Part 21

These lines will serve to enforce the moral of _The Harlot's Progress_, while they aim at the illustration of a single circumstance in _Marriage à la Mode_; where if this female is introduced at all, it seems to be in the character of an opulent procuress, either threatening the peer for having diseased her favourite girl, or preparing to revenge herself on the quack whose medicines had failed to eradicate his lordship's disorder. That heroine must have been notorious, who could at once engage the pencil of _Hogarth_ and the pens of _Loveling_ and _Fielding_, who in the sixth chapter of the first book of _Amelia_ has the following story: "I happened in my youth to sit behind two ladies in a side-box at a play, where, in the balcony on the opposite side was placed the inimitable _Betty Careless_, in company with a young fellow of no very formal, or indeed sober, appearance. One of the ladies, I remember, said to the other--'Did you ever see any thing look so modest and so innocent as that girl over the way? What pity it is such a creature should be in the way of ruin, as I am afraid she is, by her being alone with that young fellow!' Now this lady was no bad physiognomist; for it was impossible to conceive a greater appearance of modesty, innocence, and simplicity, than what nature had displayed in the countenance of that girl; and yet, all appearances notwithstanding, I myself (remember, critic, it was in my youth) had a few mornings before seen that very identical picture of those engaging qualities in bed with a rake at a bagnio, smoaking tobacco, drinking punch, talking obscenity, and swearing and cursing with all the impudence and impiety of the lowest and most abandoned trull of a soldier." We may add, that one of the mad-men in the last plate of _The Rake's Progress_ has likewise written "charming _Betty Careless"_ on the rail of the stairs, and wears her portrait round his neck. Perhaps between the publication of _The Rake's Progress_ and _Marriage à la Mode_, she sunk from a wanton into a bawd. Mrs. _Heywood's Betsey Thoughtless_ was at first entitled _Betsey Careless_, but the name was afterwards changed for obvious reasons.

_The London Daily Post, Nov._ 28, 1735, contains the following advertisement from this notorious female:

"Mrs. _Careless_, from the _Piazza_ in _Covent-Garden_, not being able to make an end of her affairs so soon as she expected, intends on _Monday_ next to open a coffee-house in _Prujean's-Court_, in _The Old Bailey_, where she hopes her friends will favour her with their company, notwithstanding the ill situation of the place; since her misfortunes oblige her still to remain there.

"N. B. It is the uppermost house in the court, and coaches and chairs may come up to the door."

Again in _The London Daily Post, Oct._ 21, 1741, Mrs. _Careless_ advertises _The Beggar's Opera_, at the theatre in _James-Street, Haymarket_, for her benefit, _Oct._ 27. At the bottom of the advertisement she says, "Mrs. _Careless_ takes this benefit because she finds a small pressing occasion for one: and as she has the happiness of knowing she has a great many friends, hopes not to find an instance to the contrary by their being absent the above-mentioned evening; and as it would be entirely inconvenient, and consequently disagreeable, if they should, she ventures to believe they won't fail to let her have the honour of their company." In the bill of the day she says--"N. B. Mrs. _Careless_ hopes her friends will favour her according to their promise, to relieve her from terrible fits of the vapours proceeding from bad dreams, though the comfort is they generally go by the contraries.

"Tickets to be had at Mrs. _Careless's_ Coffee-house, the _Playhouse-Passage, Bridges-Street_."

Would the public, at this period of refinement, have patiently endured the familiar address of such a shameless, superannuated, advertising strumpet?

The reader will perhaps smile, when, after so much grave ratiocination, and this long deduction of particulars, he is informed that the letters are not E. C. but F. C. the initials of _Fanny Cock_, daughter to the celebrated auctioneer of that name, with whom our artist had had some casual disagreement.

The following, somewhat different, explanation has also been communicated to me by _Charles Rogers_, esq. who says it came from _Sullivan_, one of _Hogarth's_ engravers: "The nobleman threatens to cane a quack-doctor for having given pills which proved ineffectual in curing a girl he had debauched; and brings with him a woman, from whom he alledges he caught the infection; at which she, in a rage, is preparing to stab him with her clasp knife. This wretch is one of the lowest class, as is manifest by the letters of her name marked with gunpowder on her breast. She, however, is brought to the _French_ barber-surgeon for his examination and inspection, and for which purpose he is wiping his spectacles with his coarse muckender."

The explanation given by _Rouquet_, however, ought not to be suppressed, as in all probability he received it from _Hogarth_. "Il falloit indiquer la mauvaise conduite du héros de la piece. L'auteur pour cet effet l'introduit dans l'appartement d'un empirique, où il ne peut guères se trouver qu'en consequence de ses débauches; il fait en même tems rencontrer chez cet empirique une de ces femmes qui perdues depuis long-tems, font enfin leur métier de la perte des autres. Il suppose un démêlé entre cette femme et son héros, dont le sujet paroît être la mauvaise santé d'un petite fille, du commerce de laquelle il ne s'est pas bien trouvé. La petite fille au reste fait ici contraste par son âge, sa timidité, sa douceur, avec le caractère de l'autre femme, qui paroît un composé de rage, de fureur, et de tous les crimes qui accompagnent d'ordinaire les dernières débauches chez celles de son sexe.

"L'empirique et son appartement sont des objets entièrement épisodiques. Quoique jadis barbier,[A] il est aujourdhui, si l'on en juge par l'etalage, non seulment chirurgien, mais naturaliste, chimiste, mechanicien, medecin, apoticaire; et vous remarquerez qu'il est _François_ pour comble de ridicule. L'auteur pour achever de le caracteriser suivant son idée, lui fait inventer des machines extrèmement composées pour les opérations les plus simples, comme celles de remettre un membre disloqué, ou de déboucher une bouteille.

"Je ne deciderai pas si l'auteur est aussi heureux dans le choix des objets de sa satire, quand il les prend parmi nous, que lorsqu'il les choisit parmi ceux de sa nation; mais il me semble qu'il doit mieux connoître ceux-ci; et je crois que cette planche vous en paroîtra un exemple bien marqué. Il tourne ici en ridicule ce que nous avons de moins mauvais; que deviendroit le reste s'il étoit vrai qu'il nous connût assez pour nous depeindre?"

[A] This circumstance seems to be implied by the broken comb, the pewter bason, and the horn so placed as to resemble a barber's pole, all which are exhibited either above, or within the glass case, in which the skeleton appears whispering a man who had been exsiccated by some mode of embalming at present unknown. About the time of the publication of this set of prints, a number of bodies thus preserved were discovered in a vault in _Whitechapel_ church.--Our Quack is likewise a virtuoso. An ancient spur, a high-crowned hat, old shoes, &c. together with a model of the gallows, are among his rarities.--On his table is a skull, rendered carious by the disease he is professing to cure.--These two last objects are monitory as well as characteristic.

[4] _Scotin_ engraved the first and sixth; _Baron_ the second and third; _Ravenet_ the fourth and fifth.

[5] The blunders in architecture in this unfinished nobleman's seat, on the same account, are seen to disadvantage.

[6] This edifice seems at a stand for want of money, no workman appearing on the scaffolds, or near them.

[7] In his advertisement for this set of plates, he had engaged to engrave all the faces with his own hand. See note 1 above.

[8] The account given in a former edition of this volume concerning the sale of the original pictures of _Marriage-à-la-mode_, being somewhat erroneous, I am happy in the present opportunity of acknowledging my obligations to Mr. _Lane_ abovementioned, who has corrected my mistakes by a communication of the following particulars relative to the purchase:

"Some time after they had been finished, perhaps six or seven years, during which period Mr. _Hogarth_ had been preparing and publishing prints from them, in the year 1750 he advertised the sale of the originals by a kind of auction not carried on by personal bidding, but by a written ticket on which every one was to put the price he would give, with his name subscribed to it. These papers were to be received by Mr. _Hogarth_ for the space of one month; and the highest bidder, at twelve o'clock on the last day of the month, was to be the purchaser: and none but those who had in writing made their biddings were to be admitted on the day that was to determine the sale. This nouvelle method of proceeding probably disobliged the public; and there seemed to be at that time a combination against poor _Hogarth_, who perhaps, from the extraordinary and frequent approbation of his works, might have imbibed some degree of vanity, which the town in general, friends and foes, seemed resolved to mortify. If this was the case (and to me it is very apparent), they fully effected their design; for on the memorable sixth of _June_ 1750, which was to decide the fate of this capital work, about eleven o'clock Mr. _Lane_, the fortunate purchaser, arrived at the _Golden Head_: when, to his great surprize, expecting (what he had been a witness to in 1745, when _Hogarth_ disposed of many of his pictures) to have found his painting-room full of noble and great personages, he only found the painter and his ingenious friend Dr. _Parsons_, secretary to the Royal Society, talking together, and expecting a number of spectators at least, if not of buyers. Mr. _Hogarth_ then produced the highest bidding, from a gentleman well known, of £120. Nobody coming in, about ten minutes before twelve, by the decisive clock in the room, Mr. _Lane_ told Mr. _Hogarth_ he would make the pounds guineas. The clock then struck twelve, and _Hogarth_ wished Mr. _Lane_ joy of his purchase, hoping it was an agreeable one. Mr. _Lane_ answered, Perfectly so. Now followed a scene of disturbance from _Hogarth's_ friend the Doctor, and, what more affected Mr. _Lane_, a great appearance of disappointment in the painter, and truly with great reason. The Doctor told him, he had hurt himself greatly by fixing the determination of the sale at so early an hour, when the people at that part of the town were hardly up. _Hogarth_, in a tone and manner that could not escape observation, said, Perhaps it may be so! Mr. _Lane_, after a short pause, declared himself to be of the same opinion, adding, that the artist was very poorly rewarded for his labour, and, if he thought it would be of service to him, would give him till three o'clock to find a better purchaser. _Hogarth_ warmly accepted the offer, and expressed his acknowledgements for the kindness in the strongest terms. The proposal likewise received great encomiums from the Doctor, who proposed to make it public. This was peremptorily forbidden by Mr. _Lane_, whose concession in favour of our artist was remembered by him to the time of his death.--About one o'clock, two hours sooner than the time appointed by Mr. _Lane, Hogarth_ said he would no longer trespass on his generosity, but that, if he was pleased with his purchase, he himself was abundantly so with the purchaser. He then desired Mr. _Lane_ to promise that he would not dispose of the pictures without previously acquainting him of his intention, and that he would never permit any person, under pretence of cleaning, to meddle with them, as he always desired to take that office on himself. This promise was readily made by Mr. _Lane_, who has been tempted more than once by _Hogarth_ to part with his bargain at a price to be named by himself. When Mr. _Lane_ bought the pictures, they were in Carlo Marratt frames which cost the painter four guineas apiece."

The memory of this occurrence ought always to attend the work which afforded Mr. _Lane_ an opportunity of displaying so much disinterested generosity.

Another correspondent begins the same story as follows--A little time before the auction, _Hogarth_ publickly declared, that no picture-dealer should be allowed to bid. He also called on his friends, requesting them not to appear at the sale, as his house was small, and the room might be over crowded. They obeyed his injunctions. Early in this mortifying day he dressed himself, put on his tye-wig, strutted away one hour, and fretted away two more, no bidder appearing, &c. &c.

2. A small print of Archbishop _Herring_, at the head of the speech he made to the clergy of _York, September_ 24, 1745. _William Hogarth pinx. C. Moseley sculp._

3. The same head cut out of the plate, and printed off without the speech.

4. The Battle of the Pictures. "_Ticket to admit persons to bid for his works at an auction._" On the plate called _The Battle of the Pictures_ is written, "The bearer hereof is entitled (if he thinks proper) to be a bidder for Mr. _Hogarth's_ pictures, which are to be sold on the last day of this month [_February_, 1744-5.]."

5. A festoon, with a mask, a roll of paper, a palette, and a laurel. Subscription ticket for _Garrick_ in _Richard_ the Third. A very faithful copy from this receipt was made by _R. Livesay_, 1781. It is to be sold at Mrs. _Hogarth's_ house in _Leicester-square_.

* * * * *

1746.

1. _Simon_ Lord _Lovat.[1] Drawn from the life, and etched in aquafortis by William Hogarth.--Hogarth_ said himself, that Lord _Lovat's_ portrait was taken (at the _White-Hart_, at _St. Alban's_) in the attitude of relating on his fingers the numbers of the rebel forces.--"Such a general had so many men, &c." and remarked, that the muscles of _Lovat's_ neck appeared of unusual strength, more so than he had ever seen. When the painter entered the room, his lordship, being under the barber's hands, received his old friend with a salute, which left much of the lather on his face.--The second impressions are marked, _Price One Shilling_. When _Hogarth_ had finished this plate, a printseller offered its weight in gold for it. The impressions could not be taken off so fast as they were wanted, though the rolling-press was at work all night for a week together. For several weeks afterwards he is said to have received at the rate of 12 _l._ per day.

[1] "This powerful laird, it has been observed, was one of the last Chieftains that preserved the rude manners and barbarous authority of the early feudal ages. He resided in a house which would be esteemed but an indifferent one for a very private, plain country gentleman in _England_; as it had, properly, only four rooms on a floor, and those not large. Here, however, he kept a sort of court, and several public tables; and had a numerous body of retainers always attending. His own constant residence, and the place where he received company, even at dinner, was in the very same room where he lodged; and his lady's sole apartment was her bed-room; and the only provision for the lodging of the servants, and retainers, was a quantity of straw, which they spread every night, on the floors of the lower rooms, where the whole inferior part of the family, consisting of a very great number of persons, took up their abode." See Mr. _King's_ observations on ancient Castles, in the _Archæologia_, vol. IV.

Sir _William Young_, one of the managers appointed by the Commons of _Great Britain_, for conducting the prosecution against this Nobleman for High Treason, in the year 1745, makes the following observation: "Your Lordships have already done national justice on some of the principal traitors, who appeared in open arms against his Majesty, by the ordinary course of law; but this noble Lord, who, in the whole course of his life, has boasted of his superior cunning in wickedness, and his ability to commit frequent treasons with impunity, vainly imagined that he might possibly be a traitor in private, and rebel only in his heart, by sending his son and his followers to join the Pretender, and remaining at home himself, to endeavour to deceive his Majesty's faithful subjects; hoping _he_ might be rewarded for his son's services, if successful; or his _son_ alone be the sufferer for _his_ offences, if the undertaking failed: diabolical cunning! monstrous impiety!" See _State Trials_, vol. IX. p. 627.

2. Mr. _Garrick_[1] in the character of _Richard_ III. _Painted by Wm. Hogarth; engraved by Wm. Hogarth and C. Grignion._ The late Mr. _Duncombe_, of _Duncombe Park_ in _Yorkshire_, gave 200 _l._ for the original picture, which is now in the possession of his family. The expression of the countenance is happily hit off, but the figure is abundantly too large and muscular. This print was afterwards, by _Hogarth's_ permission, copied for a watch-paper.

[1] "Mr. _Garrick_ had several of _Hogarth's_ paintings; and the latter designed for him, as president of the _Shakespeare_ club, a mahogany chair richly carved, on the back of which hangs a medal of the poet carved by _Hogarth_ out of the mulberry-tree planted at _Stratford_ by _Shakespeare_." Anecdotes of Painting, vol. IV. p. 180. edit. 8vo, 1782.

3. A stand of various weapons, bag-pipes, &c. and a pair of scissars cutting out th