He was a pupil of George Bickham, but after having engraved a few plates, chiefly landscapes of no great merit, he relinquished the practice of the art, and devoted the remainder of his life to teaching drawing, first in London and afterwards in Brighton, Sussex.
[4] He likewise engraved with Paul Sandby, Vivares, and others, some views of "Windsor Park" and "Virginia Water", and also published in 1781 a series of thirty plates, slightly etched from drawings by Andrea Locatelli, entitled "A Specimen of Sketching Landscapes".
[1][5] For some time he ran a print-shop, and published some political caricatures, mostly directed against the French, and in support of the administration of Charles James Fox.
[7] advertises "Austin, Etcher & Engraver, At the Golden Head, In great George Street, Hanover Square.
Sells all sorts of Italian, Dutch, French and Flemish Prints & Drawings, both of the Antient [sic] & Modern Masters; with the greatest variety of Japanning & Water Colours; Brushes.