Part 9

Dr. _Morell_, an intimate friend of Mr. _Hogarth_, who was applied to for information, returned for answer: "His excellencies, as well as his foibles, are so universally known, that I cannot add to the former, and would not, if I could, to the latter. I should think we lived in a very ill-natured world, if the whims and follies in a man's life were to be exposed, and his oddities and mistakes, _ubi plura nitent_, seriously condemned. But the unhappy affair of _Sigismunda_ requires animadversion. And I will venture to say that even this _Sigismunda_ would not have deserved so many hard things as have been said of it, if Mr. _Hogarth_ had timely and properly observed the caution--_Manum de Tabula_. But it was so altered, upon the criticism of one Connoisseur or another; and especially when, relying no longer upon strength of genius, he had recourse to the _feigned_ tears and _fictitious_ woe of a female friend; that, when it appeared at the exhibition, I scarce knew it again myself, and from a passable picture it became little better than the wretched figure here represented. In my opinion, I never saw a finer resemblance of flesh and blood, while the canvas was warm, I mean _wet_; but, like that of real flesh, as soon as it was chilled, the beauty wore off. And this, he said, could not be helped, as no colours, but those of pure nature, as _ultramarine_, &c. would keep their natural brightness. But it is granted that colouring was not Mr. _Hogarth's_ forte; and the subject we are upon is a disagreeable one."

[57] The first sketch in oil for _Sigismunda_, and a drawing from the finished picture, are in the possession of Mr. _Samuel Ireland_.

[58] At the Club of Artists, it was not unusual to reproach _Hogarth_ with want of due attention to the Ancients, whom he always affected to despise. It accidentally happened that Mr. _Basire_, whilst this plate was in hand, was employed likewise in engraving, for the Society of Antiquaries, two plates of an antique bronze from the collection of Mr. _Hollis_, so remarkably grotesque, that Mr. _Hogarth_ very readily consented that his plate should be postponed, and declared, "he could not have imagined that the Ancients had possessed so much humour."

[59] Some subscriptions were actually received, and the money returned. The munificient Mr. _Hollis_, who was one of the subscribers, refused to take back what he had paid; and it was given by Mr. _Basire_ to a public charity.

[60] Two other little pieces are ascribed to him; the distich under the subscription-ticket for his _Sigismunda_, 1761,

'To Nature and yourself appeal; Nor learn of others how to feel.'

And the following well-known Epigram:

"Your servant, Sir," says surly _Quin_, "Sir, I am yours," replies _Macklin_, "Why, you're the very _Jew_ you play, Your face performs the task well." "And you are _Sir John Brute_, they say, And an accomplished _Maskwell_." Says _Rich_, who heard the sneering elves, And knew their horrid hearts; "Acting too much your very selves, You overdo your parts."[A]

[A] The censure contained in these poor lines is eminently unjust. _Macklin_ is known to have been an anxious and affectionate parent, and _Quin_ a benevolent and liberal friend.

[61] On what account I know not, but he had then forborn painting for more than a year.

[62] See hereafter, p. 81.

[63] In the Beauties of all the Magazines, 1773, p. 440, is a droll "Epistle from _Jacob Henriques_, born anno Domini, &c. to Messieurs _Hogarth_ and _Churchill_ greeting."

[64] For this the Satirist unmercifully apologizes in the conclusion of his poem, which may be seen in the Catalogue, under the year 1763, in a note on N° 2.

[65] As much of this paper as relates to our artist is here subjoined:

"The humourous Mr. _Hogarth_, the _supposed_ author of the _Analysis of Beauty_, has at last entered the list of politicians, and given us a print of _The Times. Words are man's province_, says _Pope_; but they are not Mr. _Hogarth's_ province. He somewhere mentions his being indebted to a friend for a third part of the _wording_: that is his phrase. We all titter the instant he takes up a _pen_, but we tremble when we see the _pencil_ in his hand. I will do him the justice to say, that he possesses the rare talent of gibbetting in colours, and that in most of his works he has been a very good moral satirist. His forte is there, and he should have kept it. When he has at any time deviated from _his own peculiar walk_, he has never failed to make himself perfectly ridiculous. I need only make my appeal to any one of his _historical_ or _portrait_ pieces, which are now considered as almost beneath all criticism. The favourite _Sigismunda_, the labour of so many years, the boasted effort of his art, was not _human_. If the figure had a resemblance of any thing ever on earth, or had the least pretence to meaning or expression, it was what he had seen, or perhaps made, in real life, his own wife in an agony of passion; but of what passion no connoisseur could guess. All his friends remember what tiresome discourses were held by him day after day about the transcendent merit of it, and how the great names of _Raphael, Vandyke,_ and others, were made to yield the palm of beauty, grace, expression, &c. to him, for this long laboured, yet still, _uninteresting_, single figure. The value he himself set on this, as well as on some other of his works, almost exceeds belief; yet from politeness or fear, or some other motives, he has actually been paid the most astonishing sums, as the price, not of his merit, but of his unbounded vanity.

"The darling passion of Mr. _Hogarth_ is to shew the _faulty_ and _dark_ side of every object. He never gives us in perfection the _fair face of nature_, but admirably well holds out her deformities to ridicule. The reason is plain. All objects are painted on his _retina_ in a grotesque manner, and he has never felt the force of what the _French_ call _la belle nature_. He never caught a single idea of beauty, grace, or elegance; but, on the other hand, he never missed the least flaw in almost any production of nature or of art. This is his true character. He has succeeded very happily in the way of humour, and has miscarried in every other attempt. This has arisen in some measure from his head, but much more from his heart. After _Marriage à la Mode_, the public wished for a series of prints of a _happy_ marriage. _Hogarth_ made the attempt, but the rancour and malevolence of his mind made him very soon turn with envy and disgust from objects of so pleasing contemplation, to dwell and feast a bad heart on others of a hateful cast, which he pursued, for he found them congenial, with the most unabating zeal, and unrelenting gall.

"I have observed some time his _setting sun_. He has long been very _dim_, and almost _shorn of his beams_. He seems so conscious of this, that he now glimmers with _borrowed light. John Bull's house in flames_ has been hackney'd in fifty different prints; and if there is any merit in the figure on stilts, and the mob prancing around, it is not to be ascribed to _Hogarth_, but to _Callot_. That spirited _Italian_, whom the _English_ painter has so carefully studied, has given us in the _Balli di Sfessania di Jacomo Callot_, the very same ideas, but infinitely more ludicrous in the execution. The piece is _Smaraolo cornuto. Ratsa di Boio. The Times_ must be confessed destitute of every kind of original merit. The print at first view appears too much crouded with figures; and is in every part confused, perplexed, and embarrassed. The _story is not well told to the eye_; nor can we any where discover the faintest ray of that genius, which with a few strokes of the pencil enabled us to penetrate into the deepest recesses of thought, and even caprice, in a _rake_, a _harlot_, and a _profligate young man of quality_.

"I own too that I am grieved to see the genius of _Hogarth_, which should take in all ages and countries, sunk to a level with the miserable tribe of party-etchers, and now, in his rapid decline, entering into the poor politics of the faction of the day, and descending into low personal abuse, instead of instructing the world, as he could once, by manly moral satire. Whence can proceed so surprizing a change? Is it the frowardness of old age? Or is it that envy and impatience of resplendent merit in every way, at which he has always sickened? How often has he been remarked to droop at the fair and honest applause given even to a friend, though he had particular obligations to the very same gentleman! What wonder then that some of the most respectable characters of the age become the objects of his ridicule? It is sufficient that the rest of mankind applaud; from that moment he begins the attack, and you never can be well with him, till he hears an universal outcry against you, and till all your friends have given you up. There is besides a silly affectation of singularity, joined to a strong desire of leading the rest of the world: when that is once found impracticable, the spleen engendered on such an occasion is discharged at a particular object, or ends in a general misanthropy. The public never had the least share of _Hogarth's_ regard, or even good-will. _Gain_ and _vanity_ have steered his little bark quite through life. He has never been consistent but with respect to those two principles. What a despicable part has he acted with regard to the society of _Arts and Sciences_! How shuffling has his conduct been to the whole body of _Artists_! Both these useful societies have experienced the most ungenteel and offensive behaviour from him. There is at this hour scarcely a single man of any degree of merit in his own profession, with whom he does not hold a professed enmity. It is impossible the least degree of friendship could ever subsist in this intercourse of the arts with him; for his insufferable vanity will never allow the least merit in another, and no man of a liberal turn of mind will ever condescend to feed his pride with the gross and fulsome praise he expects, or to burn the incense he claims, and indeed snuffs like a most gracious god. To this he joins no small share of jealousy; in consequence of which, he has all his life endeavoured to suppress rising merit, and has been very expert in every mean underhand endeavour, to extinguish the least spark of genuine fire. Rut all _genius_ was not born, nor will die, with Mr. _Hogarth_: and notwithstanding all his ungenerous efforts to damp or chill it in another, I will trust to a discerning and liberal spirit in the _English_ nation, to patronize and reward all real merit. It will in the end rise superior to the idle laugh of the hour, which these triflers think it the highest praise to be able to raise. For my part, I scarcely know a more profligate principle, than the indiscriminately sacrificing every thing, however great or good, to the dangerous talent of ridicule; and a man, whose sole object is _dummodo risum excutiat_, ought to be avoided as the worst pest of society, as the _enemy_ most to be feared, I mean a treacherous _friend_. Such a man will go all lengths to raise a laugh at your expence, and your whole life will be made miserable from his ambition of diverting the company for half an hour.

"I love to trace the ideas of a Genius, and to mark the progress of every art. Mr. _Hogarth_ has heard much of the _cobwebs_ of the law, and the _spinning fine spider-webs_, &c. This is thrown on paper, and the idea carefully treasured. Lord _Hardwicke_ being at the head of the law, and deservedly in as high esteem with his countrymen as any man who ever held the seals, unspotted in life, and equally revered by prince and people, becomes an excellent subject for the satirical pencil of a malevolent painter. He is accordingly emblematically represented by Mr. _Hogarth_ as a great spider in a large, thick web, with myriads of the carcases of _flies, clients_ I suppose, sucked to death by the gloomy tyrant. Mr. _Hogarth_ had heard of Mr. _Pitt's_ being _above_ all his fellow-citizens, and of his superior virtue having _raised_ him to an envied and dangerous _height_ of grandeur. Now this he has taken literally, and, with the kind aid of _Callot_, has put Mr. _Pitt_ on stilts, and made the people _look up_ to him; which, after all this insipid ridicule, they will continue to do, as a kind of tutelar deity, from whom they expect that security and those blessings they despair of from others. As to the conceit of the _bellows_, to signify, I suppose, Mr. _Pitt's_ endeavours to blow up the flames of war and discord, it is at once very poor and very false. His whole conduct the last session in parliament, and out of the house ever since, has demonstrated the contrary: _neque vero hoc_ oratione _solum, sed multo magis_ vitâ _et_ moribus _comprobavit._ Cic. de Fin.

"Lord _Temple_ is a nobleman of fine parts and unsullied honour, who has shewn a thorough disinterestedness, a great love of liberty, and a steady attachment to the public, in every part of his conduct through life. It was impossible such a character could be missed by the poisonous shafts of envy, which we see pointed at all superior virtue.... Mr. _Hogarth's_ wit on this noble lord is confined to the wretched conceits of the _Temple Coffee-house_, and a _squirt_ to signify the _playing on_ the ministry. I really believe this wit is all Mr. _Hogarth's_ own.

"When a man of parts dedicates his talents to the service of his country, he deserves the highest rewards: when he makes them subservient to base purposes, he merits execration and punishment. Among the _Spartans_, music and poetry were made to serve the noblest purposes of the _Lacedemonian_ state. A manly courage and great contempt of death were inspired by them; and the poet, musician, soldier, and patriot, were often the same good citizen, who despised the low _mechanic lucre_ of the profession, and was zealous only for the glory of his country. In the year 1746, when the _Guards_ were ordered to march to _Finchley_, on the most important service they could be employed in, the extinguishing a _Scottish_ rebellion, which threatened the intire ruin of the illustrious family on the throne, and, in consequence, of our liberties, Mr. _Hogarth_ came out with a print to make them ridiculous to their countrymen and to all _Europe_; or perhaps it rather was to tell the _Scots_ in his way how little the Guards were to be feared, and that they might safely advance. That the ridicule might not stop here, and that it might be as offensive as possible to his own _sovereign_, he dedicated the print to the king of _Pru[s]ia[A] as an encourager of arts_. Is this patriotism! In old _Rome_, or in any of the _Grecian_ states, he would have been punished as a profligate citizen, totally devoid of all principle. In _England_ he is rewarded, and made _serjeant_ painter to that very king's grandson. I think the term means the same as what is vulgarly called _house_-painter; and indeed he has not been suffered to _caricature_ the royal family. The post of portrait-painter is given to a _Scotsman_, one _Ramsay_. Mr. _Hogarth_ is only to paint the wainscot of the rooms, or, in the phrase of the art, may be called their _pannel-painter_. But how have the _Guards_ offended Mr. _Hogarth_, for he is again attacking them in _The Times_? Lord _Harrington's_ second troop of grenadier guards is allowed to be very perfect in every part of military discipline; and _Hogarth's_ friend, the king of _Prussia_, could have shewn him the real importance of it. He had heard them much applauded, and therefore must abuse them. The ridicule ends however in airs composed by _Harrington_, and in a piece of _clock-work_; but he ought to have known, that though _l'homme machine_ is not sound philosophy, it is the true doctrine of tactics.

"The _Militia_ has received so many just testimonies of applause, both from their king and country, that the attack of envy and malevolence was long expected. But I dare say this poor jester will have Mr. _George Townshend's_ free consent to vent his spleen upon him and the gentlemen of _Norfolk_. I believe he may ever go on in this way almost unnoticed; at one time ridiculing the _Guards_ for a _disorderly_, and at another the _Militia_ for an exact and _orderly_ march. Mr. _Townshend_ will still have the warm applause of his country, and the truest satisfaction, that of an honest heart, for his patriot labours in establishing this great plan of internal defence, a _Militia_, which has delivered us from the ignominy of _foreign hirelings_, and the ridiculous fears of invasion, by a brave and well-disciplined body of _Englishmen_, at all times ready and zealous for the defence of their country, and of its laws and constitution."

[A] This is the orthography of Mr. _Hogarth_. See the print.

[66] The present Lord _Camden_.

[67] This gave rise to a catchpenny, intituled, "_Pug's_ Reply to Parson _Bruin_; or, a Political Conference, occasioned by an Epistle to _William Hogarth_, Esq;" 4to.

[68] "Which was probably accelerated by this unlucky (we had almost said unnatural) event; for _Wilkes, Churchill,_ and _Hogarth_, had been intimate friends, and might have continued such as long as they lived, had not the dæmon of politics and party sown discord among them, and dissolved their union."

[69]--the friend----Dr. _Morell_. The conduct of this gentleman cannot fail to put the reader in mind of _Sir Fretful Plagiary's_ complaint in Mr. Sheridan's _Critic_: "--if it is abuse, why one is always sure to hear of it from one damn'd good-natured _friend_ or another."

[70] "While thinking figures from the canvas start, And _Hogarth_ is the _Garrick_ of his art,"

is a couplet in _Smart's Hilliad_.

The compliment from the _Hilliad_ to Mr. _Hogarth_, Mr. _Smart_ observes, "is reciprocal, and reflects a lustre on Mr. _Garrick_, both of them having similar talents, equally capable of the highest elevation, and of representing the ordinary scenes of life with the most exquisite humour."

[71] The pyramid, &c. This stroke of satire was retorted on _Hogarth_, and employed to express his advanced age and declining abilities; while the _Cheshire_ cheese, with 3000 _l._ on it, seemed to imply that he himself merited an annual pension.

I received this explanation from an ingenious friend.--The late Mr. _Rogers_ explained it thus: "Mr. _Pitt_ is represented in it sitting at his ease [in the position of the great Sir _Isaac Newton_ in _Westminster-Abbey_], with a mill-stone hanging over his head, on which is written 3000 _l._ in allusion to his saying, that _Hanover_ was a mill-stone round the neck of _England_, on account of the expences attending it; and his afterwards adding himself to the public expences by accepting a pension of 3000 _l._ a year. He is firing a mortar-piece levelled at a Dove bearing an olive-branch (the symbol of peace) perched on the standard of _England_; and is supported by the City of _London_, denoted by the two Giants in _Guildhall. Hogarth_ is flogging _Wilkes_ and _Churchill_, and making them dance to the scrapings of a fidler; designed to represent a Nobleman [Earl _Temple_], who patronized them in 1763, and who, for his unmeaning face, has ever been described without a feature. See _Trusler's_ Preface, p. vii."

[72] It may be worth observing, that in "Independence," a poem which was not published by _Churchill_ till the last week of _September_, 1764, he considers his antagonist as a departed Genius:

"_Hogarth_ would draw him (Envy must allow) E'en to the life, WAS HOGARTH LIVING NOW."

How little did the sportive Satirist imagine that the power of pleasing was so soon to cease in both! _Hogarth_ died in four weeks after the publication of this poem; and _Churchill_ survived him but nine days. In some lines which were printed in _November_ 1764, the compiler of these Anecdotes took occasion to lament that

"----Scarce had the friendly tear, For _Hogarth_ shed, escap'd the generous eye Of feeling Pity, when again it flow'd For _Churchill's_ fate. Ill can we bear the loss Of Fancy's twin-born offspring, close ally'd In energy of thought, though different paths They sought for fame! Though jarring passions sway'd The living artists, let the funeral wreath Unite their memory!"

[73] The _Monthly Reviewer_ unintentionally reads _supper_, instead of _dinner_. As to this article of minute intelligence, whether it be true or false, it was communicated by Mrs. _Lewis_.

[74] Mr. _Walpole_ once invited _Gray_ the Poet and _Hogarth_ to dine with him; but what with the reserve of the one, and a want of colloquial talents in the other, he never passed a duller time than between these representatives of _Tragedy_ and _Comedy_, being obliged to rely entirely on his own efforts to support conversation.

[75] The most solid praise, perhaps, that ever was given to our artist, was a legacy of 100 _l._ "for the great pleasure the testator had received from his works."

[76] Originally begun for a portrait of Mrs. _Cholmondeley_, but altered, after one or two sittings, to the Queen.

[77] See p. 9.

[78] To whom, in case of Mrs. _Hogarth's_ marrying again, he gave the plates of Marriage à la Mode, and of the Harlot's and Rake's Progress.

[79] Whilst the Marshal was a prisoner in _England_, Monsieur _Coetlagon_ opened a subscription at two guineas, one to be paid on subscribing, the other on the delivery of "A Dictionary of Arts and Sciences," in two large folio volumes. Many of the nobility, as well as gentry subscribed; but very few of them made good their second payments, or had the work; and the author dedicated it (in gratitude, it is supposed, for the generous patronage he received from the _English_) to Marshal _Belleisle_; whose place of confinement was in _The Round Tower_ at _Windsor Castle_; where the large dining-room is still ornamented with a variety of humourous _French_ engravings; and a small library of _French_ books.

[80] In the year 1768 was published a work, intituled, "_Hogarth_ Moralised. Being a complete Edition of _Hogarth's_ Works. Containing near Fourscore Copper-Plates, most elegantly engraved. With an Explanation, pointing out the many Beauties that may have hitherto escaped Notice, and a Comment on their Moral Tendency, &c. With the Approbation of _Jane Hogarth_, Widow of the late Mr. _Hogarth_."