Biographical Anecdotes of William Hogarth, With a Catalogue of His WorksNichols, John
General
Biographical Anecdotes of William Hogarth, With a Catalogue of His Works
Nichols, John
Hogarth, William, 1697-1764
_August_ 19, 1736, "We hear that the husband of Mrs. _Mapp_, the famous
bone-setter at _Epsom_, ran away from her last week, taking with him
upwards of 100 guineas, and such other portable things as lay next
hand."
"Several letters from _Epsom_ mention, that the footman, whom the
female bone-setter married the week before, had taken a sudden journey
from thence with what money his wife had earned; and that her concern
at first was very great: but soon as the surprize was over, she grew
gay, and seemed to think the money well disposed of, as it was like to
rid her of a husband. He took just 102 guineas."
The following verses were addressed to her in _August_ 1736.
"Of late, without the least pretence to skill,
_Ward's_ grown a fam'd physician by a pill;[6]
Yet he can but a doubtful honour claim,
While envious Death oft blasts his rising fame.
Next travell'd _Taylor_ fill'd us with surprize,
Who pours new light upon the blindest eyes;
Each journal tells his circuit thro' the land;
Each journal tells the blessings of his hand:
And lest some hireling scribbler of the town
Injures his history, he writes his own.
We read the long accounts with wonder o'er;
Had he wrote less, we had believ'd him more.
Let these, O _Mapp!_ thou wonder of the age!
With dubious arts endeavour to engage:
While you, irregularly strict to rules,
Teach dull collegiate pedants they are fools:
By merit, the sure path to fame pursue;
For all who see thy art, must own it true."
_September_ 2, 1736, "On _Friday_ several persons, who had the
misfortune of lameness, crowded to _The White-hart Inn_, in
_White-chapel_, on hearing Mrs. _Mapp_ the famous bone-setter was
there. Some of them were admitted to her, and were relieved as they
apprehended. But a gentleman, who happened to come by, declared Mrs.
_Mapp_ was at _Epsom_, on which the woman thought proper to move off."
_September_ 9, 1736. "Advertisement.
"Whereas it has been industriously (I wish I could say truly) reported,
that I had found great benefit from a certain female bone-setter's
performance, and that it was to a want of resolution to undergo the
operation, that I did not meet with a perfect cure: this is therefore
to give notice, that any persons afflicted with lameness (who are
willing to know what good or harm others may receive, before they
venture on desperate measures themselves) will be welcome any morning
to see the dressing of my leg, which was sound before the operation,
and they will then be able to judge of the performance, and to whom I
owe my present unhappy confinement to my bed and chair.
"_Thomas Barber_, Tallow-chandler, _Saffron-hill_."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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