of commons, as to his ability in conducting that business. the ease, the clearness, as well as the straight-forward way in which he answered all questions excited some surprise, as well as approbation. when questioned as to the accuracy of his scale-beam, he said a hair clipped from the back of his hand would turn his scales either way. for a wager, he turned two billiard balls of such equal weights that the difference was as nothing. he was of a most independent cast of character, and open and frank in his conversation. it had been reported that prior had said of a proud, high-minded gentleman that “he durst do what neither the gentleman nor any of his family dared do.” prior had never said any such thing; but this gentleman took him to task about it, and, with great indignation, accused him of saying so. at this, prior, in his turn, felt offended, and told him, though he had never said so, he would now say so to his face. this produced a wager between them; and matthew told him he would double the bet if he pleased. “now,” said the gentleman, in high ill-humour, “what is it you dare do?” “do!” said prior, “i dare spend the last shilling i have in the world!”[23]
during a great part of the time i have been noticing, the american war was going on. the “press” broke out just after i landed in london, and, to escape the gang, one of our crew came and took refuge with me. this poor fellow, a decent man, had in his youth been on board a ship of war; and, as far as concerned himself, he said he did not mind going again; but the thoughts of being dragged from his family threw him into very great distress. political writings and debatings sometimes ran very high between those who were advocates for a system of corruption, and profited by the taxes, and those who were advocates for the liberties of mankind; but it always appeared to me that a very great majority of the people were decidedly against the war. these writings and debatings, which the war occasioned, certainly served greatly to alter the notions and the opinions of the people respecting the purity of the british government, and its representative system; and this attempt at doing it away altogether in america seemed a prelude to the same system of misrule, when, by slower degrees, a future opportunity offered for doing it away at home. in these political debatings, the question was often asked, “whether the government was made for the people, or the people for the government?” great numbers, who hoped for the best, still clung to the government under which they had been brought up, and had been taught to revere as excellency itself. while others were contending whether a kingly government or a republic was best, it was generally admitted that a deal might be said pro and con; for many examples might be adduced of mal-administration under both forms. some of these disputants would repeat what pope had said—
“for modes of faith let graceless zealots fight,
his can’t be wrong whose life is in the right;
for forms of government, it is confest
that which is best administered is best.”
in england the people may boast that their forefathers had a king, in alfred the great, the wisest, the bravest, and the best the world ever knew; by whose excellent conduct was laid the foundation of the liberties of his country, and from the influence of which there can be no doubt that the english language will be spoken over the whole globe. were kings to endeavour to follow his example, and ever to keep in mind that they and their ministers ought to consider themselves as a royal society for the promotion of arts and sciences, and of everything that can enlighten the minds and ameliorate the condition of mankind, they would do right. kings would then reign in the hearts of the great overwhelming mass of the people, and no confederacy or conspiracy of nobles or others could ever upset their rule. but, while they continue to suffer themselves to be surrounded by flatterers, sycophants, and selfish knaves, no good need be expected; for they are thus brought up, like petted children, and have not the same chance of becoming wise as other men. thus situated, they are to be pitied. one would think that the respectable part of the old nobility, or other opulent men of great abilities, might be found with patriotism enough to perform the offices of the ministry gratis, scorning high salaries, and only looking to honourable distinction. this would of itself put an end to corruption. justices of the peace take the very great trouble of acting their parts gratuitously; churchwardens and overseers do the same; and why do not the great and rich men of the land follow the praiseworthy example?
in reverting back to take another look at the american war, one may reckon to a certainty of its having been made the subject of debatings, and of furnishing matter for the thinking part of mankind, over the whole of the civilised world. george the third and his advisers did not, perhaps, think of this, nor its consequences; neither did they ever contemplate the mighty events they were thus bringing about in rearing and establishing the wisest and greatest republic and nation the world ever saw. when its immense territory is filled with an enlightened population, and its government, like a rock, founded on the liberties and the rights of man, it is beyond human comprehension to foresee the strides the nation will make towards perfection. it is likely they will cast a compassionate eye on the rest of the world, grovelling under arbitrary power, banish it from the face of the earth, and kill despots with a frown. one would fain hope, however, that kings and their advisers will coolly reflect upon the improving intellect of mankind, and take measures to govern in a way more befitting the state of the people over whom they are called upon to rule.
during the long continuance of this war, and the debatings as before noticed, i became acquainted with a number of young men of a literary turn, who had a library of books. i did not join their society, but i sometimes dined with them at their annual, cheerful dinner. i was never fond of public dinners or dining parties; and i think i would not have partaken with them had i not been tempted to do so by way of bearing their songs, with which i felt much charmed, but particularly with the scotch songs, with which one of the members (walter cannaway) used so highly to delight the company on these occasions. he, according to my notions, was the best singer i ever heard. i have always been more charmed with the human voice, when well attuned, than with any instrumental music whatever; and his voice was extremely good. many others, perhaps, might have as good a voice, and as correct an ear for music as he, and would have been equally as charming had they not been spoiled by the fashion they had got into to please the surfeited tastes of coxcombical connoisseurs and a vitiated, aping public. i have ever been much disgusted to hear and see these spoiled performers, quavering and spinning out their unnatural falsetto voices until almost spent. it showed well how long-winded these kind of performers were, but i never could sit to hear any of them; as it appeared to me to be anything but music, or music run mad.
on my first going to business, i had an opportunity of sometimes hearing musical concerts. my master belonged to a musical society; and, when i had any message to take to him, i was commonly invited to remain. the two sons of charles avison, the musical composer, belonged to this society, and mr. beilby and family were on terms of intimacy with them. i also occasionally heard the band at the theatre, but i cannot say i felt much pleasure in listening to them, and i well remember on one occasion of setting them aside. the late mr. dibden, who often called upon me, had some performance to exhibit at our theatre, and had quarrelled with the theatrical band on account of their exorbitant demands; and, in this dilemma, he expressed himself much disappointed, and knew not what to do. i told him i thought, if he would leave the matter to me, i could set all right; and i instantly applied to old wm. lamshaw, the duke of northumberland’s piper, to play at the theatre. i being well-acquainted with the old man, he readily assented. i then told my friend dibden what i had done, and satisfied him as to the preference the audience would give to the piper. in this i was not mistaken; for all went well off, and everyone expressed both pleasure and surprise at the change.
some time before the american war broke out, there had been a lack of musical performers in our streets, and in this interval, i used to engage john peacock, our inimitable performer, to play on the northumberland or small pipes; and with his old tunes, his lilts, his pauses, and his variations, i was always excessively pleased. at one time i was afraid that these old times, and this ancient instrument, might, from neglect of encouragement, get out of use, and i did everything in my power to prevent this, and to revive it, by urging peacock to teach pupils to become masters of this kind of music; and i flatter myself that my efforts were not lost. i was afraid that the northumberland family were beginning to feel indifferent, or to overlook these their ancient minstrels, who had for ages past been much esteemed, and kept in attendance by their forefathers. it was, however, with great pleasure i found that they had appointed william cant,[24] a pupil of old william lamshaw, to be piper to the northumberland regiment of militia; and he kept up with great spirit and effect this department of their music while he remained in the regiment. nor was the regiment behind in the other departments of music; for it was allowed by judges that their fifers and drummers were inferior to none in the kingdom. one man, in particular—john bowman—it was asserted, was the best performer on the fife that was “known in the world.” certain it is that every year for twenty-two years, he challenged the fifers of every regiment stationed in newcastle, to a trial of skill on that instrument; but none of them could compete with him. he could draw out tones from it the most soft and graceful, as well as the most stunning and loud, such as the ear could not endure in a room, and which were only fit to be heard in the open air.
