[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.