Part 17

In Plate VIII. (which appears in three different states) is a half-penny reversed (struck in the year 1763) and fixed against the wall, intimating, that _Britannia_ herself was fit only for a mad-house. This was a circumstance inserted by our artist (as he advertises) about a year before his death. I may add, that the man drawing lines against the wall just over the half-penny, alludes to _Whiston's_ proposed method of discovering the Longitude by the firing of bombs, as here represented. The idea of the two figures at each corner of the print appears to have been taken from _Cibber's_ statues at _Bedlam_. The faces of the two females are also changed. That of the woman with a fan, is entirely altered; she has now a cap on, instead of a hood, and is turned, as if speaking to the other.

Mr. _Gilpin's_ opinion concerning this set of prints is too valuable to be omitted, and is therefore transcribed below.[12] The plates were thus admirably illustrated by Dr. _John Hoadly_.

PLATE I. O Vanity of _Age_, untoward, Ever spleeny, ever froward! Why these Bolts, and massy chains, Squint suspicions, jealous Pains? Why, thy toilsome Journey o'er, Lay'st thou in an useless store? _Hope_ along with _Time_ is flown, Nor canst thou reap the field thou'st sown.

Hast thou a son? in time be wise--. He views thy toil with other eyes. Needs must thy kind, paternal care, Lock'd in thy chests be buried there? Whence then shall flow that friendly ease, That social converse, home-felt peace, Familiar duty without dread, Instruction from example bred, Which youthful minds with freedom mend, And with the _father_ mix the _friend_?

Uncircumscrib'd by prudent rules, Or precepts of expensive schools Abus'd at home, abroad despis'd, Unbred, unletter'd, unadvis'd; The headstrong course of youth begun, What comfort from this darling son?

PLATE II. _Prosperity_ (with harlot's smiles, Most pleasing when she most beguiles) How soon, sweet foe, can all thy train Of false, gay, frantic, loud, and vain, Enter the unprovided mind, And Memory in fetters bind; Load _Faith_ and _Love_ with golden chain, And sprinkle _Lethe_ o'er the brain!

_Pleasure_, in her silver throne, Smiling comes, nor comes alone; _Venus_ comes with her along, And smooth _Lyæus_ ever young; And in their train, to fill the press, Come apish _Dance_, and swol'n _Excess_, Mechanic _Honour_, vicious _Taste_, And _Fashion_ in her changing vest.

PLATE III. O vanity of youthful blood, So by misuse to poison _good! Woman_, fram'd for social love, Fairest gift of powers above; Source of every houshold blessing, All charms in innocence possessing-- But turn'd to Vice, all plagues above, Foe to thy Being, foe to Love! Guest divine to outward viewing, Ablest Minister of Ruin!

And thou, no less of gift divine, "Sweet poison of misused wine!" With freedom led to every part, And secret chamber of the heart; Dost thou thy friendly host betray, And show thy riotous gang the way To enter in with covert treason, O'erthrow the drowsy guard of reason, To ransack the abandon'd place, And revel there in wild excess?

PLATE IV. O vanity of youthful blood, So by misuse to poison _good!_ Reason awakes, and views unbarr'd The sacred gates he watch'd to guard; Approaching sees the harpy, _Law_, And _Poverty_, with icy paw, Ready to seize the poor remains-- That Vice has left of all his gains. Cold _Penitence_, lame _After-thought_, With fears, despair, and horrors fraught, Call back his guilty pleasures dead, Whom he hath wrong'd, and whom betray'd.

PLATE V. New to the School of hard _Mishap_, Driven from the ease of Fortune's lap, What schemes will Nature not embrace T' avoid less shame of drear distress! _Gold_ can the charms of youth bestow, And mask deformity with show: Gold can avert the sting of _Shame_, In winter's arms create a flame; Can couple youth with hoary age, And make antipathies engage.

PLATE VI. _Gold_, thou bright son of _Phœbus_, source Of universal intercourse; Of weeping Virtue soft redress, And blessing those who live to bless! Yet oft behold this sacred truth, The tool of avaricious Lust: No longer bond of human kind, But bane of every virtuous mind.

What chaos such misuse attends! Friendship stoops to prey on friends; Health, that gives relish to delight, Is wasted with the wasting night; Doubt and mistrust is thrown on _Heaven_, And all its power to _Chance_ is given. Sad purchase of repentant tears, Of needless quarrels, endless fears, Of hopes of moments, pangs of years! Sad purchase of a _tortur'd mind_ To an _imprison'd body_ join'd!

PLATE VII. Happy the man, whose constant thought (Though in the school of hardship taught) Can send _Remembrance_ back to fetch Treasures from life's earliest stretch; Who, self-approving, can review Scenes of past virtues, which shine through The gloom of age, and cast a ray To gild the evening of his day!

Not so the guilty wretch confin'd: No pleasures meet his conscious mind; No blessings brought from early youth, But broken faith and wrested truth, Talents idle and unus'd, And every trust of Heaven abus'd.

In seas of sad reflection lost, From horrors still to horrors toss'd, _Reason_ the vessel leaves to steer, And gives the helm to mad _despair_.

PLATE VIII. _Madness!_ thou chaos of the brain; What art, that pleasure giv'st and pain? Tyranny of Fancy's reign! Mechanic _Fancy!_ that can build Vast labyrinths and mazes wild, With rule disjointed, shapeless measure, Fill'd with _horror_, fill'd with _pleasure!_ Shapes of _horror_, that would even Cast doubt of mercy upon Heaven! Shapes of _pleasure_, that but seen Would split the shaking sides of _spleen_.

O vanity of age! here see The stamp of Heaven effac'd by thee! The headstrong course of youth thus run, What comfort from this darling son? His rattling chains with terror hear; Behold Death grappling with despair; See him by thee to ruin sold, And curse _Thyself_, and curse thy _Gold_.

On this occasion also appeared an 8vo pamphlet, intituled, "The Rake's Progress, or the Humours of _Drury-Lane_, a poem in eight canto's, in _Hudibrastick_ verse, being the ramble of a modern _Oxonian_, which is a compleat key to the eight prints lately published by the celebrated Mr. _Hogarth_." The second edition with additions, particularly an "epistle to Mr. _Hogarth_" was "printed for _J. Chetwood_, and sold at _Inigo Jones's-Head_ against _Exeter Change_ in _The Strand_, 1735." This is a most contemptible and indecent performance. Eight prints are inserted in some copies of it; but they are only the designs of _Hogarth_ murdered, and perhaps were not originally intended for the decoration of the work already described.

The original paintings, both of the Rake's and Harlot's Progress, were at _Fonthill_, in _Wiltshire_, the seat of Mr. _Beckford_,[13] where the latter were destroyed by a fire, in the year 1755; the former set was happily preserved. Mr. _Barnes_, of _Rippon_, in _Yorkshire_, has the Harlot's Progress in oil. It must, however, be a copy. Mr. _Beckford_ has also twenty-five heads from the Cartoons by _Hogarth_, for which he paid twenty-five guineas.

There is reason to believe that _Hogarth_ once designed to have introduced the ceremony of a _Marriage Contract_ into the Rake's Progress, instead of the _Levee_. An unfinished painting of this scene is still preserved. We have here the Rake's apartment as now exhibited in Plate II. In the anti-room, among other figures, we recognize that of the poet who at present congratulates our hero on his accession to wealth and pleasure. The bard is here waiting with an epithalamium in his hand. The Rake has added connoisseurship to the rest of his expensive follies. One of his purchases is a canvas containing only the representation of a human foot. [Perhaps this circumstance might allude to the dissection of _Arlaud's Leda_. See Mr. _Walpole's_ Anecdotes, &c. vol. IV. p. 39.] A second is so obscure, that no objects in it are discernible. [A performance of the same description is introduced in our artist's _Piquet, or Virtue in Danger_.] A third presents us with a _Madona_ looking down with fondness on the infant she holds in her arms. [This seems intended as a contrast to the grey headed bride who sits under it, and is apparently past child-bearing.] The fourth is emblematical, and displays perhaps too licentious a satire on transubstantiation. The Blessed Virgin is thrusting her Son down the hopper of a mill, in which he is ground by priests till he issues out in the shape of the consecrated _wafer_, supposed by Catholicks to contain the _real presence_. At a table sits a toothless decrepit father, guardian, or match-maker, joining the hand of the rake with that of the antiquated female, whose face is highly expressive of eagerness, while that of her intended husband is directed a contrary way, toward a groom who is bringing in a piece of plate won at a horse-race.[14] On the floor in front lie a heap of mutilated busts, &c. which our spendthrift is supposed to have recently purchased at an auction. The black boy, who is afterwards met with in Plate IV. of Marriage Alamode, was transplanted from this canvas. He is here introduced supporting such a picture of _Ganymede_ as hangs against the wall of the lady's dressing-room in the same plate of the same work.

[1] The face of this female has likewise been changed on the last plate. In the intermediate ones it remains as originally designed. To give the same character two different casts of countenance, was surely an incongruity without excuse.

[2] The inscription on this bill is--"_London_, bought of _William Tothall_, Woollen-draper in _Covent-Garden_." See the corner figure looking over the music in the _Rehearsal of the Oratorio of Judith_; and note, p. 116.

[3] Of whom a separate portrait, by _Ellis_, had been published by _Overton. Figg_ died in the year 1734. As the taste of the publick is much changed about the importance of the _noble_ Science of Defence, as it was called, and as probably it will never again revive, it may afford some entertainment to my readers, to see the terms in which this celebrated prize-fighter is spoken of by a professor of the art. "FIGG was the _Atlas_ of the Sword; and may he remain the gladiating statue! In him strength, resolution, and unparalleled judgement, conspired to form a matchless master. There was a majesty shone in his countenance, and blazed in all his actions, beyond all I ever saw. His right leg bold and firm, and his left, which could hardly ever be disturbed, gave him the surprising advantage already proved, and struck his adversary with despair and panic. He had that peculiar way of stepping in I spoke of, in a parry; he knew his arm, and its just time of moving; put a firm faith in that, and never let his adversary escape his parry. He was just as much a greater master than any other I ever saw, as he was a greater judge of time and measure." _Captain John Godfrey's Treatise upon the Useful Science of Defence_, 4to, 1747, p. 41. "Mr. _Figg_," says _Chetwood_, History of the Stage, p. 60, "informed me once, that he had not bought a shirt for more than twenty years, but had sold some dozens. It was his method, when he fought in his amphitheatre (his stage bearing that superb title), to send round to a select number of his scholars, to borrow a shirt for the ensuing combat, and seldom failed of half a dozen of superfine Holland from his prime pupils (most of the young nobility and gentry made it a part of their education to march under his warlike banner). This champion was generally conqueror, though his shirt seldom failed of gaining a cut from his enemy, and sometimes his flesh, though I think he never received any dangerous wound. Most of his scholars were at every battle, and were sure to exult at their great master's victories, every person supposing he saw the wounds his shirt received. Mr. _Figg_ took his opportunity to inform his lenders of linen of the chasms their shirts received, with a promise to send them home. But, said the ingenious courageous _Figg_, I seldom received any other answer than D-mn you, keep it!" A Poem by Dr. _Byrom_, on a battle between _Figg_ and _Sutton_, another prize-fighter, is in the 6th Volume of _Dodsley's_ Collection of Poems.

[4] _Fielding_ has introduced this porter, under the name of _Leathersides_, into _The Covent-Garden Tragedy_, acted in 1732.

_Leath._ Two whores, great Madam, must be straight prepar'd, A fat one for the Squire, and for my Lord a lean.

_Mother._ Thou, _Leathersides_, best know'st such nymphs to find, To thee their lodgings they communicate. Go thou procure the girl.

[5] The cleanliness of the _English_ seems to have made a similar impression on the mind of M. _De Grosley_, who, in his "Tour to _London_," observes, that "The plate, hearth-stones, moveables, apartments, doors, stairs, the very street-doors, their locks, and the large brass knockers, are every day washed, scowered, or rubbed. Even in lodging-houses, the middle of the stairs is often covered with carpeting, to prevent them from being soiled. All the apartments in the house have mats or carpets; and the use of them has been adopted some years since by the _French_;" and that "The towns and villages upon the road have excellent inns, but somewhat dear; at these an _English_ lord is as well served as at his own house, and with a cleanliness much to be wished for in most of the best houses of _France_. The innkeeper makes his appearance only to do the honours of his table to the greatest personages, who often invite him to dine with them."

[6] The chief of these, who wears something that seems to have been a tie-wig, was painted from a _French_ boy, who cleaned shoes at the corner of _Hog-Lane_.

[7] In the collection of Mr. _Steevens_ only.

[8] He had meditated, however, some additional improvements in the same plate. When he had inserted the storm, he began to consider the impropriety of turning the girl out in the midst of it with her head uncovered; and therefore, on a proof of this print, from which he designed to have worked, he sketched her hat in with _Indian_ ink.

[9] It appears, on examination of the Registers, &c. that _Tho. Sice_ and _Tho. Horn_ are not fictitious names. Such people were really churchwardens when the repairs in 1725 were made. The following inscription on the pew, denoting a vault beneath, is also genuine, and, as far as can be known at present, was faithfully copied in regard to its obsolete spelling.

THESE PEWES VNSCRVD AND TANE IN SVNDER IN STONE THERS GRAVEN WHAT IS VNDER TO WIT A VALT FOR BURIAL THERE IS WHICH EDWARD FORSET MADE FOR HIM AND HIS.

Part of these words, in raised letters, at present form a pannel in the wainscot at the end of the right-hand gallery, as the church is entered from the street.--No heir of the _Forset_ family appearing, their vault has been claimed and used by his Grace the Duke of _Portland_, as lord of the manor. The mural monument of the _Taylors_, composed of lead gilt over, is likewise preserved. It is seen, in _Hogarth's_ print, just under the window. The bishop of the diocese, when the new church was built, gave orders that all the ancient tablets should be placed, as nearly as possible, in their former situations.

[10] Old _Manners_, brother to the late _Duke of Rutland_.

[11] The old Duke of _Devonshire_ lost the great estate of _Leicester_ abbey to him at the gaming-table. _Manners_ was the only person of his time who had amassed a considerable fortune by the profession of a gamester.

[12] "The first print of this capital work is an excellent representation of a young heir, taking possession of a miser's effects. The passion of avarice, which hoards every thing, without distinction, what is and what is not valuable, is admirably described.--The _composition_, though not excellent, is not unpleasing. The principal group, consisting of the young gentleman, the taylor, the appraiser, the papers, and chest, is well shaped: but the eye is hurt by the disagreeable regularity of three heads nearly in a line, and at equal distances.--The _light_ is not ill disposed. It falls on the principal figures: but the effect might have been improved. If the extreme parts of the mass (the white apron on one side, and the memorandum-book on the other) had been in shade, the _repose_ had been less injured. The detached parts of a group should rarely catch a strong body of light.--We have no striking instances of _expression_ in this print. The principal figure is unmeaning. The only one, which displays the true _vis comica_ of _Hogarth_, is the appraiser fingering the gold. You enter at once into his character.--The young woman might have furnished the artist with an opportunity of presenting a graceful figure; which would have been more pleasing. The figure he _has_ introduced, is by no means an object of allurement.--The _perspective_ is accurate, but affected. So many windows, and open doors, may shew the author's learning; but they break the back ground, and injure the simplicity of it.

"The second print introduces our hero into all the dissipation of modish life. We became first acquainted with him, when a boy of eighteen. He is now of age; has entirely thrown off the clownish school-boy; and assumes the man of fashion. Instead of the country taylor, who took measure of him for his father's mourning, he is now attended by _French_ barbers, _French_ taylors, poets, milleners, jockies, bullies, and the whole retinue of a fine gentleman.--The _expression_, in this print, is wonderfully great. The dauntless front of the bully; the keen eye, and elasticity of the fencing-master; and the simpering importance of the dancing-master, are admirably expressed. The last is perhaps a little _outré_. The architect[A] is a strong copy from nature.--The _composition_ seems to be entirely subservient to the expression. It appears, as if _Hogarth_ had sketched, in his memorandum-book, all the characters which he has here introduced; but was at a loss how to group them; and chose rather to introduce them in detached figures, as he had sketched them, than to lose any part of the expression by combining them.--The _light_ is ill distributed. It is spread indiscriminately over the print; and destroys the _whole_--We have no instance of _grace_ in any of the figures. The principal figure is very deficient. There is no contrast in the limbs; which is always attended with a degree of ungracefulness.--The _execution_ is very good. It is elaborate, and yet free.--The satire on operas, though it may be well directed, is forced and unnatural.

"The third plate carries us still deeper into the history. We meet our hero engaged in one of his evening amusements. This print, on the whole, is no very extraordinary effort of genius.--The _design_ is good; and may be a very exact description of the humours of a brothel.--The _composition_ too is not amiss. But we have few of those masterly strokes which distinguish the works of _Hogarth_. The whole is plain history. The lady setting the world on fire is the best thought: and there is some humour in furnishing the room with a set of _Cæsars_; and not placing them in order.--The _light_ is ill managed. By a few alterations, which are obvious, particularly by throwing the lady dressing into the shade, the disposition of it might have been tolerable. But still we should have had an absurdity to answer, whence comes it? Here is light in abundance; but no visible source.--_Expression_ we have a little through the whole print. That of the principal figure is the best. The ladies have all the air of their profession; but no variety of character. _Hogarth's_ women are, in general, very inferior to his men. For which reason I prefer the _Rake's Progress_ to the _Harlot's_. The female face indeed has seldom strength of feature enough to admit the strong markings of expression.

"Very disagreeable accidents often befall gentlemen of pleasure. An event of this kind is recorded in the fourth print; which is now before us. Our hero going, in full dress, to pay his compliments at court on St. _David's_ day, was accosted in the rude manner which is here represented.--The _composition_ is good. The form of the group, made up of the figures in action, the chair, and the lamp-lighter, is pleasing. Only, here we have an opportunity of remarking, that a group is disgusting when the extremities of it are heavy. A group in some respect should resemble a tree. The heavier part of the foliage (the _cup_ as the landscape painter calls it) is always near the middle; the outside branches, which are relieved by the sky, are light and airy. An inattention to this rule has given a heaviness to the group before us. The two bailiffs, the woman, and the chairman, are all huddled together in that part of the group which should have been the lightest; while the middle part, where the hand holds the door, wants strength and consistence. It may be added too, that the four heads, in the form of a diamond, make an unpleasing shape. All regular figures should be studiously avoided.--The _light_ had been well distributed, if the bailiff holding the arrest, and the chairman, had been a little lighter, and the woman darker. The glare of the white apron is disagreeable.--We have, in this print, some beautiful instances of _expression_. The surprise and terror of the poor gentleman is apparent in every limb, as far as is consistent with the fear of discomposing his dress. The insolence of power in one of the bailiffs, and the unfeeling heart, which can jest with misery, in the other, are strongly marked. The self-importance too of the honest _Cambrian_ is not ill portrayed; who is chiefly introduced to settle the chronology of the story.--In point of _grace_, we have nothing striking. _Hogarth_ might have introduced a degree of it in the female figure: at least he might have contrived to vary the heavy and unpleasing form of her drapery.--The _perspective_ is good, and makes an agreeable shape.--I cannot leave this print without remarking the _falling band-box_. Such representations of quick motion are absurd; and every moment the absurdity grows stronger. You cannot deceive the eye. The falling body _must_ appear _not_ to fall. Objects of that kind are beyond the power of representation.

"Difficulties crowd so fast upon our hero, that at the age of twenty-five, which he seems to have attained in the fifth plate, we find him driven to the necessity of marrying a woman, whom he detests, for her fortune. The _composition_ here is very good; and yet we have a disagreeable regularity in the climax of the three figures, the maid, the bride, and the bride-groom.--The _light_ is not ill distributed. The principal figure too is _graceful_; and there is strong _expression_ in the seeming tranquillity of his features. He hides his contempt of the object before him as well as he can; and yet he cannot do it. She too has as much meaning as can appear thro' the deformity of her features. The clergyman's face we are all well acquainted with, and also his wig; tho' we cannot pretend to say, where we have seen either. The clerk too is an admirable fellow.--The _perspective_ is well understood; but the church is too small;[B] and the wooden post, which seems to have no use, divides the picture very disagreeably.--The creed lost, the commandments broken, and the poor's-box obstructed by a cobweb, are all excellent strokes of satirical humour.