4. _Paul_ before _Felix_, designed and scratched in the true _Dutch_ taste, by _W. Hogarth_. This was the receipt for _Pharaoh's_ daughter, and for the serious _Paul_ and _Felix_; and is a satire on _Dutch_ pictures. It also contains, in the character of a serjeant tearing his brief, a portrait of _Hume Campbell_, who was not over-delicate in the language he used at the bar to his adversaries and antagonists. This, however, is said by others to be the portrait of _William King_,[1] LL. D. Principal of _St. Mary Hall, Oxford_. In a variation of this print, the Devil is introduced sawing off a leg of the stool on which _Paul_ stands. In the _third_ impression, as is noted in the collection sold last at _Christie's_, "_Hogarth_ has again taken out the Devil. By these variations of _Devil and no Devil_, he glances at Collectors, who give great prices for such rarities; and perhaps he had in his eye the famous print of the Shepherd's Offering by _Poilly_, after _Guido_, which sells very dear, without the Angels." This, however, is erroneous. After the dæmon was once admitted, he was never discarded. The plate in Mrs. _Hogarth's_ keeping confirms my assertion. In the first proof of _Poilly's Shepherd's Offering_, the angels are lightly sketched in; in the finished proof they are totally omitted; but were afterwards inserted. There are similar variations relative to the arms at the bottom of it. Of this burlesque _Paul_, &c. none were originally intended for sale; but our artist gave them away to such of his acquaintance, &c. as begged for them. The number of these petitioners, however, increasing every day, he resolved at last to part with no copies of it at a less price than five shillings.[2] All the early proofs were stained by himself, to give them that tint of age which is generally found on the works of _Rembrandt_. Of this plate, however, there are _two_ impressions. The inscription under the _first_ is "_Paul_ before _Felix_. Design'd and scratch'd in the true _Dutch_ taste by &c." Under the _second_, "Designed and etch'd in the ridiculous manner of _Rembrant_, &c." From the former of these _Hogarth_ took off a few reverses. He must have been severely mortified when he found his ludicrous representation of _Paul_ before _Felix_ was more coveted and admired than his serious painting on the same subject. [1] Of Dr. _King_, who was "a tall, lean, well-looking man," there is a striking likeness in _Worlidge's_ View of the Installation of Lord _Westmoreland_ as chancellor of _Oxford_ in 1761. Some particulars of his life and writings may be seen in the "Anecdotes of Mr. _Bowyer_," p. 594. [2] Mr. _Walpole_ has honoured a passage in the first edition of this hasty work, with the following stricture: (see Anecdotes of Painting, vol. IV. p. 149).