THE NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS OF GEORGE EDWARDS

Abstract

George Edwards was born at Stratford, Essex, on 3 April 1694. He was educated in schools with clerical headmasters, and was apprenticed to a London tradesman. A relative of the latter left a library which was stored in Edwards's quarters, affording him opportunity for study of works on natural history, sculpture, painting, astronomy, and antiquities. Upon completing his apprenticeship, he travelled in Holland, Norway, and France. Having returned to Britain, he closely pursued studies in natural history, applying himself to drawing and colouring illustrations of various animals ; these he sold at good prices. However, he remitted his industry in 1731, when in company of two of his relations, he made an excursion to Holland and Brabant, where he collected several scarce books and prints, and had an opportunity to examine the original pictures of several great masters. In December 1733, by the recommendation of Sir Hans Sloane, President of the College of Physicians, he was chosen Library-keeper and had apartments in the College. There he had ample opportunity to continue his studies and delineations. The four volumes of A Natural History of Birds (see Literature Cited) were prepared at the College and published by the printer for the College of Physicians, 1743-1751. Referring to Volume 1, 1743, Robson says, The description was published likewise in the French language, for the use of foreigners, as is that of succeeding volumes (p. 9). The Gleanings of Natural History, with parallel columns of English and French, was published in 3 volumes, 1758-1764. The last of these was dedicated to Earl Ferrers (then Captain Shirley) as an acknowledgment for his kind assistance in contributing a great number of birds intended for Madam Pompadour, and taken by the Captain in a French Prize (p. 11). It's an ill wind that blows nobody good. He communicated some papers upon natural history to the Philosophical Transactions [of the Royal Society] and other periodical publications. And in the prefaces and instructions to his volumes, are contained some curious and ingenious essays on different subjects of natural history likewise a brief and general idea of drawing and painting in water colours, with instructions for etching on copper plates, and reflexions on the passage of birds (p. 14). In this connection, Edwards's acknowledgment of aid from Mark Catesby (1679 ?-1749) is of interest. He wrote, My good Friend Mr. Catesby put me on etching Plates myself, as he had done in his Works ; and not only so, but invited me to see him work at Etching, and gave me all the necessary Hints and Instructions . (Natural History of Birds, 1, 1743, p. xvii). In 1750 Edwards was awarded the Copley gold medal and a few years later