343
ESSEX WORTHIES, IV.
GEORGE EDWARDS, THE STRATFORD NATURALIST.
By JOHN AVERY.
[Read February 22nd, 1902.]
With Plate XIII.
GEORGE EDWARDS, the son of George and Mary
Edwards, was born at Stratford, in Essex, and baptised
in West Ham Church on 7th of April, 1693. He passed some
of his early years under the tuition of a clergyman named
Hewitt, who was then master of a public school at Leytonstone.
After leaving the school he was placed with another clergy-
man of the Established Church at Brentwood, and being
designed by his parents for business, was apprenticed to a
tradesman in Fenchurch Street, London. His master, who was
strictly religious and distinguished for classical scholarship,
treated him with remarkable kindness and consideration. About
the middle of the term of his apprenticeship there occurred the
death of a certain Dr. Nicholas, an eminent savant related
to Edwards' master. The doctor's extensive library was
removed from Covent Garden to the apartments of the young
naturalist, who availed himself fully of this unique opportunity,
and passed all the leisure of the day and, not unfrequently, a
considerable part of the night in turning over this collection of
works on natural history, fine arts, and antiquities.
The path to wealth through commerce ceased to attract him
the shop and the exchange had lost all their delights; and, on
the expiration of the term of his indentures, he determined to
travel abroad to improve his taste and enlarge his mind.
In 1716, having no intention of entering business, he visited
most of the principal towns in Holland, being absent about a
month. On his return he remained two years in London and
its neighbourhood, and then sailed for Norway, at the invitation
of a gentleman who was disposed to be his friend, and whose
nephew was master of the vessel in which he embarked.
Nothing material occurred on the voyage, and they soon
arrived at the destined port.
A country diversified with rocks of stupendous magnitude,
and trees of unfading verdure, where some of the natives had
scarce experienced the arts of civilisation, could not tail to afford
novelty, if it did not impart satisfaction to an Englishman. The