Part 15

_-----------Magnis tamen excidit ausis._ Fond _Icarus_ of old, with rash essay, In air attempted a forbidden way; Too thin the medium for so cumb'rous freight, Too weak the plumage to support the weight. Yet less he dar'd who soar'd on waxen wing, Than he who mounts to æther on a string. Just as _Arachne_, when the buzzing prey Entangled flutter, and would wing away, From watchful ambuscade insidious springs, And to a slender twine, ascending, clings. So on his rope, th' advent'rer climbs on high, Bounds o'er cathedral heights, and seeks the sky; Fix but his cable, and he'll tell you soon, What sort of natives cultivate the moon. An army of such wights to cross the main, Sooner than _Haddock's_ fleet, shou'd humble _Spain_. As warring cranes on pigmies thund'ring fall, And, without scaling ladders, mount the wall, The proudest spire in _Salop's_ lofty town Safely he gains, and glides as safely down; Then soars again aloft, and downward springs, Swift as an eagle, without aid of wings; Shews anticks, hangs suspended by his toe; Undazzled, views th' inverted chasm below. Invites with beat of drum brave voluntiers, Defies _Jack Spaniard_, nor invasion fears, Land when they will, they ne'er cou'd hurt _his ears_. Methink I see as yet his flowing hair And body, darting like a falling star: Swifter than what "with fins or feathers fly Thro' the ærial or the wat'ry sky." Once more he dares to brave the pathless way, Fate now pursuing, like a bird of prey; And, comet-like, he makes his latest tour, In air excentric (oh! ill-omen'd hour!) Bar'd in his shirt to please the gazing crowd, He little dreamt, poor soul! of winding shroud! Nothing could aught avail but limbs of brass, When ground was iron, and the _Severn_ glass. As quick as lightning down his line he skims, Secure in equal poize of agile limbs. But see the trusted cordage faithless prove! Headlong he falls, and leaves his soul above: The gazing town was shock'd at the rebound Of shatter'd bones, that rattled on the ground; The broken cord rolls on in various turns, Smokes in the whirl, and as it runs it burns. So when the wriggling snake is snatch'd on high In eagle's claws, and hisses in the sky, Around the foe his twirling tail he flings, And twists her legs, and writhes about her wings. _Cadman_ laid low, ye rash, behold and fear, Man is a reptile, and the ground his sphere. Unhappy man! thy end lamented be; Nought but thy own ill fate so swift as thee, Were metamorphoses permitted now, And tuneful _Ovid_ liv'd to tell us how; His apter Muse shou'd turn thee to a daw, Nigh to the fatal steeple still to kaw; Perch on the cock, and nestle on the ball, In ropes no more confide, and never fall. _J. A._

[6] Supposed to have been written by Dr. _Arbuthnot_, and as such preserved in the Collection of his Works. The full title is, "The Devil to pay at _St. James's_: or, a full and true Account of a most horrid and bloody Battle between Madam _Faustina_ and Madam _Cuzzoni_. Also of a hot Skirmish between Signor _Boschi_ and Signor _Palmerini_. Moreover, how _Senesino_ has taken Snuff, is going to leave the Opera, and sings Psalms at _Henley's Oratory_. Also about the Flying Man, and how the Doctor of _St. Martin's_ has very unkindly taken down the Scaffold, and disappointed a World of good Company. As also how a certain Great Lady is gone mad for the Love of _William Gibson_, the Quaker. And how the _Wild Boy_ is come to Life again, and has got a Dairy Maid with Child. Also about the great Mourning, and the Fashions, and the Alterations, and what not. With other material Occurrences, too many to insert."

In this pamphlet our artist is incidentally mentioned, but in such a manner as shews that he had attained some celebrity so early as 1727. Speaking of some _Lilliputian_ swine, supposed to be in the possession of Dean _Swift_, Dr. _Arbuthnot_ adds, "But _Hogarth_ the Engraver is making a print after them, which will give a juster idea of them than I can."

[7] Perhaps he was only a fire-eater.

3. _Judith_ and _Holofernes_. "Per vulnera servor, morte tuâ vivens." _W. Hogarth inv. Ger. Vandergucht sc._ A frontispiece to the Oratorio of _Judith._--Our heroine, instead of holding the sword by its handle, grasps it by its edge, in such a manner as should seem to have endangered her fingers. (_Judith_ was an Oratorio by _William Huggins_, Esq. set to musick by _William De Fesch_[1] late Chapel-master of the cathedral church of _Antwerp_. This piece was performed with scenes and other decorations, but met with no success. It was published in 8vo, 1733.)--The original plate of the frontispiece is in the possession of Dr. _Monkhouse_. This design has little of _Hogarth_; yet if he furnished other engravers with such slight undetermined sketches as he himself is sometimes known to have worked from, we cannot wonder if on many occasions his usual characteristics should escape our notice. Whoever undertakes to perfect several of his unpublished drawings, will be reduced to the necessity of inventing more than presents itself for imitation.

[1] _William Defesch_, a _German_, and some time chapel-master at _Antwerp_, was in his time a respectable professor on the violin, and leader of the band for several seasons at _Marybone-gardens_. His head was engraved as a frontispiece to some musical compositions published by him; and his name is to be found on many songs and ballads to which he set the tunes for _Vauxhall_ and _Marybone-gardens_. He died, soon after the year 1750, at the age of 70.

The following lines were written under a picture of _Defesch_, painted by _Soldi_, 1751.

Thou honor'st verse, and verse must lend her wing, To honor thee, the priest of _Phœbus'_ quire, That _tun'st_ her happiest lines in hymn or song. MILTON.

_Defesch_ was the patriotic Mr. _Hollis's_ music-master.

4. Boys peeping at Nature. "_The subscription-ticket to the Harlot's Progress._" A copy in aqua-tinta from this receipt was made by _R. Livesay_ in 1781, and is to be had at Mrs. _Hogarth's_ house in _Leicester-square_.

* * * * *

1733 and 1734.

1.[1] The Harlot's Progress,[2] in six plates. In the first is a portrait of Colonel _Chartres_. "Cette figure de viellard (says _Rouquet_) est d'aprés nature; c'est le portrait d'un officier très riche, fameux dans ce tems-là pour de pareilles expéditions, grand séducteur de campagnardes, et qui avoit toujours à ses gages des femmes de la profession de celle qui cajole ici la nouvelle débarquée." Behind him is _John Gourlay_ a Pimp, whom he always kept about his person. The next figure that attracts our notice, is that of Mother _Needham_. To prove this woman was sufficiently notorious to have deserved the satire of _Hogarth_, the following paragraphs in _The Grub-street Journal_ are sufficient.

_March_ 25, 1731. "The noted Mother _Needham_ was yesterday committed to _The Gatehouse_ by Justice _Railton_."

Ibid. "Yesterday, at the quarter-sessions for the city and liberties of _Westminster_, the infamous Mother _Needham_, who has been reported to have been dead for some time, to screen her from several prosecutions, was brought from _The Gatehouse_, and pleaded not guilty to an indictment found against her for keeping a lewd and disorderly house; but, for want of sureties, was remanded back to prison."

Ibid. _April_ 29, 1731. "Oh _Saturday_ ended the quarter-sessions for _Westminster_, &c. The noted Mother _Needham_, convicted for keeping a disorderly house in _Park Place, St. James's,_ was fined One Shilling, to stand twice in the pillory, and find sureties for her good behaviour for three years."

Ibid. _May_ 6, 1731. "Yesterday the noted Mother _Needham_ stood in the pillory in _Park Place_, near _St. James's-street_, and was roughly handled by the populace. She was so very ill that she lay along, notwithstanding which she was so severely &c. that it is thought she will die in a day or two."--Another account says--"she lay along on her face in the pillory, and so evaded the law which requires that her face should be exposed."--"Yesterday morning died Mother _Needham_. She declared in her last words,[3] that what most affected her was the terror of standing in the pillory to-morrow in _New Palace-yard_, having been so ungratefully used by the populace on _Wednesday_."

The memory of this woman is thus perpetuated in _The Dunciad_, I. 323.

"To _Needham's_ quick the voice triumphal rode, But pious _Needham_ dropt the name of God."

The note on this passage says, she was "a matron of great fame, and very religious in her way; whose constant prayer it was, that she might 'get enough by her profession to leave it off in time, and make her peace with God.'[4] But her fate was not so happy; for being convicted, and set in the pillory, she was (to the lasting shame of all her great Friends and Votaries) so ill used by the populace, that it put an end to her days."

_Rouquet_ has a whimsical remark relative to the clergyman just arrived in _London_. "Cet ecclesiastique monté sur un cheval blanc, _comme ils affectent ici de l'être_."--The variations in this plate are; shade thrown by one house upon another; _London_ added on the letter the parson is reading; change in one corner of the fore-ground; the face of the Bawd much altered for the worse, and her foot introduced.

Plate II. _Quin_ compared _Garrick_ in _Othello_ to the black boy with the tea-kettle,[5] a circumstance that by no means encouraged our _Roscius_ to continue acting the part. Indeed, when his face was obscured, his chief power of expression was lost; and then, and not till then, was he reduced to a level with several other performers. In a copy of this set of plates, one of the two small portraits hanging up in the _Jew's_ bedchamber, is superscribed, _Clarke_; but without authority from _Hogarth. Woolston_ would likewise have been out of his place, as he had written against the _Jewish_ tenets. Of this circumstance, _Hogarth_ was probably told by some friend, and therefore effaced a name he had once ignorantly inserted.

In Plate III.[6] (as already observed) is the portrait of Sir _John Gonson_. That Sir _John Gonson_ was the person intended in this print, is evident from a circumstance in the next, where, on a door in _Bridewell_, a figure hanging is drawn in chalk, with an inscription over it, "Sir _J. G._" as well as from the following explanation by _Rouquet_: "La figure, qui paroit entrer sans bruit avec une partie de guet, est un commissaire qui se distinguoit extrêmement par son zèle pour la persecution des filles de joye."

Respecting another circumstance, however, in the third plate, _Rouquet_ appears to have met with some particular information that has escaped me. "L'auteur a saisi l'occasion d'un morceau de beurre qui fait partie du déjeuné, pour l'enveloper plaisamment dans le titre de la lettre pastorale qu'un grand prelat[7] addressa dans ce tems-là à son diocese, & dont plusieurs exemplaires eurent le malheur d'être renvoyés à l'epicier."--The sleeve of the maid-servant's gown in this plate is enlarged, and the neck of a bottle on the table is lengthened.

For variations in Plate IV. see the roof of the room. Shadow on the principal woman's petticoat, and from the hoop-petticoat hanging up in the back ground. The dog made darker. The woman next the overseer has a high cap, which in the modern impressions is lowered.

In Plate V. Roof of the room. Back of the chair. Table. Dr. _Misaubin's_ waistcoat. Name of Dr. _Rock_ on the paper lying on the close-stool. Dish at the fire.

In a despicable poem published in 1732, under the fictitious name of _Joseph Gay_, and intituled "_The Harlot's Progress_, which is a key to the six prints lately published by Mr. _Hogarth_," the two quacks in attendance on the dying woman are called _Tan--r_ and _G--m_. It is evident from several circumstances, that this Mr. _J. Gay_ became acquainted with our author's work through the medium of a copy.

In Plate VI. the woman seated next the clergyman was designed for _Elizabeth Adams_, who, at the age of 30, was afterwards executed for a robbery, _September_ 10, 1737. The common print of her will justify this assertion.

If we may trust the wretched metrical performance just quoted, the Bawd in this sixth plate was designed for Mother _Bentley_.

The portrait hanging up in the _Jew's_ apartment was originally subscribed "Mr. _Woolston_." There was a scriptural motto to one of the other pictures; and on the cieling of the room in which the girl is dying, a certain obscene word was more visible than it is at present. The former inscription on the paper now inscribed Dr. _Rock_, was also a gross one. I should in justice add, that before these plates were delivered to the subscribers, the offensive particulars here mentioned were omitted.

The following paragraph in _The Grub-street Journal_ for _September_ 24, 1730, will sufficiently justify the splendid appearance the Harlot makes in _Bridewell_. See Plate IV. Such well-dressed females are rarely met with in our present houses of correction.

"One _Mary Muffet_, a woman of great note in the hundreds of _Drury_, who, about a fortnight ago, was committed to hard labour in _Tothill-fields Bridewell_, by nine justices, brought his Majesty's writ of _Habeas Corpus_, and was carried before the right honourable the lord chief justice _Raymond_, expecting to have been either bailed or discharged; but her commitment appearing to be legal, his lordship thought fit to remand her back again to her former place of confinement, where _she is now beating hemp in a gown very richly laced with silver_."

_Rouquet_ concludes his illustration of the fifth plate by observing, that the story might have been concluded here. "L'auteur semble avoir rempli son dessein. Il a suivi son heroine jusques au dernier soupir. Il l'a conduite de l'infamie à la pauvreté, par les voies séduisantes du libertinage. Son intention de tâcher de retenir, ou de corriger celles qui leur foiblesse, ou leur ignorance exposent tous les jours à de semblables infortunes, est suffisament executée; on peut donc dire que la tragedie finit à cette planche, et que la suivante est comme le petite piece. C'est une farce done la defunte est plustôt l'occasion que le sujet."--Such is the criticism of _Rouquet_; but I cannot absolutely concur in the justness of it. _Hogarth_ found an opportunity to convey admonition, and enforce his moral, even in this last plate. It is true that the exploits of our heroine are concluded, and that she is no longer an agent in her own story. Yet as a wish prevails, even among those who are most humbled by their own indiscretions, that some respect should be paid to their remains, that they should be conducted by decent friends to the grave, and interred by a priest who feels for the dead that hope expressed in our Liturgy, let us ask whether the memory of our Harlot meets with any such marks of social attention, or pious benevolence. Are not the preparations for her funeral licentious, like the course of her life, as if the contagion of her example had reached all the company in the room? Her sisters in iniquity alone surround her coffin. One of them is engaged in the double trade of seduction and thievery. A second is admiring herself in a mirror. A third gazes with unconcern on the corpse. If any of the number appear mournful, they express at best but a maudlin sorrow, having glasses of strong liquor in their hands. The very minister, forgetful of his office and character, is shamefully employed; nor does a single circumstance occur, throughout the whole scene, that a reflecting female would not wish should be alienated from her own interment.--Such is the plate which our illustrator, with too much levity, has styled a farce appended to a tragic representation.

He might, however, have exercised his critical abilities with more success on _Hogarth's_ neglect of propriety, though it affords him occasion to display his wit. At the burial of a wanton, who expired in a garret, no escutcheons were ever hung up, or rings given away; and I much question if any bawd ever chose to avow that character before a clergyman, or any infant was ever habited as chief mourner to attend a parent to the grave.--I may add, that when these pictures were painted (a time, if news-papers are to be credited, when, having no established police, every act of violence and licentiousness was practised with impunity in our streets, and women of pleasure were brutally persecuted in every quarter of the town), a funeral attended by such a sisterhood would scarcely have been permitted to reach the place of interment. Much however must be forgiven to the morality of _Hogarth's_ design, and the powers with which it is executed. It may also, on the present occasion, be observed, that in no other scene, out of the many he has painted, has he so widely deviated from _vraisemblance_.

The following verses, however wretched, being explanatory of the set of plates already spoken of, are here re-printed. They made their appearance under the earliest and best of the pirated copies published by _Bowles. Hogarth_, finding that such a metrical description had its effect, resolved that his next series of prints should receive the same advantage from an abler hand.

PLATE I. See there, but just arriv'd in town, The _Country Girl_ in home-spun gown, Tho' plain her dress appears, how neat! Her looks how innocent and sweet! Does not your indignation rise, When on the bawd you cast your eyes? Fraught with devices to betray; She's hither come in quest of prey; Screens her designs with godly airs, And talks of homilies and pray'rs, Till, by her arts, the wretched Maid To vile _Francisco_ is betray'd. And see, the lewd old rogue appears, How at the fresh young thing thing he leers! In lines too strong, too well exprest The lustful satyr stands confest.

On batter'd jade, in thread-bare gown, The _Rural Priest_ is come to town-- Think what his humble thought engages; Why--lesser work and greater wages.

PLATE II. Debauch'd, and then kick'd out of doors, The fate of all _Francisco's_ whores, Poor _Polly's_ forc'd to walk the streets, Till with a wealthy _Jew_ she meets. Quickly the man of circumcision For her reception makes provision. You see her now in all her splendour, A Monkey and a Black t' attend her. How great a sot's a keeping cully, Who thinks t' enjoy a woman solely! Tho' he support her grandeur, Miss Will by the bye with others kiss. Thus Polly play'd her part; she had A _Beau_ admitted to her bed; But th' _Hebrew_ coming unexpected, Puts her in fear to be detected. This to prevent, she at breakfast picks A quarrel, and insulting kicks The table down: while by her _Maid_ The _Beau_ is to the door convey'd.

PLATE III. _Molly_ discarded once again, Takes lodgings next in _Drury-lane_; Sets up the business on her own Account, and deals with all the town. At breakfast here in deshabille, While _Margery_ does the tea-pot fill, Miss holds a watch up, which, by slight Of hand, was made a prize last night. From chandler's shop a dab of butter, Brought on his lordship's _Pastoral Letter_, A cup, a saucer, knife, and roll, Are plac'd before her on a stool. A chair behind her holds a cloak, A candle in a bottle stuck, And by't a bason--but indecent T'would be in me to say what is in't. At yonder door, see there Sir _John's_ Just ent'ring with his _Myrmidons_, To _Bridewell_ to convey Miss _Molly_, And _Margery_ with her to Mill Dolly.[8]

PLATE IV. See _Polly_ now in _Bridewell_ stands, A galling mallet in her hands, Hemp beating with a heavy heart, And not a soul to take her part. The _Keeper_, with a look that's sourer Than _Turk_ or Devil, standing o'er her: And if her time she idles, thwack Comes his rattan across her back. A dirty, ragged, saucy Jade, Who sees her here in rich brocade And _Mechlin_ lace, thumping a punny, Lolls out her tongue, and winks with one eye. That other _Maux_ with half a nose, Who's holding up her tatter'd cloaths, Laughs too at Madam's working-dress, And her grim Tyrant's threat'ning face, A _Gamester_ hard by _Poll_ you see, In coat be-lac'd and smart toupee. _Kate_ vermin kills--chalk'd out upon A window-shutter, hangs _Sir John_.

PLATE V. Released from _Bridewell, Poll_ again Drives on her former trade amain; But who e'er heard of trading wenches That long escap'd disease that _French_ is? Our _Polly_ did not--Ills on ills, Elixirs, boluses and pills, Catharticks and emeticks dreary, Had made her of her life quite weary; At last thrown into salivation She sinks beneath the operation. A snuffling whore in waiting by her Screams out to see the wretch expire. The _Doctors_ blame each other; _Meagre_, With wrath transported, hot and eager, Starts up, throws down the chair and stool, And calls her brother _Squab_ a fool. Your pills, quoth _Squab_, with cool disdain, Not my elixir, prov'd her bane. While they contend, a muffled Punk Is rummaging poor _Polly's_ trunk.

PLATE VI. The sisterhood of _Drury-lane_ Are met to form the funeral train. _Priss_ turns aside the coffin lid, To take her farewell of the dead. _Kate_ drinks dejected; _Peggy_ stands With dismal look, and wrings her hands. _Beck_ wipes her eyes; and at the glass In order _Jenny_ sets her face. The ruin'd _Bawd_ roars out her grief; Her bottle scarcely gives relief. _Madge_ fills the wine; his castle-top With unconcern the _Boy_ winds up. The _Undertaker_ rolls his eyes On _Sukey_, as her glove he tries: His leering she observes, and while he Stands thus, she picks his pocket slily. The _Parson_ sits with look demure By _Fanny's_ side, but leaning to her. His left hand spills the wine; his right-- I blush to add--is out of sight.

Over the figure of the _Parson_ is the letter A, which conducts to the following explanation underneath the plate. "A. The famous _Couple-Beggar_ in _The Fleet_, a wretch who there screens himself from the justice due to his _villainies_, and daily repeats them."

All but the first impressions of this set of plates are marked thus †. None were originally printed off except for the 1200 subscribers. Immediately after they were served, the plates were retouched, and some of the variations introduced.

[1] In _The Craftsman_ of _Nov._ 25, 1732, we read, "This day is published, six prints in chiaro oscuro, of _The Harlot's Progress_, from the designs of Mr. _Hogarth_, in a beautiful green tint, by Mr. _E. Kirkall_, with proper explanations under each print. Printed and sold by _E. Kirkall_, in _Dockwell-court, White-Fryars; Phil. Overton_, in _Fleet-street; H. Overton_ and _J. Hoole_, without _Newgate; J. King_, in the _Poultry_; and _T. Glass_, under the _Royal Exchange_."

Lest any of our readers should from hence suppose we have been guilty of an innacuracy in appropriating this set of prints to the year 1733, &c. it is necessary to observe, that the plates advertised as above, were only a pirated copy of _Hogarth's_ work, and were published before their original.

[2] In _The Grub-street Journal_ for _December_ 6, 1733, appeared the following advertisement: "Lately published, (illustrated with six prints, neatly engraven from Mr. _Hogarth's_ Designs,) _The Lure of Venus_; or a Harlot's Progress. An heroi-comical Poem, in six Cantos, by Mr. _Joseph_ Gay.

"To Mr. _Joseph_ Gay.

"Sir,